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Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — Afghanistan

Armed forces as a share of the population in Afghanistan in 2022 — 0.246%. Ranked 92 in the world out of 189. Since 1920, the indicator has fallen by 0.626 pp.

2022 0.246% −0.166 pp vs 2021
World rank 92of 189
Period maximum 1.825%1999
Period minimum 0.105%2006

Trend over time

1920–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — Afghanistan, 1920–202200.511.5219201931194219531964197519861997200820191920: 0.872%1922: 0.852%1924: 0.984%1926: 1.123%1928: 0.866%1930: 0.846%1932: 0.827%1934: 0.606%1936: 1.354%1938: 1.323%1940: 0.753%1942: 1.103%1944: 1.078%1946: 1.053%1948: 1.028%1950: 0.837%1952: 0.649%1954: 0.429%1956: 0.433%1958: 0.416%1960: 0.557%1962: 0.923%1964: 0.95%1966: 0.785%1968: 0.687%1970: 0.668%1972: 0.634%1974: 0.531%1976: 0.907%1978: 0.685%1980: 0.268%1982: 0.354%1984: 0.311%1986: 0.329%1988: 0.388%1990: 0.393%1992: 0.276%1994: 0.244%2000: 1.761%2003: 0.26%2005: 0.109%2007: 0.19%2009: 0.191%2011: 0.467%2013: 0.602%2015: 0.531%2017: 0.479%2019: 0.46%2021: 0.413%2022: 0.246%
Change over the period: −0.626 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2022

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

Afghanistan 0.246%
World computed 0.259%
South Asia computed 0.141%
Southern Asia computed 0.165%
Low-income countries computed 0.409%
Armed forces as a share of the population — Afghanistan, by year Afghanistan All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.246 −0.166 pp
2021 0.413 −0.051 pp
2020 0.463 +0.004 pp
2019 0.46 −0.014 pp
2018 0.474 −0.006 pp
2017 0.479 +0.015 pp
2016 0.465 −0.066 pp
2015 0.531 −0.037 pp
2014 0.568 −0.034 pp
2013 0.602 +0.029 pp
2012 0.573 +0.106 pp
2011 0.467 +0.136 pp
2010 0.331 +0.14 pp
2009 0.191 +0.003 pp
2008 0.189 −0.001 pp
2007 0.19 +0.084 pp
2006 0.105 −0.003 pp
2005 0.109 −0.075 pp
2004 0.183 −0.076 pp
2003 0.26 +0.034 pp
2002 0.225 —
2000 1.761 −0.064 pp
1999 1.825 —
1994 0.244 −0.016 pp
1993 0.26 −0.017 pp
1992 0.276 −0.016 pp
1991 0.292 −0.101 pp
1990 0.393 +0.01 pp
1989 0.383 −0.005 pp
1988 0.388 +0.035 pp
1987 0.353 +0.024 pp
1986 0.329 +0.005 pp
1985 0.324 +0.013 pp
1984 0.311 +0.007 pp
1983 0.303 −0.051 pp
1982 0.354 +0.07 pp
1981 0.284 +0.016 pp
1980 0.268 −0.284 pp
1979 0.552 −0.133 pp
1978 0.685 −0.215 pp
1977 0.9 −0.007 pp
1976 0.907 +0.062 pp
1975 0.845 +0.315 pp
1974 0.531 −0.087 pp
1973 0.618 −0.016 pp
1972 0.634 −0.017 pp
1971 0.651 −0.017 pp
1970 0.668 −0.002 pp
1969 0.67 −0.017 pp
1968 0.687 −0.064 pp
1967 0.751 −0.034 pp
1966 0.785 −0.019 pp
1965 0.804 −0.146 pp
1964 0.95 −0.005 pp
1963 0.955 +0.031 pp
1962 0.923 −0.075 pp
1961 0.999 +0.442 pp
1960 0.557 +0.083 pp
1959 0.474 +0.058 pp
1958 0.416 −0.009 pp
1957 0.425 −0.008 pp
1956 0.433 −0.008 pp
1955 0.442 +0.013 pp
1954 0.429 −0.008 pp
1953 0.436 −0.213 pp
1952 0.649 −0.01 pp
1951 0.66 −0.177 pp
1950 0.837 −0.01 pp
1949 0.847 −0.181 pp
1948 1.028 −0.128 pp
1947 1.156 +0.103 pp
1946 1.053 −0.012 pp
1945 1.065 −0.013 pp
1944 1.078 −0.013 pp
1943 1.09 −0.013 pp
1942 1.103 −0.013 pp
1941 1.116 +0.363 pp
1940 0.753 −0.555 pp
1939 1.308 −0.015 pp
1938 1.323 −0.016 pp
1937 1.339 −0.016 pp
1936 1.354 +0.396 pp
1935 0.958 +0.352 pp
1934 0.606 −0.375 pp
1933 0.981 +0.154 pp
1932 0.827 −0.01 pp
1931 0.836 −0.01 pp
1930 0.846 −0.01 pp
1929 0.856 −0.01 pp
1928 0.866 −0.244 pp
1927 1.11 −0.013 pp
1926 1.123 −0.013 pp
1925 1.137 +0.153 pp
1924 0.984 −0.012 pp
1923 0.995 +0.143 pp
1922 0.852 −0.01 pp
1921 0.862 −0.01 pp
1920 0.872 —

Southern Asia, 2022

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

LK Sri Lanka 1.117 IR Iran 0.681 NP Nepal 0.326 PK Pakistan 0.268 AF Afghanistan 0.246 IN India 0.102 BD Bangladesh 0.096 MV Maldives 0
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

Military personnel on active duty as a percent of the entire population of the country. The indicator answers the question of how large the armed forces are relative to the size of the country — an army that is large in absolute numbers in a large country can come out smaller by this measure than the small army of a small state.

Important: A close indicator — the share of the labor force — answers a different question: what part of those able to work is occupied in the army instead of the economy. In countries with young populations the two diverge noticeably.

Source: Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), license SIPRI terms of use.

Other indicators for Afghanistan

Defense Armed forces personnel since 1816

A long historical series on the personnel of armies — since 1816, that is, over two centuries.

Afghanistan by year Defense Armed forces as a share of the labor force

What part of a country’s labor force serves in the army instead of working in the economy.

Afghanistan by year Defense Armed forces personnel

The number of active-duty military personnel and paramilitary forces.

Afghanistan by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Afghanistan by year Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Afghanistan by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Afghanistan by year
All indicators for Afghanistan