Armed forces - Country rankings

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Armed forces personnel, 2020:

The average for 2020 based on 41 countries was 112634 people. The highest value was in Russia: 1454000 people and the lowest value was in Iceland: 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
Russia 1454000 1 1992 - 2020
Turkey 512000 2 1985 - 2020
Italy 338000 3 1985 - 2020
France 304000 4 1985 - 2020
Ukraine 298000 5 1992 - 2020
Spain 199000 6 1985 - 2020
Poland 189000 7 1985 - 2020
Germany 183000 8 1985 - 2020
Belarus 158000 9 1992 - 2020
UK 153000 10 1985 - 2020
Greece 147000 11 1985 - 2020
Romania 128000 12 1985 - 2020
Portugal 52000 13 1985 - 2020
Hungary 46000 14 1985 - 2020
Netherlands 41000 15 1985 - 2020
Bulgaria 37000 16 1985 - 2020
Lithuania 37000 17 1992 - 2020
Serbia 32000 18 1989 - 2020
Czechia 27000 19 1993 - 2020
Norway 25000 20 1985 - 2020
Belgium 24000 21 1985 - 2020
Austria 23000 22 1985 - 2020
Finland 22000 23 1985 - 2020
Croatia 20000 24 1992 - 2020
Switzerland 20000 25 1985 - 2020
Slovakia 18000 26 1993 - 2020
North Macedonia 16000 27 1992 - 2020
Denmark 15000 28 1985 - 2020
Sweden 15000 29 1985 - 2020
Cyprus 13000 30 1985 - 2020
Montenegro 12000 31 2006 - 2020
Bosnia & Herz. 11000 32 1992 - 2020
Ireland 9000 33 1985 - 2020
Latvia 9000 34 1992 - 2020
Albania 8000 35 1985 - 2020
Estonia 7000 36 1992 - 2020
Slovenia 7000 37 1992 - 2020
Moldova 6000 38 1992 - 2020
Malta 2000 39 1985 - 2020
Luxembourg 1000 40 1985 - 2020
Iceland 0 41 1995 - 2020


New - World map: Armed forces




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. Russia
2. Turkey
3. Italy
4. France
5. Ukraine
6. Spain
7. Poland
8. Germany
9. Belarus
10. UK
11. Greece
12. Romania
13. Portugal
14. Hungary
15. Netherlands
16. Bulgaria
17. Lithuania
18. Serbia
19. Czechia
20. Norway
21. Belgium
22. Austria
23. Finland
24. Croatia
25. Switzerland
26. Slovakia
27. North Macedonia
28. Denmark
29. Sweden
30. Cyprus
31. Montenegro
32. Bosnia & Herz.
33. Ireland
34. Latvia
35. Albania
36. Estonia
37. Slovenia
38. Moldova
39. Malta
40. Luxembourg
41. Iceland
1454000
512000
338000
304000
298000
199000
189000
183000
158000
153000
147000
128000
52000
46000
41000
37000
37000
32000
27000
25000
24000
23000
22000
20000
20000
18000
16000
15000
15000
13000
12000
11000
9000
9000
8000
7000
7000
6000
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1000
0
0
363500
727000
1090500
1454000


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