Israel vs South Korea
Israel vs South Korea: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 178,000 people in Israel and 569,000 people in South Korea, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Korea, by 391,000 people, or 3.2 times that in Israel.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1985.
- In 2020, Israel ranked 36 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 | Israel | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 178,000 | 569,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 178,000 | 613,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 177,500 | 608,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 178,000 | 634,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 184,500 | 634,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 184,500 | 634,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 184,500 | 632,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 184,500 | 659,500 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 184,500 | 659,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 184,600 | 659,500 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 184,600 | 659,500 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 184,600 | 659,500 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 185,000 | 692,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 185,000 | 692,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 185,000 | 692,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 176,000 | 693,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 176,000 | 696,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 175,000 | 690,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 169,500 | 690,500 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 171,500 | 687,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 180,500 | 687,500 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 179,600 | 676,500 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 181,100 | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 181,100 | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 181,100 | 668,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 178,100 | 641,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 185,000 | 750,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 181,000 | 750,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 181,000 | 750,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 190,000 | 750,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 190,000 | 650,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 191,000 | 647,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 142,000 | 598,000 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 205,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1983 | 205,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1982 | 205,000 | 601,000 | – |
| 1981 | 201,000 | 606,000 | – |
| 1980 | 196,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1979 | 181,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1978 | 179,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1977 | 179,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1976 | 172,000 | 610,000 | – |
| 1975 | 172,000 | 630,000 | – |
| 1974 | 182,000 | 634,000 | – |
| 1973 | 130,000 | 634,000 | – |
| 1972 | 130,000 | 635,000 | – |
| 1971 | 130,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1970 | 105,000 | 645,000 | – |
| 1969 | 100,000 | 620,000 | – |
| 1968 | 95,000 | 620,000 | – |
| 1967 | 75,000 | 612,000 | – |
| 1966 | 65,000 | 572,000 | – |
| 1965 | 65,000 | 604,000 | – |
| 1964 | 65,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1963 | 65,000 | 627,000 | – |
| 1962 | 65,000 | 570,000 | – |
| 1961 | 63,000 | 570,000 | – |
| 1960 | 65,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1959 | 65,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1958 | 65,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1957 | 70,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1956 | 75,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1955 | 75,000 | 730,000 | – |
| 1954 | 75,000 | 630,000 | – |
| 1953 | 75,000 | 504,000 | – |
| 1952 | 75,000 | 335,000 | – |
| 1951 | 75,000 | 196,000 | – |
| 1950 | 78,000 | 109,000 | – |
| 1949 | 82,000 | 69,000 | – |
| 1948 | 85,000 | – | – |
- 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
Israel vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyIsrael: 82.4 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIsrael: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIsrael: 2.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIsrael: 99.5% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionIsrael: 3.83% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateIsrael: 5.7 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIsrael: 9.26 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthIsrael: 1.42% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIsrael: 2.83 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIsrael: 91.6% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageIsrael: 29.2 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIsrael: 12.4% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateIsrael: 1.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIsrael: 7.81% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIsrael: $43.7B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personIsrael: $5,108 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIsrael: 17.8% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- National powerIsrael: 0.38% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIsrael: 4.23% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIsrael: 537 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIsrael: 2.62 billion TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025