* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

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

The average for 2020 based on 18 countries was 2.49 percent. The highest value was in Djibouti: 5.52 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
Djibouti 5.52 1 1991 - 2020
Syria 5.39 2 1991 - 2020
Iraq 4.45 3 1991 - 2020
Lebanon 4.43 4 1991 - 2020
Jordan 3.97 5 1991 - 2020
Egypt 2.8 6 1991 - 2020
Algeria 2.74 7 1991 - 2020
Iran 2.39 8 1991 - 2020
Bahrain 2.26 9 1991 - 2020
Oman 2.1 10 1991 - 2020
Morocco 2.06 11 1991 - 2020
Saudi Arabia 1.76 12 1991 - 2020
Tunisia 1.17 13 1991 - 2020
Qatar 1.07 14 1991 - 2020
Kuwait 1.04 15 1991 - 2020
UA Emirates 0.97 16 1991 - 2020
Yemen 0.64 17 1991 - 2020
Libya 0 18 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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