Military personnel in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Military personnel was 83,000 people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
83,000 people
Change on year
up 31.7%
World rank
49th
of 194 countries
All-time high
83,000 people
in 2022
All-time low
2,000 people
in 1971
Years of data
52
1971–2022
Military personnel in United Arab Emirates, 1971–2022
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 United Arab Emirates is 83,000 people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
The figure is up 31.7% on the previous year and up 62.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in United Arab Emirates peaked at 83,000 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2,000 people, in 1971.
That places United Arab Emirates 49th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Military personnel in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2,000 people | — |
| 1972 | 10,000 people | +400.0% |
| 1973 | 11,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1974 | 19,000 people | +72.7% |
| 1975 | 21,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1976 | 27,000 people | +28.6% |
| 1977 | 25,000 people | -7.4% |
| 1978 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 25,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 44,000 people | +76.0% |
| 1981 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 44,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 43,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 43,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 66,000 people | +53.5% |
| 1991 | 66,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 55,000 people | -16.7% |
| 1993 | 55,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 60,000 people | +9.1% |
| 1995 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 60,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 65,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1999 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 65,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 42,000 people | -35.4% |
| 2003 | 50,000 people | +19.0% |
| 2004 | 50,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 51,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 51,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 63,000 people | +23.5% |
| 2016 | 63,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 63,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 63,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 63,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 63,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 63,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 83,000 people | +31.7% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 83,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 18,500 people, 4.5× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 83,000 people is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 91,500 people, 91% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18,333 people | 2,000 people | 27,000 people | 9 |
| 1980s | 43,800 people | 43,000 people | 44,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 61,200 people | 55,000 people | 66,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 52,700 people | 42,000 people | 65,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 57,000 people | 51,000 people | 63,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 69,667 people | 63,000 people | 83,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More reference data data for United Arab Emirates
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0407 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4839 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.6291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.6291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1364 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0486 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0008 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in United Arab Emirates?
- Military personnel in United Arab Emirates was 83,000 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 83,000 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,000 people in 1971.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for military personnel?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 49th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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 — 52 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.