Armed forces - Country rankings

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Armed forces personnel, 2020:

The average for 2020 based on 167 countries was 162240 people. The highest value was in India: 3068000 people and the lowest value was in Antigua and Barbuda: 0 people. The indicator is available from 1985 to 2020. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: people; Source: International Institute for Strategic Studies
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Armed forces, 2020 Global rank Available data
India 3068000 1 1985 - 2020
China 2535000 2 1985 - 2020
North Korea 1469000 3 1985 - 2020
Russia 1454000 4 1992 - 2020
USA 1395000 5 1985 - 2020
Pakistan 943000 6 1985 - 2020
Egypt 836000 7 1985 - 2020
Brazil 762000 8 1985 - 2020
Indonesia 676000 9 1985 - 2020
Iran 650000 10 1985 - 2020
South Korea 569000 11 1985 - 2020
Vietnam 522000 12 1985 - 2020
Turkey 512000 13 1985 - 2020
Burma 463000 14 1985 - 2020
Iraq 459000 15 1985 - 2020
Thailand 455000 16 1985 - 2020
Colombia 428000 17 1985 - 2020
Venezuela 343000 18 1985 - 2020
Mexico 341000 19 1985 - 2020
Italy 338000 20 1985 - 2020
Algeria 326000 21 1985 - 2020
Sri Lanka 317000 22 1985 - 2020
France 304000 23 1985 - 2020
Ukraine 298000 24 1992 - 2020
Saudi Arabia 282000 25 1985 - 2020
Syria 269000 26 1985 - 2020
Japan 261000 27 1985 - 2020
Morocco 246000 28 1985 - 2020
Bangladesh 227000 29 1985 - 2020
Nigeria 223000 30 1985 - 2020
Eritrea 202000 31 1993 - 2020
Spain 199000 32 1985 - 2020
Cambodia 191000 33 1985 - 2020
Poland 189000 34 1985 - 2020
Germany 183000 35 1985 - 2020
Israel 178000 36 1985 - 2020
Afghanistan 165000 37 1985 - 2020
Belarus 158000 38 1992 - 2020
Peru 158000 39 1985 - 2020
Philippines 157000 40 1985 - 2020
UK 153000 41 1985 - 2020
Greece 147000 42 1985 - 2020
Sudan 144000 43 1985 - 2020
Ethiopia 138000 44 1985 - 2020
Malaysia 136000 45 1985 - 2020
DR Congo 134000 46 1985 - 2020
Laos 129000 47 1985 - 2020
Romania 128000 48 1985 - 2020
Angola 117000 49 1985 - 2020
Jordan 116000 50 1985 - 2020
Chile 114000 51 1985 - 2020
Nepal 112000 52 1985 - 2020
Argentina 103000 53 1985 - 2020
South Africa 89000 54 1985 - 2020
Azerbaijan 82000 55 1992 - 2020
Lebanon 80000 56 1985 - 2020
Canada 72000 57 1985 - 2020
Bolivia 71000 58 1985 - 2020
Domin. Rep. 71000 59 1985 - 2020
Kazakhstan 71000 60 1993 - 2020
Uzbekistan 68000 61 1992 - 2020
UA Emirates 63000 62 1985 - 2020
Australia 60000 63 1985 - 2020
Singapore 59000 64 1985 - 2020
Turkmenistan 57000 65 1992 - 2020
Portugal 52000 66 1985 - 2020
Zimbabwe 51000 67 1985 - 2020
Tunisia 48000 68 1985 - 2020
Armenia 47000 69 1992 - 2020
Oman 47000 70 1985 - 2020
Hungary 46000 71 1985 - 2020
Uganda 46000 72 1985 - 2020
Chad 45000 73 1985 - 2020
Guatemala 43000 74 1985 - 2020
Ecuador 42000 75 1985 - 2020
El Salvador 42000 76 1985 - 2020
