Armed forces as a share of the population — all countries

Armed forces as a share of the population — World

Armed forces as a share of the population in the world in 2022 — 0.259%. Since 1975, the indicator has fallen by 0.346 pp.

2022 0.259% +0.013 pp vs 2021
World rank
Period maximum 0.604%1975
Period minimum 0.246%2021

Trend over time

1975–2022 · % of population

Armed forces as a share of the population — World, 1975–20220.20.30.40.50.60.719751980198519901995200020052010201520201975: 0.604%1976: 0.582%1977: 0.567%1978: 0.573%1979: 0.566%1980: 0.56%1981: 0.563%1982: 0.552%1983: 0.54%1984: 0.549%1985: 0.539%1986: 0.539%1987: 0.526%1988: 0.524%1989: 0.514%1990: 0.499%1991: 0.492%1992: 0.45%1993: 0.427%1994: 0.411%1995: 0.4%1996: 0.385%1997: 0.377%1998: 0.36%1999: 0.352%2000: 0.351%2001: 0.33%2002: 0.323%2003: 0.319%2004: 0.313%2005: 0.306%2006: 0.3%2007: 0.294%2008: 0.295%2009: 0.297%2010: 0.297%2011: 0.286%2012: 0.283%2013: 0.278%2014: 0.275%2015: 0.268%2016: 0.262%2017: 0.254%2018: 0.251%2019: 0.25%2020: 0.251%2021: 0.246%2022: 0.259%
Change over the period: −0.346 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2022

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

World 0.259%
World computed 0.259%
Armed forces as a share of the population — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 0.259 +0.013 pp
2021 0.246 −0.005 pp
2020 0.251 +0.001 pp
2019 0.25 −0.001 pp
2018 0.251 −0.003 pp
2017 0.254 −0.008 pp
2016 0.262 −0.006 pp
2015 0.268 −0.007 pp
2014 0.275 −0.003 pp
2013 0.278 −0.006 pp
2012 0.283 −0.003 pp
2011 0.286 −0.01 pp
2010 0.297 +0 pp
2009 0.297 +0.001 pp
2008 0.295 +0.001 pp
2007 0.294 −0.005 pp
2006 0.3 −0.006 pp
2005 0.306 −0.007 pp
2004 0.313 −0.006 pp
2003 0.319 −0.004 pp
2002 0.323 −0.007 pp
2001 0.33 −0.02 pp
2000 0.351 −0.002 pp
1999 0.352 −0.007 pp
1998 0.36 −0.017 pp
1997 0.377 −0.008 pp
1996 0.385 −0.015 pp
1995 0.4 −0.011 pp
1994 0.411 −0.016 pp
1993 0.427 −0.023 pp
1992 0.45 −0.042 pp
1991 0.492 −0.007 pp
1990 0.499 −0.016 pp
1989 0.514 −0.009 pp
1988 0.524 −0.002 pp
1987 0.526 −0.013 pp
1986 0.539 −0.001 pp
1985 0.539 −0.009 pp
1984 0.549 +0.009 pp
1983 0.54 −0.013 pp
1982 0.552 −0.011 pp
1981 0.563 +0.003 pp
1980 0.56 −0.006 pp
1979 0.566 −0.007 pp
1978 0.573 +0.006 pp
1977 0.567 −0.015 pp
1976 0.582 −0.023 pp
1975 0.604

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.