Military personnel in Turkey
Turkey: Military personnel was 355,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
355,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
17th
of 194 countries
All-time high
879,000 people
in 1987
All-time low
99,000 people
in 1927
Years of data
204
1816–2022
Military personnel in Turkey, 1816–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Turkey recorded 355,000 people for military personnel in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Turkey peaked at 879,000 people in 1987 and was at its lowest, 99,000 people, in 1927.
That places Turkey 17th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Turkey, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1816 | 121,000 people | — |
| 1817 | 121,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 121,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 141,000 people | +16.5% |
| 1820 | 161,000 people | +14.2% |
| 1821 | 181,000 people | +12.4% |
| 1822 | 200,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1823 | 206,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1824 | 191,000 people | -7.3% |
| 1825 | 190,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1826 | 190,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 191,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1828 | 129,000 people | -32.5% |
| 1829 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 278,000 people | +115.5% |
| 1840 | 137,000 people | -50.7% |
| 1841 | 145,000 people | +5.8% |
| 1842 | 153,000 people | +5.5% |
| 1843 | 162,000 people | +5.9% |
| 1844 | 171,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1845 | 158,000 people | -7.6% |
| 1846 | 144,000 people | -8.9% |
| 1847 | 130,000 people | -9.7% |
| 1848 | 135,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1849 | 140,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1850 | 145,000 people | +3.6% |
| 1851 | 150,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1852 | 150,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 160,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1854 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 159,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1863 | 159,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 159,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 160,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1866 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 160,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 133,000 people | -16.9% |
| 1869 | 143,000 people | +7.5% |
| 1870 | 153,000 people | +7.0% |
| 1871 | 163,000 people | +6.5% |
| 1872 | 163,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 163,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 144,000 people | -11.7% |
| 1875 | 151,000 people | +4.9% |
| 1876 | 411,000 people | +172.2% |
| 1877 | 461,000 people | +12.2% |
| 1878 | 336,000 people | -27.1% |
| 1879 | 211,000 people | -37.2% |
| 1880 | 151,000 people | -28.4% |
| 1881 | 251,000 people | +66.2% |
| 1882 | 241,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1883 | 231,000 people | -4.1% |
| 1884 | 211,000 people | -8.7% |
| 1885 | 211,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 231,000 people | +9.5% |
| 1887 | 211,000 people | -8.7% |
| 1888 | 221,000 people | +4.7% |
| 1889 | 260,000 people | +17.6% |
| 1890 | 236,000 people | -9.2% |
| 1891 | 247,000 people | +4.7% |
| 1892 | 241,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1893 | 247,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1894 | 234,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1895 | 231,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1896 | 261,000 people | +13.0% |
| 1897 | 436,000 people | +67.0% |
| 1898 | 336,000 people | -22.9% |
| 1899 | 235,000 people | -30.1% |
| 1900 | 273,000 people | +16.2% |
| 1901 | 275,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1902 | 266,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1903 | 266,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 239,000 people | -10.2% |
| 1905 | 298,000 people | +24.7% |
| 1906 | 310,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1907 | 321,000 people | +3.5% |
| 1908 | 319,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1909 | 312,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1910 | 324,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1911 | 336,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1912 | 241,000 people | -28.3% |
| 1913 | 241,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 249,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1915 | 790,000 people | +217.3% |
| 1918 | 400,000 people | -49.4% |
| 1919 | 129,000 people | -67.8% |
| 1920 | 109,000 people | -15.5% |
| 1921 | 169,000 people | +55.0% |
| 1922 | 209,000 people | +23.7% |
| 1923 | 129,000 people | -38.3% |
| 1924 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 99,000 people | -23.3% |
| 1928 | 129,000 people | +30.3% |
| 1929 | 129,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 149,000 people | +15.5% |
| 1931 | 145,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1932 | 149,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1933 | 149,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 203,000 people | +36.2% |
| 1935 | 211,000 people | +3.9% |
| 1936 | 211,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 211,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 211,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 148,000 people | -29.9% |
| 1941 | 513,000 people | +246.6% |
| 1942 | 513,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 513,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 513,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 514,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1946 | 689,000 people | +34.0% |
| 1947 | 689,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 689,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 669,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1950 | 684,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1951 | 531,000 people | -22.4% |
| 1952 | 533,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1953 | 436,000 people | -18.2% |
| 1954 | 413,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1955 | 425,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1956 | 437,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 449,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1958 | 460,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1959 | 460,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 435,000 people | -5.4% |
| 1961 | 400,000 people | -8.0% |
