Armed forces personnel since 1816 in the United Kingdom in 2022 — 150,000 people. Ranked 33 in the world out of 189. Since 1816, the indicator has fallen by 41.2%.
1816–2022 · people
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United Kingdom
| Year | people | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 150,000 | −3,000 | −1.96% |
| 2021 | 153,000 | +5,000 | +3.38% |
| 2020 | 148,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 2019 | 148,000 | −2,000 | −1.33% |
| 2018 | 150,000 | −2,000 | −1.32% |
| 2017 | 152,000 | −3,000 | −1.94% |
| 2016 | 155,000 | −4,000 | −2.52% |
| 2015 | 159,000 | −10,000 | −5.92% |
| 2014 | 169,000 | +3,000 | +1.81% |
| 2013 | 166,000 | −8,000 | −4.6% |
| 2012 | 174,000 | −4,000 | −2.25% |
| 2011 | 178,000 | +3,000 | +1.71% |
| 2010 | 175,000 | +15,000 | +9.38% |
| 2009 | 160,000 | −21,000 | −11.6% |
| 2008 | 181,000 | −10,000 | −5.24% |
| 2007 | 191,000 | −26,000 | −11.98% |
| 2006 | 217,000 | +11,000 | +5.34% |
| 2005 | 206,000 | −3,000 | −1.44% |
| 2004 | 209,000 | −4,000 | −1.88% |
| 2003 | 213,000 | +3,000 | +1.43% |
| 2002 | 210,000 | −1,000 | −0.47% |
| 2001 | 211,000 | −1,000 | −0.47% |
| 2000 | 212,000 | −6,000 | −2.75% |
| 1999 | 218,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1998 | 218,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1997 | 218,000 | −3,000 | −1.36% |
| 1996 | 221,000 | −12,000 | −5.15% |
| 1995 | 233,000 | −24,000 | −9.34% |
| 1994 | 257,000 | −14,000 | −5.17% |
| 1993 | 271,000 | −22,000 | −7.51% |
| 1992 | 293,000 | −8,000 | −2.66% |
| 1991 | 301,000 | −7,000 | −2.27% |
| 1990 | 308,000 | −10,000 | −3.14% |
| 1989 | 318,000 | −6,000 | −1.85% |
| 1988 | 324,000 | −4,000 | −1.22% |
| 1987 | 328,000 | −3,000 | −0.91% |
| 1986 | 331,000 | −3,000 | −0.9% |
| 1985 | 334,000 | −2,000 | −0.6% |
| 1984 | 336,000 | +3,000 | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 333,000 | −2,000 | −0.6% |
| 1982 | 335,000 | −6,000 | −1.76% |
| 1981 | 341,000 | +11,000 | +3.33% |
| 1980 | 330,000 | +6,000 | +1.85% |
| 1979 | 324,000 | +4,000 | +1.25% |
| 1978 | 320,000 | −6,000 | −1.84% |
| 1977 | 326,000 | −11,000 | −3.26% |
| 1976 | 337,000 | −11,000 | −3.16% |
| 1975 | 348,000 | −11,000 | −3.06% |
| 1974 | 359,000 | −18,000 | −4.77% |
| 1973 | 377,000 | +7,000 | +1.89% |
| 1972 | 370,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1971 | 370,000 | −20,000 | −5.13% |
| 1970 | 390,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1969 | 390,000 | −20,000 | −4.88% |
| 1968 | 410,000 | −15,000 | −3.53% |
| 1967 | 425,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1966 | 425,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1965 | 425,000 | −10,000 | −2.3% |
| 1964 | 435,000 | −15,000 | −3.33% |
| 1963 | 450,000 | −25,000 | −5.26% |
| 1962 | 475,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1961 | 475,000 | −44,000 | −8.48% |
| 1960 | 519,000 | −46,000 | −8.14% |
| 1959 | 565,000 | −49,000 | −7.98% |
