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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — BRICS

Armed forces personnel in BRICS in 2020 — 9,297,000 people. Since 1985, the indicator has risen by 43.6%.

2020 9.3M people +0.24% vs 2019
World rank —
Period maximum 10.35M people1996
Period minimum 5.65M people1991

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — BRICS, 1985–20204M6M8M10M12M19851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 6,473,500 people1989: 6,511,000 people1990: 5,929,000 people1991: 5,654,000 people1992: 7,567,000 people1993: 7,025,000 people1994: 6,839,000 people1995: 10,331,500 people1996: 10,352,200 people1997: 10,031,240 people1998: 10,082,050 people1999: 9,669,950 people2000: 9,764,900 people2001: 9,400,100 people2002: 9,381,600 people2003: 9,390,800 people2004: 9,658,000 people2005: 10,201,000 people2006: 9,715,000 people2007: 8,916,000 people2008: 8,922,000 people2009: 9,052,219 people2010: 8,987,219 people2011: 9,037,712 people2012: 9,151,780 people2013: 9,095,830 people2014: 9,143,950 people2015: 9,244,950 people2016: 9,242,450 people2017: 9,292,000 people2018: 9,415,150 people2019: 9,275,000 people2020: 9,297,000 people
Change over the period: +2.82M (+43.62%) Average annual rate: 1.04 %

Comparison, 2020

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

BRICS 9.3M people
World 27.41M people
Armed forces personnel — BRICS, by year BRICS All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 9.3M +22,000 +0.24%
2019 9.28M −140,150 −1.49%
2018 9.42M +123,150 +1.33%
2017 9.29M +49,550 +0.54%
2016 9.24M −2,500 −0.03%
2015 9.24M +101,000 +1.1%
2014 9.14M +48,120 +0.53%
2013 9.1M −55,950 −0.61%
2012 9.15M +114,068 +1.26%
2011 9.04M +50,493 +0.56%
2010 8.99M −65,000 −0.72%
2009 9.05M +130,219 +1.46%
2008 8.92M +6,000 +0.07%
2007 8.92M −799,000 −8.22%
2006 9.72M −486,000 −4.76%
2005 10.2M +543,000 +5.62%
2004 9.66M +267,200 +2.85%
2003 9.39M +9,200 +0.1%
2002 9.38M −18,500 −0.2%
2001 9.4M −364,800 −3.74%
2000 9.76M +94,950 +0.98%
1999 9.67M −412,100 −4.09%
1998 10.08M +50,810 +0.51%
1997 10.03M −320,960 −3.1%
1996 10.35M +20,700 +0.2%
1995 10.33M +3.49M +51.07%
1994 6.84M −186,000 −2.65%
1993 7.03M −542,000 −7.16%
1992 7.57M +1.91M +33.83%
1991 5.65M −275,000 −4.64%
1990 5.93M −582,000 −8.94%
1989 6.51M — —
1985 6.47M — —

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 BRICS

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

BRICS by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

BRICS by year Demography Population

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

BRICS by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

BRICS by year Defense Arms exports

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

BRICS by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

BRICS by year
All indicators for BRICS