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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Syria

Armed forces personnel in Syria in 2020 — 269,000 people. Ranked 26 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 33.2%.

2020 269,000 people +0% vs 2019
World rank 26of 170
Period maximum 531,000 people1995
Period minimum 178,000 people2011

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Syria, 1985–20200200,000400,000600,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 402,500 people1989: 400,000 people1990: 408,000 people1991: 408,000 people1992: 408,000 people1993: 408,000 people1994: 320,000 people1995: 531,000 people1996: 529,000 people1997: 428,000 people1998: 428,000 people1999: 424,000 people2000: 424,800 people2001: 429,000 people2002: 427,000 people2003: 427,000 people2004: 415,000 people2005: 416,000 people2006: 401,000 people2007: 401,000 people2008: 401,000 people2009: 403,000 people2010: 403,000 people2011: 178,000 people2012: 178,000 people2013: 178,000 people2014: 280,500 people2015: 277,500 people2016: 307,500 people2017: 239,000 people2018: 257,500 people2019: 269,000 people2020: 269,000 people
Change over the period: −133,500 (−33.17%) Average annual rate: -1.14 %

Comparison, 2020

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

Syria 269,000 people
World 27.41M people
Middle East & North Africa 4.83M people
Western Asia computed 2.28M people
Low-income countries computed 2.94M people
Armed forces personnel — Syria, by year Syria All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 269,000 +0 +0%
2019 269,000 +11,500 +4.47%
2018 257,500 +18,500 +7.74%
2017 239,000 −68,500 −22.28%
2016 307,500 +30,000 +10.81%
2015 277,500 −3,000 −1.07%
2014 280,500 +102,500 +57.58%
2013 178,000 +0 +0%
2012 178,000 +0 +0%
2011 178,000 −225,000 −55.83%
2010 403,000 +0 +0%
2009 403,000 +2,000 +0.5%
2008 401,000 +0 +0%
2007 401,000 +0 +0%
2006 401,000 −15,000 −3.61%
2005 416,000 +1,000 +0.24%
2004 415,000 −12,000 −2.81%
2003 427,000 +0 +0%
2002 427,000 −2,000 −0.47%
2001 429,000 +4,200 +0.99%
2000 424,800 +800 +0.19%
1999 424,000 −4,000 −0.93%
1998 428,000 +0 +0%
1997 428,000 −101,000 −19.09%
1996 529,000 −2,000 −0.38%
1995 531,000 +211,000 +65.94%
1994 320,000 −88,000 −21.57%
1993 408,000 +0 +0%
1992 408,000 +0 +0%
1991 408,000 +0 +0%
1990 408,000 +8,000 +2%
1989 400,000 — —
1985 402,500 — —

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 Syria

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Syria by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Syria by year Demography Population

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

Syria by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Syria by year Defense Arms exports

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

Syria by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Syria by year
All indicators for Syria