Myanmar's armed forces personnel, total was 463,000 in 2020, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 9.79% from 513,250 in 2010 (1.03% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 463,000 | 2020 |
| Five years earlier | 513,250 | 2015 |
| Ten years earlier | 513,250 | 2010 |
| Highest | 595,000 | 2003 |
| Lowest | 186,000 | 1985 |
| Average since 2011 | 508,150 | 2011–2020 |
| First recorded | 186,000 | 1985 |
What the numbers say
In 2020, Myanmar's armed forces personnel, total fell 9.7% on 2019 (from 513,000 to 463,000).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was +3.5% and a typical year strayed about 8.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 24.3% in 1991 and the biggest yearly fall was 18.9% in 2004. 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 28% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2020, Myanmar had the 14th 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Myanmar | 463,000 | 2020 |
| World | 27.41 million | 2020 |
| East Asia & Pacific | 7.91 million | 2020 |
| Lower middle income | 7.56 million | 2020 |
Closest to Myanmar in the 2020 ranking
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 | 463,000 |
| 2019 | 513,000 |
| 2018 | 513,000 |
| 2017 | 513,000 |
| 2016 | 513,250 |
| 2015 | 513,250 |
| 2014 | 513,250 |
| 2013 | 513,250 |
| 2012 | 513,250 |
| 2011 | 513,250 |
| 2010 |
Armed forces personnel, total in nearby economies
- Australia — 60,000 (2020)
- Brunei Darussalam — 8,000 (2020)
- Cambodia — 191,000 (2020)
- China — 2.54 million (2020)
- Fiji — 4,000 (2020)
- Indonesia — 676,000 (2020)
- Japan — 261,000 (2020)
- Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 1.47 million (2020)
- Korea, Rep. — 569,000 (2020)
- Lao PDR — 129,000 (2020)
- Malaysia — 136,000 (2020)
More public sector data for Myanmar
- Military expenditure (current USD) — 5.01 billion (2024)
- Military expenditure (current LCU) — 10.63 trillion (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 70 million (2025)
- Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 6.6% (2024)
- Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 9.71 trillion (2019)
- Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 58.43% (2019)
- Revenue, excluding grants (current LCU) — 16.21 trillion (2019)
- Revenue, excluding grants (% of GDP) — 14.39% (2019)
- Taxes on goods and services (current LCU) — 4.06 trillion (2019)
- Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Myanmar's armed forces personnel, total?
- 463,000 in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1985?
- It is up 148.92% from 186,000 in 1985 (2.64% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 595,000 in 2003 and the lowest 186,000 in 1985.
- How does Myanmar rank?
- 14th highest of 170 economies with data for 2020.
- Is the latest change in armed forces personnel, total unusual for Myanmar?
- In 2020, Myanmar's armed forces personnel, total fell 9.7% on 2019 (from 513,000 to 463,000). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was +3.5% and a typical year strayed about 8.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
- Where does this data come from?
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.
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