Armed forces

people · OBSERVED 2000–2020

Total active armed-forces personnel.

Nations ranked
166
Highest
3.1 m
Lowest
0
Observed
2000–2020

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.

  1. 3.1 m 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  2. 2.5 m 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  3. 1.5 m 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  4. 1.5 m 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  5. 1.4 m 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  6. 943,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  7. 836,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  8. 762,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  9. 676,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  10. 10 Iran
    650,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  11. 569,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  12. 522,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  13. 512,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  14. 463,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  15. 15 Iraq
    459,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  16. 455,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  17. 428,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  18. 343,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  19. 341,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  20. 338,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  21. 326,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  22. 317,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  23. 304,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  24. 298,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  25. 282,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  26. 269,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  27. 261,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  28. 246,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  29. 227,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  30. 223,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  31. 202,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  32. 199,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  33. 191,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  34. 189,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  35. 183,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  36. 165,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  37. 158,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  38. 37 Peru
    158,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  39. 157,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  40. 153,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  41. 147,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  42. 144,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  43. 138,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  44. 136,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  45. 134,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  46. 46 Laos
    129,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  47. 128,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  48. 117,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  49. 116,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  50. 114,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  51. 112,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  52. 103,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  53. 89,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  54. 82,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  55. 80,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  56. 56 Cuba
    76,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  57. 72,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  58. 71,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  59. 71,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  60. 71,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  61. 68,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  62. 63,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  63. 60,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  64. 57,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  65. 53,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  66. 52,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  67. 51,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  68. 48,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  69. 47,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  70. 69 Oman
    47,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  71. 46,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  72. 46,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  73. 73 Chad
    45,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  74. 43,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  75. 42,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  76. 42,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  77. 77 Mali
    41,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  78. 41,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  79. 40,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  80. 37,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  81. 37,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  82. 35,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  83. 34,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  84. 32,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  85. 31,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  86. 29,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  87. 28,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  88. 28,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  89. 27,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  90. 27,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  91. 26,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  92. 25,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  93. 25,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  94. 24,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  95. 24,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  96. 23,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  97. 23,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  98. 22,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  99. 22,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  100. 22,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  101. 22,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  102. 21,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  103. 21,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  104. 20,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  105. 20,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  106. 19,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  107. 18,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  108. 18,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  109. 17,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  110. 110 Ghana
    16,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  111. 16,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  112. 16,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  113. 110 Zambia
    16,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  114. 15,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  115. 114 Malawi
    15,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  116. 114 Sweden
    15,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  117. 14,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  118. 118 Cyprus
    13,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  119. 13,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  120. 118 Guinea
    13,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  121. 121 Benin
    12,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  122. 121 Congo
    12,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  123. 12,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  124. 12,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  125. 11,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  126. 11,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  127. 11,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  128. Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  129. 10,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  130. 10,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  131. 128 Niger
    10,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  132. 128 Togo
    10,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  133. 9,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  134. 9,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  135. 133 Latvia
    9,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  136. 9,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  137. 8,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  138. 137 Brunei
    8,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  139. 7,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  140. 139 Gabon
    7,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  141. 7,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  142. 142 Bhutan
    6,000 2000
    Observed 2000 · SIPRI / World Bank
  143. 6,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  144. 6,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  145. 5,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  146. 146 Fiji
    4,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  147. 146 Gambia
    4,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  148. 4,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  149. 4,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  150. 150 Guyana
    3,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  151. 3,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  152. 2,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  153. 152 Belize
    2,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  154. 2,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  155. 2,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  156. 152 Malta
    2,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  157. 2,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  158. 2,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  159. 1,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  160. 1,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  161. 159 Haiti
    1,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  162. 1,000 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  163. 0 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  164. 163 Libya
    0 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  165. 0 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank
  166. 0 2020
    Observed 2020 · SIPRI / World Bank

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.

  • 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
  • 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.

Source

Military Expenditure Database (via World Development Indicators) — SIPRI / World Bank · CC BY 4.0 · accessed 2026-08-14.

Table assembled 2026-08-14 from each nation’s latest published observation. The same figure, with the same source, sits on each nation’s dossier. Gaps render as absences, never as zeros.