Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — NATO

Armed forces as a share of the population in NATO in 2022 — 0.332%. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 0.876 pp.

2022 0.332% −0.007 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 1.32%1968
Period minimum 0.332%2022

Trend over time

1960–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — NATO, 1960–202200.511.519601967197419811988199520022009201620221960: 1.208%1962: 1.28%1964: 1.295%1966: 1.268%1968: 1.32%1970: 1.215%1972: 1.095%1974: 1.053%1976: 0.996%1978: 0.981%1980: 0.967%1982: 0.986%1984: 0.987%1986: 0.985%1988: 0.953%1990: 0.848%1992: 0.762%1994: 0.712%1996: 0.659%1998: 0.616%2000: 0.514%2002: 0.473%2004: 0.463%2006: 0.454%2008: 0.425%2010: 0.443%2012: 0.411%2014: 0.389%2016: 0.368%2018: 0.336%2020: 0.335%2022: 0.332%
Change over the period: −0.876 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2022

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

NATO 0.332%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — NATO, by year NATO All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.332 −0.007 pp
2021 0.339 +0.004 pp
2020 0.335 −0.001 pp
2019 0.336 −0 pp
2018 0.336 −0.002 pp
2017 0.338 −0.03 pp
2016 0.368 −0.008 pp
2015 0.377 −0.012 pp
2014 0.389 −0.008 pp
2013 0.397 −0.015 pp
2012 0.411 −0.003 pp
2011 0.414 −0.029 pp
2010 0.443 −0.01 pp
2009 0.453 +0.028 pp
2008 0.425 −0.008 pp
2007 0.433 −0.021 pp
2006 0.454 −0.014 pp
2005 0.468 +0.004 pp
2004 0.463 +0.004 pp
2003 0.46 −0.013 pp
2002 0.473 −0.006 pp
2001 0.479 −0.036 pp
2000 0.514 −0.079 pp
1999 0.593 −0.023 pp
1998 0.616 −0.025 pp
1997 0.641 −0.019 pp
1996 0.659 −0.021 pp
1995 0.68 −0.031 pp
1994 0.712 −0.004 pp
1993 0.716 −0.046 pp
1992 0.762 −0.062 pp
1991 0.824 −0.025 pp
1990 0.848 −0.066 pp
1989 0.914 −0.039 pp
1988 0.953 −0.027 pp
1987 0.98 −0.005 pp
1986 0.985 +0.007 pp
1985 0.978 −0.01 pp
1984 0.987 −0.001 pp
1983 0.988 +0.003 pp
1982 0.986 +0.01 pp
1981 0.976 +0.008 pp
1980 0.967 +0.021 pp
1979 0.947 −0.035 pp
1978 0.981 −0.012 pp
1977 0.993 −0.003 pp
1976 0.996 −0.007 pp
1975 1.003 −0.05 pp
1974 1.053 −0.012 pp
1973 1.065 −0.029 pp
1972 1.095 −0.061 pp
1971 1.156 −0.059 pp
1970 1.215 −0.076 pp
1969 1.291 −0.029 pp
1968 1.32 +0.015 pp
1967 1.305 +0.038 pp
1966 1.268 +0.054 pp
1965 1.214 −0.081 pp
1964 1.295 +0.013 pp
1963 1.282 +0.002 pp
1962 1.28 +0.078 pp
1961 1.202 −0.006 pp
1960 1.208

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.