Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — Sub-Saharan Africa

Armed forces as a share of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2022 — 0.161%. Since 1965, the indicator has risen by 0.011 pp.

2022 0.161% +0.037 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 0.313%1977
Period minimum 0.123%2021

Trend over time

1965–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1965–20220.10.150.20.250.30.35196519711977198319891995200120072013201920221965: 0.15%1966: 0.151%1967: 0.154%1968: 0.173%1969: 0.188%1970: 0.212%1971: 0.259%1972: 0.266%1973: 0.255%1974: 0.255%1975: 0.247%1976: 0.256%1977: 0.313%1978: 0.295%1979: 0.281%1980: 0.287%1981: 0.28%1982: 0.281%1983: 0.283%1984: 0.253%1985: 0.255%1986: 0.262%1987: 0.265%1988: 0.258%1989: 0.256%1990: 0.249%1991: 0.228%1992: 0.206%1993: 0.207%1994: 0.194%1995: 0.186%1996: 0.183%1997: 0.175%1998: 0.198%1999: 0.222%2000: 0.227%2001: 0.214%2002: 0.194%2003: 0.18%2004: 0.181%2005: 0.179%2006: 0.158%2007: 0.144%2008: 0.15%2009: 0.145%2010: 0.141%2011: 0.138%2012: 0.148%2013: 0.163%2014: 0.16%2015: 0.152%2016: 0.149%2017: 0.155%2018: 0.14%2019: 0.138%2020: 0.138%2021: 0.123%2022: 0.161%
Change over the period: +0.011 pp Annual average: 0 pp

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 0.161%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.161 +0.037 pp
2021 0.123 −0.014 pp
2020 0.138 −0 pp
2019 0.138 −0.002 pp
2018 0.14 −0.015 pp
2017 0.155 +0.006 pp
2016 0.149 −0.003 pp
2015 0.152 −0.008 pp
2014 0.16 −0.003 pp
2013 0.163 +0.015 pp
2012 0.148 +0.01 pp
2011 0.138 −0.003 pp
2010 0.141 −0.004 pp
2009 0.145 −0.005 pp
2008 0.15 +0.005 pp
2007 0.144 −0.014 pp
2006 0.158 −0.021 pp
2005 0.179 −0.002 pp
2004 0.181 +0.001 pp
2003 0.18 −0.013 pp
2002 0.194 −0.021 pp
2001 0.214 −0.013 pp
2000 0.227 +0.006 pp
1999 0.222 +0.024 pp
1998 0.198 +0.023 pp
1997 0.175 −0.008 pp
1996 0.183 −0.003 pp
1995 0.186 −0.008 pp
1994 0.194 −0.013 pp
1993 0.207 +0.001 pp
1992 0.206 −0.022 pp
1991 0.228 −0.021 pp
1990 0.249 −0.007 pp
1989 0.256 −0.002 pp
1988 0.258 −0.007 pp
1987 0.265 +0.002 pp
1986 0.262 +0.007 pp
1985 0.255 +0.003 pp
1984 0.253 −0.031 pp
1983 0.283 +0.003 pp
1982 0.281 +0 pp
1981 0.28 −0.007 pp
1980 0.287 +0.005 pp
1979 0.281 −0.013 pp
1978 0.295 −0.018 pp
1977 0.313 +0.056 pp
1976 0.256 +0.01 pp
1975 0.247 −0.008 pp
1974 0.255 +0 pp
1973 0.255 −0.012 pp
1972 0.266 +0.007 pp
1971 0.259 +0.047 pp
1970 0.212 +0.024 pp
1969 0.188 +0.015 pp
1968 0.173 +0.019 pp
1967 0.154 +0.003 pp
1966 0.151 +0.001 pp
1965 0.15

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.