Military personnel in Sweden
Sweden: Military personnel was 15,000 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
15,000
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
107th
of 194 countries
All-time high
400,000
in 1942
All-time low
13,000
in 2010
Years of data
166
1819–2022
Military personnel in Sweden, 1819–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military personnel in Sweden is 15,000, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Sweden peaked at 400,000 in 1942 and was at its lowest, 13,000, in 2010.
That places Sweden 107th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1819 | 54,000 | — |
| 1823 | 45,000 | -16.7% |
| 1828 | 45,000 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 42,000 | -6.7% |
| 1831 | 45,000 | +7.1% |
| 1833 | 52,000 | +15.6% |
| 1840 | 52,000 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 52,000 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 52,000 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 47,000 | -9.6% |
| 1849 | 49,000 | +4.3% |
| 1850 | 34,000 | -30.6% |
| 1851 | 34,000 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 49,000 | +44.1% |
| 1853 | 77,000 | +57.1% |
| 1855 | 77,000 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 77,000 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 77,000 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 76,000 | -1.3% |
| 1859 | 77,000 | +1.3% |
| 1860 | 77,000 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 77,000 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 91,000 | +18.2% |
| 1863 | 91,000 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 117,000 | +28.6% |
| 1865 | 117,000 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 120,000 | +2.6% |
| 1867 | 120,000 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 83,000 | -30.8% |
| 1869 | 83,000 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 83,000 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 83,000 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 86,000 | +3.6% |
| 1873 | 82,000 | -4.7% |
| 1875 | 79,000 | -3.7% |
| 1876 | 54,000 | -31.6% |
| 1877 | 94,000 | +74.1% |
| 1878 | 86,000 | -8.5% |
| 1879 | 64,000 | -25.6% |
| 1880 | 92,000 | +43.8% |
| 1881 | 66,000 | -28.3% |
| 1882 | 67,000 | +1.5% |
| 1883 | 69,000 | +3.0% |
| 1884 | 62,000 | -10.1% |
| 1885 | 65,000 | +4.8% |
| 1886 | 65,000 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 65,000 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 64,000 | -1.5% |
| 1889 | 64,000 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 66,000 | +3.1% |
| 1891 | 66,000 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 63,000 | -4.5% |
| 1893 | 63,000 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 63,000 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 63,000 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 62,000 | -1.6% |
| 1897 | 63,000 | +1.6% |
| 1898 | 63,000 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 63,000 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 75,000 | +19.0% |
| 1901 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 73,000 | -2.7% |
| 1903 | 103,000 | +41.1% |
| 1904 | 95,000 | -7.8% |
| 1905 | 64,000 | -32.6% |
| 1906 | 67,000 | +4.7% |
| 1907 | 67,000 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 67,000 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 65,000 | -3.0% |
| 1910 | 71,000 | +9.2% |
| 1911 | 74,000 | +4.2% |
| 1912 | 74,000 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 86,000 | +16.2% |
| 1915 | 80,000 | -7.0% |
| 1916 | 99,000 | +23.8% |
| 1917 | 100,000 | +1.0% |
| 1918 | 101,000 | +1.0% |
| 1920 | 101,000 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 25,000 | -75.2% |
| 1922 | 30,000 | +20.0% |
| 1923 | 25,000 | -16.7% |
| 1924 | 40,000 | +60.0% |
| 1925 | 30,000 | -25.0% |
| 1926 | 28,000 | -6.7% |
| 1927 | 28,000 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 38,000 | +35.7% |
| 1929 | 38,000 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 39,000 | +2.6% |
| 1931 | 32,000 | -17.9% |
| 1932 | 32,000 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 34,000 | +6.2% |
| 1935 | 39,000 | +14.7% |
| 1936 | 30,000 | -23.1% |
| 1937 | 27,000 | -10.0% |
| 1938 | 41,000 | +51.9% |
| 1940 | 100,000 | +143.9% |
| 1942 | 400,000 | +300.0% |
| 1943 | 400,000 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 400,000 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 400,000 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 28,000 | -93.0% |
| 1958 | 28,000 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 29,000 | +3.6% |
| 1960 | 29,000 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 80,000 | +175.9% |
| 1962 | 80,000 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 70,000 | -12.5% |
| 1964 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 75,000 | +7.1% |
| 1969 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 75,000 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 66,000 | -12.0% |
| 1977 | 69,000 | +4.5% |
| 1978 | 69,000 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 68,000 | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 70,000 | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 68,000 | -2.9% |
| 1984 | 69,000 | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 69,000 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 66,000 | -4.3% |
| 1987 | 66,000 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 65,000 | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 62,000 | -4.6% |
| 1990 | 65,000 | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 63,000 | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 70,000 | +11.1% |
| 1993 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 70,000 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 60,000 | -14.3% |
| 1997 | 60,000 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 55,000 | -8.3% |
| 1999 | 52,000 | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 53,000 | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 34,000 | -35.8% |
| 2002 | 34,000 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 28,000 | -17.6% |
| 2004 | 28,000 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 28,000 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 28,000 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 28,000 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 24,000 | -14.3% |
| 2009 | 17,000 | -29.2% |
| 2010 | 13,000 | -23.5% |
| 2011 | 21,000 | +61.5% |
| 2012 | 20,000 | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 21,000 | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 15,000 | -28.6% |
| 2015 | 15,000 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 30,000 | +100.0% |
| 2017 | 30,000 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 30,000 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 30,000 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 15,000 | -50.0% |
| 2021 | 15,000 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 15,000 | +0.0% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 15,000 is below the median for high income countries, which is 18,500, 81% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 15,000 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23,000, 65% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | +300.0% | 100,000 | 400,000 |
| 1961 | +175.9% | 29,000 | 80,000 |
| 1940 | +143.9% | 41,000 | 100,000 |
| 2016 | +100.0% | 15,000 | 30,000 |
| 1957 | -93.0% | 400,000 | 28,000 |
| 1921 | -75.2% | 101,000 | 25,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 54,000 | 54,000 | 54,000 | 1 |
| 1820s | 45,000 | 45,000 | 45,000 | 2 |
| 1830s | 46,333 | 42,000 | 52,000 | 3 |
| 1840s | 50,400 | 47,000 | 52,000 | 5 |
| 1850s | 64,222 | 34,000 | 77,000 | 9 |
| 1860s | 97,600 | 77,000 | 120,000 | 10 |
| 1870s | 79,000 | 54,000 | 94,000 | 9 |
| 1880s | 67,900 | 62,000 | 92,000 | 10 |
| 1890s | 63,500 | 62,000 | 66,000 | 10 |
| 1900s | 75,100 | 64,000 | 103,000 | 10 |
| 1910s | 85,625 | 71,000 | 101,000 | 8 |
| 1920s | 38,300 | 25,000 | 101,000 | 10 |
| 1930s | 34,250 | 27,000 | 41,000 | 8 |
| 1940s | 340,000 | 100,000 | 400,000 | 5 |
| 1950s | 28,333 | 28,000 | 29,000 | 3 |
| 1960s | 68,900 | 29,000 | 80,000 | 10 |
| 1970s | 72,200 | 66,000 | 75,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 67,500 | 62,000 | 70,000 | 10 |
| 1990s | 63,500 | 52,000 | 70,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 30,200 | 17,000 | 53,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22,500 | 13,000 | 30,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More reference data data for Sweden
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4328 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2237 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9766 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.12 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Sweden?
- Military personnel in Sweden was 15,000 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 400,000 in 1942.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,000 in 2010.
- How does Sweden rank for military personnel?
- Sweden ranks 107th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 166 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).