Military personnel as a share of total population in China
China: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.1% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Latest (2022)
0.1%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
134th
of 194 countries
All-time high
0.9%
in 1945
All-time low
0.1%
in 1913
Years of data
163
1860–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in China, 1860–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel as a share of total population in China stood at 0.1%.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in China peaked at 0.9% in 1945 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1913.
China ranks 134th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Military personnel as a share of total population in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 0.3% | — |
| 1861 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1862 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1863 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1864 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1865 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1866 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1867 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1868 | 0.3% | +1.4% |
| 1869 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1870 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1871 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1872 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1873 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1874 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1875 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1876 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1877 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1878 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1879 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1880 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1881 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1882 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1883 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1884 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1885 | 0.3% | -0.6% |
| 1886 | 0.3% | -1.2% |
| 1887 | 0.3% | -1.2% |
| 1888 | 0.3% | -1.2% |
| 1889 | 0.3% | -1.2% |
| 1890 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 1891 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 1892 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 1893 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 1894 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 1895 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 1896 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 1897 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 1898 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 1899 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 1900 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 1901 | 0.2% | -0.2% |
| 1902 | 0.2% | -3.1% |
| 1903 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1904 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1905 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1906 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1907 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1908 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1909 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1910 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1911 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.1% | -55.3% |
| 1913 | 0.1% | -0.3% |
| 1914 | 0.1% | +1.9% |
| 1915 | 0.1% | +8.4% |
| 1916 | 0.2% | +69.5% |
| 1917 | 0.2% | +5.6% |
| 1918 | 0.3% | +44.0% |
| 1919 | 0.3% | +5.8% |
| 1920 | 0.3% | +4.2% |
| 1921 | 0.3% | +4.0% |
| 1922 | 0.3% | +3.8% |
| 1923 | 0.3% | +3.7% |
| 1924 | 0.4% | +4.1% |
| 1925 | 0.4% | -0.3% |
| 1926 | 0.4% | -0.3% |
| 1927 | 0.4% | +0.2% |
| 1928 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 1929 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 1930 | 0.4% | -0.8% |
| 1931 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 1932 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 1933 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 1934 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 1935 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 1936 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 1937 | 0.4% | +16.7% |
| 1938 | 0.2% | -55.4% |
| 1939 | 0.3% | +63.9% |
| 1940 | 0.4% | +35.7% |
| 1941 | 0.5% | +25.8% |
| 1942 | 0.6% | +20.2% |
| 1943 | 0.7% | +16.5% |
| 1944 | 0.8% | +13.9% |
| 1945 | 0.9% | +12.0% |
| 1946 | 0.8% | -13.7% |
| 1947 | 0.7% | -4.3% |
| 1948 | 0.7% | -8.9% |
| 1949 | 0.5% | -30.9% |
| 1950 | 0.7% | +54.5% |
| 1951 | 0.5% | -25.7% |
| 1952 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.5% | -0.6% |
| 1954 | 0.5% | -0.7% |
| 1955 | 0.5% | -4.0% |
| 1956 | 0.5% | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 0.5% | -0.6% |
| 1958 | 0.5% | -0.7% |
| 1959 | 0.5% | -0.8% |
| 1960 | 0.5% | -0.9% |
| 1961 | 0.3% | -33.2% |
| 1962 | 0.3% | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 0.4% | +6.5% |
| 1964 | 0.4% | +7.6% |
| 1965 | 0.3% | -14.8% |
| 1966 | 0.3% | +5.6% |
| 1967 | 0.4% | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 0.4% | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 0.3% | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 0.3% | -1.8% |
| 1971 | 0.3% | +1.7% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | +29.6% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | -1.7% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 0.5% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -9.6% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | -7.0% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | -13.8% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | +5.4% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -11.5% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -9.7% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -5.1% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -10.4% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -8.5% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | +16.1% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | -17.4% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -3.5% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | -7.2% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | -7.5% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
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- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in China?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in China was 0.1% 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 0.9% in 1945.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1913.
- How does China rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- China ranks 134th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this China 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.