Military personnel as a share of total population in France
France: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.3% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.3%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
77th
of 194 countries
All-time high
16.1%
in 1918
All-time low
0.3%
in 2022
Years of data
205
1816–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in France, 1816–2022
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 France stood at 0.3%. That is the lowest value across all 205 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in France peaked at 16.1% in 1918 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2022.
France ranks 77th 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 France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1816 | 0.4% | — |
| 1817 | 0.4% | -1.5% |
| 1818 | 0.5% | +4.7% |
| 1819 | 0.6% | +31.1% |
| 1820 | 0.7% | +13.6% |
| 1821 | 0.7% | -5.4% |
| 1822 | 0.8% | +21.7% |
| 1823 | 0.8% | +4.5% |
| 1824 | 0.8% | -7.4% |
| 1825 | 0.8% | -1.5% |
| 1826 | 0.8% | -0.6% |
| 1827 | 0.7% | -0.6% |
| 1828 | 0.8% | +3.6% |
| 1829 | 0.8% | +6.4% |
| 1830 | 0.8% | -2.5% |
| 1831 | 1.1% | +43.1% |
| 1832 | 1.0% | -17.0% |
| 1833 | 0.9% | -4.3% |
| 1834 | 0.8% | -11.2% |
| 1835 | 0.9% | +7.6% |
| 1836 | 0.9% | +0.9% |
| 1837 | 0.9% | +4.0% |
| 1838 | 0.9% | -1.3% |
| 1839 | 0.9% | -1.8% |
| 1840 | 1.3% | +48.1% |
| 1841 | 1.4% | +7.8% |
| 1842 | 1.3% | -9.9% |
| 1843 | 1.1% | -9.9% |
| 1844 | 1.0% | -9.7% |
| 1845 | 1.0% | -1.8% |
| 1846 | 1.1% | +7.9% |
| 1847 | 1.1% | +1.3% |
| 1848 | 1.1% | -1.9% |
| 1849 | 1.3% | +20.1% |
| 1850 | 1.2% | -5.8% |
| 1851 | 1.1% | -8.9% |
| 1852 | 1.1% | -1.7% |
| 1853 | 1.2% | +6.4% |
| 1854 | 1.2% | +3.3% |
| 1855 | 1.8% | +47.2% |
| 1856 | 1.8% | -0.3% |
| 1857 | 1.5% | -18.4% |
| 1858 | 1.2% | -19.2% |
| 1859 | 1.3% | +8.4% |
| 1860 | 1.7% | +30.7% |
| 1861 | 1.4% | -15.2% |
| 1862 | 1.4% | -1.9% |
| 1863 | 1.3% | -5.7% |
| 1864 | 1.3% | -1.6% |
| 1865 | 1.3% | -2.1% |
| 1866 | 1.2% | -4.5% |
| 1867 | 1.2% | +0.3% |
| 1868 | 1.3% | +4.5% |
| 1869 | 1.2% | -2.0% |
| 1870 | 1.2% | -4.8% |
| 1871 | 2.8% | +135.0% |
| 1872 | 1.3% | -51.6% |
| 1873 | 1.5% | +10.0% |
| 1874 | 1.3% | -11.6% |
| 1875 | 1.3% | +1.8% |
| 1876 | 1.4% | +2.8% |
| 1877 | 1.4% | +3.9% |
| 1878 | 1.5% | +3.3% |
| 1879 | 1.4% | -3.7% |
| 1880 | 1.5% | +3.3% |
| 1881 | 1.5% | +5.9% |
| 1882 | 1.6% | +1.4% |
| 1883 | 1.4% | -12.5% |
| 1884 | 1.4% | +1.5% |
| 1885 | 1.4% | -1.6% |
| 1886 | 1.4% | +3.0% |
| 1887 | 1.4% | -3.2% |
| 1888 | 1.5% | +9.5% |
| 1889 | 1.5% | +3.3% |
| 1890 | 1.6% | +1.2% |
| 1891 | 1.6% | +1.6% |
| 1892 | 1.6% | +0.1% |
| 1893 | 1.6% | +0.6% |
| 1894 | 1.5% | -3.4% |
| 1895 | 1.5% | -0.8% |
| 1896 | 1.6% | +4.4% |
| 1897 | 1.6% | +1.2% |
| 1898 | 1.7% | +4.7% |
| 1899 | 1.7% | -0.2% |
| 1900 | 1.6% | -5.2% |
| 1901 | 1.5% | -3.0% |
| 1902 | 1.6% | +1.0% |
| 1903 | 1.6% | +0.5% |
| 1904 | 1.5% | -3.1% |
| 1905 | 1.6% | +5.0% |
| 1906 | 1.6% | +1.3% |
| 1907 | 1.6% | -2.5% |
| 1908 | 1.6% | -0.3% |
| 1909 | 1.6% | +3.4% |
| 1910 | 1.6% | +1.4% |
| 1911 | 1.6% | -2.3% |
| 1912 | 1.6% | +0.5% |
| 1913 | 1.6% | -1.8% |
| 1914 | 2.4% | +49.5% |
| 1915 | 15.0% | +530.3% |
| 1916 | 16.0% | +7.0% |
| 1917 | 15.8% | -1.2% |
| 1918 | 16.1% | +1.6% |
| 1919 | 7.4% | -54.0% |
| 1920 | 3.7% | -49.5% |
| 1921 | 1.4% | -62.7% |
| 1922 | 1.4% | -0.8% |
| 1923 | 1.3% | -7.3% |
| 1924 | 1.2% | -7.3% |
| 1925 | 1.2% | -1.6% |
| 1926 | 1.2% | -1.5% |
| 1927 | 1.2% | +4.7% |
| 1928 | 1.1% | -5.3% |
| 1929 | 1.0% | -12.7% |
| 1930 | 1.0% | -0.9% |
| 1931 | 1.1% | +6.7% |
| 1932 | 1.0% | -4.3% |
| 1933 | 1.1% | +6.3% |
| 1934 | 1.1% | +1.9% |
| 1935 | 1.3% | +19.7% |
| 1936 | 1.4% | +7.4% |
| 1937 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 1938 | 1.4% | -5.3% |
