Armed forces personnel
Soldiers and paramilitary forces per 1,000 people.
Armed forces personnel are the active soldiers and the paramilitary forces, such as gendarmeries, that a government keeps, per 1,000 people. Conscription, a hostile neighbour or a large security state all raise the figure. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) counts them in its yearly Military Balance, and the World Bank republishes them; the series stops in 2020. The Military spending page gives what the forces cost.
World map · Armed forces personnel per 1,000 people
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (updated 2026-10-08) · fetched 30 Oct 2026
Over time · Armed forces personnel per 1,000 people
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (updated 2026-10-08) · fetched 30 Oct 2026
Show the numbers
All countries · Armed forces personnel per 1,000 people
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (updated 2026-10-08) · fetched 30 Oct 2026