Which countries send the most personnel to United Nations peacekeeping missions? The answer may surprise you. Some of the world's largest contributors are not its biggest military powers.
According to the UN Peace & Security Data Hub, Nepal leads with 4,285 uniformed personnel, narrowly ahead of India with 4,260. Rwanda follows in third place with 4,016, while Bangladesh ranks fourth with 4,003.
As of July 31, 2026, 114 countries contributed a combined 44,819 uniformed personnel to UN missions. Asian and African countries dominate the leading positions, providing much of the manpower behind these international operations.
Source: UN Peace & Security Data Hub, July 31, 2026.
UN Peacekeeping Contributors by Country: 2026 Rankings
The competition at the top is remarkably close. Just 25 personnel separate Nepal and India, while Rwanda leads fourth-placed Bangladesh by only 13.
Pakistan completes the top five with 2,085 personnel. Indonesia, Ghana, China, Morocco, and Egypt round out the top ten.
Together, these ten countries provide 26,552 uniformed personnel, accounting for 59.2% of the total recorded in the dataset.
The searchable table below shows the complete ranking of 114 contributing countries, ordered by their reported uniformed personnel.
Note: Figures represent personnel deployed to UN missions as of July 31, 2026, not cumulative contributions throughout the year.
Key Findings From the UN Peacekeeping Rankings
1. Four of the Top Five Contributors Are From South Asia
South Asia has a particularly strong presence in UN peacekeeping.
Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan occupy four of the world's top five positions, with Rwanda being the only country outside the region in that group.
Together, these four South Asian countries contribute 14,633 uniformed personnel, representing approximately 32.6% of the dataset's total.
Their combined contribution highlights how important South Asian personnel are to UN missions, even though the region's countries differ considerably in population and military size.
2. Rwanda Leads Africa's Peacekeeping Contributions
Rwanda is the largest African contributor, ranking third globally with 4,016 personnel.
Three other African countries also appear among the top ten:
- 🇬🇠Ghana: 1,929 personnel (7th)
- 🇲🇦 Morocco: 1,332 personnel (9th)
- 🇪🇬 Egypt: 1,019 personnel (10th)
Including Rwanda, these four countries contribute 8,296 personnel, or approximately 18.5% of the total.
Africa's strong representation in the rankings reflects the substantial personnel commitments made by several countries across the continent.
3. Just 10 Countries Provide Nearly 60% of Personnel
Although 114 countries contribute uniformed personnel, deployments are heavily concentrated among the largest contributors.
The top ten account for 59.2% of all personnel, while the four leading countries alone provide 16,564 personnel—approximately 37% of the total.
That leaves the other 104 contributing countries accounting for around 40.8%.
Worth noting: These rankings measure deployed uniformed personnel, not military strength or financial support. A country with fewer personnel may still contribute specialist officers, police, or other essential expertise.
What Do UN Peacekeepers Actually Do?
UN peacekeepers help maintain security and support peace efforts in areas affected by conflict.
Depending on their mission's mandate, their responsibilities may include:
- Protecting civilians in conflict-affected areas.
- Monitoring ceasefires and supporting peace agreements.
- Supporting peace processes and efforts to restore stability.
Peacekeeping personnel include military troops, police officers, military experts, and staff officers. Their work varies according to the needs and mandates of individual UN missions.
Methodology & Data Source
This analysis uses the United Nations Peace & Security Data Hub's Latest Uniformed Personnel Contribution by Country dataset (DPO-UCLATEST).
- Source: United Nations Department of Peace Operations.
- Reference date: July 31, 2026.
- Coverage: 114 contributing countries and 44,819 uniformed personnel in the analyzed dataset.
- Ranking method: Countries ranked by total deployed uniformed personnel, including military troops, police, military experts, and staff officers.
- Data scope: UN missions, including certain operations beyond traditional peacekeeping missions.
The figures represent deployments reported on a specific date, not annual totals. Country contributions may change as missions and deployment commitments evolve.
Official Source: UN Peace & Security Data Hub — Latest Uniformed Personnel Contribution by Country
Data compiled, analyzed, and visualized by The Data Visual.
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