These 30+ Countries Have The Strongest Militaries In The World – Find Out Which Nations Made The List
Get ready for a spirited rivalry as we embark on a quest to determine the world's preeminent military superpower! Instead of engaging in conflict, we'll assess key factors such as soldier count, technological advancement, and budget size using data from sources like Global Fire Power, The Credit Suisse Report, and Nation Master. Brace yourself for an enlightening journey to crown the ultimate military powerhouse! Ready to get started? Let's dive in!
Read on to learn more, and leave a comment if you learned something new!
Algeria
Algeria features a population of just over 40 million people with a military of just under 800,000 people. The country's active military is 130,000 strong with the rest of the military serving in reserve roles.
Algeria is home to combat fighter planes and attack helicopters. The country focuses much of its efforts on ground support including combat tanks which are supported by armored fighting vehicles and both ground-to-ground and ground-to-air support. Algeria doesn't operate any aircraft carriers and focuses on four submarines and eight corvette warships.
Argentina
The country of Argentina is home to nearly 44 million people but only 72,000 active military personnel support the country's programs.
The country features fighter jets and a small group of other attack aircraft alongside five attack helicopters. More robust is the country's ground support which includes combat tanks, armored fighting vehicles, rocket projectors, and both self-propelled and towed artillery. Argentina is also home to a small number of navy support vehicles including destroyers, patrol craft, nine corvettes, and three submarines.
Australia
Fun fact: in the 1930s, the Australian military waged war on the emu population of West Australia and lost. But despite this embarrassment, Australia has one of the strongest militaries in the world today.
Australia and the United States are similar in size, yet Australia's military is comparatively tiny. In fact, the country has just 58,000 active members and an additional 30,000 left in reserve along with air vehicles, tanks, and ships ready for battle. In many areas, Australia's military is much weaker than other countries, but thanks to the land down under's attack helicopters and submarines, it gets high rankings.
Brazil
The country of Brazil features a population of nearly 206 million people with a reserve army made up of 1.3 million personnel. The country's armed forces offer an active population of just 366,000 which is comparably small based on the population of the country.
While the active military size in Brazil is small, the country is home to an array of fighter aircraft that operate alongside attack helicopters and numerous general transport vessels. Military personnel is also responsible for maintaining a fleet of combat tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and rocket projectors. Brazil maintains a single aircraft carrier, seven submarines, and five corvette warships.
Canada
Although Canada is considerably larger than the United States in terms of land mass, the country has just 1/10th of the population. And of the 36 million people who live in Canada, just 67,000 are active military personnel. But despite those numbers, Canada ranks among the strongest militaries in the world.
In addition to having 107,000 total military personnel, they have air crafts, tanks, and submarines. Despite its powerful tools and technologies, Canada takes a peaceful approach. In fact, the country was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988 in recognition of its efforts over the years to help restore peace to war-torn countries.
China
With a staggering 2.2 million active personnel and 1.2 million in reserve, China has the world's largest military. China can also boast about having one of the largest military budgets in the world too on top of around 3000 air vehicles, 9000 tanks, and 700 naval vehicles at one point.
Czech Republic
With 10.6 million people in the country, the Czech Republic features a very small military with only 21,750 part of the area's active military.
The Czech Republic features a small number of fighter jets, attack helicopters, and air support vehicles which are maintained by a handful of military employees. Most of the country's efforts are focused on combat tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and self-propelled and towed artillery. This landlocked country which is positioned between Germany and Slovakia does not have a navy force.
Egypt
Egypt's military is one of the oldest and largest armed forces in the world, so it's not surprising it is also one of the strongest.
Egypt's military is made up of more than 438,000 active soldiers and 479,000 in reserve. The country also includes naval vehicles, tanks, and airplanes. This, coupled with the substantial financial aid from the United States, has helped Egypt win numerous wars and protect its borders in recent years.
France
The nation of France has been at war nearly since the beginning of time. They have been involved in nearly every international conflict for over several thousand years. The nation went through some changes since World War II but they are currently back on their feet again and have been so for some time.
You can look in nearly every history book about France and see that it has been involved in numerous wars. Sometimes these wars were to defend themselves and sometimes they tried to conquer other nations. They have 208,000 soldiers that are active and 141,000 in reserve.
Germany
In 1940, Germany had more than 3.5 million men along with thousands of tanks and artillery available to carry out attacks. But these numbers dwindled after the world wars and in 1955, the modern German military, also known as Bundeswehr, was created.
While the numbers aren't quite as stark today, Germany is still considered one of the strongest and most well-equipped groups in the world. The country has more than 183,000 active personnel, tanks, air crafts, and submarines. In recent years, the German military has actually been working to reduce its size. The country no longer requires men to join the army when they turn 18 and has adopted a volunteer-style similar to the United States.
