Iran vs Saudi Arabia: Armed forces, share of workers

Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 2.35% of the labour force in Iran and 1.92% of the labour force in Saudi Arabia, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Iran, by 0.43 percentage points, or 1.22 times that in Saudi Arabia.

Watch it change on the map

% of the labour force · IISS

IranSaudi ArabiaWorld

What the numbers say

Iran has been higher since 2013, when it overtook Saudi Arabia.
In 2020, Iran ranked 21 and Saudi Arabia ranked 31 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.

Every year

% of the labour force · IISS

Year	Iran	Saudi Arabia	World
2020	2.35	1.92	0.79
2019	2.23	1.85	0.79
2018	2.24	1.89	0.8
2017	1.97	1.84	0.8
2016	2.04	1.78	0.81
2015	2.13	1.88	0.82
2014	2.21	2.04	0.82
2013	2.22	2.15	0.83
2012	2.21	2.33	0.87
2011	2.31	2.54	0.88
2010	2.25	2.79	0.89
2009	2.24	2.9	0.89
2008	2.32	2.95	0.89
2007	2.25	3.15	0.89
2006	2.36	3.4	0.95
2005	2.39	3.27	0.96
2004	1.98	3.47	0.94
2003	2.63	3.72	0.98
2002	2.64	3.96	1
2001	2.71	4.23	1.01
2000	3.87	4.44	1.07
1999	4.22	3.9	1.09
1998	4.61	4.05	1.13
1997	5.1	4.21	1.15
1996	5.27	4.38	1.18
1995	4.75	4.53	1.2
1994	3.34	4.36	0.94
1993	3.33	4.77	0.98
1992	3.31	4.98	1.03
1991	2.95	5.83	1.03
1990	2.86	4.69	1.11

Each country on its own

Good to know

Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
Ranks count the 168 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

Iran vs Saudi Arabia: Armed forces, share of workers

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

Good to know

Iran vs Saudi Arabia

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