Saudi Arabia vs Syria
Saudi Arabia vs Syria: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 282,000 people in Saudi Arabia and 269,000 people in Syria, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 13,000 people, or 1.05 times that in Syria.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher since 2020, when it overtook Syria.
- In 2020, Saudi Arabia ranked 25 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 | Saudi Arabia | Syria | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 282,000 | 269,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 252,000 | 269,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 252,000 | 257,500 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 252,000 | 239,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 251,500 | 307,500 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 251,500 | 277,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 251,500 | 280,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 251,500 | 178,000 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 249,000 | 178,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 249,000 | 178,000 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 249,000 | 403,000 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 249,000 | 403,000 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 238,000 | 401,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 238,000 | 401,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 240,000 | 401,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 216,000 | 416,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 214,000 | 415,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 215,000 | 427,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 215,000 | 427,000 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 217,200 | 429,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 217,000 | 424,800 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 178,000 | 424,000 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 178,000 | 428,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 178,000 | 428,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 178,500 | 529,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 177,500 | 531,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 164,000 | 320,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 172,000 | 408,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 172,000 | 408,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 191,000 | 408,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 146,000 | 408,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 82,000 | 400,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 62,500 | 402,500 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 80,000 | 402,000 | – |
| 1983 | 80,000 | 400,000 | – |
| 1982 | 80,000 | 300,000 | – |
| 1981 | 79,000 | 270,000 | – |
| 1980 | 79,000 | 250,000 | – |
| 1979 | 79,000 | 220,000 | – |
| 1978 | 75,000 | 220,000 | – |
| 1977 | 75,000 | 250,000 | – |
| 1976 | 75,000 | 240,000 | – |
| 1975 | 75,000 | 230,000 | – |
| 1974 | 75,000 | 130,000 | – |
| 1973 | 75,000 | 115,000 | – |
| 1972 | 75,000 | 115,000 | – |
| 1971 | 75,000 | 110,000 | – |
| 1970 | 65,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1969 | 60,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1968 | 60,000 | 65,000 | – |
| 1967 | 50,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1966 | 45,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1965 | 40,000 | 70,000 | – |
| 1964 | 40,000 | 80,000 | – |
| 1963 | 35,000 | 75,000 | – |
| 1962 | 37,000 | 54,000 | – |
| 1961 | 35,000 | 52,000 | – |
| 1960 | 30,000 | – | – |
| 1959 | 30,000 | – | – |
| 1958 | 30,000 | 62,000 | – |
| 1957 | 31,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1956 | 32,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1955 | 33,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1954 | 34,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1953 | 9,000 | 35,000 | – |
| 1952 | 8,000 | 35,000 | – |
| 1951 | 7,000 | 32,000 | – |
| 1950 | 6,000 | 32,000 | – |
| 1949 | 5,000 | 20,000 | – |
| 1948 | 4,000 | 8,000 | – |
| 1947 | 4,000 | 10,000 | – |
| 1946 | 4,000 | 10,000 | – |
| 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
Saudi Arabia vs Syria
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023Syria: 72.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Syria: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Syria: 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017Syria: 3.58% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017Syria: 3.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023Syria: 23.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthSaudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023Syria: 4.92% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023Syria: 2.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025Syria: 72.1% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023Syria: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023Syria: 4.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023Syria: 32.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSaudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025Syria: 4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025Syria: $110 in 2011
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025Syria: 13.6% of government spending in 2010
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022Syria: 0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSaudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020Syria: 5.44% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025Syria: 2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023Syria: 30 million TIV in 2010