New Zealand: Armed forces personnel, total

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, New Zealand's armed forces personnel, total rose 11.1% on 2019 (from 9,000 to 10,000).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was −0.8% and a typical year strayed about 4.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 12.5% in 2005 and the biggest yearly fall was 11.6% in 2011. 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 134.85 a year. A straight line explains 74% 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, New Zealand had the 131st 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.

Closest to New Zealand in the 2020 ranking

• Mozambique — 130th of 170: 11,000
• Central African Republic — 131st of 170: 10,000
• Costa Rica — 132nd of 170: 10,000
• Niger — 134th of 170: 10,000
• Togo — 135th of 170: 10,000
• Botswana — 136th of 170: 9,000

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

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 New Zealand

• Military expenditure (current USD) — 2.86 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 4.91 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 1.1% (2025)
• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 200 million (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (current LCU) — 17.87 billion (2024)
• Grants and other revenue (% of revenue) — 12.04% (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (current LCU) — 147.96 billion (2024)
• Revenue, excluding grants (% of GDP) — 34.25% (2024)
• Taxes on goods and services (current LCU) — 39.13 billion (2024)
• Taxes on goods and services (% of revenue)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is New Zealand's armed forces personnel, total?

10,000 in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1985?

It is down 19.35% from 12,400 in 1985 (0.61% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 12,400 in 1985 and the lowest 8,000 in 2004.

How does New Zealand rank?

131st highest of 170 economies with data for 2020.

Is the latest change in armed forces personnel, total unusual for New Zealand?

In 2020, New Zealand's armed forces personnel, total rose 11.1% on 2019 (from 9,000 to 10,000). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was −0.8% and a typical year strayed about 4.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

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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