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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Spain

Armed forces personnel in Spain in 2020 — 199,000 people. Ranked 32 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 37.8%.

2020 199,000 people +0% vs 2019
World rank 32of 170
Period maximum 320,000 people1985
Period minimum 196,000 people2017

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Spain, 1985–2020150,000200,000250,000300,000350,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 320,000 people1989: 277,000 people1990: 263,000 people1991: 246,000 people1992: 198,000 people1993: 204,000 people1994: 213,000 people1995: 281,600 people1996: 282,300 people1997: 273,250 people1998: 269,710 people1999: 262,260 people2000: 241,800 people2001: 214,700 people2002: 251,200 people2003: 224,000 people2004: 220,000 people2005: 220,000 people2006: 222,000 people2007: 222,000 people2008: 223,000 people2009: 222,422 people2010: 223,216 people2011: 215,700 people2012: 215,600 people2013: 213,950 people2014: 200,000 people2015: 199,950 people2016: 197,950 people2017: 196,000 people2018: 196,350 people2019: 199,000 people2020: 199,000 people
Change over the period: −121,000 (−37.81%) Average annual rate: -1.35 %

Comparison, 2020

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

Spain 199,000 people
World 27.41M people
Europe & Central Asia 5.01M people
Southern Europe computed 844,000 people
High-income countries computed 6.77M people
Armed forces personnel — Spain, by year Spain All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 199,000 +0 +0%
2019 199,000 +2,650 +1.35%
2018 196,350 +350 +0.18%
2017 196,000 −1,950 −0.99%
2016 197,950 −2,000 −1%
2015 199,950 −50 −0.03%
2014 200,000 −13,950 −6.52%
2013 213,950 −1,650 −0.77%
2012 215,600 −100 −0.05%
2011 215,700 −7,516 −3.37%
2010 223,216 +794 +0.36%
2009 222,422 −578 −0.26%
2008 223,000 +1,000 +0.45%
2007 222,000 +0 +0%
2006 222,000 +2,000 +0.91%
2005 220,000 +0 +0%
2004 220,000 −4,000 −1.79%
2003 224,000 −27,200 −10.83%
2002 251,200 +36,500 +17%
2001 214,700 −27,100 −11.21%
2000 241,800 −20,460 −7.8%
1999 262,260 −7,450 −2.76%
1998 269,710 −3,540 −1.3%
1997 273,250 −9,050 −3.21%
1996 282,300 +700 +0.25%
1995 281,600 +68,600 +32.21%
1994 213,000 +9,000 +4.41%
1993 204,000 +6,000 +3.03%
1992 198,000 −48,000 −19.51%
1991 246,000 −17,000 −6.46%
1990 263,000 −14,000 −5.05%
1989 277,000 — —
1985 320,000 — —

Southern Europe, 2020

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

IT Italy 338,000 ES Spain 199,000 GR Greece 147,000 PT Portugal 52,000 RS Serbia 32,000 HR Croatia 20,000 MK North Macedonia 16,000 ME Montenegro 12,000 BA Bosnia and Herzegovina 11,000 AL Albania 8,000 SI Slovenia 7,000 MT Malta 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 Spain

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Spain by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Spain by year Demography Population

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

Spain by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Spain by year Defense Arms exports

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

Spain by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Spain by year
All indicators for Spain