Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — Western Asia

Armed forces as a share of the population in Western Asia in 2022 — 0.569%. Since 1971, the indicator has fallen by 1.09 pp.

2022 0.569% −0.005 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 2.521%1988
Period minimum 0.525%2019

Trend over time

1971–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — Western Asia, 1971–2022012319711977198319891995200120072013201920221971: 1.659%1972: 1.644%1973: 1.535%1974: 1.616%1975: 1.795%1976: 1.932%1977: 1.913%1978: 2.037%1979: 1.917%1980: 2.098%1981: 2.049%1982: 2.074%1983: 2.212%1984: 2.507%1985: 2.428%1986: 2.423%1987: 2.499%1988: 2.521%1989: 2.416%1990: 2.513%1991: 1.826%1992: 1.474%1993: 1.423%1994: 1.455%1995: 1.474%1996: 1.456%1997: 1.403%1998: 1.369%1999: 1.34%2000: 1.232%2001: 1.146%2002: 1.12%2003: 1.102%2004: 1.019%2005: 0.938%2006: 0.939%2007: 0.926%2008: 1.009%2009: 1.02%2010: 1.022%2011: 0.846%2012: 0.84%2013: 0.767%2014: 0.751%2015: 0.7%2016: 0.604%2017: 0.528%2018: 0.535%2019: 0.525%2020: 0.575%2021: 0.574%2022: 0.569%
Change over the period: −1.09 pp Annual average: -0.02 pp

Comparison, 2022

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

Western Asia 0.569%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — Western Asia, by year Western Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.569 −0.005 pp
2021 0.574 −0.001 pp
2020 0.575 +0.05 pp
2019 0.525 −0.01 pp
2018 0.535 +0.006 pp
2017 0.528 −0.075 pp
2016 0.604 −0.096 pp
2015 0.7 −0.051 pp
2014 0.751 −0.017 pp
2013 0.767 −0.073 pp
2012 0.84 −0.006 pp
2011 0.846 −0.176 pp
2010 1.022 +0.001 pp
2009 1.02 +0.011 pp
2008 1.009 +0.083 pp
2007 0.926 −0.013 pp
2006 0.939 +0.001 pp
2005 0.938 −0.081 pp
2004 1.019 −0.083 pp
2003 1.102 −0.018 pp
2002 1.12 −0.026 pp
2001 1.146 −0.086 pp
2000 1.232 −0.108 pp
1999 1.34 −0.029 pp
1998 1.369 −0.034 pp
1997 1.403 −0.053 pp
1996 1.456 −0.018 pp
1995 1.474 +0.018 pp
1994 1.455 +0.032 pp
1993 1.423 −0.051 pp
1992 1.474 −0.351 pp
1991 1.826 −0.687 pp
1990 2.513 +0.097 pp
1989 2.416 −0.105 pp
1988 2.521 +0.021 pp
1987 2.499 +0.076 pp
1986 2.423 −0.005 pp
1985 2.428 −0.079 pp
1984 2.507 +0.295 pp
1983 2.212 +0.138 pp
1982 2.074 +0.026 pp
1981 2.049 −0.05 pp
1980 2.098 +0.181 pp
1979 1.917 −0.12 pp
1978 2.037 +0.124 pp
1977 1.913 −0.019 pp
1976 1.932 +0.137 pp
1975 1.795 +0.179 pp
1974 1.616 +0.081 pp
1973 1.535 −0.109 pp
1972 1.644 −0.015 pp
1971 1.659

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.