Armed forces, percent of labor force - Country rankings

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Armed forces personnel, percent of the labor force, 2020:

The average for 2020 based on 49 countries was 0.96 percent. The highest value was in Eritrea: 12.36 percent and the lowest value was in Libya: 0 percent. The indicator is available from 1991 to 2020. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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


Countries Armed forces, percent of labor force, 2020 Global rank Available data
Eritrea 12.36 1 1993 - 2020
Djibouti 5.52 2 1991 - 2020
Egypt 2.8 3 1991 - 2020
Algeria 2.74 4 1991 - 2020
Morocco 2.06 5 1991 - 2020
Mauritania 2 6 1991 - 2020
Namibia 1.75 7 1991 - 2020
Tunisia 1.17 8 1991 - 2020
Sudan 1.15 9 1991 - 2020
Gabon 1.05 10 1991 - 2020
Chad 0.87 11 1991 - 2020
Angola 0.85 12 1991 - 2020
Botswana 0.85 13 1991 - 2020
Zimbabwe 0.85 14 1991 - 2020
Rwanda 0.7 15 1991 - 2020
Burundi 0.61 16 1991 - 2020
G.-Bissau 0.61 17 1991 - 2020
Mali 0.56 18 1991 - 2020
R. of Congo 0.54 19 1991 - 2020
C.A. Republic 0.52 20 1991 - 2020
Mauritius 0.52 21 1991 - 2020
Somalia 0.48 22 1995 - 2020
Gambia 0.46 23 1991 - 2020
Cape Verde 0.43 24 1991 - 2020
DR Congo 0.41 25 1991 - 2020
Senegal 0.4 26 1991 - 2020
South Africa 0.39 27 1991 - 2020
Togo 0.35 28 1991 - 2020
Sierra Leone 0.34 29 1991 - 2020
Guinea 0.32 30 1991 - 2020
Nigeria 0.32 31 1991 - 2020
Cameroon 0.31 32 1991 - 2020
Uganda 0.28 33 1991 - 2020
Benin 0.27 34 1991 - 2020
Ivory Coast 0.27 35 1991 - 2020
Ethiopia 0.25 36 1991 - 2020
Zambia 0.25 37 1991 - 2020
Lesotho 0.21 38 1991 - 2020
Malawi 0.2 39 1991 - 2020
Eq. Guinea 0.19 40 1991 - 2020
Madagascar 0.15 41 1991 - 2020
Burkina Faso 0.14 42 1991 - 2020
Ghana 0.12 43 1991 - 2020
Niger 0.11 44 1991 - 2020
Kenya 0.1 45 1991 - 2020
Tanzania 0.1 46 1991 - 2020
Liberia 0.09 47 1991 - 2020
Mozambique 0.08 48 1991 - 2020
Libya 0 49 1991 - 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. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the economically active population.

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1. Eritrea
2. Djibouti
3. Egypt
4. Algeria
5. Morocco
6. Mauritania
7. Namibia
8. Tunisia
9. Sudan
10. Gabon
11. Chad
12. Angola
13. Botswana
14. Zimbabwe
15. Rwanda
16. Burundi
17. G.-Bissau
18. Mali
19. R. of Congo
20. C.A. Republic
21. Mauritius
22. Somalia
23. Gambia
24. Cape Verde
25. DR Congo
26. Senegal
27. South Africa
28. Togo
29. Sierra Leone
30. Guinea
31. Nigeria
32. Cameroon
33. Uganda
34. Benin
35. Ivory Coast
36. Ethiopia
37. Zambia
38. Lesotho
39. Malawi
40. Eq. Guinea
41. Madagascar
42. Burkina Faso
43. Ghana
44. Niger
45. Kenya
46. Tanzania
47. Liberia
48. Mozambique
49. Libya
12.36
5.52
2.80
2.74
2.06
2.00
1.75
1.17
1.15
1.05
0.87
0.85
0.85
0.85
0.70
0.61
0.61
0.56
0.54
0.52
0.52
0.48
0.46
0.43
0.41
0.40
0.39
0.35
0.34
0.32
0.32
0.31
0.28
0.27
0.27
0.25
0.25
0.21
0.20
0.19
0.15
0.14
0.12
0.11
0.10
0.10
0.09
0.08
0.00
0
3.1
6.2
9.3
12.36


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