Sudan's armed forces personnel, total was 144,000 in 2020, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 13.56% from 126,800 in 2010 (1.28% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 144,000 | 2020 |
| Five years earlier | 264,300 | 2015 |
| Ten years earlier | 126,800 | 2010 |
| Highest | 264,300 | 2011 |
| Lowest | 56,600 | 1985 |
| Average since 2011 | 196,210 | 2011–2020 |
| First recorded | 56,600 | 1985 |
What the numbers say
In 2020, Sudan's armed forces personnel, total rose 16.1% on 2019 (from 124,000 to 144,000).
Across the 28 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was +5% and a typical year strayed about 26.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above 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 108.4% in 2011 and the biggest yearly fall was 53% in 2016. 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 downward, about 20,156 a year. A straight line explains 72% 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, Sudan had the 43rd 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sudan | 144,000 | 2020 |
| World | 27.41 million | 2020 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 1.73 million | 2020 |
| Low income | 2.92 million | 2020 |
Closest to Sudan in the 2020 ranking
- Philippines — 40th of 170: 157,000
- United Kingdom — 41st of 170: 153,000
- Greece — 42nd of 170: 147,000
- Ethiopia — 44th of 170: 138,000
- Malaysia — 45th of 170: 136,000
- Congo, Dem. Rep. — 46th of 170: 134,000
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 32 values
| Year | Armed forces personnel, total |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 144,000 |
| 2019 | 124,000 |
| 2018 | 124,300 |
| 2017 | 124,000 |
| 2016 | 124,300 |
| 2015 | 264,300 |
| 2014 | 264,300 |
| 2013 | 264,300 |
| 2012 | 264,300 |
| 2011 | 264,300 |
| 2010 |
Armed forces personnel, total in nearby economies
- Angola — 117,000 (2020)
- Benin — 12,000 (2020)
- Botswana — 9,000 (2020)
- Burkina Faso — 11,000 (2020)
- Burundi — 31,000 (2020)
- Cabo Verde — 1,000 (2020)
- Cameroon — 34,000 (2020)
- Central African Republic — 10,000 (2020)
- Chad — 45,000 (2020)
- Congo, Dem. Rep. — 134,000 (2020)
- Congo, Rep. — 12,000 (2020)
More public sector data for Sudan
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 57 million (2025)
- Military expenditure (current USD) — 369.44 million (2021)
- Military expenditure (current LCU) — 136.99 billion (2021)
- Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 0.93% (2021)
- Battle-related deaths (number of people) — 4,680 (2024)
- Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 1.34% (2020)
- Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) — 9.5% (2021)
- CPIA business regulatory environment rating (1=low to 6=high) — 2 (2025)
- CPIA debt policy rating (1=low to 6=high) — 1 (2025)
- CPIA economic management cluster average (1=low to 6=high)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Sudan's armed forces personnel, total?
- 144,000 in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1985?
- It is up 154.42% from 56,600 in 1985 (2.7% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 264,300 in 2011 and the lowest 56,600 in 1985.
- How does Sudan rank?
- 43rd highest of 170 economies with data for 2020.
- Is the latest change in armed forces personnel, total unusual for Sudan?
- In 2020, Sudan's armed forces personnel, total rose 16.1% on 2019 (from 124,000 to 144,000). Across the 28 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was +5% and a typical year strayed about 26.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
- 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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