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Armed forces personnel since 1816 — all countries

Armed forces personnel since 1816 — Southern Africa

Armed forces personnel since 1816 in Southern Africa in 2022 — 95,000 people. Since 1966, the indicator has risen by 90%.

2022 95,000 people +0% vs 2021
World rank —
Period maximum 112,000 people1989
Period minimum 40,000 people1970

Trend over time

1966–2022 · people

Armed forces personnel since 1816 — Southern Africa, 1966–202240,00060,00080,000100,000120,00019661972197819841990199620022008201420201966: 50,000 people1967: 50,000 people1968: 55,000 people1969: 55,000 people1970: 40,000 people1971: 60,000 people1972: 75,000 people1973: 40,000 people1974: 48,000 people1975: 53,000 people1976: 63,000 people1977: 71,000 people1978: 82,000 people1979: 75,000 people1980: 76,000 people1981: 85,000 people1982: 85,000 people1983: 85,000 people1984: 105,000 people1985: 103,000 people1986: 99,000 people1987: 111,000 people1988: 109,000 people1989: 112,000 people1990: 106,000 people1991: 100,000 people1992: 95,000 people1993: 95,000 people1994: 95,000 people1995: 95,000 people1996: 95,000 people1997: 96,000 people1998: 91,000 people1999: 84,000 people2000: 83,000 people2001: 82,000 people2002: 80,000 people2003: 76,000 people2004: 76,000 people2005: 76,000 people2006: 76,000 people2007: 82,000 people2008: 82,000 people2009: 82,000 people2010: 82,000 people2011: 82,000 people2012: 82,000 people2013: 82,000 people2014: 82,000 people2015: 82,000 people2016: 87,000 people2017: 87,000 people2018: 87,000 people2019: 86,000 people2020: 96,000 people2021: 95,000 people2022: 95,000 people
Change over the period: +45,000 (+90%) Average annual rate: 1.15 %

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 95,000 people
World computed 20.79M people
Armed forces personnel since 1816 — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2022 95,000 +0 +0%
2021 95,000 −1,000 −1.04%
2020 96,000 +10,000 +11.63%
2019 86,000 −1,000 −1.15%
2018 87,000 +0 +0%
2017 87,000 +0 +0%
2016 87,000 +5,000 +6.1%
2015 82,000 +0 +0%
2014 82,000 +0 +0%
2013 82,000 +0 +0%
2012 82,000 +0 +0%
2011 82,000 +0 +0%
2010 82,000 +0 +0%
2009 82,000 +0 +0%
2008 82,000 +0 +0%
2007 82,000 +6,000 +7.89%
2006 76,000 +0 +0%
2005 76,000 +0 +0%
2004 76,000 +0 +0%
2003 76,000 −4,000 −5%
2002 80,000 −2,000 −2.44%
2001 82,000 −1,000 −1.2%
2000 83,000 −1,000 −1.19%
1999 84,000 −7,000 −7.69%
1998 91,000 −5,000 −5.21%
1997 96,000 +1,000 +1.05%
1996 95,000 +0 +0%
1995 95,000 +0 +0%
1994 95,000 +0 +0%
1993 95,000 +0 +0%
1992 95,000 −5,000 −5%
1991 100,000 −6,000 −5.66%
1990 106,000 −6,000 −5.36%
1989 112,000 +3,000 +2.75%
1988 109,000 −2,000 −1.8%
1987 111,000 +12,000 +12.12%
1986 99,000 −4,000 −3.88%
1985 103,000 −2,000 −1.9%
1984 105,000 +20,000 +23.53%
1983 85,000 +0 +0%
1982 85,000 +0 +0%
1981 85,000 +9,000 +11.84%
1980 76,000 +1,000 +1.33%
1979 75,000 −7,000 −8.54%
1978 82,000 +11,000 +15.49%
1977 71,000 +8,000 +12.7%
1976 63,000 +10,000 +18.87%
1975 53,000 +5,000 +10.42%
1974 48,000 +8,000 +20%
1973 40,000 −35,000 −46.67%
1972 75,000 +15,000 +25%
1971 60,000 +20,000 +50%
1970 40,000 −15,000 −27.27%
1969 55,000 +0 +0%
1968 55,000 +5,000 +10%
1967 50,000 +0 +0%
1966 50,000 — —

About the indicator

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.

Other indicators for Southern Africa

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The number of active-duty military personnel and paramilitary forces.

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What share of a country’s population military personnel make up — a measure of how militarized a society is.

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The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Southern Africa by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Southern Africa by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Southern Africa by year
All indicators for Southern Africa