Armed forces
people · OBSERVED 2000–2020
Total active armed-forces personnel.
- Nations ranked
- 166
- Highest
- 3.1 m
- Lowest
- 0
- Observed
- 2000–2020
Press any row — its specimen turns over on the readout ledge. No bests, no worsts: observations, ranked.
This table mixes vintages: each publisher carries a nation’s latest available year, so the observations here run from 2000 to 2020 — every row shows its own.
Press a row — the specimen turns over to its label. Bars are drawn to the highest value. Highest, not best: this page orders figures, it does not grade nations.
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank01 India3.1 m 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank02 China2.5 m 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank03 North Korea1.5 m 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank04 Russia1.5 m 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank1.4 m 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank06 Pakistan943,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank07 Egypt836,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank08 Brazil762,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank09 Indonesia676,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank10 Iran650,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank11 South Korea569,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank12 Vietnam522,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank13 Türkiye512,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank14 Myanmar463,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank15 Iraq459,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank16 Thailand455,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank17 Colombia428,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank18 Venezuela343,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank19 Mexico341,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank20 Italy338,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank21 Algeria326,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank22 Sri Lanka317,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank23 France304,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank24 Ukraine298,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank25 Saudi Arabia282,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank26 Syria269,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank27 Japan261,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank28 Morocco246,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank29 Bangladesh227,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank30 Nigeria223,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank31 Eritrea202,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank32 Spain199,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank33 Cambodia191,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank34 Poland189,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank35 Germany183,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank36 Afghanistan165,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank37 Belarus158,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank37 Peru158,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank39 Philippines157,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank153,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank41 Greece147,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank42 Sudan144,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank43 Ethiopia138,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank44 Malaysia136,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank45 DR Congo134,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank46 Laos129,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank47 Romania128,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank48 Angola117,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank49 Jordan116,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank50 Chile114,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank51 Nepal112,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank52 Argentina103,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank53 South Africa89,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank54 Azerbaijan82,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank55 Lebanon80,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank56 Cuba76,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank57 Canada72,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank58 Bolivia71,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank71,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank58 Kazakhstan71,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank61 Uzbekistan68,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank63,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank63 Australia60,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank64 Turkmenistan57,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank65 South Sudan53,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank66 Portugal52,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank67 Zimbabwe51,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank68 Tunisia48,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank69 Armenia47,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank69 Oman47,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank71 Hungary46,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank71 Uganda46,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank73 Chad45,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank74 Guatemala43,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank75 Ecuador42,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank75 El Salvador42,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank77 Mali41,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank77 Netherlands41,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank79 Yemen40,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank80 Bulgaria37,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank80 Lithuania37,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank82 Rwanda35,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank83 Cameroon34,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank84 Serbia32,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank85 Burundi31,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank86 Paraguay29,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank87 Panama28,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank87 Tanzania28,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank89 Czechia27,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank89 Ivory Coast27,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank91 Georgia26,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank92 Kuwait25,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank92 Norway25,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank94 Belgium24,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank94 Kenya24,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank96 Austria23,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank96 Honduras23,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank98 Finland22,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank98 Madagascar22,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank98 Qatar22,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank98 Uruguay22,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank102 Kyrgyzstan21,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank102 Mauritania21,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank104 Croatia20,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank104 Switzerland20,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank106 Senegal19,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank107 Mongolia18,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank107 Slovakia18,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank109 Tajikistan17,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank110 Ghana16,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank110 Namibia16,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank110 North Macedonia16,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank110 Zambia16,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank114 Denmark15,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank114 Malawi15,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank114 Sweden15,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank117 Somalia14,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank118 Cyprus13,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank118 Djibouti13,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank118 Guinea13,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank121 Benin12,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank121 Congo12,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank121 Montenegro12,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank121 Nicaragua12,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank11,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank125 Burkina Faso11,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank125 Mozambique11,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank10,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank128 Costa Rica10,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank128 New Zealand10,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank128 Niger10,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank128 Togo10,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank133 Botswana9,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank133 Ireland9,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank133 Latvia9,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank133 Sierra Leone9,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank137 Albania8,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank137 Brunei8,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank139 Estonia7,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank139 Gabon7,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank139 Slovenia7,000 2020
- Observed 2000 · SIPRI / World Bank142 Bhutan6,000 2000
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank142 Jamaica6,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank142 Moldova6,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank5,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank146 Fiji4,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank146 Gambia4,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank146 Guinea-Bissau4,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank146 Papua New Guinea4,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank150 Guyana3,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank150 Mauritius3,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank152 Bahamas2,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank152 Belize2,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank152 Lesotho2,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank152 Liberia2,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank152 Malta2,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank152 Suriname2,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank152 Timor-Leste2,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank159 Cape Verde1,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank1,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank159 Haiti1,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank159 Luxembourg1,000 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank163 Iceland0 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank163 Libya0 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank163 Palestine0 2020
- Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank163 Seychelles0 2020
Not observed
20 nations publish no figure for this indicator in the sources below. Absence is a fact about the world’s statistical apparatus, not a zero — these nations hold their place as hatched gaps, and a gap has no underside to turn over.
- AndorraNOT OBSERVED
- AntarcticaNOT OBSERVED
Antarctica has no permanent population and no national government — it is administered under the Antarctic Treaty. No statistical agency compiles national indicators for it, so there is nothing here to report.
- ComorosNOT OBSERVED
- EswatiniNOT OBSERVED
- Falkland IslandsNOT OBSERVED
The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory, administered by the United Kingdom; sovereignty is disputed by Argentina. They are not a separate reporting entity in World Bank datasets.
- French Southern and Antarctic LandsNOT OBSERVED
The French Southern and Antarctic Lands have no permanent civilian population. They are administered from Réunion as an overseas territory of France and are not a separate reporting entity in international datasets.
- GreenlandNOT OBSERVED
- KosovoNOT OBSERVED
- LiechtensteinNOT OBSERVED
- MonacoNOT OBSERVED
- New CaledoniaNOT OBSERVED
- Northern CyprusNOT OBSERVED
Northern Cyprus is recognised as a state by Türkiye alone. It is not a member of the United Nations or the World Bank, and does not appear as a separate entity in the datasets these indicators are drawn from.
- Puerto RicoNOT OBSERVED
- San MarinoNOT OBSERVED
- São Tomé and PríncipeNOT OBSERVED
- Solomon IslandsNOT OBSERVED
- SomalilandNOT OBSERVED
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 and has not been recognised by the United Nations or any member state. Where its figures are collected at all, they are reported within Somalia's.
- TaiwanNOT OBSERVED
Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, and is excluded from the World Bank and UN series that supply most of this dossier. Its own statistical agencies publish extensively.
- VanuatuNOT OBSERVED
- Vatican CityNOT OBSERVED
Vatican City has a resident population of a few hundred and does not compile the economic and social series these indicators are drawn from.