| 1958 | 614,000 | −88,000 | −12.54% |
| 1957 | 702,000 | −59,000 | −7.75% |
| 1956 | 761,000 | −48,000 | −5.93% |
| 1955 | 809,000 | −30,000 | −3.58% |
| 1954 | 839,000 | −26,000 | −3.01% |
| 1953 | 865,000 | −7,000 | −0.8% |
| 1952 | 872,000 | +46,000 | +5.57% |
| 1951 | 826,000 | +137,000 | +19.88% |
| 1950 | 689,000 | −81,000 | −10.52% |
| 1949 | 770,000 | −77,000 | −9.09% |
| 1948 | 847,000 | −455,000 | −34.95% |
| 1947 | 1.3M | −751,000 | −36.58% |
| 1946 | 2.05M | −3.04M | −59.67% |
| 1945 | 5.09M | +190,000 | +3.88% |
| 1944 | 4.9M | +755,000 | +18.21% |
| 1943 | 4.15M | +755,000 | +22.27% |
| 1942 | 3.39M | +1.09M | +47.39% |
| 1941 | 2.3M | +1.28M | +125.49% |
| 1940 | 1.02M | +626,000 | +158.88% |
| 1939 | 394,000 | +18,000 | +4.79% |
| 1938 | 376,000 | +26,000 | +7.43% |
| 1937 | 350,000 | +14,000 | +4.17% |
| 1936 | 336,000 | +15,000 | +4.67% |
| 1935 | 321,000 | +3,000 | +0.94% |
| 1934 | 318,000 | +2,000 | +0.63% |
| 1933 | 316,000 | −1,000 | −0.32% |
| 1932 | 317,000 | −2,000 | −0.63% |
| 1931 | 319,000 | +1,000 | +0.31% |
| 1930 | 318,000 | −7,000 | −2.15% |
| 1929 | 325,000 | −5,000 | −1.52% |
| 1928 | 330,000 | −8,000 | −2.37% |
| 1927 | 338,000 | −3,000 | −0.88% |
| 1926 | 341,000 | −1,000 | −0.29% |
| 1925 | 342,000 | +5,000 | +1.48% |
| 1924 | 337,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1923 | 337,000 | −31,000 | −8.42% |
| 1922 | 368,000 | −80,000 | −17.86% |
| 1921 | 448,000 | −148,000 | −24.83% |
| 1920 | 596,000 | −737,000 | −55.29% |
| 1919 | 1.33M | −2.89M | −68.43% |
| 1918 | 4.22M | −208,000 | −4.7% |
| 1917 | 4.43M | — | — |
| 1915 | 4.35M | +3.82M | +717.67% |
| 1914 | 532,000 | −1,000 | −0.19% |
| 1913 | 533,000 | +10,000 | +1.91% |
| 1912 | 523,000 | +147,000 | +39.1% |
| 1911 | 376,000 | +4,000 | +1.08% |
| 1910 | 372,000 | −9,000 | −2.36% |
| 1909 | 381,000 | +17,000 | +4.67% |
| 1908 | 364,000 | −5,000 | −1.36% |
| 1907 | 369,000 | −15,000 | −3.91% |
| 1906 | 384,000 | −10,000 | −2.54% |
| 1905 | 394,000 | −15,000 | −3.67% |
| 1904 | 409,000 | −7,000 | −1.68% |
| 1903 | 416,000 | −73,000 | −14.93% |
| 1902 | 489,000 | −32,000 | −6.14% |
| 1901 | 521,000 | +34,000 | +6.98% |
| 1900 | 487,000 | +156,000 | +47.13% |
| 1899 | 331,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1898 | 331,000 | +12,000 | +3.76% |
| 1897 | 319,000 | +4,000 | +1.27% |
| 1896 | 315,000 | +6,000 | +1.94% |
| 1895 | 309,000 | +7,000 | +2.32% |
| 1894 | 302,000 | +8,000 | +2.72% |
| 1893 | 294,000 | +6,000 | +2.08% |
| 1892 | 288,000 | +7,000 | +2.49% |
| 1891 | 281,000 | +3,000 | +1.08% |
| 1890 | 278,000 | +3,000 | +1.09% |
| 1889 | 275,000 | +2,000 | +0.73% |
| 1888 | 273,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1887 | 273,000 | +8,000 | +3.02% |
| 1886 | 265,000 | +9,000 | +3.52% |
| 1885 | 256,000 | +16,000 | +6.67% |
| 1884 | 240,000 | +1,000 | +0.42% |
| 1883 | 239,000 | −8,000 | −3.24% |
