Algeria vs Syria
Algeria vs Syria: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 326,000 people in Algeria and 269,000 people in Syria, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Algeria, by 57,000 people, or 1.21 times that in Syria.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Algeria has been higher since 2011, when it overtook Syria.
- In 2020, Algeria ranked 21 and Syria ranked 26 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Algeria | Syria | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 326,000 | 269,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 317,000 | 269,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 317,000 | 257,500 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 317,000 | 239,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 317,200 | 307,500 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 317,200 | 277,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 317,200 | 280,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 317,200 | 178,000 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 317,200 | 178,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 317,200 | 178,000 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 317,200 | 403,000 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 334,200 | 403,000 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 334,000 | 401,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 334,000 | 401,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 334,000 | 401,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 319,000 | 416,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 318,000 | 415,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 308,700 | 427,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 317,900 | 427,000 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 305,200 | 429,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 305,200 | 424,800 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 303,200 | 424,000 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 268,200 | 428,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 270,200 | 428,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 164,900 | 529,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 162,900 | 531,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 126,000 | 320,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 126,000 | 408,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 126,000 | 408,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 126,000 | 408,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 126,000 | 408,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 126,000 | 400,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 170,000 | 402,500 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 170,000 | 402,000 | – |
| 1983 | 130,000 | 400,000 | – |
| 1982 | 120,000 | 300,000 | – |
| 1981 | 101,000 | 270,000 | – |
| 1980 | 101,000 | 250,000 | – |
| 1979 | 88,000 | 220,000 | – |
| 1978 | 76,000 | 220,000 | – |
| 1977 | 75,000 | 250,000 | – |
| 1976 | 85,000 | 240,000 | – |
| 1975 | 80,000 | 230,000 | – |
| 1974 | 80,000 | 130,000 | – |
| 1973 | 80,000 | 115,000 | – |
| 1972 | 80,000 | 115,000 | – |
| 1971 | 80,000 | 110,000 | – |
| 1970 | 80,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1969 | 80,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1968 | 75,000 | 65,000 | – |
| 1967 | 75,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1966 | 75,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1965 | 60,000 | 70,000 | – |
| 1964 | 65,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1963 | 70,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1962 | 45,000 | 54,000 | – |
| 1961 | – | 52,000 | – |
| 1958 | – | 62,000 | – |
| 1957 | – | 60,000 | – |
| 1956 | – | 25,000 | – |
| 1955 | – | 25,000 | – |
| 1954 | – | 25,000 | – |
| 1953 | – | 35,000 | – |
| 1952 | – | 35,000 | – |
| 1951 | – | 32,000 | – |
| 1950 | – | 32,000 | – |
| 1949 | – | 20,000 | – |
| 1948 | – | 8,000 | – |
| 1947 | – | 10,000 | – |
| 1946 | – | 10,000 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Algeria vs Syria
Health
- Life expectancyAlgeria: 76.3 years in 2023Syria: 72.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityAlgeria: 2.2 per 100 live births in 2024Syria: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityAlgeria: 17.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023Syria: 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionAlgeria: 3.66% in 2017Syria: 3.58% in 2017
- Suicide rateAlgeria: 4.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Syria: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationAlgeria: 46.2 million people in 2023Syria: 23.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthAlgeria: 1.44% a year in 2023Syria: 4.92% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateAlgeria: 2.77 births per woman in 2023Syria: 2.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationAlgeria: 75.8% in 2025Syria: 72.1% in 2025
- Median ageAlgeria: 28.2 years in 2023Syria: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overAlgeria: 6.4% in 2023Syria: 4.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateAlgeria: -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Syria: 32.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingAlgeria: 8.83% of GDP in 2025Syria: 4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per personAlgeria: $540 in 2025Syria: $110 in 2011
- Military share of state spendingAlgeria: 24.6% of government spending in 2025Syria: 13.6% of government spending in 2010
- National powerAlgeria: 0.51% of world capability in 2022Syria: 0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersAlgeria: 2.81% of the labour force in 2020Syria: 5.44% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsAlgeria: 108 million TIV in 2025Syria: 2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsAlgeria: 12 million TIV in 1984Syria: 30 million TIV in 2010