Military personnel in Syria
Syria: Military personnel was 169,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
169,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
29th
of 194 countries
All-time high
408,000 people
in 1990
All-time low
8,000 people
in 1948
Years of data
75
1946–2022
Military personnel in Syria, 1946–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Syria recorded 169,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
The figure is down 42.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Syria peaked at 408,000 people in 1990 and was at its lowest, 8,000 people, in 1948.
That places Syria 29th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Syria, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 10,000 people | — |
| 1947 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 8,000 people | -20.0% |
| 1949 | 20,000 people | +150.0% |
| 1950 | 32,000 people | +60.0% |
| 1951 | 32,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 35,000 people | +9.4% |
| 1953 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 25,000 people | -28.6% |
| 1955 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 60,000 people | +140.0% |
| 1958 | 62,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1961 | 52,000 people | -16.1% |
| 1962 | 54,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 75,000 people | +38.9% |
| 1964 | 80,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1965 | 70,000 people | -12.5% |
| 1966 | 80,000 people | +14.3% |
| 1967 | 80,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 65,000 people | -18.8% |
| 1969 | 75,000 people | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 75,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 110,000 people | +46.7% |
| 1972 | 115,000 people | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 115,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 130,000 people | +13.0% |
| 1975 | 230,000 people | +76.9% |
| 1976 | 240,000 people | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 250,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1978 | 220,000 people | -12.0% |
| 1979 | 220,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 250,000 people | +13.6% |
| 1981 | 270,000 people | +8.0% |
| 1982 | 300,000 people | +11.1% |
| 1983 | 400,000 people | +33.3% |
| 1984 | 402,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 402,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 400,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 400,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 400,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 400,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 408,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 408,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 408,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 408,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 320,000 people | -21.6% |
| 1995 | 320,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 320,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 320,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 315,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 310,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 316,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 321,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 319,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 319,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 313,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 308,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 308,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 308,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 293,000 people | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 293,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 325,000 people | +10.9% |
| 2011 | 295,000 people | -9.2% |
| 2012 | 295,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 178,000 people | -39.7% |
| 2014 | 178,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 178,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 131,000 people | -26.4% |
| 2017 | 128,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 158,000 people | +23.4% |
| 2019 | 139,000 people | -12.0% |
| 2020 | 169,000 people | +21.6% |
| 2021 | 169,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 169,000 people | +0.0% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 169,000 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 33,000 people, 5.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 169,000 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 91,500 people, 1.8× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Syria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | +150.0% | 8,000 people | 20,000 people |
| 1957 | +140.0% | 25,000 people | 60,000 people |
| 1975 | +76.9% | 130,000 people | 230,000 people |
| 1950 | +60.0% | 20,000 people | 32,000 people |
| 1971 | +46.7% | 75,000 people | 110,000 people |
| 2013 | -39.7% | 295,000 people | 178,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 12,000 people | 8,000 people | 20,000 people | 4 |
| 1950s | 36,778 people | 25,000 people | 62,000 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 70,111 people | 52,000 people | 80,000 people | 9 |
| 1970s | 170,500 people | 75,000 people | 250,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 362,400 people | 250,000 people | 402,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 353,700 people | 310,000 people | 408,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 309,800 people | 293,000 people | 321,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 200,500 people | 128,000 people | 325,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 169,000 people | 169,000 people | 169,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More reference data data for Syria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1191 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.5377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3995 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1542 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 16.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 29.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.93 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Syria?
- Military personnel in Syria was 169,000 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 Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 408,000 people in 1990.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,000 people in 1948.
- How does Syria rank for military personnel?
- Syria ranks 29th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Syria 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.