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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — Vietnam

Armed forces personnel in Vietnam in 2020 — 522,000 people. Ranked 12 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 49.2%.

2020 522,000 people +0% vs 2019
World rank 12of 170
Period maximum 1.25M people1989
Period minimum 495,000 people2005

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — Vietnam, 1985–2020400,000600,000800,0001M1.2M1.4M19851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 1,027,000 people1989: 1,250,000 people1990: 1,050,000 people1991: 1,040,000 people1992: 857,000 people1993: 857,000 people1994: 700,000 people1995: 622,000 people1996: 622,000 people1997: 557,000 people1998: 524,000 people1999: 524,000 people2000: 524,000 people2001: 524,000 people2002: 524,000 people2003: 524,000 people2005: 495,000 people2006: 495,000 people2007: 495,000 people2008: 495,000 people2009: 495,000 people2010: 522,000 people2011: 522,000 people2012: 522,000 people2013: 522,000 people2014: 522,000 people2015: 522,000 people2016: 522,000 people2017: 522,000 people2018: 522,000 people2019: 522,000 people2020: 522,000 people
Change over the period: −505,000 (−49.17%) Average annual rate: -1.91 %

Comparison, 2020

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

Vietnam 522,000 people
World 27.41M people
East Asia & Pacific 7.91M people
South-Eastern Asia computed 2.8M people
Lower-middle-income countries computed 9.31M people
Armed forces personnel — Vietnam, by year Vietnam All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 522,000 +0 +0%
2019 522,000 +0 +0%
2018 522,000 +0 +0%
2017 522,000 +0 +0%
2016 522,000 +0 +0%
2015 522,000 +0 +0%
2014 522,000 +0 +0%
2013 522,000 +0 +0%
2012 522,000 +0 +0%
2011 522,000 +0 +0%
2010 522,000 +27,000 +5.45%
2009 495,000 +0 +0%
2008 495,000 +0 +0%
2007 495,000 +0 +0%
2006 495,000 +0 +0%
2005 495,000 — —
2003 524,000 +0 +0%
2002 524,000 +0 +0%
2001 524,000 +0 +0%
2000 524,000 +0 +0%
1999 524,000 +0 +0%
1998 524,000 −33,000 −5.92%
1997 557,000 −65,000 −10.45%
1996 622,000 +0 +0%
1995 622,000 −78,000 −11.14%
1994 700,000 −157,000 −18.32%
1993 857,000 +0 +0%
1992 857,000 −183,000 −17.6%
1991 1.04M −10,000 −0.95%
1990 1.05M −200,000 −16%
1989 1.25M — —
1985 1.03M — —

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 Vietnam

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Vietnam by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Vietnam by year Demography Population

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

Vietnam by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Vietnam by year Defense Arms exports

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

Vietnam by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

Vietnam by year
All indicators for Vietnam