Belarus vs Ukraine
Belarus vs Ukraine: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 158,000 people in Belarus and 298,000 people in Ukraine, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Ukraine, by 140,000 people, or 1.89 times that in Belarus.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Ukraine has been higher since 2014, when it overtook Belarus.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Belarus | Ukraine | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 158,000 | 298,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 155,000 | 311,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 155,400 | 297,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 155,000 | 297,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 155,400 | 292,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 158,000 | 256,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 158,000 | 204,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 158,000 | 121,500 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 158,000 | 214,900 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 158,000 | 214,900 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 182,900 | 214,800 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 182,900 | 214,800 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 183,000 | 215,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 183,000 | 215,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 183,000 | 215,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 183,000 | 273,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 182,000 | 271,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 182,900 | 403,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 189,800 | 414,800 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 192,900 | 419,800 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 91,100 | 420,400 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 103,900 | 428,000 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 91,000 | 449,400 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 89,800 | 453,400 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 93,500 | 466,800 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 106,400 | 518,500 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 65,000 | 350,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 115,000 | 380,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 102,000 | 430,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | – | – | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | – | – | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | – | – | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | – | – | 22.2 million |
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.
- 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
Belarus vs Ukraine
Health
- Life expectancyBelarus: 74.4 years in 2023Ukraine: 73.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBelarus: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024Ukraine: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBelarus: 1.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Ukraine: 5.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBelarus: 93.1% in 2022Ukraine: 87.6% in 2022
- DepressionBelarus: 4.02% in 2017Ukraine: 4.07% in 2017
- Suicide rateBelarus: 19 per 100,000 people in 2017Ukraine: 25.6 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBelarus: 9.12 million people in 2023Ukraine: 37.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthBelarus: -0.65% a year in 2023Ukraine: -1.55% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBelarus: 1.21 births per woman in 2023Ukraine: 0.98 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBelarus: 79.5% in 2025Ukraine: 69.6% in 2025
- Median ageBelarus: 40.5 years in 2023Ukraine: 42 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBelarus: 17.1% in 2023Ukraine: 18.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateBelarus: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Ukraine: -8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBelarus: 2.4% of GDP in 2025Ukraine: 39.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBelarus: $1.83B in 2025Ukraine: $77.6B in 2025
- Military spending per personBelarus: $215 in 2025Ukraine: $2,197 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBelarus: 5.7% of government spending in 2025Ukraine: 62.9% of government spending in 2025
- National powerBelarus: 0.14% of world capability in 2022Ukraine: 0.86% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBelarus: 3.17% of the labour force in 2020Ukraine: 1.43% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBelarus: 466 million TIV in 2025Ukraine: 2.26 billion TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBelarus: 1 million TIV in 2025Ukraine: 120 million TIV in 2025