Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force in El Salvador
El Salvador: Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force was 1.6% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force in El Salvador, 1990–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
El Salvador recorded 1.6% for armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.3% on the previous year and up 23.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force in El Salvador peaked at 3.0% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 2004.
El Salvador ranks 39th of 171 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.8% | — |
| 1991 | 3.0% | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 2.4% | -20.0% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | -3.3% |
| 1994 | 1.4% | -40.8% |
| 1995 | 1.8% | +27.9% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | +5.7% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 1.6% | -13.8% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | -21.5% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | -7.5% |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -44.5% |
| 2005 | 0.7% | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | +72.9% |
| 2007 | 1.4% | +15.9% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 1.3% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 1.3% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 1.6% | +29.2% |
| 2015 | 1.6% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 1.6% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | +5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.1% | 1.4% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.6% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More work & labour data for El Salvador
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.8531 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.8121 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.893 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.72 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2563 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,984 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,013 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,591 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,482 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,073 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force in El Salvador?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force in El Salvador was 1.6% in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 1991.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 2004.
- How does El Salvador rank for armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force?
- El Salvador ranks 39th out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel as a share of the total labor force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.