Saudi Arabia vs Switzerland
Saudi Arabia vs Switzerland: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 1.92% of the labour force in Saudi Arabia and 0.4% of the labour force in Switzerland, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 1.52 percentage points, or 4.79 times that in Switzerland.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2020, Saudi Arabia ranked 31 and Switzerland ranked 130 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Saudi Arabia | Switzerland | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.92 | 0.4 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 1.85 | 0.4 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 1.89 | 0.43 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 1.84 | 0.43 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 1.78 | 0.43 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 1.88 | 0.44 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 2.04 | 0.44 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 2.15 | 0.46 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 2.33 | 0.49 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 2.54 | 0.51 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 2.79 | 0.57 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 2.9 | 0.57 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 2.95 | 0.52 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 3.15 | 0.53 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 3.4 | 0.54 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 3.27 | 2.61 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 3.47 | 0.1 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 3.72 | 0.66 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 3.96 | 0.67 | 1 |
| 2001 | 4.23 | 0.66 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 4.44 | 0.69 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 3.9 | 0.69 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 4.05 | 0.66 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 4.21 | 0.67 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 4.38 | 0.7 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 4.53 | 0.85 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 4.36 | 1.06 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 4.77 | 0.94 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 4.98 | 0.84 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 5.83 | 0.6 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 4.69 | 0.61 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 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
Saudi Arabia vs Switzerland
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023Switzerland: 84 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Switzerland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Switzerland: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017Switzerland: 3.71% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017Switzerland: 9.3 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023Switzerland: 8.87 million people in 2023
- Population growthSaudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023Switzerland: 0.62% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023Switzerland: 1.43 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025Switzerland: 85.7% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023Switzerland: 42.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023Switzerland: 19.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023Switzerland: 5.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSaudi Arabia: $25,070 in 2025Switzerland: $93,330 in 2025
- GDP growthSaudi Arabia: 4.6% a year in 2025Switzerland: 1.6% a year in 2025
- InflationSaudi Arabia: 2% a year in 2025Switzerland: 0.2% a year in 2025
- Government debtSaudi Arabia: 31.8% of GDP in 2025Switzerland: 40.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSaudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025Switzerland: 0.76% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSaudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025Switzerland: $7.15B in 2025
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025Switzerland: $849 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025Switzerland: 2.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSaudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020Switzerland: 20,000 people in 2020
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022Switzerland: 0.12% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025Switzerland: 33 million TIV in 2023
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023Switzerland: 129 million TIV in 2025