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List of countries by size of armed forces 

Number of active troops per country
Number of active troops per country

This list of countries by size of armed forces displays national troop levels by active troop strength, number of Naval combatants, fighter aircraft and nuclear weapons. The list’s ranking however is based in the number of troops, not in the numbers of tanks, aircraft, ships or power of the armed forces. This list is indicative only, as strict comparisons cannot accurately be made. For example, "troop strength" in some forces might include administrative or paramilitary functions that in another country might be civilian roles and therefore excluded from the below figures.

Rank (by number of active troops) - Country Active troops
(thousands)
Reserve troops
(thousands)
Defense budget (US$ BN) Tanks AC Cr D F Co NS S Air Nu
-- Flag of World World 17,442 44,925 1,200.00 86,681 24 28 204 319 335 134 259 17,489 26,291
1. Flag of the People's Republic of China People's Republic of China ** 2,255[1] 800[2] 80[2] 7,580[2] 0 0 28 43 70 10 46 2,643[3] 400 [4]
2. Flag of the United States United States of America ** 1,380[5] 1,463 583.283 7,821[2] 12[2] 25 56 34 48 72[6] 6[7] 2,604[2] 9,200 [8]
3. Flag of India India ** 1,325[3] 1,155[3] 26.50[9] 5,220[2] 1[10] 0 8 13 32 0 16 1,242[3] 200-300[11]
4. Flag of Russia Russia ** 1,245[2] 1,690 40.00[12] 28,381[2] 1 7 20 18 66 35 49 2,118[2] 16,800[13]
5. Flag of North Korea Democratic People's Republic of Korea ** 1,106 4,700 5.00 3,500[3] 0 0 0 2 0 26 621 0-10 [14]
6. Flag of South Korea Republic of Korea 687 4,500 [15] 29.53 2,300[3] 0 0 6 12 24 0 11 388[16] 0
7. Flag of Pakistan Pakistan ** 610 518 5.20 2,451[3] 0 0 0 7[3] 5 0 5[17][18] 523 [19] 30-50 [20]
8. Flag of Iran Iran 545[21] 350[21] 6.30 1,800 0 0 0 4 3 0 13 214 0
9. Flag of Turkey Turkey 514 378 22.56 4,205 0 0 0 18 6 0 14 424 NATO shared
10. Flag of Burma Myanmar 492 - 0.03 800 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 128 0
11. Flag of Vietnam Vietnam 484 3,000 3.2 1,829 0 0 0 6 5 0 2 211 0
12. Flag of Egypt Egypt 450 254 3.30 3,680 0 0 0 10 0 0 4 567 0
13. Flag of Ukraine Ukraine 149 1,000 2.065 [22] 3784 [23] 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 351 0
14. Flag of Indonesia Indonesia 316 400 1.30 365 0 0 0 11 23 0 2 61 0
15. Flag of Thailand Thailand 314 200 1.77 790 1 0 0 12 5 0 0 184 0
16. Flag of Syria Syria 296 354 0.85 4,000 0 0 0 2 0 0 144 0
17. Flag of the Republic of China Republic of China (Taiwan) 290 1,657 10.5 926 0 0 4 21 0 4 390 0
18. Flag of Brazil Brazil 287 1,115 24.4 331 1 0 0 11 0 5 180 0
19. Flag of Germany Germany 285 338 45.00 2,408 0 0 0 15 3 0 12 243 NATO shared
20. Flag of France France ** 225 100 74.39 1,021 1 0 23 8 10 0 340 350 [24]
21. Flag of Colombia Colombia 960* 62 3.30 0 0 0 3 12 0 4 30 0
22. Flag of Italy Italy 240 68 42.80 1,180 2 0 4 15 8 0 10 385 NATO shared
23. Flag of Japan Japan 239 47 48.86 980[25] 0 0 44[26] 0[26] 0 0 16[26] 360[27]
24. Flag of Poland Poland 155 260 10.79 947 0 0 1 2 3 0 5 102 0
25. Flag of Algeria Algeria 230 150 4.99 1200 0 2 0 6 32 0 8 450 0
26. Flag of Eritrea Eritrea 202 250 0.22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 0
27. Flag of Morocco Morocco 196 150 3.72 744 0 0 0 3[28] 3[29] 0 156 0
28. Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom ** 195 233 68.911 1,175 3 0 8 17 22 13[30] 0 323 200 [24]
29. Flag of Mexico Mexico 192 300 6.07 435 0 2 2 4 0 0 0 107 0
30. Flag of Israel Israel # 187 425 9.44 3,650[31] 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 416[32] 70-400[33]
31. Flag of Ethiopia Ethiopia 182 0.29 400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 48 0
32. Flag of Spain Spain 177 329 12.30 552 1 0 0 11 0 0 4 181 0
33. Flag of Greece Greece 177 58 7.64 867 0 0 0 14 4 0 8 254 NATO shared
34. Flag of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 157 0.60 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 32 0
35. Flag of Switzerland Switzerland 140 80 2.54 556 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 138 0
36. Flag of Bangladesh Bangladesh 137 0.83 180[2] 0 0 0 5 0 0 125 0
37. Flag of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan 126 575 2[34] 600+ 0 1 0 198 0
38. Flag of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 124 75 27.20 1055[35] 0 0 0 7 0 0 291 0
39. Flag of Sudan Sudan 117 0.58 200 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 42 0
40. Flag of the Philippines Philippines 113 403 1.34 126 0 0 1 13 0 0 43 0
41. Flag of Malaysia Malaysia 110 1.69 0 0 0 4 4 0 1 93 0
42. Flag of Peru Peru 110 188 0.82 300 0 1 1 8 0 6 0
43. Flag of Jordan Jordan 100 35 1.39 1,179 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 101 0
44. Flag of Angola Angola 100 2.00 300 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 65 0
45. Flag of Venezuela Venezuela 100 280 4.00 0 0 0 6 0 2 76 0
46. Flag of Romania Romania 93 2.90 340 0 0 0 3 4 0 1 48 0
47. Flag of Nepal Nepal 90 0.10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
48. Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo 83 0.103 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
49. Flag of Chile Chile 80 50 5.19 320 0 0 0 7 7 0 4 58 0
50. Flag of Belarus Belarus 79 289 0.42 1,608 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 212 0
51. Flag of Nigeria Nigeria 78 0.73 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
52. Flag of Libya Libya 76 1.30 0 0 0 0 0
53. Flag of Serbia Serbia 75 200 1.4 243 0 0 0 0 40 0
54. Flag of Cambodia Cambodia 124 0.11 0 0 0 0 0
55. Flag of Lebanon Lebanon 72 0.54 310 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
56. Flag of Argentina Argentina 71 4.30 200 0 0 1 4 9 0 3 66 0
57. Flag of Afghanistan Afghanistan 70 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
58. Flag of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 65 1,266 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 181 0
59. Flag of Yemen Yemen 40 1,250 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 463 0
60. Flag of Canada Canada 62[36] 25[36] 18.00 166 0 0 3 12 0 4 138 NATO shared
61. Flag of Rwanda Rwanda 61
62. Flag of Armenia Armenia 60 32 0.495[37] 110 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 0
63. Flag of South Africa South Africa 60 3.70 168 0 0 0 4 0 2 43 0
64. Flag of Singapore Singapore 60 312 100 0 0 0 6 6 0 4 119 0
65. Flag of Uganda Uganda 60 0.10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
66. Flag of Ecuador Ecuador 59 100 0.91 140 0 0 0 2 6 0 2 0
67. Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic 57 2.17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 0
68. Flag of Australia Australia 54 20 23.18 210 0 0 0 13 0 0 6 160 0
69. Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands 53 32 10.8 88 0 0 0 5 0 0 4 90 NATO shared
70. Flag of Uzbekistan Uzbekistan 53 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
71.= Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria 51 303 1.0 560 0 0 0 5 3 0 1 88 0
71.= Flag of Croatia Croatia 51 1.14 200 0 0 0 0 6 0 1 24 0
73. Flag of the United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 50 436 0 0 0 0 0 80 0
74. Flag of Cuba Cuba 46 12 0.20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 110 0
75. Flag of Portugal Portugal 45 100 0 0 0 5 7 0 2 40 0
76. Flag of Oman Oman 42 35 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
77. Flag of Belgium Belgium 41 4.00 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 68 NATO shared
78. Flag of Burundi Burundi 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
79. Flag of Finland Finland 37 485 9.80 124 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 63 0
80. Flag of Tunisia Tunisia 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 56 0
81. Flag of Austria Austria 34 233 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 0
82. Flag of Sweden Sweden 34 262 6.70 160 0 0 0 0 11 0 5 138 0
83. Flag of Hungary Hungary 33 1.35 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 0
84. Flag of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 32 0 0 0 0 0 0
85. Flag of Bolivia Bolivia 32 40 0.147 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 0
86. Flag of Guatemala Guatemala 31 35 0.12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
87. Flag of Chad Chad 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
88. Flag of Laos Laos 29 0 0 0 0 0 0
89. Flag of Norway Norway 28 219 6.2[38] 136 0 0 0 3 0 6 57 0
90. Flag of Tanzania Tanzania 27 96 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
91. Flag of Slovakia Slovakia 26 487 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
92. Flag of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
93. Flag of the Dominican Republic Dominican Republic 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
94. Flag of Kenya Kenya 24 76 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
95. Flag of Uruguay Uruguay 24 0.25 85 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 28 0
96. Flag of Cameroon Cameroon 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
97. Flag of Denmark Denmark 23 65 2.50 57 0 0 2 4 3 0 48 0
98. Flag of Zambia Zambia 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
99. Flag of Albania Albania 20 0 0.056 435 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
100. Flag of Paraguay Paraguay 19 15 0.125 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Contents