| 1962 | 420,000 people | +5.0% |
| 1963 | 475,000 people | +13.1% |
| 1964 | 480,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 490,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 510,000 people | +4.1% |
| 1967 | 530,000 people | +3.9% |
| 1968 | 535,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 545,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 540,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 610,000 people | +13.0% |
| 1972 | 610,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 563,000 people | -7.7% |
| 1974 | 574,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 584,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 674,000 people | +15.4% |
| 1977 | 771,000 people | +14.4% |
| 1978 | 721,000 people | -6.5% |
| 1979 | 698,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 717,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 741,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 769,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 824,000 people | +7.2% |
| 1984 | 815,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 814,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 860,000 people | +5.7% |
| 1987 | 879,000 people | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 847,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 780,000 people | -7.9% |
| 1990 | 769,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 804,000 people | +4.6% |
| 1992 | 704,000 people | -12.4% |
| 1993 | 686,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 811,000 people | +18.2% |
| 1995 | 805,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 818,000 people | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 820,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 788,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 789,000 people | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 610,000 people | -22.7% |
| 2001 | 515,000 people | -15.6% |
| 2002 | 515,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 515,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 515,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 515,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 515,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 515,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 510,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 511,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 511,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 511,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 511,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 511,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 511,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 511,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 511,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 355,000 people | -30.5% |
| 2018 | 355,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 355,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 355,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 355,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 355,000 people | +0.0% |
Turkey compared with similar countries
- Turkey's 355,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,000 people, 15.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Turkey's 355,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23,000 people, 15.4× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in Turkey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | +246.6% | 148,000 people | 513,000 people |
| 1915 | +217.3% | 249,000 people | 790,000 people |
| 1876 | +172.2% | 151,000 people | 411,000 people |
| 1839 | +115.5% | 129,000 people | 278,000 people |
| 1919 | -67.8% | 400,000 people | 129,000 people |
| 1897 | +67.0% | 261,000 people | 436,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 126,000 people | 121,000 people | 141,000 people | 4 |
| 1820s | 176,800 people | 129,000 people | 206,000 people | 10 |
| 1830s | 143,900 people | 129,000 people | 278,000 people | 10 |
| 1840s | 147,500 people | 130,000 people | 171,000 people | 10 |
| 1850s | 156,500 people | 145,000 people | 160,000 people | 10 |
| 1860s | 155,300 people | 133,000 people | 160,000 people | 10 |
| 1870s | 235,600 people | 144,000 people | 461,000 people | 10 |
| 1880s | 221,900 people | 151,000 people | 260,000 people | 10 |
| 1890s | 270,400 people | 231,000 people | 436,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 287,900 people | 239,000 people | 321,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 338,750 people | 129,000 people | 790,000 people | 8 |
| 1920s | 136,000 people | 99,000 people | 209,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 178,700 people | 145,000 people | 211,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 589,111 people | 513,000 people | 689,000 people | 9 |
| 1950s | 482,800 people | 413,000 people | 684,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 482,000 people | 400,000 people | 545,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 634,500 people | 540,000 people | 771,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 804,600 people | 717,000 people | 879,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 779,400 people | 686,000 people | 820,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 523,600 people | 510,000 people | 610,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 464,200 people | 355,000 people | 511,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 355,000 people | 355,000 people | 355,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Turkey
More reference data data for Turkey
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.815 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 10.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 22.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 22.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 53.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 103 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 9.35 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Turkey?
- Military personnel in Turkey was 355,000 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 Turkey?
- The highest recorded value was 879,000 people in 1987.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Turkey?
- The lowest recorded value was 99,000 people in 1927.
- How does Turkey rank for military personnel?
- Turkey ranks 17th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Turkey?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Turkey 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 — 204 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.