Military personnel in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Military personnel was 150,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
150,000 people
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
33rd
of 194 countries
All-time high
5.09 million people
in 1945
All-time low
125,000 people
in 1822
Years of data
206
1816–2022
Military personnel in United Kingdom, 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
In 2022, military personnel in United Kingdom stood at 150,000 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in United Kingdom peaked at 5.09 million people in 1945 and was at its lowest, 125,000 people, in 1822.
That places United Kingdom 33rd 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 United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1816 | 255,000 people | — |
| 1817 | 190,000 people | -25.5% |
| 1818 | 173,000 people | -8.9% |
| 1819 | 143,000 people | -17.3% |
| 1820 | 144,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1821 | 139,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1822 | 125,000 people | -10.1% |
| 1823 | 125,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 132,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1825 | 132,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 149,000 people | +12.9% |
| 1827 | 155,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1828 | 155,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 148,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1830 | 140,000 people | -5.4% |
| 1831 | 150,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1832 | 145,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1833 | 144,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1834 | 137,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1835 | 136,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1836 | 143,000 people | +5.1% |
| 1837 | 143,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 155,000 people | +8.4% |
| 1839 | 159,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1840 | 168,000 people | +5.7% |
| 1841 | 173,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1842 | 184,000 people | +6.4% |
| 1843 | 158,000 people | -14.1% |
| 1844 | 185,000 people | +17.1% |
| 1845 | 178,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1846 | 191,000 people | +7.3% |
| 1847 | 193,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1848 | 208,000 people | +7.8% |
| 1849 | 203,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1850 | 201,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1851 | 198,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1852 | 201,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1853 | 213,000 people | +6.0% |
| 1854 | 234,000 people | +9.9% |
| 1855 | 329,000 people | +40.6% |
| 1856 | 382,000 people | +16.1% |
| 1857 | 272,000 people | -28.8% |
| 1858 | 292,000 people | +7.4% |
| 1859 | 315,000 people | +7.9% |
| 1860 | 347,000 people | +10.2% |
| 1861 | 316,000 people | -8.9% |
| 1862 | 305,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1863 | 312,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1864 | 290,000 people | -7.1% |
| 1865 | 296,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1866 | 286,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1867 | 283,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1868 | 279,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1869 | 270,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1870 | 257,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1871 | 241,000 people | -6.2% |
| 1872 | 254,000 people | +5.4% |
| 1873 | 252,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1874 | 248,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1875 | 245,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1876 | 244,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1877 | 251,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1878 | 261,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1879 | 260,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1880 | 248,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1881 | 247,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1882 | 247,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 239,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1884 | 240,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1885 | 256,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1886 | 265,000 people | +3.5% |
| 1887 | 273,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1888 | 273,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 275,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1890 | 278,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1891 | 281,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1892 | 288,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1893 | 294,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1894 | 302,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1895 | 309,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1896 | 315,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1897 | 319,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1898 | 331,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1899 | 331,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 487,000 people | +47.1% |
| 1901 | 521,000 people | +7.0% |
| 1902 | 489,000 people | -6.1% |
| 1903 | 416,000 people | -14.9% |
| 1904 | 409,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1905 | 394,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1906 | 384,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1907 | 369,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1908 | 364,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1909 | 381,000 people | +4.7% |
| 1910 | 372,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1911 | 376,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1912 | 523,000 people | +39.1% |
| 1913 | 533,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1914 | 532,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1915 | 4.35 million people | +717.7% |
| 1917 | 4.43 million people | +1.8% |
| 1918 | 4.22 million people | -4.7% |
| 1919 | 1.33 million people | -68.4% |
| 1920 | 596,000 people | -55.3% |
| 1921 | 448,000 people | -24.8% |
| 1922 | 368,000 people | -17.9% |
| 1923 | 337,000 people | -8.4% |
| 1924 | 337,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 342,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1926 | 341,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1927 | 338,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1928 | 330,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1929 | 325,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1930 | 318,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1931 | 319,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1932 | 317,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1933 | 316,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1934 | 318,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1935 | 321,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1936 | 336,000 people | +4.7% |
| 1937 | 350,000 people | +4.2% |
| 1938 | 376,000 people | +7.4% |
| 1939 | 394,000 people | +4.8% |
| 1940 | 1.02 million people | +158.9% |
| 1941 | 2.30 million people | +125.5% |
| 1942 | 3.39 million people | +47.4% |
