Myanmar (Burma) vs Saudi Arabia
Myanmar (Burma) vs Saudi Arabia: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 463,000 people in Myanmar (Burma) and 282,000 people in Saudi Arabia, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Myanmar (Burma), by 181,000 people, or 1.64 times that in Saudi Arabia.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Myanmar (Burma) has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1985.
- In 2020, Myanmar (Burma) ranked 14 and Saudi Arabia ranked 25 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Myanmar (Burma) | Saudi Arabia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 463,000 | 282,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 513,000 | 252,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 513,000 | 252,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 513,000 | 252,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 513,300 | 251,500 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 513,300 | 251,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 513,300 | 251,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 513,300 | 251,500 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 513,300 | 249,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 513,300 | 249,000 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 513,300 | 249,000 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 513,300 | 249,000 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 513,000 | 238,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 513,000 | 238,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 513,000 | 240,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 483,000 | 216,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 482,300 | 214,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 595,000 | 215,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 544,300 | 215,000 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 444,300 | 217,200 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 429,100 | 217,000 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 429,100 | 178,000 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 434,900 | 178,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 429,100 | 178,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 406,300 | 178,500 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 371,300 | 177,500 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 322,000 | 164,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 322,000 | 172,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 286,000 | 172,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 286,000 | 191,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 230,000 | 146,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 200,000 | 82,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 186,000 | 62,500 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 181,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1983 | 179,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1982 | 210,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1981 | 210,000 | 79,000 | – |
| 1980 | 179,000 | 79,000 | – |
| 1979 | 212,000 | 79,000 | – |
| 1978 | 212,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1977 | 208,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1976 | 210,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1975 | 209,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1974 | 202,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1973 | 198,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1972 | 191,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1971 | 175,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1970 | 174,000 | 65,000 | – |
| 1969 | 173,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1968 | 136,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1967 | 136,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1966 | 135,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1965 | 133,000 | 40,000 | – |
| 1964 | 123,000 | 40,000 | – |
| 1963 | 105,000 | 35,000 | – |
| 1962 | 100,000 | 37,000 | – |
| 1961 | 90,000 | 35,000 | – |
| 1960 | 79,000 | 30,000 | – |
| 1959 | 67,000 | 30,000 | – |
| 1958 | 56,000 | 30,000 | – |
| 1957 | 44,000 | 31,000 | – |
| 1956 | 33,000 | 32,000 | – |
| 1955 | 25,000 | 33,000 | – |
| 1954 | 19,000 | 34,000 | – |
| 1953 | 14,000 | 9,000 | – |
| 1952 | 10,000 | 8,000 | – |
| 1951 | 8,000 | 7,000 | – |
| 1950 | 6,000 | 6,000 | – |
| 1949 | 4,000 | 5,000 | – |
| 1948 | 3,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1947 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1946 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1945 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1944 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1943 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1942 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1941 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1940 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1939 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1938 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1937 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1936 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1935 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1934 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1933 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1932 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1931 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1930 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1929 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1928 | – | 4,000 | – |
| 1927 | – | 4,000 | – |
- 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
Myanmar (Burma) vs Saudi Arabia
Health
- Life expectancyMyanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023Saudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 3.7 per 100 live births in 2024Saudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 31.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023Saudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMyanmar (Burma): 2.3% in 2017Saudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017
- Suicide rateMyanmar (Burma): 5 per 100,000 people in 2017Saudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMyanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023Saudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthMyanmar (Burma): 0.69% a year in 2023Saudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMyanmar (Burma): 2.12 births per woman in 2023Saudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMyanmar (Burma): 30.6% in 2025Saudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025
- Median ageMyanmar (Burma): 29.5 years in 2023Saudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMyanmar (Burma): 7.1% in 2023Saudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023
- Net migration rateMyanmar (Burma): -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Saudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personMyanmar (Burma): $1,128 in 2025Saudi Arabia: $25,070 in 2025
- GDP growthMyanmar (Burma): -12% a year in 2021Saudi Arabia: 4.6% a year in 2025
- InflationMyanmar (Burma): 27.6% a year in 2023Saudi Arabia: 2% a year in 2025
- Government debtMyanmar (Burma): 37.6% of GDP in 2019Saudi Arabia: 31.8% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMyanmar (Burma): 6.61% of GDP in 2024Saudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMyanmar (Burma): $4.65B in 2024Saudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025
- Military spending per personMyanmar (Burma): $92 in 2024Saudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMyanmar (Burma): 32% of government spending in 2024Saudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025
- National powerMyanmar (Burma): 0.53% of world capability in 2022Saudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMyanmar (Burma): 1.94% of the labour force in 2020Saudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMyanmar (Burma): 70 million TIV in 2025Saudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025