Indonesia vs South Korea
Indonesia vs South Korea: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 676,000 people in Indonesia and 569,000 people in South Korea, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Indonesia, by 107,000 people, or 1.19 times that in South Korea.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Indonesia has been higher since 2011, when it overtook South Korea.
- In 2020, Indonesia ranked 9 and South Korea ranked 11 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Indonesia | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 676,000 | 569,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 676,000 | 613,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 675,500 | 608,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 676,000 | 634,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 675,500 | 634,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 675,500 | 634,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 676,500 | 632,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 676,500 | 659,500 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 676,500 | 659,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 676,500 | 659,500 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 582,000 | 659,500 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 582,000 | 659,500 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 582,000 | 692,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 582,000 | 692,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 582,000 | 692,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 582,000 | 693,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 582,000 | 696,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 497,000 | 690,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 492,000 | 690,500 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 492,000 | 687,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 492,000 | 687,500 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 499,000 | 676,500 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 499,000 | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 484,000 | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 485,200 | 668,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 460,500 | 641,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 280,000 | 750,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 271,000 | 750,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 283,000 | 750,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 278,000 | 750,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 283,000 | 650,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 285,000 | 647,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 278,100 | 598,000 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 281,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1983 | 269,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1982 | 280,000 | 601,000 | – |
| 1981 | 265,000 | 606,000 | – |
| 1980 | 250,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1979 | 250,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1978 | 250,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1977 | 260,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1976 | 257,000 | 610,000 | – |
| 1975 | 260,000 | 630,000 | – |
| 1974 | 270,000 | 634,000 | – |
| 1973 | 310,000 | 634,000 | – |
| 1972 | 356,000 | 635,000 | – |
| 1971 | 358,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1970 | 358,000 | 645,000 | – |
| 1969 | 358,000 | 620,000 | – |
| 1968 | 348,000 | 620,000 | – |
| 1967 | 347,000 | 612,000 | – |
| 1966 | 346,000 | 572,000 | – |
| 1965 | 351,000 | 604,000 | – |
| 1964 | 376,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1963 | 375,000 | 627,000 | – |
| 1962 | 375,000 | 570,000 | – |
| 1961 | 375,000 | 570,000 | – |
| 1960 | 316,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1959 | 299,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1958 | 282,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1957 | 265,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1956 | 248,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1955 | 199,000 | 730,000 | – |
| 1954 | 149,000 | 630,000 | – |
| 1953 | 100,000 | 504,000 | – |
| 1952 | 200,000 | 335,000 | – |
| 1951 | 400,000 | 196,000 | – |
| 1950 | 600,000 | 109,000 | – |
| 1949 | 200,000 | 69,000 | – |
- 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
Indonesia vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyIndonesia: 71.2 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIndonesia: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIndonesia: 17.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIndonesia: 30.3% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionIndonesia: 2.64% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateIndonesia: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIndonesia: 281 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthIndonesia: 0.83% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIndonesia: 2.13 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIndonesia: 59.4% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageIndonesia: 29.8 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIndonesia: 7% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateIndonesia: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIndonesia: 1.05% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIndonesia: $15.3B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personIndonesia: $53 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIndonesia: 6.3% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- National powerIndonesia: 2.09% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIndonesia: 0.49% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIndonesia: 1.28 billion TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIndonesia: 17 million TIV in 2021South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025