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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Malaysia

Armed forces personnel in Malaysia in 2020 — 136,000 people. Ranked 45 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has risen by 23.6%.

2020 136,000 people +0% vs 2019
World rank 45of 170
Period maximum 140,300 people1995
Period minimum 110,000 people1985

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Malaysia, 1985–2020110,000120,000130,000140,000150,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 110,000 people1989: 115,000 people1990: 130,000 people1991: 128,000 people1992: 128,000 people1993: 115,000 people1994: 115,000 people1995: 140,300 people1996: 140,300 people1997: 131,600 people1998: 130,100 people1999: 125,100 people2000: 116,100 people2001: 120,600 people2002: 120,100 people2003: 124,100 people2004: 130,000 people2005: 135,000 people2006: 134,000 people2007: 134,000 people2008: 134,000 people2009: 133,600 people2010: 133,600 people2011: 133,600 people2012: 133,600 people2013: 133,600 people2014: 133,600 people2015: 133,600 people2016: 133,600 people2017: 136,000 people2018: 136,000 people2019: 136,000 people2020: 136,000 people
Change over the period: +26,000 (+23.64%) Average annual rate: 0.61 %

Comparison, 2020

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

Malaysia 136,000 people
World 27.41M people
East Asia & Pacific 7.91M people
South-Eastern Asia computed 2.8M people
Upper-middle-income countries computed 7.86M people
Armed forces personnel — Malaysia, by year Malaysia All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 136,000 +0 +0%
2019 136,000 +0 +0%
2018 136,000 +0 +0%
2017 136,000 +2,400 +1.8%
2016 133,600 +0 +0%
2015 133,600 +0 +0%
2014 133,600 +0 +0%
2013 133,600 +0 +0%
2012 133,600 +0 +0%
2011 133,600 +0 +0%
2010 133,600 +0 +0%
2009 133,600 −400 −0.3%
2008 134,000 +0 +0%
2007 134,000 +0 +0%
2006 134,000 −1,000 −0.74%
2005 135,000 +5,000 +3.85%
2004 130,000 +5,900 +4.75%
2003 124,100 +4,000 +3.33%
2002 120,100 −500 −0.41%
2001 120,600 +4,500 +3.88%
2000 116,100 −9,000 −7.19%
1999 125,100 −5,000 −3.84%
1998 130,100 −1,500 −1.14%
1997 131,600 −8,700 −6.2%
1996 140,300 +0 +0%
1995 140,300 +25,300 +22%
1994 115,000 +0 +0%
1993 115,000 −13,000 −10.16%
1992 128,000 +0 +0%
1991 128,000 −2,000 −1.54%
1990 130,000 +15,000 +13.04%
1989 115,000 — —
1985 110,000 — —

South-Eastern Asia, 2020

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

ID Indonesia 676,000 VN Vietnam 522,000 MM Myanmar 463,000 TH Thailand 455,000 KH Cambodia 191,000 PH Philippines 157,000 MY Malaysia 136,000 LA Laos 129,000 SG Singapore 59,000 BN Brunei Darussalam 8,000 TL Timor-Leste 2,000
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 Malaysia

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Malaysia by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Malaysia by year Demography Population

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

Malaysia by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Malaysia by year Defense Arms exports

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

Malaysia by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Malaysia by year
All indicators for Malaysia