Military Personnel as a Percentage of Population in Germany, 1987-2016

Germany’s military personnel percentage began at 0.7% in 1990, reflecting the post-reunification period when the newly unified nation maintained a large standing army. Over the next decade, however, military personnel reduced steadily, reaching 0.3% by 2007. This decline was in line with NATO realignment and Germany’s emphasis on economic growth and urban development.

The consistent 0.3% figure from 2011 onwards represents Germany’s shift to a professionalized and streamlined military force, alongside robust urbanization policies that reduced the focus on maintaining a large conscripted military force.