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Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — Australia

Armed forces as a share of the population in Australia in 2022 — 0.229%. Ranked 96 in the world out of 189. Since 1920, the indicator has risen by 0.117 pp.

2022 0.229% −0.002 pp vs 2021
World rank 96of 189
Period maximum 9.399%1943
Period minimum 0.09%1933

Trend over time

1920–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — Australia, 1920–202202.557.51019201931194219531964197519861997200820191920: 0.112%1922: 0.108%1924: 0.12%1926: 0.132%1928: 0.127%1930: 0.108%1932: 0.091%1934: 0.12%1936: 0.118%1938: 0.116%1940: 1.165%1943: 9.399%1945: 8.063%1947: 1.082%1949: 0.518%1951: 0.392%1953: 0.647%1955: 0.565%1957: 0.498%1959: 0.477%1961: 0.436%1963: 0.447%1965: 0.465%1967: 0.61%1969: 0.669%1971: 0.671%1973: 0.526%1975: 0.504%1977: 0.493%1979: 0.482%1981: 0.488%1983: 0.475%1985: 0.443%1987: 0.43%1989: 0.416%1991: 0.393%1993: 0.385%1995: 0.36%1997: 0.351%1999: 0.294%2001: 0.263%2003: 0.271%2005: 0.258%2007: 0.245%2009: 0.25%2011: 0.251%2013: 0.246%2015: 0.239%2017: 0.235%2019: 0.228%2021: 0.231%2022: 0.229%
Change over the period: +0.117 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2022

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

Australia 0.229%
World computed 0.259%
East Asia & Pacific computed 0.266%
Australia and New Zealand computed 0.22%
High-income countries computed 0.421%
Armed forces as a share of the population — Australia, by year Australia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.229 −0.002 pp
2021 0.231 +0.01 pp
2020 0.221 −0.006 pp
2019 0.228 −0.003 pp
2018 0.231 −0.004 pp
2017 0.235 −0.002 pp
2016 0.236 −0.003 pp
2015 0.239 +0.001 pp
2014 0.239 −0.008 pp
2013 0.246 −0.001 pp
2012 0.247 −0.003 pp
2011 0.251 +0.005 pp
2010 0.245 −0.004 pp
2009 0.25 +0.014 pp
2008 0.236 −0.009 pp
2007 0.245 −0.009 pp
2006 0.254 −0.004 pp
2005 0.258 −0.004 pp
2004 0.262 −0.008 pp
2003 0.271 +0.012 pp
2002 0.259 −0.004 pp
2001 0.263 −0.007 pp
2000 0.27 −0.024 pp
1999 0.294 −0.057 pp
1998 0.351 +0 pp
1997 0.351 −0.004 pp
1996 0.355 −0.005 pp
1995 0.36 −0.004 pp
1994 0.364 −0.021 pp
1993 0.385 −0.004 pp
1992 0.389 −0.005 pp
1991 0.393 −0.005 pp
1990 0.398 −0.018 pp
1989 0.416 −0.014 pp
1988 0.43 −0.001 pp
1987 0.43 −0.013 pp
1986 0.443 −0 pp
1985 0.443 −0.013 pp
1984 0.456 −0.018 pp
1983 0.475 −0.006 pp
1982 0.481 −0.007 pp
1981 0.488 +0.005 pp
1980 0.483 +0.001 pp
1979 0.482 −0.005 pp
1978 0.487 −0.006 pp
1977 0.493 −0.013 pp
1976 0.506 +0.002 pp
1975 0.504 +0.008 pp
1974 0.496 −0.03 pp
1973 0.526 −0.121 pp
1972 0.646 −0.025 pp
1971 0.671 −0.016 pp
1970 0.688 +0.019 pp
1969 0.669 +0.003 pp
1968 0.666 +0.056 pp
1967 0.61 +0.102 pp
1966 0.509 +0.043 pp
1965 0.465 −0.009 pp
1964 0.475 +0.027 pp
1963 0.447 −0.009 pp
1962 0.456 +0.02 pp
1961 0.436 −0.021 pp
1960 0.457 −0.02 pp
1959 0.477 +0.01 pp
1958 0.467 −0.031 pp
1957 0.498 −0.054 pp
1956 0.552 −0.014 pp
1955 0.565 −0.035 pp
1954 0.6 −0.046 pp
1953 0.647 +0.276 pp
1952 0.371 −0.021 pp
1951 0.392 −0.073 pp
1950 0.465 −0.054 pp
1949 0.518 −0.273 pp
1948 0.791 −0.291 pp
1947 1.082 −0.298 pp
1946 1.38 −6.683 pp
1945 8.063 −1.24 pp
1944 9.302 −0.096 pp
1943 9.399 —
1941 5.626 +4.461 pp
1940 1.165 +1.05 pp
1939 0.115 −0.001 pp
1938 0.116 −0.001 pp
1937 0.117 −0.001 pp
1936 0.118 −0.001 pp
1935 0.119 −0.001 pp
1934 0.12 +0.029 pp
1933 0.09 −0.001 pp
1932 0.091 −0.001 pp
1931 0.092 −0.016 pp
1930 0.108 −0.001 pp
1929 0.109 −0.017 pp
1928 0.127 −0.002 pp
1927 0.129 −0.003 pp
1926 0.132 +0.014 pp
1925 0.118 −0.003 pp
1924 0.12 −0.002 pp
1923 0.123 +0.015 pp
1922 0.108 −0.002 pp
1921 0.11 −0.002 pp
1920 0.112 —

Australia and New Zealand, 2022

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

AU Australia 0.229 NZ New Zealand 0.175
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 Australia

Defense Armed forces personnel since 1816

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

Australia 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.

Australia by year Defense Armed forces personnel

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

Australia by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Australia by year Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Australia by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Australia by year
All indicators for Australia