Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — Middle East & North Africa

Armed forces as a share of the population in Middle East & North Africa in 2022 — 0.534%. Since 1961, the indicator has fallen by 0.304 pp.

2022 0.534% −0.006 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 1.58%1988
Period minimum 0.494%2019

Trend over time

1961–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — Middle East & North Africa, 1961–202200.511.5219611968197519821989199620032010201720221961: 0.838%1963: 0.748%1965: 0.797%1967: 0.831%1969: 0.844%1971: 0.957%1973: 1.001%1975: 1.192%1977: 1.076%1979: 1.321%1981: 1.196%1983: 1.237%1985: 1.447%1987: 1.443%1989: 1.524%1991: 1.174%1993: 1.08%1995: 1.008%1997: 0.995%1999: 0.912%2001: 0.923%2003: 0.885%2005: 0.76%2007: 0.784%2009: 0.828%2011: 0.716%2013: 0.631%2015: 0.579%2017: 0.503%2019: 0.494%2021: 0.54%2022: 0.534%
Change over the period: −0.304 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Middle East & North Africa

Middle East & North Africa 0.534%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — Middle East & North Africa, by year Middle East & North Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.534 −0.006 pp
2021 0.54 −0 pp
2020 0.54 +0.046 pp
2019 0.494 −0.009 pp
2018 0.503 −0 pp
2017 0.503 −0.022 pp
2016 0.526 −0.053 pp
2015 0.579 −0.033 pp
2014 0.611 −0.02 pp
2013 0.631 −0.057 pp
2012 0.688 −0.028 pp
2011 0.716 −0.107 pp
2010 0.823 −0.004 pp
2009 0.828 −0.003 pp
2008 0.83 +0.046 pp
2007 0.784 −0.01 pp
2006 0.794 +0.033 pp
2005 0.76 −0.061 pp
2004 0.821 −0.064 pp
2003 0.885 −0.006 pp
2002 0.891 −0.032 pp
2001 0.923 −0.003 pp
2000 0.926 +0.015 pp
1999 0.912 −0.017 pp
1998 0.928 −0.067 pp
1997 0.995 −0.019 pp
1996 1.014 +0.007 pp
1995 1.008 −0.03 pp
1994 1.038 −0.042 pp
1993 1.08 −0.023 pp
1992 1.103 −0.071 pp
1991 1.174 −0.363 pp
1990 1.537 +0.013 pp
1989 1.524 −0.056 pp
1988 1.58 +0.137 pp
1987 1.443 +0.051 pp
1986 1.391 −0.056 pp
1985 1.447 −0.039 pp
1984 1.486 +0.249 pp
1983 1.237 +0.051 pp
1982 1.185 −0.011 pp
1981 1.196 −0.072 pp
1980 1.268 −0.053 pp
1979 1.321 +0.075 pp
1978 1.245 +0.169 pp
1977 1.076 −0.153 pp
1976 1.229 +0.037 pp
1975 1.192 +0.124 pp
1974 1.068 +0.066 pp
1973 1.001 −0.008 pp
1972 1.009 +0.053 pp
1971 0.957 +0.09 pp
1970 0.866 +0.022 pp
1969 0.844 +0.035 pp
1968 0.81 −0.022 pp
1967 0.831 −0.001 pp
1966 0.832 +0.036 pp
1965 0.797 +0.036 pp
1964 0.761 +0.013 pp
1963 0.748 −0.053 pp
1962 0.801 −0.037 pp
1961 0.838

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.