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Countries With the Fastest Decline in Armed forces personnel (5-Year Change)

Change in Armed forces personnel over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

Antigua and Barbuda fell the most: by 100%, from 180 personnel to 0 personnel in the five years to 2020. Iceland is second (−100%), followed by Seychelles (−100%). 61 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −9.64%.

#1
Antigua and Barbuda · −100%
Median
−9.64%
Coverage
61 countries
Data year
2020
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: 5-year change (%)Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Antigua and Barbuda -100; 2. Iceland -100; 3. Seychelles -100; 4. South Sudan -71.4; 5. Singapore -60; 6. Sweden -50.9; 7. Afghanistan -48.3; 8. Slovenia -47; 9. Sudan -45.5; 10. Belgium -34.Antigua and Barbuda-100Iceland-100Seychelles-100South Sudan-71.4Singapore-60Sweden-50.9Afghanistan-48.3Slovenia-47Sudan-45.5Belgium-34
Top 10: 5-year change (%). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Antigua and Barbuda -100; 2. Iceland -100; 3. Seychelles -100; 4. South Sudan -71.4; 5. Singapore -60; 6. Sweden -50.9; 7. Afghanistan -48.3; 8. Slovenia -47; 9. Sudan -45.5; 10. Belgium -34.

Full ranking

Countries With the Fastest Decline in Armed forces personnel (5-Year Change), 2020
RankCountryFromTo5-year change (%)
1Antigua and Barbuda1800−100%
2Iceland2500−100%
3Seychelles8400−100%
4South Sudan185,00053,000−71.4%
5Singapore147,60059,000−60%
6Sweden30,55015,000−50.9%
7Afghanistan319,400165,000−48.3%
8Slovenia13,2007,000−47%
9Sudan264,300144,000−45.5%
10Belgium36,35024,000−34%
11Luxembourg1,5001,000−33.3%
12Nepal158,600112,000−29.4%
13Portugal73,60052,000−29.3%
14Somalia, Fed. Rep.19,80014,000−29.3%
15Burundi41,00031,000−24.4%
16Equatorial Guinea1,3201,000−24.2%
17Bulgaria47,30037,000−21.8%
18Moldova7,5506,000−20.5%
19Kenya29,10024,000−17.5%
20Cabo Verde1,2001,000−16.7%
21Romania150,400128,000−14.9%
22Uruguay25,45022,000−13.6%
23Brunei Darussalam9,2508,000−13.5%
24Guyana3,4003,000−11.8%
25Finland24,90022,000−11.6%
26Colombia481,100428,000−11%
27China2,843,0002,535,000−10.8%
28Korea, Rep.634,500569,000−10.3%
29Guinea-Bissau4,4504,000−10.1%
30Myanmar513,250463,000−9.79%
31Denmark16,60015,000−9.64%
32Niger10,70010,000−6.54%
33Malta2,1302,000−6.1%
34Albania8,5008,000−5.88%
35Italy356,850338,000−5.28%
36Philippines165,500157,000−5.14%
37Switzerland20,95020,000−4.53%
38Armenia49,10047,000−4.28%
39Burkina Faso11,45011,000−3.93%
40Israel184,500178,000−3.52%
41Syrian Arab Republic277,500269,000−3.06%
42Zambia16,50016,000−3.03%
43Liberia2,0502,000−2.44%
44Russian Federation1,490,0001,454,000−2.42%
45Bahrain19,46019,000−2.36%
46Argentina105,450103,000−2.32%
47Mozambique11,20011,000−1.79%
48Tanzania28,40028,000−1.41%
49Ireland9,1009,000−1.1%
50Uganda46,40046,000−0.862%
51France306,350304,000−0.767%
52Netherlands41,31041,000−0.75%
53Spain199,950199,000−0.475%
54Montenegro12,05012,000−0.415%
55Bolivia71,20071,000−0.281%
56Georgia26,05026,000−0.192%
57Congo, Dem. Rep.134,250134,000−0.186%
58Cambodia191,300191,000−0.157%
59Guatemala43,05043,000−0.116%
60Lao PDR129,100129,000−0.077%
61Dominican Republic71,05071,000−0.07%

About the top 10

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

Source and method

Change in Armed forces personnel over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that fell are listed.

Source: The World Bank, indicator MS.MIL.TOTL.P1. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.

The World Bank: Armed forces personnel, total: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies (via World Development Indicators)

Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.