Germany vs Saudi Arabia

Germany vs Saudi Arabia: Armed forces personnel

Armed forces personnel in 2020: 183,000 people in Germany and 282,000 people in Saudi Arabia, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 99,000 people, or 1.54 times that in Germany.

GermanySaudi Arabia
Watch it change on the map

Change since 1990, % · IISS

All yearsSince 1950Since 1990Since 2010
ValuesChange
LinearLog
World
Germany vs Saudi Arabia: Armed forces personnelArmed forces personnel in 2020: 183,000 people in Germany and 282,000 people in Saudi Arabia, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 99,000 people, or 1.54 times that in Germany.
GermanySaudi Arabia

Latest figures

people · IISS

CountryLatest10 years beforeRank in 2020
Germany183,000 2020251,50035 of 170
Saudi Arabia282,000 2020249,00025 of 170
World27.4 million 202028.1 million

What the numbers say

  • Saudi Arabia has been higher since 2011, when it overtook Germany.
  • In 2020, Germany ranked 35 and Saudi Arabia ranked 25 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.

Every year

people · IISS

YearGermanySaudi ArabiaWorld
2020183,000282,00027.4 million
2019184,000252,00027.7 million
2018181,400252,00027.7 million
2017180,000252,00027.4 million
2016179,100251,50027.5 million
2015177,300251,50027.4 million
2014178,600251,50027.3 million
2013181,600251,50027.2 million
2012186,500249,00028.2 million
2011196,000249,00028 million
2010251,500249,00028.1 million
2009251,500249,00027.9 million
2008244,000238,00027.5 million
2007244,000238,00027.3 million
2006246,000240,00027 million
2005285,000216,00028.5 million
2004284,000214,00027.1 million
2003284,500215,00028.2 million
2002296,000215,00028.3 million
2001308,400217,20028.2 million
2000221,100217,00029.4 million
1999331,000178,00029.6 million
1998333,500178,00029.9 million
1997347,100178,00029.9 million
1996383,500178,50030.2 million
1995365,000177,50030.2 million
1994362,000164,00023.2 million
1993398,000172,00023.7 million
1992442,000172,00024.5 million
1991457,000191,00022.7 million
1990545,000146,00023.9 million
1989503,00082,00024.3 million
1985478,00062,50022.2 million
1984–80,000–
1983–80,000–
1982–80,000–
1981–79,000–
1980–79,000–
1979–79,000–
1978–75,000–
1977–75,000–
1976–75,000–
1975–75,000–
1974–75,000–
1973–75,000–
1972–75,000–
1971–75,000–
1970–65,000–
1969–60,000–
1968–60,000–
1967–50,000–
1966–45,000–
1965–40,000–
1964–40,000–
1963–35,000–
1962–37,000–
1961–35,000–
1960–30,000–
1959–30,000–
1958–30,000–
1957–31,000–
1956–32,000–
1955–33,000–
1954–34,000–
1953–9,000–
1952–8,000–
1951–7,000–
1950–6,000–
1949–5,000–
1948–4,000–
1947–4,000–
1946–4,000–
19455.3 million4,000–
19446.13 million4,000–
19436.96 million4,000–
19427.03 million4,000–
19417.1 million4,000–
19403.3 million4,000–
19392.75 million4,000–
1938782,0004,000–
1937603,0004,000–
1936596,0004,000–
1935461,0004,000–
1934315,0004,000–
1933118,0004,000–
1932114,0004,000–
1931114,0004,000–
1930114,0004,000–
1929114,0004,000–
1928114,0004,000–
1927114,0004,000–
1926114,000––
1925114,000––
1924114,000––
1923114,000––
1922114,000––
1921114,000––
1920114,000––
1919114,000––
19188 million––
19175.38 million––
19164.58 million––
19153.82 million––
1914862,000––
1913859,000––
1912716,000––
1911677,000––
1910673,000––
1909667,000––
1908663,000––
1907658,000––
1906653,000––
1905648,000––
1904642,000––
1903636,000––
1902638,000––
1901630,000––
1900624,000––
1899619,000––
1898606,000––
1897604,000––
1896602,000––
1895602,000––
1894601,000––
1893601,000––
1892526,000––
1891524,000––
1890505,000––
1889504,000––
1888504,000––
1887503,000––
1886460,000––
1885459,000––
1884457,000––
1883457,000––
1882455,000––
1881456,000––
1880430,000––
1879430,000––
1878429,000––
1877429,000––
1876429,000––
1875428,000––
1874429,000––
1873426,000––
1872427,000––
  • 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.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time