| 1880 | 1890 | 1900 | 1910 | 1914 | |
| Britain | 650,000 | 679,000 | 1,065,000 | 2,174,000 | 2,714,000 |
| France | 271,000 | 319,000 | 499,000 | 725,000 | 900,000 |
| Russia | 200,000 | 180,000 | 383,000 | 401,000 | 679,000 |
| United States | 169,000 | 240,000 | 333,000 | 824,000 | 985,000 |
| Italy | 100,000 | 242,000 | 245,000 | 327,000 | 498,000 |
| Germany | 88,000 | 190,000 | 285,000 | 964,000 | 1,305,000 |
| Austria-Hungary | 60,000 | 66,000 | 87,000 | 210,000 | 372,000 |
| Japan | 15,000 | 41,000 | 187,000 | 496000 | 700,000 |
Source: Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers.