Iran, Islamic Rep.'s armed forces personnel, total was 650,000 in 2020, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 15.45% from 563,000 in 2010 (1.45% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 650,000 | 2020 |
| Five years earlier | 563,000 | 2015 |
| Ten years earlier | 563,000 | 2010 |
| Highest | 868,000 | 1997 |
| Lowest | 440,000 | 1990 |
| Average since 2011 | 589,100 | 2011–2020 |
| First recorded | 610,000 | 1985 |
What the numbers say
In 2020, Iran, Islamic Rep.'s armed forces personnel, total did not change 0% on 2019 (from 650,000 to 650,000).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was +1.1% and a typical year strayed about 13.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 44.5% in 1995 and the biggest yearly fall was 27.2% in 1990. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2011 to 2020 the straight-line trend is upward, about 11,073 a year. A straight line explains 64% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2020, Iran, Islamic Rep. had the 10th highest value of the 170 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Iran, Islamic Rep. | 650,000 | 2020 |
| World | 27.41 million | 2020 |
| Upper middle income | 9.92 million | 2020 |
Closest to Iran, Islamic Rep. in the 2020 ranking
- Egypt, Arab Rep. — 7th of 170: 836,000
- Brazil — 8th of 170: 762,000
- Indonesia — 9th of 170: 676,000
- Korea, Rep. — 11th of 170: 569,000
- Viet Nam — 12th of 170: 522,000
- Türkiye — 13th of 170: 512,000
What this measures
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.
Limitations: Data excludes personnel not on active duty, therefore it underestimates the share of the labor force working for the defense establishment. The cooperation of governments of all countries listed in “The Military Balance” has been sought by IISS and, in many cases, received. However, some data in “The Military Balance” is estimated.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 33 values
| Year | Armed forces personnel, total |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 650,000 |
| 2019 | 650,000 |
| 2018 | 650,000 |
| 2017 | 563,000 |
| 2016 | 563,000 |
| 2015 | 563,000 |
| 2014 | 563,000 |
| 2013 | 563,000 |
| 2012 | 563,000 |
| 2011 | 563,000 |
| 2010 |
Armed forces personnel, total in nearby economies
More public sector data for Iran, Islamic Rep.
- Military expenditure (current USD) — 7.4 billion (2025)
- Military expenditure (current LCU) — 4,899.89 trillion (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.09% (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 42 million (2024)
- Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 80 million (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 11.16% (2025)
- Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 2.35% (2020)
- Battle-related deaths (number of people) — 123 (2024)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score (scale 0-100)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Iran, Islamic Rep.'s armed forces personnel, total?
- 650,000 in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1985?
- It is up 6.56% from 610,000 in 1985 (0.18% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 868,000 in 1997 and the lowest 440,000 in 1990.
- How does Iran, Islamic Rep. rank?
- 10th highest of 170 economies with data for 2020.
- Is the latest change in armed forces personnel, total unusual for Iran, Islamic Rep.?
- In 2020, Iran, Islamic Rep.'s armed forces personnel, total did not change 0% on 2019 (from 650,000 to 650,000). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was +1.1% and a typical year strayed about 13.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.TOTL.P1, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.
Legal entity
Devansh Yadav
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Governing law: Courts at Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Phone: +91 8433475698
Legal: legal@analyzeit.in