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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Euro area

Armed forces personnel in the Euro area in 2020 — 1,493,000 people. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 37.4%.

2020 1.49M people −0.47% vs 2019
World rank —
Period maximum 2.66M people1995
Period minimum 1.49M people2020

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Euro area, 1985–20201M1.5M2M2.5M3M19851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 2,383,900 people1989: 2,628,000 people1990: 2,578,000 people1991: 2,423,000 people1992: 2,428,000 people1993: 2,284,000 people1994: 2,309,000 people1995: 2,661,000 people1996: 2,606,250 people1997: 2,469,660 people1998: 2,411,600 people1999: 2,299,530 people2000: 2,109,100 people2001: 2,087,100 people2002: 2,089,400 people2003: 1,979,200 people2004: 1,932,512 people2005: 1,952,262 people2006: 1,868,262 people2007: 1,851,262 people2008: 1,847,362 people2009: 1,687,304 people2010: 1,723,008 people2011: 1,632,330 people2012: 1,603,000 people2013: 1,585,500 people2014: 1,560,050 people2015: 1,545,330 people2016: 1,530,300 people2017: 1,494,000 people2018: 1,504,810 people2019: 1,500,000 people2020: 1,493,000 people
Change over the period: −890,900 (−37.37%) Average annual rate: -1.33 %

Comparison, 2020

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

Euro area 1.49M people
World 27.41M people
Armed forces personnel — Euro area, by year Euro area All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 1.49M −7,000 −0.47%
2019 1.5M −4,810 −0.32%
2018 1.5M +10,810 +0.72%
2017 1.49M −36,300 −2.37%
2016 1.53M −15,030 −0.97%
2015 1.55M −14,720 −0.94%
2014 1.56M −25,450 −1.61%
2013 1.59M −17,500 −1.09%
2012 1.6M −29,330 −1.8%
2011 1.63M −90,678 −5.26%
2010 1.72M +35,704 +2.12%
2009 1.69M −160,058 −8.66%
2008 1.85M −3,900 −0.21%
2007 1.85M −17,000 −0.91%
2006 1.87M −84,000 −4.3%
2005 1.95M +19,750 +1.02%
2004 1.93M −46,688 −2.36%
2003 1.98M −110,200 −5.27%
2002 2.09M +2,300 +0.11%
2001 2.09M −22,000 −1.04%
2000 2.11M −190,430 −8.28%
1999 2.3M −112,070 −4.65%
1998 2.41M −58,060 −2.35%
1997 2.47M −136,590 −5.24%
1996 2.61M −54,750 −2.06%
1995 2.66M +352,000 +15.24%
1994 2.31M +25,000 +1.09%
1993 2.28M −144,000 −5.93%
1992 2.43M +5,000 +0.21%
1991 2.42M −155,000 −6.01%
1990 2.58M −50,000 −1.9%
1989 2.63M — —
1985 2.38M — —

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 the Euro area

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Euro area by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Euro area by year Demography Population

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

Euro area by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Euro area by year Defense Arms exports

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

Euro area by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Euro area by year
All indicators for the Euro area