See also

Note

  • * - Estimated combined number
  • ** - Declared nuclear weapon state.
  • # - Neither confirms nor denies possession of nuclear weapons.
  • AC/LPH - Aircraft Carriers/Landing Platform Helicopter
  • Cr - Cruisers
  • D - Destroyers
  • F - Frigates
  • Co - Corvettes
  • NS - Nuclear submarines
  • S - Conventional submarines

References

  1. ^ China: National Security
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k The Asian Conventional Military Balance in 2006 Retrieved on 03-27-08
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h The Asian Conventional Military Balance in 2006 II Retrieved on 03-27-08
  4. ^ Nuclear Stockpiles: P.R. China, warheads and megatonnage, various estimates
  5. ^ http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/MILITARY/rg0708.pdf
  6. ^ Nuclear Submarines Worldwide: Current force structure and future developments - Bellona.org
  7. ^ http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/ Hazegray.org]
  8. ^ Nuclear Stockpiles: United States, warheads and megatonnage, various estimates
  9. ^ India's defence budget rises, but problems remain | Business | Reuters
  10. ^ R 22 Viraat
  11. ^ NationMaster - Indian Military statistics
  12. ^ [1]
  13. ^ Nuclear Stockpiles: USSR/Russia, warheads, various estimates
  14. ^ NationMaster - Korean Military statistics
  15. ^ South Korea: NATIONAL SECURITY
  16. ^ ROK Air Force Equipment
  17. ^ Pakistan Current Capabilities
  18. ^ Last of three Agosta 90B submarines for Pakistan, launched[August 10 2007]
  19. ^ [2]
  20. ^ NationMaster - Pakistani Military statistics
  21. ^ a b "Iranian Armed Forces, CSIS (Page 7)" (2006-07-25). 
  22. ^ Ukrainian Armed Forces White Book
  23. ^ IISS Military Balance 2007, Routledge for the IISS, London, p.176-77
  24. ^ a b Nuclear Stockpiles: United Kingdom and France, warheads and megatonnage, various estimates
  25. ^ Ground Self-Defense Forces
  26. ^ a b c Japanese Warships
  27. ^ Aircraft of the Japan Air Self Defence Force
  28. ^ Haze Gray & Underway: World Navies Today
  29. ^ Le Maroc opte pour des corvettes néerlandaises
  30. ^ Submarine Service : Operations and Support : Royal Navy
  31. ^ Army Equipment - Israel
  32. ^ IAF Equipment - Israel
  33. ^ Federation of American Scientists - Estimates of Israeli nuclear warheads
  34. ^ Azerbaijan announces rise in army spending
  35. ^ Saudi Arabia: NATIONAL SECURITY
  36. ^ a b Department of National Defence (August 2007). "About DND/CF". Retrieved on 2008-08-19.
  37. ^ http://www.asbarez.com/index?showarticle=35442_9/29/2008_1
  38. ^ According to the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, the 2008 budget was NOK 31.5 billion, as of July 2008 equal to USD 6.2 billion. [3]

External links