Philippines vs Singapore
Philippines vs Singapore: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 157,000 people in Philippines and 59,000 people in Singapore, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Philippines, by 98,000 people, or 2.66 times that in Singapore.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Philippines has been higher since 2009, when it overtook Singapore.
- In 2020, Philippines ranked 40 and Singapore ranked 65 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Philippines | Singapore | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 157,000 | 59,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 155,000 | 59,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 153,400 | 59,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 153,000 | 81,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 165,500 | 147,600 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 165,500 | 147,600 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 165,500 | 147,600 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 165,500 | 147,600 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 165,500 | 147,600 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 165,500 | 147,600 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 165,500 | 147,500 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 165,500 | 147,500 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 147,000 | 167,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 147,000 | 167,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 147,000 | 167,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 147,000 | 167,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 146,000 | 165,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 150,000 | 168,800 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 150,000 | 156,800 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 151,000 | 154,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 148,500 | 168,500 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 152,500 | 181,000 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 160,300 | 180,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 153,000 | 178,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 150,000 | 65,500 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 149,000 | 65,500 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 104,000 | 56,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 107,000 | 56,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 107,000 | 56,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 107,000 | 56,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 109,000 | 56,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 112,000 | 56,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 114,800 | 55,000 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 105,000 | 56,000 | – |
| 1983 | 113,000 | 42,000 | – |
| 1982 | 157,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1981 | 156,000 | 59,000 | – |
| 1980 | 155,000 | 50,000 | – |
| 1979 | 156,000 | 57,000 | – |
| 1978 | 156,000 | 64,000 | – |
| 1977 | 155,000 | 36,000 | – |
| 1976 | 140,000 | 35,000 | – |
| 1975 | 120,000 | 27,000 | – |
| 1974 | 90,000 | 24,000 | – |
| 1973 | 63,000 | 24,000 | – |
| 1972 | 62,000 | 20,000 | – |
| 1971 | 58,000 | 15,000 | – |
| 1970 | 59,000 | 14,000 | – |
| 1969 | 55,000 | 12,000 | – |
| 1968 | 51,000 | 11,000 | – |
| 1967 | 45,000 | 10,000 | – |
| 1966 | 45,000 | 0 | – |
| 1965 | 46,000 | 0 | – |
| 1964 | 47,000 | – | – |
| 1963 | 45,000 | – | – |
| 1962 | 60,000 | – | – |
| 1961 | 62,000 | – | – |
| 1960 | 58,000 | – | – |
| 1959 | 58,000 | – | – |
| 1958 | 58,000 | – | – |
| 1957 | 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
Philippines vs Singapore
Health
- Life expectancyPhilippines: 69.8 years in 2023Singapore: 83.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityPhilippines: 2.7 per 100 live births in 2024Singapore: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityPhilippines: 20.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Singapore: 1.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterPhilippines: 47.9% in 2022Singapore: 100% in 2022
- DepressionPhilippines: 2.77% in 2017Singapore: 3.44% in 2017
- Suicide ratePhilippines: 6 per 100,000 people in 2017Singapore: 7.3 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationPhilippines: 115 million people in 2023Singapore: 5.79 million people in 2023
- Population growthPhilippines: 0.84% a year in 2023Singapore: 0.81% a year in 2023
- Fertility ratePhilippines: 1.92 births per woman in 2023Singapore: 0.94 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationPhilippines: 55.8% in 2025Singapore: 100% in 2025
- Median agePhilippines: 25.3 years in 2023Singapore: 35.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overPhilippines: 5.3% in 2023Singapore: 13.1% in 2023
- Net migration ratePhilippines: -1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Singapore: 4.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingPhilippines: 1.3% of GDP in 2025Singapore: 3.05% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsPhilippines: $6.3B in 2025Singapore: $16.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personPhilippines: $55 in 2025Singapore: $2,980 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingPhilippines: 5.4% of government spending in 2025Singapore: 18% of government spending in 2025
- National powerPhilippines: 0.68% of world capability in 2022Singapore: 0.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersPhilippines: 0.37% of the labour force in 2020Singapore: 1.72% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsPhilippines: 846 million TIV in 2025Singapore: 57 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsPhilippines: 4 million TIV in 2007Singapore: 79 million TIV in 2025