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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Netherlands

Armed forces personnel in the Netherlands in 2020 — 41,000 people. Ranked 79 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 61.1%.

2020 41,000 people +0% vs 2019
World rank 79of 170
Period maximum 106,000 people1989
Period minimum 41,000 people2007

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Netherlands, 1985–202040,00060,00080,000100,000120,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 105,500 people1989: 106,000 people1990: 104,000 people1991: 104,000 people1992: 90,000 people1993: 86,000 people1994: 77,000 people1995: 78,000 people1996: 66,700 people1997: 60,800 people1998: 60,780 people1999: 60,000 people2000: 57,100 people2001: 55,600 people2002: 52,900 people2003: 59,900 people2004: 53,000 people2005: 60,000 people2006: 46,000 people2007: 41,000 people2008: 47,000 people2009: 43,279 people2010: 43,279 people2011: 43,300 people2012: 43,300 people2013: 43,300 people2014: 41,900 people2015: 41,310 people2016: 41,310 people2017: 41,000 people2018: 41,410 people2019: 41,000 people2020: 41,000 people
Change over the period: −64,500 (−61.14%) Average annual rate: -2.66 %

Comparison, 2020

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

Netherlands 41,000 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 — Netherlands, by year Netherlands All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 41,000 +0 +0%
2019 41,000 −410 −0.99%
2018 41,410 +410 +1%
2017 41,000 −310 −0.75%
2016 41,310 +0 +0%
2015 41,310 −590 −1.41%
2014 41,900 −1,400 −3.23%
2013 43,300 +0 +0%
2012 43,300 +0 +0%
2011 43,300 +21 +0.05%
2010 43,279 +0 +0%
2009 43,279 −3,721 −7.92%
2008 47,000 +6,000 +14.63%
2007 41,000 −5,000 −10.87%
2006 46,000 −14,000 −23.33%
2005 60,000 +7,000 +13.21%
2004 53,000 −6,900 −11.52%
2003 59,900 +7,000 +13.23%
2002 52,900 −2,700 −4.86%
2001 55,600 −1,500 −2.63%
2000 57,100 −2,900 −4.83%
1999 60,000 −780 −1.28%
1998 60,780 −20 −0.03%
1997 60,800 −5,900 −8.85%
1996 66,700 −11,300 −14.49%
1995 78,000 +1,000 +1.3%
1994 77,000 −9,000 −10.47%
1993 86,000 −4,000 −4.44%
1992 90,000 −14,000 −13.46%
1991 104,000 +0 +0%
1990 104,000 −2,000 −1.89%
1989 106,000 — —
1985 105,500 — —

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 the Netherlands

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Netherlands by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Netherlands by year Demography Population

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

Netherlands by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Netherlands by year Defense Arms exports

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

Netherlands by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Netherlands by year
All indicators for the Netherlands