Contact Contacts
Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Latin America & Caribbean

Armed forces personnel in Latin America & Caribbean in 2020 — 2,740,000 people. Since 1985, the indicator has risen by 101.9%.

2020 2.74M people −1.72% vs 2019
World rank —
Period maximum 2.8M people2018
Period minimum 1.36M people1985

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Latin America & Caribbean, 1985–20201M1.5M2M2.5M3M19851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 1,357,400 people1989: 1,593,000 people1990: 1,587,000 people1991: 1,563,000 people1992: 1,443,000 people1993: 1,443,000 people1994: 1,387,000 people1995: 2,114,500 people1996: 2,136,220 people1997: 2,127,990 people1998: 2,102,720 people1999: 2,077,880 people2000: 2,095,000 people2001: 2,111,400 people2002: 2,113,000 people2003: 2,136,700 people2004: 2,066,830 people2005: 2,076,830 people2006: 2,285,440 people2007: 2,413,940 people2008: 2,399,300 people2009: 2,444,776 people2010: 2,444,776 people2011: 2,447,597 people2012: 2,470,964 people2013: 2,484,593 people2014: 2,621,950 people2015: 2,657,600 people2016: 2,682,630 people2017: 2,756,000 people2018: 2,804,200 people2019: 2,788,000 people2020: 2,740,000 people
Change over the period: +1.38M (+101.86%) Average annual rate: 2.03 %

Comparison, 2020

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Latin America & Caribbean

Latin America & Caribbean 2.74M people
World 27.41M people
Armed forces personnel — Latin America & Caribbean, by year Latin America & Caribbean All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 2.74M −48,000 −1.72%
2019 2.79M −16,200 −0.58%
2018 2.8M +48,200 +1.75%
2017 2.76M +73,370 +2.74%
2016 2.68M +25,030 +0.94%
2015 2.66M +35,650 +1.36%
2014 2.62M +137,357 +5.53%
2013 2.48M +13,629 +0.55%
2012 2.47M +23,367 +0.95%
2011 2.45M +2,821 +0.12%
2010 2.44M +0 +0%
2009 2.44M +45,476 +1.9%
2008 2.4M −14,640 −0.61%
2007 2.41M +128,500 +5.62%
2006 2.29M +208,610 +10.04%
2005 2.08M +10,000 +0.48%
2004 2.07M −69,870 −3.27%
2003 2.14M +23,700 +1.12%
2002 2.11M +1,600 +0.08%
2001 2.11M +16,400 +0.78%
2000 2.1M +17,120 +0.82%
1999 2.08M −24,840 −1.18%
1998 2.1M −25,270 −1.19%
1997 2.13M −8,230 −0.39%
1996 2.14M +21,720 +1.03%
1995 2.11M +727,500 +52.45%
1994 1.39M −56,000 −3.88%
1993 1.44M +0 +0%
1992 1.44M −120,000 −7.68%
1991 1.56M −24,000 −1.51%
1990 1.59M −6,000 −0.38%
1989 1.59M — —
1985 1.36M — —

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 Latin America & Caribbean

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Latin America & Caribbean by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Latin America & Caribbean by year Demography Population

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

Latin America & Caribbean by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Latin America & Caribbean by year Defense Arms exports

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

Latin America & Caribbean by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Latin America & Caribbean by year
All indicators for Latin America & Caribbean