Syria
Armed forces personnel in Syria
Armed forces personnel in Syria: 402,500 people in 1985 and 269,000 people in 2020, by IISS estimates.
- Latest, 2020
- 269,000 people
- Since 1985
- −133,500 people
- Rank, 2020
- 26 of 170
- counting from the highest
- World, 2020
- 27.4 million people
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- The highest was 531,000 people in 1995, the lowest 178,000 people in 2011.
- Older estimates from Correlates of War reach back to 1946: 10,000 people.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Syria | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 269,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 269,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 257,500 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 239,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 307,500 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 277,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 280,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 178,000 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 178,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 178,000 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 403,000 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 403,000 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 401,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 401,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 401,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 416,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 415,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 427,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 427,000 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 429,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 424,800 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 424,000 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 428,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 428,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 529,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 531,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 320,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 408,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 408,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 408,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 408,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 400,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 402,500 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 402,000 | – |
| 1983 | 400,000 | – |
| 1982 | 300,000 | – |
| 1981 | 270,000 | – |
| 1980 | 250,000 | – |
| 1979 | 220,000 | – |
| 1978 | 220,000 | – |
| 1977 | 250,000 | – |
| 1976 | 240,000 | – |
| 1975 | 230,000 | – |
| 1974 | 130,000 | – |
| 1973 | 115,000 | – |
| 1972 | 115,000 | – |
| 1971 | 110,000 | – |
| 1970 | 75,000 | – |
| 1969 | 75,000 | – |
| 1968 | 65,000 | – |
| 1967 | 80,000 | – |
| 1966 | 80,000 | – |
| 1965 | 70,000 | – |
| 1964 | 80,000 | – |
| 1963 | 75,000 | – |
| 1962 | 54,000 | – |
| 1961 | 52,000 | – |
| 1958 | 62,000 | – |
| 1957 | 60,000 | – |
| 1956 | 25,000 | – |
| 1955 | 25,000 | – |
| 1954 | 25,000 | – |
| 1953 | 35,000 | – |
| 1952 | 35,000 | – |
| 1951 | 32,000 | – |
| 1950 | 32,000 | – |
| 1949 | 20,000 | – |
| 1948 | 8,000 | – |
| 1947 | 10,000 | – |
| 1946 | 10,000 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
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
Syria in numbers
Every measure for Syria on one page
Health
People
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending4.06% of GDP in 2010
- Military spending per person$110 in 2011
- Military share of state spending13.6% of government spending in 2010
- National power0.29% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers5.44% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports2 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exports30 million TIV in 2010
Climate
Technology and environment
Other places nearby
- LebanonLebanon · Earthquakes, Statistics
- Palestinian TerritoriesPalestinian Territories · Earthquakes, Statistics
- CyprusCyprus · Earthquakes, Statistics
- JordanJordan · Earthquakes, Statistics
- IraqIraq · Earthquakes, Statistics
- IsraelIsrael · Earthquakes, Statistics
- TürkiyeTürkiye · Earthquakes, Statistics