Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — High-income countries

Armed forces as a share of the population in high-income countries in 2022 — 0.421%. Since 1992, the indicator has fallen by 0.364 pp.

2022 0.421% +0.017 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 0.786%1992
Period minimum 0.403%2020

Trend over time

1992–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — High-income countries, 1992–20220.40.50.60.70.8199219951998200120042007201020132016201920221992: 0.786%1993: 0.724%1994: 0.7%1995: 0.679%1996: 0.649%1997: 0.637%1998: 0.601%1999: 0.572%2000: 0.535%2001: 0.516%2002: 0.509%2003: 0.501%2004: 0.505%2005: 0.509%2006: 0.499%2007: 0.483%2008: 0.478%2009: 0.496%2010: 0.489%2011: 0.468%2012: 0.459%2013: 0.438%2014: 0.432%2015: 0.418%2016: 0.412%2017: 0.405%2018: 0.409%2019: 0.408%2020: 0.403%2021: 0.404%2022: 0.421%
Change over the period: −0.364 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: High-income countries

High-income countries 0.421%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — High-income countries, by year High-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.421 +0.017 pp
2021 0.404 +0.001 pp
2020 0.403 −0.005 pp
2019 0.408 −0.001 pp
2018 0.409 +0.005 pp
2017 0.405 −0.007 pp
2016 0.412 −0.006 pp
2015 0.418 −0.014 pp
2014 0.432 −0.006 pp
2013 0.438 −0.022 pp
2012 0.459 −0.009 pp
2011 0.468 −0.02 pp
2010 0.489 −0.008 pp
2009 0.496 +0.018 pp
2008 0.478 −0.005 pp
2007 0.483 −0.015 pp
2006 0.499 −0.01 pp
2005 0.509 +0.004 pp
2004 0.505 +0.004 pp
2003 0.501 −0.009 pp
2002 0.509 −0.007 pp
2001 0.516 −0.019 pp
2000 0.535 −0.037 pp
1999 0.572 −0.029 pp
1998 0.601 −0.036 pp
1997 0.637 −0.013 pp
1996 0.649 −0.029 pp
1995 0.679 −0.021 pp
1994 0.7 −0.024 pp
1993 0.724 −0.062 pp
1992 0.786

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.