| 1882 | 247,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1881 | 247,000 | −1,000 | −0.4% |
| 1880 | 248,000 | −12,000 | −4.62% |
| 1879 | 260,000 | −1,000 | −0.38% |
| 1878 | 261,000 | +10,000 | +3.98% |
| 1877 | 251,000 | +7,000 | +2.87% |
| 1876 | 244,000 | −1,000 | −0.41% |
| 1875 | 245,000 | −3,000 | −1.21% |
| 1874 | 248,000 | −4,000 | −1.59% |
| 1873 | 252,000 | −2,000 | −0.79% |
| 1872 | 254,000 | +13,000 | +5.39% |
| 1871 | 241,000 | −16,000 | −6.23% |
| 1870 | 257,000 | −13,000 | −4.81% |
| 1869 | 270,000 | −9,000 | −3.23% |
| 1868 | 279,000 | −4,000 | −1.41% |
| 1867 | 283,000 | −3,000 | −1.05% |
| 1866 | 286,000 | −10,000 | −3.38% |
| 1865 | 296,000 | +6,000 | +2.07% |
| 1864 | 290,000 | −22,000 | −7.05% |
| 1863 | 312,000 | +7,000 | +2.3% |
| 1862 | 305,000 | −11,000 | −3.48% |
| 1861 | 316,000 | −31,000 | −8.93% |
| 1860 | 347,000 | +32,000 | +10.16% |
| 1859 | 315,000 | +23,000 | +7.88% |
| 1858 | 292,000 | +20,000 | +7.35% |
| 1857 | 272,000 | −110,000 | −28.8% |
| 1856 | 382,000 | +53,000 | +16.11% |
| 1855 | 329,000 | +95,000 | +40.6% |
| 1854 | 234,000 | +21,000 | +9.86% |
| 1853 | 213,000 | +12,000 | +5.97% |
| 1852 | 201,000 | +3,000 | +1.52% |
| 1851 | 198,000 | −3,000 | −1.49% |
| 1850 | 201,000 | −2,000 | −0.99% |
| 1849 | 203,000 | −5,000 | −2.4% |
| 1848 | 208,000 | +15,000 | +7.77% |
| 1847 | 193,000 | +2,000 | +1.05% |
| 1846 | 191,000 | +13,000 | +7.3% |
| 1845 | 178,000 | −7,000 | −3.78% |
| 1844 | 185,000 | +27,000 | +17.09% |
| 1843 | 158,000 | −26,000 | −14.13% |
| 1842 | 184,000 | +11,000 | +6.36% |
| 1841 | 173,000 | +5,000 | +2.98% |
| 1840 | 168,000 | +9,000 | +5.66% |
| 1839 | 159,000 | +4,000 | +2.58% |
| 1838 | 155,000 | +12,000 | +8.39% |
| 1837 | 143,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1836 | 143,000 | +7,000 | +5.15% |
| 1835 | 136,000 | −1,000 | −0.73% |
| 1834 | 137,000 | −7,000 | −4.86% |
| 1833 | 144,000 | −1,000 | −0.69% |
| 1832 | 145,000 | −5,000 | −3.33% |
| 1831 | 150,000 | +10,000 | +7.14% |
| 1830 | 140,000 | −8,000 | −5.41% |
| 1829 | 148,000 | −7,000 | −4.52% |
| 1828 | 155,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1827 | 155,000 | +6,000 | +4.03% |
| 1826 | 149,000 | +17,000 | +12.88% |
| 1825 | 132,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1824 | 132,000 | +7,000 | +5.6% |
| 1823 | 125,000 | +0 | +0% |
| 1822 | 125,000 | −14,000 | −10.07% |
| 1821 | 139,000 | −5,000 | −3.47% |
| 1820 | 144,000 | +1,000 | +0.7% |
| 1819 | 143,000 | −30,000 | −17.34% |
| 1818 | 173,000 | −17,000 | −8.95% |
| 1817 | 190,000 | −65,000 | −25.49% |
| 1816 | 255,000 | — | — |
The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages
United Kingdom
150,000
Norway
25,000
Lithuania
23,000
Finland
19,000
Denmark
15,000
Sweden
15,000
Ireland
8,000
Estonia
7,000
Latvia
7,000
Iceland
0
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.
Defense Arms exportsTransfers of major conventional weapons abroad, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV).