Armed forces personnel since 1816 in Central America in 2022 — 288,000 people. Since 1900, the indicator has risen by 512.8%.
1900–2022 · people
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Central America
| Year | people | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 288,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 2021 | 288,000 | −20,000 | −6.49% |
| 2020 | 308,000 | −41,000 | −11.75% |
| 2019 | 349,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 2018 | 349,000 | +4,000 | +1.16% |
| 2017 | 345,000 | +1,000 | +0.29% |
| 2016 | 344,000 | +20,000 | +6.17% |
| 2015 | 324,000 | −3,000 | −0.92% |
| 2014 | 327,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 2013 | 327,000 | −9,000 | −2.68% |
| 2012 | 336,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 2011 | 336,000 | +12,000 | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 324,000 | +12,000 | +3.85% |
| 2009 | 312,000 | +4,000 | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 308,000 | +11,000 | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 297,000 | +32,000 | +12.08% |
| 2006 | 265,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 2005 | 265,000 | −1,000 | −0.38% |
| 2004 | 266,000 | −1,000 | −0.37% |
| 2003 | 267,000 | +3,000 | +1.14% |
| 2002 | 264,000 | −2,000 | −0.75% |
| 2001 | 266,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 2000 | 266,000 | −78,000 | −22.67% |
| 1999 | 344,000 | −1,000 | −0.29% |
| 1998 | 345,000 | +3,000 | +0.88% |
| 1997 | 342,000 | +64,000 | +23.02% |
| 1996 | 278,000 | −7,000 | −2.46% |
| 1995 | 285,000 | −5,000 | −1.72% |
| 1994 | 290,000 | −30,000 | −9.38% |
| 1993 | 320,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1992 | 320,000 | −16,000 | −4.76% |
| 1991 | 336,000 | −3,000 | −0.88% |
| 1990 | 339,000 | −10,000 | −2.87% |
| 1989 | 349,000 | −6,000 | −1.69% |
| 1988 | 355,000 | +1,000 | +0.28% |
| 1987 | 354,000 | +6,000 | +1.72% |
| 1986 | 348,000 | +1,000 | +0.29% |
| 1985 | 347,000 | +26,000 | +8.1% |
| 1984 | 321,000 | +36,000 | +12.63% |
| 1983 | 285,000 | +22,000 | +8.37% |
| 1982 | 263,000 | +16,000 | +6.48% |
| 1981 | 247,000 | +38,000 | +18.18% |
| 1980 | 209,000 | +20,000 | +10.58% |
| 1979 | 189,000 | +11,000 | +6.18% |
| 1978 | 178,000 | +25,000 | +16.34% |
| 1977 | 153,000 | +3,000 | +2% |
| 1976 | 150,000 | +7,000 | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 143,000 | +11,000 | +8.33% |
| 1974 | 132,000 | +4,000 | +3.13% |
| 1973 | 128,000 | −1,000 | −0.78% |
| 1972 | 129,000 | +7,000 | +5.74% |
| 1971 | 122,000 | +6,000 | +5.17% |
| 1970 | 116,000 | +8,000 | +7.41% |
| 1969 | 108,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1968 | 108,000 | −3,000 | −2.7% |
| 1967 | 111,000 | +6,000 | +5.71% |
| 1966 | 105,000 | +9,000 | +9.38% |
| 1965 | 96,000 | +3,000 | +3.23% |
| 1964 | 93,000 | +2,000 | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 91,000 | +2,000 | +2.25% |
| 1962 | 89,000 | +5,000 | +5.95% |
| 1961 | 84,000 | +10,000 | +13.51% |
| 1960 | 74,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1959 | 74,000 | +2,000 | +2.78% |
| 1958 | 72,000 | +1,000 | +1.41% |
| 1957 | 71,000 | +1,000 | +1.43% |
| 1956 | 70,000 | +1,000 | +1.45% |
| 1955 | 69,000 | −3,000 | −4.17% |
| 1954 | 72,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1953 | 72,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1952 | 72,000 | −19,000 | −20.88% |
| 1951 | 91,000 | +5,000 | +5.81% |
| 1950 | 86,000 | −9,000 | −9.47% |
| 1949 | 95,000 | +2,000 | +2.15% |
| 1948 | 93,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1947 | 93,000 | +2,000 | +2.2% |
| 1946 | 91,000 | — | — |
| 1939 | 63,000 | +1,000 | +1.61% |
| 1938 | 62,000 | −5,000 | −7.46% |
| 1937 | 67,000 | +7,000 | +11.67% |
| 1936 | 60,000 | −7,000 | −10.45% |
| 1935 | 67,000 | −6,000 | −8.22% |
| 1934 | 73,000 | +6,000 | +8.96% |
| 1933 | 67,000 | −1,000 | −1.47% |
| 1932 | 68,000 | −8,000 | −10.53% |
| 1931 | 76,000 | −4,000 | −5% |
| 1930 | 80,000 | −5,000 | −5.88% |
| 1929 | 85,000 | −4,000 | −4.49% |
| 1928 | 89,000 | +5,000 | +5.95% |
| 1927 | 84,000 | +4,000 | +5% |
| 1926 | 80,000 | −1,000 | −1.23% |
| 1925 | 81,000 | +10,000 | +14.08% |
| 1924 | 71,000 | −14,000 | −16.47% |
| 1923 | 85,000 | −18,000 | −17.48% |
| 1922 | 103,000 | −18,000 | −14.88% |
| 1921 | 121,000 | −15,000 | −11.03% |
| 1920 | 136,000 | −17,000 | −11.11% |
| 1919 | 153,000 | +82,000 | +115.49% |
| 1918 | 71,000 | — | — |
| 1916 | 214,000 | +18,000 | +9.18% |
| 1915 | 196,000 | +150,000 | +326.09% |
| 1914 | 46,000 | −1,000 | −2.13% |
| 1913 | 47,000 | −26,000 | −35.62% |
| 1912 | 73,000 | +25,000 | +52.08% |
| 1911 | 48,000 | +1,000 | +2.13% |
| 1910 | 47,000 | +2,000 | +4.44% |
| 1909 | 45,000 | +1,000 | +2.27% |
| 1908 | 44,000 | +1,000 | +2.33% |
| 1907 | 43,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1906 | 43,000 | +1,000 | +2.38% |
| 1905 | 42,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1904 | 42,000 | −1,000 | −2.33% |
| 1903 | 43,000 | −2,000 | −4.44% |
| 1902 | 45,000 | −1,000 | −2.17% |
| 1901 | 46,000 | −1,000 | −2.13% |
| 1900 | 47,000 | — | — |
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.