| 1943 | 4.14 million people | +22.3% |
| 1944 | 4.90 million people | +18.2% |
| 1945 | 5.09 million people | +3.9% |
| 1946 | 2.05 million people | -59.7% |
| 1947 | 1.30 million people | -36.6% |
| 1948 | 847,000 people | -34.9% |
| 1949 | 770,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1950 | 689,000 people | -10.5% |
| 1951 | 826,000 people | +19.9% |
| 1952 | 872,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1953 | 865,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1954 | 839,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1955 | 809,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1956 | 761,000 people | -5.9% |
| 1957 | 702,000 people | -7.8% |
| 1958 | 614,000 people | -12.5% |
| 1959 | 565,000 people | -8.0% |
| 1960 | 519,000 people | -8.1% |
| 1961 | 475,000 people | -8.5% |
| 1962 | 475,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 450,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1964 | 435,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1965 | 425,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1966 | 425,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 425,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 410,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1969 | 390,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1970 | 390,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 370,000 people | -5.1% |
| 1972 | 370,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 377,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 359,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1975 | 348,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1976 | 337,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1977 | 326,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 320,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 324,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 330,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 341,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 335,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 333,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 336,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 334,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 331,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 328,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 324,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 318,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 308,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 301,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 293,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 271,000 people | -7.5% |
| 1994 | 257,000 people | -5.2% |
| 1995 | 233,000 people | -9.3% |
| 1996 | 221,000 people | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 218,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 218,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 218,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 212,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 211,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 210,000 people | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 213,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 209,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 206,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 217,000 people | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 191,000 people | -12.0% |
| 2008 | 181,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 160,000 people | -11.6% |
| 2010 | 175,000 people | +9.4% |
| 2011 | 178,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 174,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 166,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 169,000 people | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 159,000 people | -5.9% |
| 2016 | 155,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 152,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 150,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 148,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 148,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 153,000 people | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 150,000 people | -2.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 150,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 18,500 people, 8.1× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 150,000 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23,000 people, 6.5× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | +717.7% | 532,000 people | 4.35 million people |
| 1940 | +158.9% | 394,000 people | 1.02 million people |
| 1941 | +125.5% | 1.02 million people | 2.30 million people |
| 1919 | -68.4% | 4.22 million people | 1.33 million people |
| 1946 | -59.7% | 5.09 million people | 2.05 million people |
| 1920 | -55.3% | 1.33 million people | 596,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 190,250 people | 143,000 people | 255,000 people | 4 |
| 1820s | 140,400 people | 125,000 people | 155,000 people | 10 |
| 1830s | 145,200 people | 136,000 people | 159,000 people | 10 |
| 1840s | 184,100 people | 158,000 people | 208,000 people | 10 |
| 1850s | 263,700 people | 198,000 people | 382,000 people | 10 |
| 1860s | 298,400 people | 270,000 people | 347,000 people | 10 |
| 1870s | 251,300 people | 241,000 people | 261,000 people | 10 |
| 1880s | 256,300 people | 239,000 people | 275,000 people | 10 |
| 1890s | 304,800 people | 278,000 people | 331,000 people | 10 |
| 1900s | 421,400 people | 364,000 people | 521,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.85 million people | 372,000 people | 4.43 million people | 9 |
| 1920s | 376,200 people | 325,000 people | 596,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 336,500 people | 316,000 people | 394,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.58 million people | 770,000 people | 5.09 million people | 10 |
| 1950s | 754,200 people | 565,000 people | 872,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 442,900 people | 390,000 people | 519,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 352,100 people | 320,000 people | 390,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 331,000 people | 318,000 people | 341,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 253,800 people | 218,000 people | 308,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 201,000 people | 160,000 people | 217,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 162,600 people | 148,000 people | 178,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 150,333 people | 148,000 people | 153,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 31 Bangladesh 163,000 people compare
- 32 Italy 161,000 people compare
- 34 Philippines 145,000 people compare
- 35 Nigeria 143,000 people compare
- 36 Algeria 139,000 people compare
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in United Kingdom?
- Military personnel in United Kingdom was 150,000 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 Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 5.09 million people in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 125,000 people in 1822.
- How does United Kingdom rank for military personnel?
- United Kingdom ranks 33rd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 206 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.