Mali 41000 77 1985 - 2020
Netherlands 41000 78 1985 - 2020
Yemen 40000 79 1985 - 2020
Bulgaria 37000 80 1985 - 2020
Lithuania 37000 81 1992 - 2020
Rwanda 35000 82 1985 - 2020
Cameroon 34000 83 1985 - 2020
Serbia 32000 84 1989 - 2020
Burundi 31000 85 1985 - 2020
Paraguay 29000 86 1985 - 2020
Panama 28000 87 1985 - 2020
Tanzania 28000 88 1985 - 2020
Czechia 27000 89 1993 - 2020
Ivory Coast 27000 90 1989 - 2020
Georgia 26000 91 1993 - 2020
Kuwait 25000 92 1985 - 2020
Norway 25000 93 1985 - 2020
Belgium 24000 94 1985 - 2020
Kenya 24000 95 1985 - 2020
Austria 23000 96 1985 - 2020
Honduras 23000 97 1985 - 2020
Finland 22000 98 1985 - 2020
Madagascar 22000 99 1985 - 2020
Qatar 22000 100 1985 - 2020
Uruguay 22000 101 1985 - 2020
Kyrgyzstan 21000 102 1992 - 2020
Mauritania 21000 103 1985 - 2020
Croatia 20000 104 1992 - 2020
Switzerland 20000 105 1985 - 2020
Bahrain 19000 106 1985 - 2020
Senegal 19000 107 1985 - 2020
Mongolia 18000 108 1985 - 2020
Slovakia 18000 109 1993 - 2020
Tajikistan 17000 110 1992 - 2020
Ghana 16000 111 1985 - 2020
Namibia 16000 112 1991 - 2020
North Macedonia 16000 113 1992 - 2020
Zambia 16000 114 1985 - 2020
Denmark 15000 115 1985 - 2020
Malawi 15000 116 1985 - 2020
Sweden 15000 117 1985 - 2020
Somalia 14000 118 1985 - 2020
Cyprus 13000 119 1985 - 2020
Djibouti 13000 120 1985 - 2020
Guinea 13000 121 1985 - 2020
Benin 12000 122 1985 - 2020
Montenegro 12000 123 2006 - 2020
Nicaragua 12000 124 1985 - 2020
R. of Congo 12000 125 1985 - 2020
Bosnia & Herz. 11000 126 1992 - 2020
Burkina Faso 11000 127 1985 - 2020
Mozambique 11000 128 1985 - 2020
C.A. Republic 10000 129 1985 - 2020
Costa Rica 10000 130 1985 - 2020
New Zealand 10000 131 1985 - 2020
Niger 10000 132 1985 - 2020
Togo 10000 133 1985 - 2020
Botswana 9000 134 1985 - 2020
Ireland 9000 135 1985 - 2020
Latvia 9000 136 1992 - 2020
Sierra Leone 9000 137 1985 - 2020
Albania 8000 138 1985 - 2020
Brunei 8000 139 1985 - 2020
Estonia 7000 140 1992 - 2020
Gabon 7000 141 1985 - 2020
Slovenia 7000 142 1992 - 2020
Jamaica 6000 143 1985 - 2020
Moldova 6000 144 1992 - 2020
Tr.&Tobago 5000 145 1985 - 2020
Fiji 4000 146 1985 - 2020
Gambia 4000 147 1985 - 2020
G.-Bissau 4000 148 1985 - 2020
Papua N.G. 4000 149 1985 - 2020
Guyana 3000 150 1985 - 2020
Mauritius 3000 151 1985 - 2020
Bahamas 2000 152 1985 - 2020
Belize 2000 153 1985 - 2020
Lesotho 2000 154 1985 - 2020
Liberia 2000 155 1985 - 2020
Malta 2000 156 1985 - 2020
Suriname 2000 157 1985 - 2020
Barbados 1000 158 1985 - 2020
Cape Verde 1000 159 1985 - 2020
Eq. Guinea 1000 160 1985 - 2020
Haiti 1000 161 1985 - 2020
Luxembourg 1000 162 1985 - 2020
Ant.& Barb. 0 163 1985 - 2020
Iceland 0 164 1995 - 2020
Libya 0 165 1985 - 2020
Palestine 0 166 2005 - 2020
Seychelles 0 167 1985 - 2020



Definition: Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.

