Contact Contacts
Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Iraq

Armed forces personnel in Iraq in 2020 — 459,000 people. Ranked 15 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 54.1%.

2020 459,000 people +34.6% vs 2019
World rank 15of 170
Period maximum 1.39M people1990
Period minimum 177,600 people2013

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Iraq, 1985–20200500,0001M1.5M19851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 1,000,000 people1989: 1,000,000 people1990: 1,390,000 people1991: 475,000 people1992: 407,000 people1993: 407,000 people1994: 425,000 people1995: 407,300 people1996: 432,500 people1997: 442,900 people1998: 479,000 people1999: 479,000 people2000: 479,000 people2001: 467,000 people2002: 432,000 people2003: 432,000 people2004: 179,000 people2005: 227,000 people2006: 495,000 people2007: 362,000 people2008: 577,000 people2009: 659,395 people2010: 802,400 people2011: 802,400 people2012: 802,400 people2013: 177,600 people2014: 209,000 people2015: 209,000 people2016: 209,000 people2017: 209,000 people2018: 336,000 people2019: 341,000 people2020: 459,000 people
Change over the period: −541,000 (−54.1%) Average annual rate: -2.2 %

Comparison, 2020

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

Iraq 459,000 people
World 27.41M people
Middle East & North Africa 4.83M people
Western Asia computed 2.28M people
Upper-middle-income countries computed 7.86M people
Armed forces personnel — Iraq, by year Iraq All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 459,000 +118,000 +34.6%
2019 341,000 +5,000 +1.49%
2018 336,000 +127,000 +60.77%
2017 209,000 +0 +0%
2016 209,000 +0 +0%
2015 209,000 +0 +0%
2014 209,000 +31,400 +17.68%
2013 177,600 −624,800 −77.87%
2012 802,400 +0 +0%
2011 802,400 +0 +0%
2010 802,400 +143,005 +21.69%
2009 659,395 +82,395 +14.28%
2008 577,000 +215,000 +59.39%
2007 362,000 −133,000 −26.87%
2006 495,000 +268,000 +118.06%
2005 227,000 +48,000 +26.82%
2004 179,000 −253,000 −58.56%
2003 432,000 +0 +0%
2002 432,000 −35,000 −7.49%
2001 467,000 −12,000 −2.51%
2000 479,000 +0 +0%
1999 479,000 +0 +0%
1998 479,000 +36,100 +8.15%
1997 442,900 +10,400 +2.4%
1996 432,500 +25,200 +6.19%
1995 407,300 −17,700 −4.16%
1994 425,000 +18,000 +4.42%
1993 407,000 +0 +0%
1992 407,000 −68,000 −14.32%
1991 475,000 −915,000 −65.83%
1990 1.39M +390,000 +39%
1989 1M — —
1985 1M — —

Western Asia, 2020

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

TR Türkiye 512,000 IQ Iraq 459,000 SA Saudi Arabia 282,000 SY Syria 269,000 IL Israel 178,000 JO Jordan 116,000 AZ Azerbaijan 82,000 LB Lebanon 80,000 AE United Arab Emirates 63,000 AM Armenia 47,000 OM Oman 47,000 YE Yemen 40,000 GE Georgia 26,000 KW Kuwait 25,000 QA Qatar 22,000 BH Bahrain 19,000 CY Cyprus 13,000 PS Palestine 0
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 Iraq

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Iraq by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Iraq by year Demography Population

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

Iraq by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Iraq by year Defense Arms exports

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

Iraq by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Iraq by year
All indicators for Iraq