Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — Upper-middle-income countries

Armed forces as a share of the population in upper-middle-income countries in 2022 — 0.194%. Since 1975, the indicator has fallen by 0.284 pp.

2022 0.194% −0.001 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 0.503%1981
Period minimum 0.193%2019

Trend over time

1975–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — Upper-middle-income countries, 1975–20220.10.20.30.40.50.619751980198519901995200020052010201520201975: 0.478%1976: 0.48%1977: 0.481%1978: 0.502%1979: 0.496%1980: 0.503%1981: 0.503%1982: 0.48%1983: 0.464%1984: 0.484%1985: 0.474%1986: 0.467%1987: 0.442%1988: 0.432%1989: 0.428%1990: 0.419%1991: 0.35%1992: 0.34%1993: 0.323%1994: 0.321%1995: 0.319%1996: 0.302%1997: 0.292%1998: 0.286%1999: 0.277%2000: 0.285%2001: 0.255%2002: 0.247%2003: 0.245%2004: 0.238%2005: 0.231%2006: 0.23%2007: 0.228%2008: 0.238%2009: 0.241%2010: 0.245%2011: 0.229%2012: 0.224%2013: 0.226%2014: 0.227%2015: 0.222%2016: 0.216%2017: 0.202%2018: 0.194%2019: 0.193%2020: 0.198%2021: 0.195%2022: 0.194%
Change over the period: −0.284 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Upper-middle-income countries

Upper-middle-income countries 0.194%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — Upper-middle-income countries, by year Upper-middle-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.194 −0.001 pp
2021 0.195 −0.003 pp
2020 0.198 +0.004 pp
2019 0.193 −0.001 pp
2018 0.194 −0.007 pp
2017 0.202 −0.014 pp
2016 0.216 −0.006 pp
2015 0.222 −0.005 pp
2014 0.227 +0 pp
2013 0.226 +0.002 pp
2012 0.224 −0.004 pp
2011 0.229 −0.017 pp
2010 0.245 +0.004 pp
2009 0.241 +0.004 pp
2008 0.238 +0.01 pp
2007 0.228 −0.002 pp
2006 0.23 −0.001 pp
2005 0.231 −0.007 pp
2004 0.238 −0.007 pp
2003 0.245 −0.002 pp
2002 0.247 −0.008 pp
2001 0.255 −0.03 pp
2000 0.285 +0.008 pp
1999 0.277 −0.008 pp
1998 0.286 −0.007 pp
1997 0.292 −0.009 pp
1996 0.302 −0.017 pp
1995 0.319 −0.003 pp
1994 0.321 −0.002 pp
1993 0.323 −0.017 pp
1992 0.34 −0.011 pp
1991 0.35 −0.069 pp
1990 0.419 −0.009 pp
1989 0.428 −0.003 pp
1988 0.432 −0.01 pp
1987 0.442 −0.026 pp
1986 0.467 −0.006 pp
1985 0.474 −0.01 pp
1984 0.484 +0.02 pp
1983 0.464 −0.015 pp
1982 0.48 −0.024 pp
1981 0.503 +0.001 pp
1980 0.503 +0.007 pp
1979 0.496 −0.006 pp
1978 0.502 +0.021 pp
1977 0.481 +0.001 pp
1976 0.48 +0.002 pp
1975 0.478

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.