Military personnel as a share of total population in Canada
Canada: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.2% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.2%
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
121st
of 194 countries
All-time high
6.6%
in 1945
All-time low
0.0%
in 1935
Years of data
103
1920–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in Canada, 1920–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military personnel as a share of total population in Canada is 0.2%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in Canada peaked at 6.6% in 1945 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1935.
That places Canada 121st out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it 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 Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 0.0% | — |
| 1921 | 0.0% | -2.6% |
| 1922 | 0.0% | -1.5% |
| 1923 | 0.0% | -1.0% |
| 1924 | 0.0% | -1.5% |
| 1925 | 0.0% | -1.6% |
| 1926 | 0.0% | -1.7% |
| 1927 | 0.0% | -1.9% |
| 1928 | 0.1% | +22.5% |
| 1929 | 0.0% | -21.5% |
| 1930 | 0.0% | +22.8% |
| 1931 | 0.1% | +18.0% |
| 1932 | 0.0% | -17.7% |
| 1933 | 0.0% | -1.2% |
| 1934 | 0.0% | -1.0% |
| 1935 | 0.0% | -20.8% |
| 1936 | 0.1% | +48.6% |
| 1937 | 0.1% | -0.9% |
| 1938 | 0.1% | -1.0% |
| 1939 | 0.1% | -1.0% |
| 1940 | 0.2% | +246.5% |
| 1941 | 2.4% | +1218.7% |
| 1942 | 3.4% | +41.1% |
| 1943 | 6.3% | +82.8% |
| 1944 | 6.1% | -2.9% |
| 1945 | 6.6% | +8.9% |
| 1946 | 0.4% | -94.4% |
| 1947 | 0.3% | -8.5% |
| 1948 | 0.3% | -11.3% |
| 1949 | 0.3% | +14.8% |
| 1950 | 0.3% | -6.1% |
| 1951 | 0.4% | +34.7% |
| 1952 | 0.7% | +59.5% |
| 1953 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| 1954 | 0.7% | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 0.7% | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 0.7% | +1.1% |
| 1957 | 0.7% | +0.8% |
| 1958 | 0.7% | -4.2% |
| 1959 | 0.7% | -1.5% |
| 1960 | 0.7% | -1.3% |
| 1961 | 0.7% | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 0.7% | -2.0% |
| 1963 | 0.6% | -5.0% |
| 1964 | 0.6% | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 0.6% | -1.8% |
| 1966 | 0.5% | -10.0% |
| 1967 | 0.5% | -6.2% |
| 1968 | 0.5% | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 0.5% | -6.1% |
| 1970 | 0.4% | -6.2% |
| 1971 | 0.4% | -17.0% |
| 1972 | 0.4% | +9.4% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | -10.0% |
| 1974 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | -6.3% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 0.3% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 0.3% | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 0.3% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | -5.8% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -8.4% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -7.7% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -6.7% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -8.6% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -9.5% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | +8.5% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | +7.6% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | -5.9% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.2% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.6% | 0.2% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 118 Central African Republic 0.2% compare
- 119 New Zealand 0.2% compare
- 120 Brazil 0.2% compare
- 122 Mexico 0.2% compare
- 123 Congo 0.2% compare
- 124 Republic of Moldova 0.2% compare
More population data for Canada
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2634 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 45,891 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7644 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.3863 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Population density 6.1 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.33 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in Canada?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in Canada was 0.2% in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 6.6% in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1935.
- How does Canada rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- Canada ranks 121st out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of military personnel to total population, expressed as a percentage.