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Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — Lesotho

Armed forces as a share of the population in Lesotho in 2022 — 0.087%. Ranked 146 in the world out of 189. Since 1966, the indicator has risen by 0.087 pp.

2022 0.087% −0.001 pp vs 2021
World rank 146of 189
Period maximum 0.146%1981
Period minimum 0%1966

Trend over time

1966–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — Lesotho, 1966–202200.050.10.1519661972197819841990199620022008201420201966: 0%1967: 0%1968: 0%1969: 0%1970: 0%1971: 0%1972: 0%1973: 0%1974: 0.086%1975: 0.084%1976: 0.082%1977: 0.08%1978: 0.077%1979: 0.075%1980: 0.075%1981: 0.146%1982: 0.143%1983: 0.139%1984: 0.136%1985: 0.133%1986: 0.127%1987: 0.124%1988: 0.118%1989: 0.118%1990: 0.112%1991: 0.109%1992: 0.106%1993: 0.104%1994: 0.101%1995: 0.099%1996: 0.096%1997: 0.094%1998: 0.097%1999: 0.095%2000: 0.093%2001: 0.093%2002: 0.106%2003: 0.105%2004: 0.105%2005: 0.104%2006: 0.103%2007: 0.102%2008: 0.101%2009: 0.101%2010: 0.1%2011: 0.099%2012: 0.097%2013: 0.094%2014: 0.093%2015: 0.092%2016: 0.091%2017: 0.093%2018: 0.092%2019: 0.091%2020: 0.089%2021: 0.088%2022: 0.087%
Change over the period: +0.087 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2022

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

Lesotho 0.087%
World computed 0.259%
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 0.161%
Southern Africa computed 0.136%
Lower-middle-income countries computed 0.207%
Armed forces as a share of the population — Lesotho, by year Lesotho All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.087 −0.001 pp
2021 0.088 −0.001 pp
2020 0.089 −0.001 pp
2019 0.091 −0.001 pp
2018 0.092 −0.001 pp
2017 0.093 +0.002 pp
2016 0.091 −0.001 pp
2015 0.092 −0.001 pp
2014 0.093 −0.001 pp
2013 0.094 −0.003 pp
2012 0.097 −0.001 pp
2011 0.099 −0.001 pp
2010 0.1 −0.001 pp
2009 0.101 −0.001 pp
2008 0.101 −0.001 pp
2007 0.102 −0.001 pp
2006 0.103 −0.001 pp
2005 0.104 −0.001 pp
2004 0.105 −0.001 pp
2003 0.105 −0.001 pp
2002 0.106 +0.013 pp
2001 0.093 +0 pp
2000 0.093 −0.002 pp
1999 0.095 −0.002 pp
1998 0.097 +0.003 pp
1997 0.094 −0.002 pp
1996 0.096 −0.002 pp
1995 0.099 −0.002 pp
1994 0.101 −0.003 pp
1993 0.104 −0.003 pp
1992 0.106 −0.003 pp
1991 0.109 −0.003 pp
1990 0.112 −0.005 pp
1989 0.118 −0.001 pp
1988 0.118 −0.005 pp
1987 0.124 −0.003 pp
1986 0.127 −0.006 pp
1985 0.133 −0.003 pp
1984 0.136 −0.003 pp
1983 0.139 −0.003 pp
1982 0.143 −0.004 pp
1981 0.146 +0.072 pp
1980 0.075 −0.001 pp
1979 0.075 −0.002 pp
1978 0.077 −0.002 pp
1977 0.08 −0.003 pp
1976 0.082 −0.002 pp
1975 0.084 −0.002 pp
1974 0.086 +0.086 pp
1973 0 +0 pp
1972 0 +0 pp
1971 0 +0 pp
1970 0 +0 pp
1969 0 +0 pp
1968 0 +0 pp
1967 0 +0 pp
1966 0 —

Southern Africa, 2022

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

BW Botswana 0.369 NA Namibia 0.346 ZA South Africa 0.119 LS Lesotho 0.087
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 Lesotho

Defense Armed forces personnel since 1816

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

Lesotho 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.

Lesotho by year Defense Armed forces personnel

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

Lesotho by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

Lesotho by year Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

Lesotho by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

Lesotho by year
All indicators for Lesotho