Military personnel in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Military personnel was 255,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
255,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
21st
of 194 countries
All-time high
255,000 people
in 2019
All-time low
0 people
in 1948
Years of data
75
1948–2022
Military personnel in Sri Lanka, 1948–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military personnel in Sri Lanka is 255,000 people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 75 years on record.
The figure is up 58.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Sri Lanka peaked at 255,000 people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1948.
Sri Lanka ranks 21st of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 0 people | — |
| 1949 | 1,000 people | — |
| 1950 | 2,000 people | +100.0% |
| 1951 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 1,000 people | -50.0% |
| 1956 | 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 2,000 people | +100.0% |
| 1958 | 3,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1959 | 4,000 people | +33.3% |
| 1960 | 6,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1961 | 10,000 people | +66.7% |
| 1962 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 11,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1964 | 9,000 people | -18.2% |
| 1965 | 9,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 10,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1967 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 16,000 people | +60.0% |
| 1973 | 18,000 people | +12.5% |
| 1974 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 13,000 people | -27.8% |
| 1979 | 18,000 people | +38.5% |
| 1980 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 18,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 16,000 people | -11.1% |
| 1984 | 17,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 22,000 people | +29.4% |
| 1986 | 22,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 22,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 22,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 22,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 22,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 110,000 people | +400.0% |
| 1992 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 110,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 100,000 people | -9.1% |
| 2000 | 115,000 people | +15.0% |
| 2001 | 121,000 people | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 158,000 people | +30.6% |
| 2003 | 152,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 132,000 people | -13.2% |
| 2005 | 111,000 people | -15.9% |
| 2006 | 111,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 151,000 people | +36.0% |
| 2008 | 151,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 151,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 161,000 people | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 161,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 161,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 161,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 161,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 161,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 161,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 203,000 people | +26.1% |
| 2018 | 243,000 people | +19.7% |
| 2019 | 255,000 people | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 255,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 255,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 255,000 people | +0.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 255,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000 people, 11.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 255,000 people is above the median for South Asia, which is 130,000 people, 2.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 500 people | 0 people | 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1950s | 2,100 people | 1,000 people | 4,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 9,500 people | 6,000 people | 11,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 15,700 people | 10,000 people | 18,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 19,700 people | 16,000 people | 22,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 100,200 people | 22,000 people | 110,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 135,300 people | 111,000 people | 158,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 182,800 people | 161,000 people | 255,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 255,000 people | 255,000 people | 255,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Sri Lanka?
- Military personnel in Sri Lanka was 255,000 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 255,000 people in 2019.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1948.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for military personnel?
- Sri Lanka ranks 21st out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 — 75 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.