Armed forces personnel since 1816 — all countries

Armed forces personnel since 1816 — Southern Asia

Armed forces personnel since 1816 in Southern Asia in 2022 — 3,337,000 people. Since 1948, the indicator has risen by 323.5%.

2022 3.34M people −1.91% vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 3.42M people2020
Period minimum 782,000 people1955

Trend over time

1948–2022 · people

Armed forces personnel since 1816 — Southern Asia, 1948–202201M2M3M4M19481956196419721980198819962004201220201948: 788,000 people1950: 798,000 people1952: 802,000 people1954: 784,000 people1956: 782,000 people1958: 926,000 people1960: 1,052,000 people1962: 1,383,000 people1964: 1,831,000 people1966: 2,039,000 people1968: 2,168,000 people1970: 2,315,000 people1972: 2,396,000 people1974: 2,560,000 people1976: 2,787,000 people1978: 2,456,000 people1980: 2,033,000 people1982: 2,126,000 people1984: 2,107,000 people1986: 2,277,000 people1988: 2,714,000 people1990: 2,473,000 people1992: 2,670,000 people1994: 2,676,000 people1996: 2,646,000 people1998: 2,613,000 people2000: 3,136,000 people2002: 2,834,000 people2004: 2,793,000 people2006: 2,822,000 people2008: 2,873,000 people2010: 2,973,000 people2012: 3,075,000 people2014: 3,092,000 people2016: 3,088,000 people2018: 3,243,000 people2020: 3,416,000 people2022: 3,337,000 people
Change over the period: +2.55M (+323.48%) Average annual rate: 1.97 %

Comparison, 2022

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

Southern Asia 3.34M people
World computed 20.79M people
Armed forces personnel since 1816 — Southern Asia, by year Southern Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2022 3.34M −65,000 −1.91%
2021 3.4M −14,000 −0.41%
2020 3.42M +111,000 +3.36%
2019 3.31M +62,000 +1.91%
2018 3.24M +43,000 +1.34%
2017 3.2M +112,000 +3.63%
2016 3.09M −18,000 −0.58%
2015 3.11M +14,000 +0.45%
2014 3.09M −3,000 −0.1%
2013 3.1M +20,000 +0.65%
2012 3.08M +60,000 +1.99%
2011 3.02M +42,000 +1.41%
2010 2.97M +122,000 +4.28%
2009 2.85M −22,000 −0.77%
2008 2.87M −4,000 −0.14%
2007 2.88M +55,000 +1.95%
2006 2.82M +125,000 +4.63%
2005 2.7M −96,000 −3.44%
2004 2.79M −93,000 −3.22%
2003 2.89M +52,000 +1.83%
2002 2.83M +134,000 +4.96%
2001 2.7M −436,000 −13.9%
2000 3.14M +133,000 +4.43%
1999 3M +390,000 +14.93%
1998 2.61M −95,000 −3.51%
1997 2.71M +62,000 +2.34%
1996 2.65M +6,000 +0.23%
1995 2.64M −36,000 −1.35%
1994 2.68M +6,000 +0.22%
1993 2.67M +0 +0%
1992 2.67M +78,000 +3.01%
1991 2.59M +119,000 +4.81%
1990 2.47M −130,000 −4.99%
1989 2.6M −111,000 −4.09%
1988 2.71M +415,000 +18.05%
1987 2.3M +22,000 +0.97%
1986 2.28M +0 +0%
1985 2.28M +170,000 +8.07%
1984 2.11M +116,000 +5.83%
1983 1.99M −135,000 −6.35%
1982 2.13M +34,000 +1.63%
1981 2.09M +59,000 +2.9%
1980 2.03M −468,000 −18.71%
1979 2.5M +45,000 +1.83%
1978 2.46M −80,000 −3.15%
1977 2.54M −251,000 −9.01%
1976 2.79M −55,000 −1.94%
1975 2.84M +282,000 +11.02%
1974 2.56M −43,000 −1.65%
1973 2.6M +207,000 +8.64%
1972 2.4M +42,000 +1.78%
1971 2.35M +39,000 +1.68%
1970 2.32M +62,000 +2.75%
1969 2.25M +85,000 +3.92%
1968 2.17M +60,000 +2.85%
1967 2.11M +69,000 +3.38%
1966 2.04M +209,000 +11.42%
1965 1.83M −1,000 −0.05%
1964 1.83M +137,000 +8.09%
1963 1.69M +311,000 +22.49%
1962 1.38M +40,000 +2.98%
1961 1.34M +291,000 +27.66%
1960 1.05M +63,000 +6.37%
1959 989,000 +63,000 +6.8%
1958 926,000 +72,000 +8.43%
1957 854,000 +72,000 +9.21%
1956 782,000 +0 +0%
1955 782,000 −2,000 −0.26%
1954 784,000 +0 +0%
1953 784,000 −18,000 −2.24%
1952 802,000 +9,000 +1.13%
1951 793,000 −5,000 −0.63%
1950 798,000 +1,000 +0.13%
1949 797,000 +9,000 +1.14%
1948 788,000

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.