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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Australia

Armed forces personnel in Australia in 2020 — 60,000 people. Ranked 64 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 14.8%.

2020 60,000 people +1.69% vs 2019
World rank 64of 170
Period maximum 70,400 people1985
Period minimum 50,900 people2002

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Australia, 1985–202050,00055,00060,00065,00070,00075,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 70,400 people1989: 70,000 people1990: 68,000 people1991: 68,000 people1992: 68,000 people1993: 68,000 people1994: 65,000 people1995: 57,100 people1996: 58,800 people1997: 58,400 people1998: 58,400 people1999: 56,200 people2000: 51,600 people2001: 51,700 people2002: 50,900 people2003: 53,600 people2004: 52,000 people2005: 53,000 people2006: 51,000 people2007: 55,000 people2008: 55,000 people2009: 56,552 people2010: 56,552 people2011: 57,050 people2012: 56,200 people2013: 56,750 people2014: 56,750 people2015: 57,800 people2016: 57,800 people2017: 58,000 people2018: 58,100 people2019: 59,000 people2020: 60,000 people
Change over the period: −10,400 (−14.77%) Average annual rate: -0.46 %

Comparison, 2020

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

Australia 60,000 people
World 27.41M people
East Asia & Pacific 7.91M people
Australia and New Zealand computed 70,000 people
High-income countries computed 6.77M people
Armed forces personnel — Australia, by year Australia All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 60,000 +1,000 +1.69%
2019 59,000 +900 +1.55%
2018 58,100 +100 +0.17%
2017 58,000 +200 +0.35%
2016 57,800 +0 +0%
2015 57,800 +1,050 +1.85%
2014 56,750 +0 +0%
2013 56,750 +550 +0.98%
2012 56,200 −850 −1.49%
2011 57,050 +498 +0.88%
2010 56,552 +0 +0%
2009 56,552 +1,552 +2.82%
2008 55,000 +0 +0%
2007 55,000 +4,000 +7.84%
2006 51,000 −2,000 −3.77%
2005 53,000 +1,000 +1.92%
2004 52,000 −1,600 −2.99%
2003 53,600 +2,700 +5.3%
2002 50,900 −800 −1.55%
2001 51,700 +100 +0.19%
2000 51,600 −4,600 −8.19%
1999 56,200 −2,200 −3.77%
1998 58,400 +0 +0%
1997 58,400 −400 −0.68%
1996 58,800 +1,700 +2.98%
1995 57,100 −7,900 −12.15%
1994 65,000 −3,000 −4.41%
1993 68,000 +0 +0%
1992 68,000 +0 +0%
1991 68,000 +0 +0%
1990 68,000 −2,000 −2.86%
1989 70,000 — —
1985 70,400 — —

Australia and New Zealand, 2020

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

AU Australia 60,000 NZ New Zealand 10,000
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The total number of active military personnel: all branches of the armed forces, as well as paramilitary forces if their training, structure and equipment allow them to be used in support of the regular forces. Reservists are not counted. Estimates of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Source: Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), license SIPRI terms of use.

Other indicators for Australia

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Australia by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Australia by year Demography Population

Resident population of every country as of mid-year — series from 1960 onward.

Australia by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Australia by year Defense Arms exports

Transfers of major conventional weapons abroad, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV).

Australia by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Australia by year
All indicators for Australia