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Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — New Zealand

Armed forces as a share of the population in New Zealand in 2022 — 0.175%. Ranked 115 in the world out of 189. Since 1922, the indicator has risen by 0.1 pp.

2022 0.175% −0.02 pp vs 2021
World rank 115of 189
Period maximum 9.413%1942
Period minimum 0.061%1939

Trend over time

1922–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — New Zealand, 1922–202202.557.510192219321942195219621972198219922002201220221922: 0.076%1924: 0.073%1926: 0.07%1928: 0.068%1930: 0.066%1932: 0.065%1934: 0.064%1936: 0.063%1938: 0.062%1940: 0.061%1942: 9.413%1950: 0.472%1952: 0.501%1954: 0.478%1956: 0.505%1958: 0.482%1960: 0.506%1962: 0.483%1964: 0.503%1966: 0.486%1968: 0.473%1970: 0.498%1972: 0.482%1974: 0.43%1976: 0.418%1978: 0.417%1980: 0.418%1982: 0.38%1984: 0.403%1986: 0.366%1988: 0.392%1990: 0.327%1992: 0.32%1994: 0.286%1996: 0.28%1998: 0.263%2000: 0.233%2002: 0.227%2004: 0.221%2006: 0.215%2008: 0.21%2010: 0.229%2012: 0.224%2014: 0.197%2016: 0.193%2018: 0.184%2020: 0.178%2022: 0.175%
Change over the period: +0.1 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2022

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

New Zealand 0.175%
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 — New Zealand, by year New Zealand All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.175 −0.02 pp
2021 0.196 +0.018 pp
2020 0.178 −0.003 pp
2019 0.18 −0.003 pp
2018 0.184 −0.003 pp
2017 0.187 −0.006 pp
2016 0.193 −0.002 pp
2015 0.195 −0.002 pp
2014 0.197 −0.002 pp
2013 0.199 −0.025 pp
2012 0.224 −0.002 pp
2011 0.227 −0.002 pp
2010 0.229 +0.021 pp
2009 0.208 −0.002 pp
2008 0.21 −0.002 pp
2007 0.213 −0.002 pp
2006 0.215 −0.003 pp
2005 0.218 −0.003 pp
2004 0.221 −0.003 pp
2003 0.224 −0.003 pp
2002 0.227 −0.005 pp
2001 0.232 −0.001 pp
2000 0.233 −0.028 pp
1999 0.261 −0.002 pp
1998 0.263 −0.002 pp
1997 0.266 −0.014 pp
1996 0.28 −0.002 pp
1995 0.282 −0.004 pp
1994 0.286 −0.032 pp
1993 0.319 −0.001 pp
1992 0.32 −0.003 pp
1991 0.323 −0.004 pp
1990 0.327 −0.033 pp
1989 0.36 −0.032 pp
1988 0.392 −0.002 pp
1987 0.393 +0.027 pp
1986 0.366 −0.034 pp
1985 0.4 −0.002 pp
1984 0.403 −0.004 pp
1983 0.406 +0.026 pp
1982 0.38 −0.004 pp
1981 0.384 −0.034 pp
1980 0.418 −0.001 pp
1979 0.418 +0.002 pp
1978 0.417 −0 pp
1977 0.417 −0.001 pp
1976 0.418 −0.004 pp
1975 0.422 −0.008 pp
1974 0.43 −0.009 pp
1973 0.439 −0.043 pp
1972 0.482 −0.009 pp
1971 0.491 −0.007 pp
1970 0.498 −0.007 pp
1969 0.505 +0.032 pp
1968 0.473 −0.004 pp
1967 0.477 −0.009 pp
1966 0.486 −0.009 pp
1965 0.495 −0.008 pp
1964 0.503 +0.029 pp
1963 0.474 −0.01 pp
1962 0.483 −0.054 pp
1961 0.537 +0.031 pp
1960 0.506 −0.009 pp
1959 0.515 +0.033 pp
1958 0.482 −0.056 pp
1957 0.538 +0.033 pp
1956 0.505 +0.037 pp
1955 0.468 −0.01 pp
1954 0.478 −0.011 pp
1953 0.489 −0.013 pp
1952 0.501 +0.039 pp
1951 0.462 −0.009 pp
1950 0.472 —
1944 9.368 —
1942 9.413 +3.282 pp
1941 6.131 +6.07 pp
1940 0.061 +0 pp
1939 0.061 −0.001 pp
1938 0.062 −0.001 pp
1937 0.062 −0.001 pp
1936 0.063 −0.001 pp
1935 0.064 −0 pp
1934 0.064 −0 pp
1933 0.065 −0.001 pp
1932 0.065 −0.001 pp
1931 0.066 −0.001 pp
1930 0.066 −0.001 pp
1929 0.067 −0.001 pp
1928 0.068 −0.001 pp
1927 0.069 −0.001 pp
1926 0.07 −0.026 pp
1925 0.096 +0.023 pp
1924 0.073 −0.001 pp
1923 0.074 −0.001 pp
1922 0.076 —

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 New Zealand

Defense Armed forces personnel since 1816

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

New Zealand 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.

New Zealand by year Defense Armed forces personnel

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

New Zealand by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

New Zealand by year Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

New Zealand by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

New Zealand by year
All indicators for New Zealand