Contact Contacts
Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — France

Armed forces personnel in France in 2020 — 304,000 people. Ranked 23 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 34.5%.

2020 304,000 people +0% vs 2019
World rank 23of 170
Period maximum 554,000 people1989
Period minimum 304,000 people2019

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — France, 1985–2020300,000400,000500,000600,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 464,300 people1989: 554,000 people1990: 550,000 people1991: 542,000 people1992: 522,000 people1993: 506,000 people1994: 506,000 people1995: 502,400 people1996: 491,300 people1997: 473,100 people1998: 452,200 people1999: 411,600 people2000: 389,400 people2001: 374,400 people2002: 361,800 people2003: 360,400 people2004: 358,000 people2005: 359,000 people2006: 354,000 people2007: 353,000 people2008: 353,000 people2009: 341,967 people2010: 341,967 people2011: 332,250 people2012: 325,600 people2013: 318,400 people2014: 312,350 people2015: 306,350 people2016: 306,100 people2017: 307,000 people2018: 304,800 people2019: 304,000 people2020: 304,000 people
Change over the period: −160,300 (−34.53%) Average annual rate: -1.2 %

Comparison, 2020

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

France 304,000 people
World 27.41M people
Europe & Central Asia 5.01M people
Western Europe computed 596,000 people
High-income countries computed 6.77M people
Armed forces personnel — France, by year France All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 304,000 +0 +0%
2019 304,000 −800 −0.26%
2018 304,800 −2,200 −0.72%
2017 307,000 +900 +0.29%
2016 306,100 −250 −0.08%
2015 306,350 −6,000 −1.92%
2014 312,350 −6,050 −1.9%
2013 318,400 −7,200 −2.21%
2012 325,600 −6,650 −2%
2011 332,250 −9,717 −2.84%
2010 341,967 +0 +0%
2009 341,967 −11,033 −3.13%
2008 353,000 +0 +0%
2007 353,000 −1,000 −0.28%
2006 354,000 −5,000 −1.39%
2005 359,000 +1,000 +0.28%
2004 358,000 −2,400 −0.67%
2003 360,400 −1,400 −0.39%
2002 361,800 −12,600 −3.37%
2001 374,400 −15,000 −3.85%
2000 389,400 −22,200 −5.39%
1999 411,600 −40,600 −8.98%
1998 452,200 −20,900 −4.42%
1997 473,100 −18,200 −3.7%
1996 491,300 −11,100 −2.21%
1995 502,400 −3,600 −0.71%
1994 506,000 +0 +0%
1993 506,000 −16,000 −3.07%
1992 522,000 −20,000 −3.69%
1991 542,000 −8,000 −1.45%
1990 550,000 −4,000 −0.72%
1989 554,000 — —
1985 464,300 — —

Western Europe, 2020

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

FR France 304,000 DE Germany 183,000 NL Netherlands 41,000 BE Belgium 24,000 AT Austria 23,000 CH Switzerland 20,000 LU Luxembourg 1,000
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 France

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

France by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

France by year Demography Population

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

France by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

France by year Defense Arms exports

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

France by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

France by year
All indicators for France