Singapore vs South Korea
Singapore vs South Korea: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 59,000 people in Singapore and 569,000 people in South Korea, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Korea, by 510,000 people, or 9.64 times that in Singapore.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1985.
- In 2020, Singapore ranked 65 and South Korea ranked 11 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Singapore | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 59,000 | 569,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 59,000 | 613,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 59,000 | 608,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 81,000 | 634,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 147,600 | 634,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 147,600 | 634,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 147,600 | 632,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 147,600 | 659,500 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 147,600 | 659,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 147,600 | 659,500 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 147,500 | 659,500 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 147,500 | 659,500 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 167,000 | 692,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 167,000 | 692,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 167,000 | 692,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 167,000 | 693,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 165,000 | 696,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 168,800 | 690,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 156,800 | 690,500 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 154,500 | 687,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 168,500 | 687,500 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 181,000 | 676,500 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 180,500 | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 178,000 | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 65,500 | 668,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 65,500 | 641,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 56,000 | 750,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 56,000 | 750,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 56,000 | 750,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 56,000 | 750,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 56,000 | 650,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 56,000 | 647,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 55,000 | 598,000 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 56,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1983 | 42,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1982 | 60,000 | 601,000 | – |
| 1981 | 59,000 | 606,000 | – |
| 1980 | 50,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1979 | 57,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1978 | 64,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1977 | 36,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1976 | 35,000 | 610,000 | – |
| 1975 | 27,000 | 630,000 | – |
| 1974 | 24,000 | 634,000 | – |
| 1973 | 24,000 | 634,000 | – |
| 1972 | 20,000 | 635,000 | – |
| 1971 | 15,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1970 | 14,000 | 645,000 | – |
| 1969 | 12,000 | 620,000 | – |
| 1968 | 11,000 | 620,000 | – |
| 1967 | 10,000 | 612,000 | – |
| 1966 | 0 | 572,000 | – |
| 1965 | 0 | 604,000 | – |
| 1964 | – | 600,000 | – |
| 1963 | – | 627,000 | – |
| 1962 | – | 570,000 | – |
| 1961 | – | 570,000 | – |
| 1960 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1959 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1958 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1957 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1956 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1955 | – | 730,000 | – |
| 1954 | – | 630,000 | – |
| 1953 | – | 504,000 | – |
| 1952 | – | 335,000 | – |
| 1951 | – | 196,000 | – |
| 1950 | – | 109,000 | – |
| 1949 | – | 69,000 | – |
- 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
Singapore vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancySingapore: 83.7 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySingapore: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySingapore: 1.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSingapore: 100% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionSingapore: 3.44% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateSingapore: 7.3 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSingapore: 5.79 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthSingapore: 0.81% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSingapore: 0.94 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSingapore: 100% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageSingapore: 35.1 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSingapore: 13.1% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateSingapore: 4.7 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSingapore: 3.05% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSingapore: $16.9B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personSingapore: $2,980 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSingapore: 18% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- National powerSingapore: 0.25% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSingapore: 1.72% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSingapore: 57 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSingapore: 79 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025