Military personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.2464 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.2464
Change on year
down 40.3%
World rank
95th
of 194 countries
All-time high
1.82
in 1999
All-time low
0.1053
in 2006
Years of data
98
1920–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan, 1920–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 0.2464 for military personnel as a share of total population in 2022.
That represents a change of down 40.3% on the previous year and down 57.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan peaked at 1.82 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.1053, in 2006.
Afghanistan ranks 95th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 0.8722 | — |
| 1921 | 0.8619 | -1.2% |
| 1922 | 0.8519 | -1.2% |
| 1923 | 0.9951 | +16.8% |
| 1924 | 0.9835 | -1.2% |
| 1925 | 1.14 | +15.6% |
| 1926 | 1.12 | -1.2% |
| 1927 | 1.11 | -1.2% |
| 1928 | 0.8664 | -22.0% |
| 1929 | 0.8563 | -1.2% |
| 1930 | 0.8464 | -1.2% |
| 1931 | 0.8365 | -1.2% |
| 1932 | 0.8268 | -1.2% |
| 1933 | 0.9805 | +18.6% |
| 1934 | 0.6057 | -38.2% |
| 1935 | 0.958 | +58.1% |
| 1936 | 1.35 | +41.4% |
| 1937 | 1.34 | -1.2% |
| 1938 | 1.32 | -1.2% |
| 1939 | 1.31 | -1.2% |
| 1940 | 0.7529 | -42.4% |
| 1941 | 1.12 | +48.3% |
| 1942 | 1.1 | -1.2% |
| 1943 | 1.09 | -1.2% |
| 1944 | 1.08 | -1.2% |
| 1945 | 1.07 | -1.2% |
| 1946 | 1.05 | -1.2% |
| 1947 | 1.16 | +9.8% |
| 1948 | 1.03 | -11.0% |
| 1949 | 0.8471 | -17.6% |
| 1950 | 0.8372 | -1.2% |
| 1951 | 0.6598 | -21.2% |
| 1952 | 0.6495 | -1.6% |
| 1953 | 0.4365 | -32.8% |
| 1954 | 0.429 | -1.7% |
| 1955 | 0.4418 | +3.0% |
| 1956 | 0.4334 | -1.9% |
| 1957 | 0.4249 | -2.0% |
| 1958 | 0.4164 | -2.0% |
| 1959 | 0.4741 | +13.9% |
| 1960 | 0.5568 | +17.4% |
| 1961 | 0.9987 | +79.4% |
| 1962 | 0.9235 | -7.5% |
| 1963 | 0.9548 | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 0.9499 | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 0.8036 | -15.4% |
| 1966 | 0.7849 | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 0.7509 | -4.3% |
| 1968 | 0.6869 | -8.5% |
| 1969 | 0.6702 | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 0.668 | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 0.6507 | -2.6% |
| 1972 | 0.6339 | -2.6% |
| 1973 | 0.618 | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 0.5309 | -14.1% |
| 1975 | 0.8454 | +59.2% |
| 1976 | 0.9072 | +7.3% |
| 1977 | 0.8998 | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 0.6848 | -23.9% |
| 1979 | 0.5518 | -19.4% |
| 1980 | 0.2677 | -51.5% |
| 1981 | 0.2837 | +6.0% |
| 1982 | 0.3537 | +24.7% |
| 1983 | 0.3031 | -14.3% |
| 1984 | 0.3105 | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 0.3237 | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 0.3287 | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 0.353 | +7.4% |
| 1988 | 0.3884 | +10.0% |
| 1989 | 0.3834 | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 0.3931 | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 0.2922 | -25.7% |
| 1992 | 0.2765 | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 0.2598 | -6.0% |
| 1994 | 0.2436 | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 1.82 | +648.9% |
| 2000 | 1.76 | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 0.2252 | -87.2% |
| 2003 | 0.2596 | +15.3% |
| 2004 | 0.1832 | -29.4% |
| 2005 | 0.1086 | -40.7% |
| 2006 | 0.1053 | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 0.1898 | +80.1% |
| 2008 | 0.1887 | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 0.1913 | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 0.331 | +73.0% |
| 2011 | 0.4673 | +41.2% |
| 2012 | 0.5733 | +22.7% |
| 2013 | 0.6019 | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 0.5678 | -5.7% |
| 2015 | 0.5306 | -6.6% |
| 2016 | 0.4646 | -12.4% |
| 2017 | 0.4791 | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 0.4736 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 0.4596 | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 0.4633 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 0.4125 | -11.0% |
| 2022 | 0.2464 | -40.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 0.2464 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.1517, 1.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 0.2464 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.5235, 47% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +648.9% | 0.2436 | 1.82 |
| 2002 | -87.2% | 1.76 | 0.2252 |
| 2007 | +80.1% | 0.1053 | 0.1898 |
| 1961 | +79.4% | 0.5568 | 0.9987 |
| 2010 | +73.0% | 0.1913 | 0.331 |
| 1975 | +59.2% | 0.5309 | 0.8454 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 0.9658 | 0.8519 | 1.14 | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.04 | 0.6057 | 1.35 | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.03 | 0.7529 | 1.16 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.5203 | 0.4164 | 0.8372 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.808 | 0.5568 | 0.9987 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.699 | 0.5309 | 0.9072 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3296 | 0.2677 | 0.3884 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5483 | 0.2436 | 1.82 | 6 |
| 2000s | 0.3569 | 0.1053 | 1.76 | 9 |
| 2010s | 0.4949 | 0.331 | 0.6019 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3741 | 0.2464 | 0.4633 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More population data for Afghanistan
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.2412 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2115 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 74,075 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.39 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2522 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.424 (2100)
- Population density 199.65 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 9.03 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in Afghanistan was 0.2464 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.82 in 1999.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1053 in 2006.
- How does Afghanistan rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- Afghanistan ranks 95th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 98 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).