Military personnel as a share of total population in Israel
Israel: Military personnel as a share of total population was 1.9% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Military personnel as a share of total population in Israel, 1948–2022
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 Israel is 1.9%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in Israel peaked at 9.7% in 1948 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2022.
That places Israel 3rd out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 75 years of available data.
Military personnel as a share of total population in Israel, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 9.7% | — |
| 1949 | 7.7% | -21.0% |
| 1950 | 6.2% | -19.4% |
| 1951 | 4.9% | -20.2% |
| 1952 | 4.7% | -5.7% |
| 1953 | 4.5% | -2.7% |
| 1954 | 4.4% | -2.2% |
| 1955 | 4.3% | -3.4% |
| 1956 | 4.1% | -4.2% |
| 1957 | 3.7% | -10.2% |
| 1958 | 3.3% | -10.5% |
| 1959 | 3.2% | -3.5% |
| 1960 | 3.1% | -3.8% |
| 1961 | 2.9% | -6.3% |
| 1962 | 2.8% | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 2.7% | -3.9% |
| 1964 | 2.6% | -4.0% |
| 1965 | 2.5% | -3.3% |
| 1966 | 2.5% | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 2.8% | +11.7% |
| 1968 | 3.4% | +22.6% |
| 1969 | 3.5% | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 3.5% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 4.2% | +20.0% |
| 1972 | 4.1% | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 4.0% | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 5.4% | +35.9% |
| 1975 | 5.0% | -7.6% |
| 1976 | 4.9% | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 5.0% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 4.8% | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 4.8% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 5.1% | +5.7% |
| 1981 | 5.1% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 5.1% | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 5.0% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 4.9% | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 4.6% | -6.5% |
| 1986 | 4.2% | -9.1% |
| 1987 | 4.1% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 4.3% | +4.4% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 4.1% | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 3.8% | -5.8% |
| 1992 | 3.5% | -8.0% |
| 1993 | 3.4% | -2.6% |
| 1994 | 3.4% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 3.2% | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 2.9% | -7.7% |
| 1999 | 2.8% | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 2.5% | -7.9% |
| 2002 | 2.6% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 2.6% | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 2.5% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 2.3% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 2.2% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | -5.6% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 8.7% | 7.7% | 9.7% | 2 |
| 1950s | 4.3% | 3.2% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.9% | 2.5% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.6% | 3.5% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.7% | 4.1% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.4% | 2.8% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Israel
- 1 Eritrea 8.9% compare
- 2 North Korea 4.9% compare
- 4 Ukraine 1.7% compare
- 5 Brunei Darussalam 1.5% compare
- 6 Armenia 1.5% compare
More population data for Israel
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3735 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4941 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -7.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4941 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.14 million people (2100)
- Population density 912.52 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0847 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.38 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in Israel?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in Israel was 1.9% 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 Israel?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7% in 1948.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Israel?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2022.
- How does Israel rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- Israel ranks 3rd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Israel?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Israel 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.