Military personnel in Romania
Romania: Military personnel was 72,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
72,000 people
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
52nd
of 194 countries
All-time high
975,000 people
in 1944
All-time low
16,000 people
in 1878
Years of data
142
1878–2022
Military personnel in Romania, 1878–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Romania recorded 72,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Romania peaked at 975,000 people in 1944 and was at its lowest, 16,000 people, in 1878.
Romania ranks 52nd of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Romania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1878 | 16,000 people | — |
| 1879 | 17,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1880 | 21,000 people | +23.5% |
| 1881 | 21,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 21,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 36,000 people | +71.4% |
| 1884 | 35,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1885 | 34,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1886 | 34,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 36,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1888 | 37,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1889 | 41,000 people | +10.8% |
| 1890 | 49,000 people | +19.5% |
| 1891 | 40,000 people | -18.4% |
| 1892 | 51,000 people | +27.5% |
| 1893 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 47,000 people | -7.8% |
| 1895 | 47,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 61,000 people | +29.8% |
| 1897 | 60,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1898 | 62,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1899 | 67,000 people | +8.1% |
| 1900 | 63,000 people | -6.0% |
| 1901 | 53,000 people | -15.9% |
| 1902 | 66,000 people | +24.5% |
| 1903 | 66,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 65,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1905 | 66,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1906 | 70,000 people | +6.1% |
| 1907 | 69,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1908 | 90,000 people | +30.4% |
| 1909 | 104,000 people | +15.6% |
| 1910 | 89,000 people | -14.4% |
| 1911 | 97,000 people | +9.0% |
| 1912 | 100,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1913 | 109,000 people | +9.0% |
| 1914 | 145,000 people | +33.0% |
| 1915 | 189,000 people | +30.3% |
| 1916 | 211,000 people | +11.6% |
| 1917 | 247,000 people | +17.1% |
| 1918 | 269,000 people | +8.9% |
| 1919 | 292,000 people | +8.6% |
| 1920 | 252,000 people | -13.7% |
| 1921 | 253,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1922 | 233,000 people | -7.9% |
| 1923 | 203,000 people | -12.9% |
| 1924 | 150,000 people | -26.1% |
| 1925 | 144,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1926 | 145,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1927 | 155,000 people | +6.9% |
| 1928 | 191,000 people | +23.2% |
| 1929 | 191,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 192,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1931 | 180,000 people | -6.2% |
| 1932 | 142,000 people | -21.1% |
| 1933 | 147,000 people | +3.5% |
| 1934 | 147,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 142,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1936 | 137,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1937 | 177,000 people | +29.2% |
| 1938 | 169,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1939 | 148,000 people | -12.4% |
| 1940 | 815,000 people | +450.7% |
| 1944 | 975,000 people | +19.6% |
| 1945 | 119,000 people | -87.8% |
| 1946 | 114,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1947 | 140,000 people | +22.8% |
| 1948 | 166,000 people | +18.6% |
| 1949 | 167,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1950 | 218,000 people | +30.5% |
| 1951 | 269,000 people | +23.4% |
| 1952 | 270,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1953 | 271,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 272,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1955 | 272,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 233,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1957 | 194,000 people | -16.7% |
| 1958 | 205,000 people | +5.7% |
| 1959 | 216,000 people | +5.4% |
| 1960 | 227,000 people | +5.1% |
| 1961 | 312,000 people | +37.4% |
| 1962 | 304,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1963 | 250,000 people | -17.8% |
| 1964 | 250,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 258,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 212,000 people | -17.8% |
| 1967 | 190,000 people | -10.4% |
| 1968 | 190,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 190,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 211,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1971 | 218,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 218,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 192,000 people | -11.9% |
| 1974 | 218,000 people | +13.5% |
| 1975 | 220,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 220,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 208,000 people | -5.5% |
| 1978 | 209,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 210,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 211,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 212,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 213,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 232,000 people | +8.9% |
| 1984 | 236,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 237,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 238,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 248,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 220,000 people | -11.3% |
| 1989 | 207,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1990 | 126,000 people | -39.1% |
| 1991 | 201,000 people | +59.5% |
| 1992 | 172,000 people | -14.4% |
| 1993 | 200,000 people | +16.3% |
| 1994 | 200,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 200,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 200,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 200,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 200,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 170,000 people | -15.0% |
| 2000 | 207,000 people | +21.8% |
| 2001 | 103,000 people | -50.2% |
| 2002 | 99,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 104,000 people | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 101,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 97,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2006 | 97,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 70,000 people | -27.8% |
| 2008 | 74,000 people | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 73,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 73,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 72,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 74,000 people | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 71,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 71,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 71,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 71,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 71,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 69,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 69,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 70,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 71,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 72,000 people | +1.4% |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 72,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 18,500 people, 3.9× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Romania's 72,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23,000 people, 3.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Romania changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | +450.7% | 148,000 people | 815,000 people |
| 1945 | -87.8% | 975,000 people | 119,000 people |
| 1883 | +71.4% | 21,000 people | 36,000 people |
| 1991 | +59.5% | 126,000 people | 201,000 people |
| 2001 | -50.2% | 207,000 people | 103,000 people |
| 1990 | -39.1% | 207,000 people | 126,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 16,500 people | 16,000 people | 17,000 people | 2 |
| 1880s | 31,600 people | 21,000 people | 41,000 people | 10 |
| 1890s | 53,500 people | 40,000 people | 67,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 71,200 people | 53,000 people | 104,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 174,800 people | 89,000 people | 292,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 191,700 people | 144,000 people | 253,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 158,100 people | 137,000 people | 192,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 356,571 people | 114,000 people | 975,000 people | 7 |
| 1950s | 242,000 people | 194,000 people | 272,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 238,300 people | 190,000 people | 312,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 212,400 people | 192,000 people | 220,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 225,400 people | 207,000 people | 248,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 186,900 people | 126,000 people | 201,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 102,500 people | 70,000 people | 207,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 71,200 people | 69,000 people | 74,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 71,000 people | 70,000 people | 72,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Romania
More reference data data for Romania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.59 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.689 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.59 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.04 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 21.54 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 3.75 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Romania?
- Military personnel in Romania was 72,000 people in 2022, according to Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 975,000 people in 1944.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 16,000 people in 1878.
- How does Romania rank for military personnel?
- Romania ranks 52nd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Romania data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 142 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.