Greece
Despite its population of less than 11 million, Greece maintains a significant military force with a total of 368,050 personnel, including 142,700 serving in active duty.
The Greek military possesses fighter and attack aircraft, along with attack helicopters, transport aircraft, and trainers. Ground support is a key aspect, with battle tanks, armored vehicles, and a range of self-propelled and towed artillery and rocket projectors. While Greece does not operate aircraft carriers, it maintains submarines for regional defense.
India
India is the seventh-largest country in the world, so one would think that India has a large military. This should come as no surprise since the population of India is 1,251,695,584.
Out of those billions of people, there are 1,455,000 active soldiers and 1,155,000 reserve military personnel.
Iran
There are nearly 83 million people living in Iran and the country has a relatively large military with 610,000 active members.
Over the past several decades Iran has built a rather robust military that includes fighter planes, attack helicopters, and trainer aircraft. The country is also home to combat tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and towed artillery. While Iran has an active Navy, the country lacks aircraft carriers and instead relies on submarines, mine warfare vessels, patrol craft, and corvette warships. Concerns over the growth of the Iranian military have been a regular topic of discussion among world leaders.
Italy
Italy is one of the most recognizable countries on a map. We all know that the geography of Italy is that of a peninsula, and it has a very distinct shape that looks like a boot. Italy is on the southern end of the Mediterranean and it has a border on the northern end by France, Austria, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Italy also has another nation within its borders which is known as the Vatican City. The Vatican City has its own separate military.
Italy has 165,000 active soldiers and 18,000 in reserve.
Japan
Japan is known for its role in World War II. It has the distinction of having what is known as a Self-Defense Force, which means that Japan can fight any nation no matter what the circumstances are.
Japan has 247,000 soldiers that are active and 56,000 that are in reserve.
Malaysia
The population of Malaysia is nearly 31 million and the military force includes 113,000 active personnel and 51,000 reserve personnel. Malaysia maintained a small fleet of fighter jets and a handful of attack helicopters which are assisted by a limited amount of air support and trainer aircraft.
The country is more focused on combat tanks and armored fighting vehicles alongside towed artillery and rocket projectors. Malaysia doesn't operate any aircraft carriers but is supported by sea thanks to a handful of frigates, four corvettes, two submarines, patrol craft, and mine warfare vessels.
Mexico
Despite Mexico's population of nearly 124 million people, the country's military is relatively small with only 216,000 active personnel and 81,500 reserve members.
Mexico features fighter jets and a handful of other attack fighters. The country is focused on transport aircraft and it also lacked attack helicopters. Mexico's army is comprised of combat tanks and only a handful of armored fighting vehicles. The country does operate some towed and self-propelled artillery. While Mexico does not own an aircraft carrier, the country's military is responsible for operating and maintaining frigates, mine warfare vessels, patrol craft, and seven corvettes warships.
Myanmar
With a population of nearly 57 million the country of Myanmar has a relatively small military with 406,000 active personnel.
In terms of air power, Myanmar features fighter jets, various attack aircraft, attack helicopters, and support transports. The country's ground support is much stronger with combat tanks, armored fighting vehicles and a larger number of self-propelled and towed artillery options. The country also offers rocket projectors which are lacking even in some military powers that are ranked higher than the country's own armed forces.
Netherlands
With a population of just 17 million residents, the Netherlands military includes 35,000 active personnel and 4,500 reservists.
With this sized military force, the country is able to maintain a small number of fighter jets, attack aircraft, attack helicopters, and support transport. The country's military features battle tanks and relies on armored fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery for much of its ground support.
North Korea
At any given time 1,280,000 active military personnel are working for the North Korean government.
North Korea's capabilities keep growing with the recent realization that the country has developed nuclear capabilities. The country is home to fighter jets, and a handful of attack helicopters, and other forms of air power. The country also operates combat tanks and utilizes self-propelled artillery, and rocket projectors, among other technologies. North Korea features a growing Navy but lacks aircraft carrier technology, although it does feature frigates and submarines. The country's annual budget is unknown but is believed to be an astounding 22% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
Norway
With just over five million people in the country of Norway, the area features a small military with just 23,000 active employees and 40,000 waiting in the reserves.
While the country is small they do operate fighter jets that operate alongside a small subset of attack aircraft, and transport systems. The country does not operate any attack helicopters. The country's focus on its land support includes combat tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and some self-propelled and towed artillery. Norway's small navy includes frigate support, mine warfare vessels, and patrol craft and support for submarines.
Pakistan
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has one of the largest military forces in the region. The military is made up of 654,000 active soldiers and 550,000 in reserve, along with a variety of tools and technologies including air vehicles, ships, and tanks.
Pakistan's army differs from other armies in the world in lots of ways. The Pakistani military thinks independently of its government, leaders, and citizens, meaning it essentially functions as its own country.
