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.
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 35,00,000 | 39,10,000 | 37,55,000 | 29,45,000 | 29,45,000 | 29,93,000 | 29,93,000 | 29,93,000 | 28,43,000 | 26,95,000 | 26,95,000 | 26,95,000 | 25,35,000 | 25,35,000 |
| France | 5,50,000 | 3,89,400 | 3,59,000 | 3,41,967 | 3,32,250 | 3,25,600 | 3,18,400 | 3,12,350 | 3,06,350 | 3,06,100 | 3,07,000 | 3,04,800 | 3,04,000 | 3,04,000 |
| Russian Federation | 14,27,100 | 14,52,000 | 14,30,000 | 13,64,000 | 13,64,000 | 12,60,000 | 12,87,000 | 14,90,000 | 14,54,000 | 14,54,000 | 14,54,000 | 14,54,000 | 14,54,000 | |
| United Kingdom | 3,08,000 | 2,12,500 | 2,17,000 | 1,74,020 | 1,65,650 | 1,69,150 | 1,59,150 | 1,54,700 | 1,52,350 | 1,50,250 | 1,48,000 | 1,48,450 | 1,49,000 | 1,53,000 |
| United States of America | 21,80,000 | 14,54,800 | 15,46,000 | 15,69,417 | 15,20,100 | 14,92,200 | 14,33,150 | 13,81,250 | 13,47,300 | 13,48,400 | 13,59,000 | 13,79,800 | 13,88,000 | 13,95,000 |