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All articles

1. India
2. China
3. North Korea
4. Russia
5. USA
6. Pakistan
7. Egypt
8. Brazil
9. Indonesia
10. Iran
11. South Korea
12. Vietnam
13. Turkey
14. Burma
15. Iraq
16. Thailand
17. Colombia
18. Venezuela
19. Mexico
20. Italy
21. Algeria
22. Sri Lanka
23. France
24. Ukraine
25. Saudi Arabia
26. Syria
27. Japan
28. Morocco
29. Bangladesh
30. Nigeria
31. Eritrea
32. Spain
33. Cambodia
34. Poland
35. Germany
36. Israel
37. Afghanistan
38. Belarus
39. Peru
40. Philippines
41. UK
42. Greece
43. Sudan
44. Ethiopia
45. Malaysia
46. DR Congo
47. Laos
48. Romania
49. Angola
50. Jordan
51. Chile
52. Nepal
53. Argentina
54. South Africa
55. Azerbaijan
56. Lebanon
57. Canada
58. Bolivia
59. Domin. Rep.
60. Kazakhstan
61. Uzbekistan
62. UA Emirates
63. Australia
64. Singapore
65. Turkmenistan
66. Portugal
67. Zimbabwe
68. Tunisia
69. Armenia
70. Oman
71. Hungary
72. Uganda
73. Chad
74. Guatemala
75. Ecuador
76. El Salvador
77. Mali
78. Netherlands
79. Yemen
80. Bulgaria
81. Lithuania
82. Rwanda
83. Cameroon
84. Serbia
85. Burundi
86. Paraguay
87. Panama
88. Tanzania
89. Czechia
90. Ivory Coast
91. Georgia
92. Kuwait
93. Norway
94. Belgium
95. Kenya
96. Austria
97. Honduras
98. Finland
99. Madagascar
100. Qatar
101. Uruguay
102. Kyrgyzstan
103. Mauritania
104. Croatia
105. Switzerland
106. Bahrain
107. Senegal
108. Mongolia
109. Slovakia
110. Tajikistan
111. Ghana
112. Namibia
113. North Macedonia
114. Zambia
115. Denmark
116. Malawi
117. Sweden
118. Somalia
119. Cyprus
120. Djibouti
121. Guinea
122. Benin
123. Montenegro
124. Nicaragua
125. R. of Congo
126. Bosnia & Herz.
127. Burkina Faso
128. Mozambique
129. C.A. Republic
130. Costa Rica
131. New Zealand
132. Niger
133. Togo
134. Botswana
135. Ireland
136. Latvia
137. Sierra Leone
138. Albania
139. Brunei
140. Estonia
141. Gabon
142. Slovenia
143. Jamaica
144. Moldova
145. Tr.&Tobago
146. Fiji
147. Gambia
148. G.-Bissau
149. Papua N.G.
150. Guyana
151. Mauritius
152. Bahamas
153. Belize
154. Lesotho
155. Liberia
156. Malta
157. Suriname
158. Barbados
159. Cape Verde
160. Eq. Guinea
161. Haiti
162. Luxembourg
163. Ant.& Barb.
164. Iceland
165. Libya
166. Palestine
167. Seychelles
3068000
2535000
1469000
1454000
1395000
943000
836000
762000
676000
650000
569000
522000
512000
463000
459000
455000
428000
343000
341000
338000
326000
317000
304000
298000
282000
269000
261000
246000
227000
223000
202000
199000
191000
189000
183000
178000
165000
158000
158000
157000
153000
147000
144000
138000
136000
134000
129000
128000
117000
116000
114000
112000
103000
89000
82000
80000
72000
71000
71000
71000
68000
63000
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46000
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42000
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41000
40000
37000
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21000
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20000
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12000
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10000
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1000
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1000
1000
1000
0
0
0
0
0
0
767000
1534000
2301000
3068000


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