Peru
With a population of only 30 million, Peru maintains a sizable military force: 81,000 active personnel and 188,000 reservists. It possesses a robust air force, including fighter jets, attack helicopters, and aircraft, as well as ground support with tanks, artillery, and rocket projectors. Their naval fleet comprises frigates, patrol craft, corvettes, and submarines.
Russia
Russia's military has been ranked as the second-most powerful in the world. In the last few years alone, Russia has beefed up its military efforts, particularly when it comes to nuclear war. It is believed that Russia has more than 7,300 nuclear weapons, surpassing the United States' 6,970 nuclear weapons. Although it looks like the chances of a nuclear conflict between Russia and the United States are slim, both countries are continuing to expand their nuclear forces.
When it comes to land mass, Russia is the largest country in the world, spanning nine time zones—so it's not surprising that the Russian army has 1,154,000 members that are active and 2,000,000 that are in reserve. Beyond nuclear weapons, the country's military has numerous powerful tools and technologies, including air vehicles, tanks, and ships.
Spain
There are nearly 49 million people living in Spain but this friendly country has not built up the military strength of some countries with smaller populations. There are only 211,000 military personnel of which 120,000 serve in active full-time roles.
Spain has a small air force that features fighter and attack jets along with attack helicopters, and transport aircraft. The country also operates combat tanks along with armored fighting vehicles, and self-propelled and towed artillery. Its navy also features mine warfare vessels and frigates.
Sweden
Sweden is a neutral country with a population of just 10 million people. With the support of allies around the world, the country has not placed an active emphasis on its military which features just 43,875 personnel of which 21,875 are active in the country's armed forces.
Sweden's military is mostly air focused with 138 fighter jets and attack helicopters that are supported by a small amount of air transport vehicles. The country also features a small group of 160 combat tanks and armored fighting vehicles but is not supported by towed or self-propelled artillery. Sweden's navy doesn't include any aircraft carriers but the country does operate a submarine division with five subs. Also featured in Sweden's navy is nine corvettes. Sweden's armed forces budget is $6.7 billion.
Switzerland
The country is home to 8.2 million people, and only 19,000 serve in the country's active military. An additional 196,000 people are part of the country's military reserves.
The Swiss maintain a small airborne military that does not include any attack helicopters. The Swiss army is mostly comprised of combat tanks and a larger number of armored fighting vehicles.
Taiwan
Taiwan boasts 163,000 active soldiers and a reserve force of 1,657,000, accompanied by an impressive arsenal including around 800 air vehicles, 100 naval ships, and 2,000 tanks.
Rigorous military training programs challenge trainees, like the demanding "Road to Heaven" test where Marine Corps crawl 50 meters over jagged coral.
Thailand
Located in the middle of the Indochinese peninsula, Thailand is broken up into several small islands as well as a large number of provinces.
Thailand's armed forces have more than 360,000 full-time personnel plus thousands of more reservists along with tanks, aircraft vehicles, and sea vessels. In recent years, Thailand's military has taken part in a number of international peacekeeping missions such as Iraq and East Timor. The country also plans to send nearly 1,000 troops to help citizens in Darfur and Sudan.
Turkey
Located above the nation of Lebanon, the nation of Turkey is rich in history and in war. Today, the country's military is one of the strongest in the world. Turkey has been involved in combat in recent years with the Syrian Opposition and Iraq, which continues even today. Their military is comprised of 355,000 active soldiers and 378,000 on reserve.
Turkey has specific rules about joining the military. Joining the military is mandatory for all Turkish males between 20 and 41 years old unless you are handicapped or mentally ill. Those who wish to go to college can postpone their service but still have to complete a military program once they have received their degree.
Vietnam
Vietnam is a massive country that is home to 95.2 million people. The country's active military personnel total 5 million people with nearly 500,000 active men and women serving in the country's various military branches.
The country's military features fighter jets and a handful of attack helicopters. Vietnam is also home to combat tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Throw in a labor force of nearly 55 million people and the country's ability to scale during wartime is impressive.
United Kingdom
The British Army is one of the most powerful in the world. From the Spanish Armada to the Nazi Luftwaffe, it has existed for centuries in order to defend the kingdom from threats.
King Charles not only serves as the King of the United Kingdom, but he is also the Commander in Chief of the nation and has the Secretary of State for Defense who advises him on military matters. Currently, the United Kingdom has 196,000 active soldiers and 78,000 in reserve.
The United States of America
It may come as no surprise, but the United States of America is ranked as the strongest military in the world. The U.S. military budget is bigger than any other country's military budget at $581 billion dollars per year.
The United States currently has a population of 321,368,864. The US has 1,328,000 soldiers that are active and 744,000 are that are in reserve.
