Armed forces personnel since 1816 in low-income countries in 2022 — 2,979,000 people. Since 1961, the indicator has risen by 372.1%.
1961–2022 · people
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Low-income countries
| Year | people | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2.98M | +428,000 | +16.78% |
| 2021 | 2.55M | −146,000 | −5.41% |
| 2020 | 2.7M | +49,000 | +1.85% |
| 2019 | 2.65M | +1,000 | +0.04% |
| 2018 | 2.65M | +1,000 | +0.04% |
| 2017 | 2.65M | +12,000 | +0.46% |
| 2016 | 2.63M | −101,000 | −3.69% |
| 2015 | 2.74M | −40,000 | −1.44% |
| 2014 | 2.78M | +13,000 | +0.47% |
| 2013 | 2.76M | +84,000 | +3.14% |
| 2012 | 2.68M | +174,000 | +6.95% |
| 2011 | 2.5M | +102,000 | +4.25% |
| 2010 | 2.4M | +73,000 | +3.13% |
| 2009 | 2.33M | +0 | +0% |
| 2008 | 2.33M | +69,000 | +3.05% |
| 2007 | 2.26M | −83,000 | −3.54% |
| 2006 | 2.34M | −121,000 | −4.91% |
| 2005 | 2.46M | +40,000 | +1.65% |
| 2004 | 2.42M | +38,000 | +1.59% |
| 2003 | 2.39M | −57,000 | −2.33% |
| 2002 | 2.44M | +78,000 | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 2.37M | −490,000 | −17.16% |
| 2000 | 2.86M | +103,000 | +3.74% |
| 1999 | 2.75M | +663,000 | +31.74% |
| 1998 | 2.09M | +53,000 | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 2.04M | +1,000 | +0.05% |
| 1996 | 2.04M | +14,000 | +0.69% |
| 1995 | 2.02M | −50,000 | −2.41% |
| 1994 | 2.07M | −132,000 | −5.99% |
| 1993 | 2.2M | −61,000 | −2.69% |
| 1992 | 2.26M | −86,000 | −3.66% |
| 1991 | 2.35M | −156,000 | −6.23% |
| 1990 | 2.51M | +352,000 | +16.34% |
| 1989 | 2.15M | +206,000 | +10.57% |
| 1988 | 1.95M | −37,000 | −1.86% |
| 1987 | 1.99M | +25,000 | +1.28% |
| 1986 | 1.96M | +142,000 | +7.81% |
| 1985 | 1.82M | +54,000 | +3.06% |
| 1984 | 1.76M | −39,000 | −2.16% |
| 1983 | 1.8M | +97,000 | +5.69% |
| 1982 | 1.71M | +51,000 | +3.08% |
| 1981 | 1.66M | +149,000 | +9.89% |
| 1980 | 1.51M | −3,000 | −0.2% |
| 1979 | 1.51M | +18,000 | +1.21% |
| 1978 | 1.49M | +57,000 | +3.97% |
| 1977 | 1.43M | +212,000 | +17.35% |
| 1976 | 1.22M | +77,000 | +6.72% |
| 1975 | 1.15M | +191,000 | +20.02% |
| 1974 | 954,000 | +18,000 | +1.92% |
| 1973 | 936,000 | +30,000 | +3.31% |
| 1972 | 906,000 | +29,000 | +3.31% |
| 1971 | 877,000 | +55,000 | +6.69% |
| 1970 | 822,000 | +35,000 | +4.45% |
| 1969 | 787,000 | +37,000 | +4.93% |
| 1968 | 750,000 | +6,000 | +0.81% |
| 1967 | 744,000 | +17,000 | +2.34% |
| 1966 | 727,000 | +5,000 | +0.69% |
| 1965 | 722,000 | −4,000 | −0.55% |
| 1964 | 726,000 | +33,000 | +4.76% |
| 1963 | 693,000 | +62,000 | +9.83% |
| 1962 | 631,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1961 | 631,000 | — | — |
The number of military personnel on active duty. The series was assembled by the Correlates of War project and continued with data of the International Institute for Strategic Studies; unlike the World Bank series, which begins in 1985, it reaches 1816 and makes military buildup over two centuries visible — including both world wars.
Important: Over two hundred years borders and the composition of countries changed, so the series before the middle of the 20th century refers to the territory of the time: comparing adjacent years is reliable, comparing 1830 with 2020 only loosely so.
Source: Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), license SIPRI terms of use.
The number of active-duty military personnel and paramilitary forces.
Defense Armed forces as a share of the populationWhat share of a country’s population military personnel make up — a measure of how militarized a society is.
Defense Military expenditure in dollarsThe absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.
Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)The share of GDP a country spends on defense.
Defense Military expenditure share of the budgetWhat part of government spending goes to defense.