Colombia Military Size 1985-2024

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.
  • Colombia military size for 2020 was 428,000.00, a 11.02% decline from 2019.
  • Colombia military size for 2019 was 481,000.00, a 0.04% decline from 2018.
  • Colombia military size for 2018 was 481,200.00, a 0.04% increase from 2017.
  • Colombia military size for 2017 was 481,000.00, a 0.02% decline from 2016.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Number of People
China 2,535,000.00
Russia 1,454,000.00
Brazil 762,000.00
Iran 650,000.00
Turkey 512,000.00
Iraq 459,000.00
Thailand 455,000.00
Colombia 428,000.00
Venezuela 343,000.00
Mexico 341,000.00
Algeria 326,000.00
Belarus 158,000.00
Peru 158,000.00
Malaysia 136,000.00
Romania 128,000.00
Jordan 116,000.00
South Africa 89,000.00
Azerbaijan 82,000.00
Lebanon 80,000.00
Cuba 76,000.00
Kazakhstan 71,000.00
Dominican Republic 71,000.00
Turkmenistan 57,000.00
Armenia 47,000.00
Guatemala 43,000.00
Ecuador 42,000.00
Bulgaria 37,000.00
Serbia 32,000.00
Paraguay 29,000.00
Namibia 16,000.00
North Macedonia 16,000.00
Montenegro 12,000.00
Bosnia 11,000.00
Costa Rica 10,000.00
Botswana 9,000.00
Albania 8,000.00
Gabon 7,000.00
Jamaica 6,000.00
Fiji 4,000.00
Mauritius 3,000.00
Guyana 3,000.00
Suriname 2,000.00
Belize 2,000.00
Equatorial Guinea 1,000.00
Libya 0.00
Colombia Military Size - Historical Data
Year Number of People Annual % Change
2020 428,000.00 -11.02%
2019 481,000.00 -0.04%
2018 481,200.00 0.04%
2017 481,000.00 -0.02%
2016 481,100.00 0.00%
2015 481,100.00 5.56%
2014 455,750.00 0.00%
2013 455,750.00 3.53%
2012 440,224.00 0.00%
2011 440,224.00 -0.36%
2010 441,828.00 0.00%
2009 441,828.00 7.50%
2008 411,000.00 0.00%
2007 411,000.00 3.27%
2006 398,000.00 18.45%
2005 336,000.00 0.00%
2004 336,000.00 10.31%
2003 304,600.00 15.99%
2002 262,600.00 0.00%
2001 262,600.00 6.32%
2000 247,000.00 6.93%
1999 231,000.00 -0.99%
1998 233,300.00 0.00%
1997 233,300.00 0.00%
1996 233,300.00 -0.04%
1995 233,400.00 59.86%
1994 146,000.00 5.04%
1993 139,000.00 0.00%
1992 139,000.00 26.36%
1991 110,000.00 0.00%
1990 110,000.00 20.88%
1989 91,000.00 37.46%
1985 66,200.00 37.46%