Armed forces personnel since 1816 in Western Asia in 2022 — 1,654,000 people. Since 1971, the indicator has risen by 44.2%.
1971–2022 · people
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Western Asia
| Year | people | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1.65M | +17,000 | +1.04% |
| 2021 | 1.64M | +25,000 | +1.55% |
| 2020 | 1.61M | +159,000 | +10.94% |
| 2019 | 1.45M | −4,000 | −0.27% |
| 2018 | 1.46M | +38,000 | +2.68% |
| 2017 | 1.42M | −159,000 | −10.08% |
| 2016 | 1.58M | −206,000 | −11.55% |
| 2015 | 1.78M | −90,000 | −4.8% |
| 2014 | 1.87M | −4,000 | −0.21% |
| 2013 | 1.88M | −116,000 | −5.82% |
| 2012 | 1.99M | +27,000 | +1.37% |
| 2011 | 1.97M | −360,000 | −15.47% |
| 2010 | 2.33M | +53,000 | +2.33% |
| 2009 | 2.27M | +81,000 | +3.69% |
| 2008 | 2.19M | +246,000 | +12.63% |
| 2007 | 1.95M | +21,000 | +1.09% |
| 2006 | 1.93M | +48,000 | +2.56% |
| 2005 | 1.88M | −110,000 | −5.53% |
| 2004 | 1.99M | −111,000 | −5.29% |
| 2003 | 2.1M | +10,000 | +0.48% |
| 2002 | 2.09M | −50,000 | −2.34% |
| 2001 | 2.14M | −121,000 | −5.35% |
| 2000 | 2.26M | −149,000 | −6.19% |
| 1999 | 2.41M | −4,000 | −0.17% |
| 1998 | 2.41M | −22,000 | −0.9% |
| 1997 | 2.44M | −37,000 | −1.5% |
| 1996 | 2.47M | +27,000 | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 2.45M | +81,000 | +3.43% |
| 1994 | 2.36M | +109,000 | +4.83% |
| 1993 | 2.26M | −33,000 | −1.44% |
| 1992 | 2.29M | −177,000 | −7.18% |
| 1991 | 2.47M | −835,000 | −25.3% |
| 1990 | 3.3M | +521,000 | +18.75% |
| 1989 | 2.78M | −38,000 | −1.35% |
| 1988 | 2.82M | +122,000 | +4.53% |
| 1987 | 2.7M | +139,000 | +5.44% |
| 1986 | 2.56M | +67,000 | +2.69% |
| 1985 | 2.49M | −1,000 | −0.04% |
| 1984 | 2.49M | +360,000 | +16.9% |
| 1983 | 2.13M | +186,000 | +9.57% |
| 1982 | 1.94M | +80,000 | +4.29% |
| 1981 | 1.86M | +14,000 | +0.76% |
| 1980 | 1.85M | +72,000 | +4.05% |
| 1979 | 1.78M | +78,000 | +4.59% |
| 1978 | 1.7M | +142,000 | +9.11% |
| 1977 | 1.56M | +29,000 | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 1.53M | +144,000 | +10.4% |
| 1975 | 1.39M | +164,000 | +13.43% |
| 1974 | 1.22M | +93,000 | +8.24% |
| 1973 | 1.13M | −42,000 | −3.59% |
| 1972 | 1.17M | +23,000 | +2.01% |
| 1971 | 1.15M | — | — |
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.