Armed forces - Country rankings

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Armed forces personnel, 2020:

The average for 2020 based on 43 countries was 351605 people. The highest value was in India: 3068000 people and the lowest value was in Palestine: 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
Pakistan 943000 4 1985 - 2020
Indonesia 676000 5 1985 - 2020
Iran 650000 6 1985 - 2020
South Korea 569000 7 1985 - 2020
Vietnam 522000 8 1985 - 2020
Burma 463000 9 1985 - 2020
Iraq 459000 10 1985 - 2020
Thailand 455000 11 1985 - 2020
Sri Lanka 317000 12 1985 - 2020
Saudi Arabia 282000 13 1985 - 2020
Syria 269000 14 1985 - 2020
Japan 261000 15 1985 - 2020
Bangladesh 227000 16 1985 - 2020
Cambodia 191000 17 1985 - 2020
Israel 178000 18 1985 - 2020
Afghanistan 165000 19 1985 - 2020
Philippines 157000 20 1985 - 2020
Malaysia 136000 21 1985 - 2020
Laos 129000 22 1985 - 2020
Jordan 116000 23 1985 - 2020
Nepal 112000 24 1985 - 2020
Azerbaijan 82000 25 1992 - 2020
Lebanon 80000 26 1985 - 2020
Kazakhstan 71000 27 1993 - 2020
Uzbekistan 68000 28 1992 - 2020
UA Emirates 63000 29 1985 - 2020
Singapore 59000 30 1985 - 2020
Turkmenistan 57000 31 1992 - 2020
Armenia 47000 32 1992 - 2020
Oman 47000 33 1985 - 2020
Yemen 40000 34 1985 - 2020
Georgia 26000 35 1993 - 2020
Kuwait 25000 36 1985 - 2020
Qatar 22000 37 1985 - 2020
Kyrgyzstan 21000 38 1992 - 2020
Bahrain 19000 39 1985 - 2020
Mongolia 18000 40 1985 - 2020
Tajikistan 17000 41 1992 - 2020
Brunei 8000 42 1985 - 2020
Palestine 0 43 2005 - 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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1. India
2. China
3. North Korea
4. Pakistan
5. Indonesia
6. Iran
7. South Korea
8. Vietnam
9. Burma
10. Iraq
11. Thailand
12. Sri Lanka
13. Saudi Arabia
14. Syria
15. Japan
16. Bangladesh
17. Cambodia
18. Israel
19. Afghanistan
20. Philippines
21. Malaysia
22. Laos
23. Jordan
24. Nepal
25. Azerbaijan
26. Lebanon
27. Kazakhstan
28. Uzbekistan
29. UA Emirates
30. Singapore
31. Turkmenistan
32. Armenia
33. Oman
34. Yemen
35. Georgia
36. Kuwait
37. Qatar
38. Kyrgyzstan
39. Bahrain
40. Mongolia
41. Tajikistan
42. Brunei
43. Palestine
3068000
2535000
1469000
943000
676000
650000
569000
522000
463000
459000
455000
317000
282000
269000
261000
227000
191000
178000
165000
157000
136000
129000
116000
112000
82000
80000
71000
68000
63000
59000
57000
47000
47000
40000
26000
25000
22000
21000
19000
18000
17000
8000
0
0
767000
1534000
2301000
3068000


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