Malaysia vs Philippines
Malaysia vs Philippines: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 136,000 people in Malaysia and 157,000 people in Philippines, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Philippines, by 21,000 people, or 1.15 times that in Malaysia.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Philippines has been higher since 1995, when it overtook Malaysia.
- In 2020, Malaysia ranked 45 and Philippines ranked 40 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Malaysia | Philippines | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 136,000 | 157,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 136,000 | 155,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 136,000 | 153,400 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 136,000 | 153,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 133,600 | 165,500 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 133,600 | 165,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 133,600 | 165,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 133,600 | 165,500 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 133,600 | 165,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 133,600 | 165,500 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 133,600 | 165,500 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 133,600 | 165,500 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 134,000 | 147,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 134,000 | 147,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 134,000 | 147,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 135,000 | 147,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 130,000 | 146,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 124,100 | 150,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 120,100 | 150,000 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 120,600 | 151,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 116,100 | 148,500 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 125,100 | 152,500 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 130,100 | 160,300 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 131,600 | 153,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 140,300 | 150,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 140,300 | 149,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 115,000 | 104,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 115,000 | 107,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 128,000 | 107,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 128,000 | 107,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 130,000 | 109,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 115,000 | 112,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 110,000 | 114,800 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 125,000 | 105,000 | – |
| 1983 | 99,000 | 113,000 | – |
| 1982 | 95,000 | 157,000 | – |
| 1981 | 90,000 | 156,000 | – |
| 1980 | 83,000 | 155,000 | – |
| 1979 | 82,000 | 156,000 | – |
| 1978 | 82,000 | 156,000 | – |
| 1977 | 79,000 | 155,000 | – |
| 1976 | 80,000 | 140,000 | – |
| 1975 | 76,000 | 120,000 | – |
| 1974 | 75,000 | 90,000 | – |
| 1973 | 70,000 | 63,000 | – |
| 1972 | 69,000 | 62,000 | – |
| 1971 | 62,000 | 58,000 | – |
| 1970 | 58,000 | 59,000 | – |
| 1969 | 46,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1968 | 46,000 | 51,000 | – |
| 1967 | 40,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1966 | 35,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1965 | 37,000 | 46,000 | – |
| 1964 | 32,000 | 47,000 | – |
| 1963 | 14,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1962 | 46,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1961 | 44,000 | 62,000 | – |
| 1960 | 20,000 | 58,000 | – |
| 1959 | 20,000 | 58,000 | – |
| 1958 | 20,000 | 58,000 | – |
| 1957 | 18,000 | 58,000 | – |
| 1956 | – | 42,000 | – |
| 1955 | – | 38,000 | – |
| 1954 | – | 34,000 | – |
| 1953 | – | 30,000 | – |
| 1952 | – | 30,000 | – |
| 1951 | – | 29,000 | – |
| 1950 | – | 29,000 | – |
| 1949 | – | 28,000 | – |
| 1948 | – | 28,000 | – |
| 1947 | – | 27,000 | – |
| 1946 | – | 0 | – |
- 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
Malaysia vs Philippines
Health
- Life expectancyMalaysia: 76.7 years in 2023Philippines: 69.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024Philippines: 2.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023Philippines: 20.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterMalaysia: 93.9% in 2022Philippines: 47.9% in 2022
- DepressionMalaysia: 3.52% in 2017Philippines: 2.77% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Philippines: 6 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023Philippines: 115 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023Philippines: 0.84% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023Philippines: 1.92 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalaysia: 77.4% in 2025Philippines: 55.8% in 2025
- Median ageMalaysia: 30.1 years in 2023Philippines: 25.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalaysia: 7.5% in 2023Philippines: 5.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Philippines: -1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalaysia: 1.04% of GDP in 2025Philippines: 1.3% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMalaysia: $4.55B in 2025Philippines: $6.3B in 2025
- Military spending per personMalaysia: $138 in 2025Philippines: $55 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMalaysia: 4.4% of government spending in 2025Philippines: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- National powerMalaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022Philippines: 0.68% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalaysia: 0.81% of the labour force in 2020Philippines: 0.37% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024Philippines: 846 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsMalaysia: 20 million TIV in 2024Philippines: 4 million TIV in 2007