Jordan vs Syria
Jordan vs Syria: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 116,000 people in Jordan and 269,000 people in Syria, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Syria, by 153,000 people, or 2.32 times that in Jordan.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Syria has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1985.
- In 2020, Jordan ranked 50 and Syria ranked 26 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Jordan | Syria | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 116,000 | 269,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 116,000 | 269,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 101,500 | 257,500 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 116,000 | 239,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 115,500 | 307,500 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 115,500 | 277,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 115,500 | 280,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 115,500 | 178,000 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 115,500 | 178,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 110,500 | 178,000 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 110,500 | 403,000 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 110,500 | 403,000 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 111,000 | 401,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 111,000 | 401,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 111,000 | 401,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 111,000 | 416,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 110,000 | 415,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 110,500 | 427,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 110,200 | 427,000 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 110,200 | 429,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 148,900 | 424,800 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 134,000 | 424,000 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 134,100 | 428,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 134,100 | 428,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 128,700 | 529,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 128,600 | 531,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 100,000 | 320,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 100,000 | 408,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 100,000 | 408,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 100,000 | 408,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 100,000 | 408,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 190,000 | 400,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 70,300 | 402,500 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 78,000 | 402,000 | – |
| 1983 | 72,000 | 400,000 | – |
| 1982 | 68,000 | 300,000 | – |
| 1981 | 66,000 | 270,000 | – |
| 1980 | 65,000 | 250,000 | – |
| 1979 | 67,000 | 220,000 | – |
| 1978 | 70,000 | 220,000 | – |
| 1977 | 70,000 | 250,000 | – |
| 1976 | 65,000 | 240,000 | – |
| 1975 | 60,000 | 230,000 | – |
| 1974 | 70,000 | 130,000 | – |
| 1973 | 70,000 | 115,000 | – |
| 1972 | 70,000 | 115,000 | – |
| 1971 | 65,000 | 110,000 | – |
| 1970 | 70,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1969 | 60,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1968 | 55,000 | 65,000 | – |
| 1967 | 60,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1966 | 50,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1965 | 55,000 | 70,000 | – |
| 1964 | 45,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1963 | 45,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1962 | 35,000 | 54,000 | – |
| 1961 | 35,000 | 52,000 | – |
| 1959 | 46,000 | – | – |
| 1958 | 46,000 | 62,000 | – |
| 1957 | 36,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1956 | 25,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1955 | 15,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1954 | 15,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1953 | 15,000 | 35,000 | – |
| 1952 | 15,000 | 35,000 | – |
| 1951 | 15,000 | 32,000 | – |
| 1950 | 15,000 | 32,000 | – |
| 1949 | 14,000 | 20,000 | – |
| 1948 | 8,000 | 8,000 | – |
| 1947 | 8,000 | 10,000 | – |
| 1946 | 8,000 | 10,000 | – |
- 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
Jordan vs Syria
Health
- Life expectancyJordan: 77.8 years in 2023Syria: 72.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityJordan: 1.3 per 100 live births in 2024Syria: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityJordan: 11.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023Syria: 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionJordan: 3.56% in 2017Syria: 3.58% in 2017
- Suicide rateJordan: 3.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Syria: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationJordan: 11.4 million people in 2023Syria: 23.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthJordan: 1.6% a year in 2023Syria: 4.92% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateJordan: 2.64 births per woman in 2023Syria: 2.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationJordan: 93.2% in 2025Syria: 72.1% in 2025
- Median ageJordan: 24.3 years in 2023Syria: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overJordan: 4.3% in 2023Syria: 4.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateJordan: -1.5 per 1,000 people in 2023Syria: 32.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingJordan: 4.56% of GDP in 2025Syria: 4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per personJordan: $221 in 2025Syria: $110 in 2011
- Military share of state spendingJordan: 13.5% of government spending in 2025Syria: 13.6% of government spending in 2010
- National powerJordan: 0.17% of world capability in 2022Syria: 0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersJordan: 3.98% of the labour force in 2020Syria: 5.44% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsJordan: 34 million TIV in 2024Syria: 2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsJordan: 226 million TIV in 2024Syria: 30 million TIV in 2010