| 1939 | 1.4% | +0.1% |
| 1940 | 12.2% | +779.5% |
| 1941 | 4.7% | -61.8% |
| 1944 | 1.5% | -68.1% |
| 1945 | 1.5% | -2.2% |
| 1946 | 1.4% | -1.4% |
| 1947 | 1.4% | -0.5% |
| 1948 | 1.4% | -1.5% |
| 1949 | 1.4% | +1.0% |
| 1950 | 1.4% | +0.4% |
| 1951 | 1.5% | +3.4% |
| 1952 | 1.5% | +4.9% |
| 1953 | 1.6% | +6.0% |
| 1954 | 1.7% | +5.6% |
| 1955 | 1.8% | +6.7% |
| 1956 | 2.0% | +5.7% |
| 1957 | 2.1% | +5.5% |
| 1958 | 2.1% | +4.1% |
| 1959 | 2.2% | +2.2% |
| 1960 | 2.2% | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 1.6% | -30.5% |
| 1962 | 1.5% | -3.8% |
| 1963 | 1.5% | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 1.4% | -7.1% |
| 1965 | 1.2% | -16.0% |
| 1966 | 1.2% | -1.7% |
| 1967 | 1.2% | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 1.1% | -4.9% |
| 1969 | 1.1% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 1.1% | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 1.1% | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 1.1% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 1.1% | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 1.1% | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.1% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 1.1% | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 1.1% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 1.1% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 1.1% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 1.1% | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 1.1% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 1.0% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 1.0% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | -7.1% |
| 1994 | 0.9% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | -5.6% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | -6.6% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | -30.4% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | -7.4% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -6.0% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 0.4% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 0.6% | +37.7% |
| 2010 | 0.6% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | -32.7% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1810s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 4 |
| 1820s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1840s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1850s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1910s | 7.9% | 1.6% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.5% | 1.0% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.2% | 1.4% | 12.2% | 8 |
| 1950s | 1.8% | 1.4% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near France
More population data for France
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.58 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1885 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 65,827 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1504 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1075 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Population density 125.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.16 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in France?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in France was 0.3% 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 1918.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2022.
- How does France rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- France ranks 77th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this France 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Ratio of military personnel to total population, expressed as a percentage.