Ever wondered how your country would fare in a major standoff? Now you can know for sure. Global Firepower uses over 50 individual factors to determine a given nation's PowerIndex* score, with categories ranging from military might and financials to logistical capability and geography. We compiled the top 50 most powerful armies in the world, along with some fascinating facts and trivia about each one.
*A PowerIndex perfect score is 0.
50. Iraq
PowerIndex: 0.7911
Population: 40,194,216
Active personnel: 165,000
Military budget: $1,730,000,000 USD
Even more interesting that Iraq’s defense spending is where the funding comes from; since 2014, the US has provided the Iraqi army with over $25 billion in training and equipment.
Photo by Levi Clancy on Unsplash Sinjar, Iraq
49. Denmark
PowerIndex: 0.7878
Population: 5,809,502
Active personnel: 16,000
Military budget: $4,760,000,000 USD
Denmark’s military motto is “Some things are worth fighting for.” We assume one of them is Denmark, though the country has been involved in a number of international efforts steadily since 2002.
Image by Copenhagen, capital of Denmark
48. Philippines
PowerIndex: 0.7852
Population: 105,893,381
Active personnel: 125,000
Military budget: $3,470,000,000 USD
This beautiful country with its amazing food and welcoming people has one of the most powerful militaries in the world. Its motto is “Serving the people. Securing the land.”
Photo by Luca Bucken on Unsplash Manila, capital of the Philippines
47. Chile
PowerIndex: 0.7668
Population: 17,925,262
Active personnel: 77,000
Military budget: $4,250,000,000 USD
The red and grey banners of the Chilean army flies the motto, “Always victorious, never defeated.” About a fifth of its active personnel are conscripts doing mandatory military service for a set amount of time.
Photo by Alvaro Reyes on Unsplash Santiago, Chile
46. Bangladesh
PowerIndex: 0.7066
Population: 159,453,001
Active personnel: 160,000
Military budget: $3,800,000,000 USD
The Bangladeshi army’s motto is “In war, in peace, we are everywhere for our country.” It’s one of the youngest armies on this list; it emerged in 1971, during the war to liberate Bangladesh from Pakistan’s rule.
Photo by suyab ahmed on Unsplash Sylhet, Bangladesh
45. United Arab Emirates
PowerIndex: 0.7265
Population: 9,701,315
Active personnel: 64,000
Aircraft strength: 538
Combat tanks: 434
Naval assets: 75
Military budget: $22,755,000,000
Despite having such small numbers in terms of manpower, the UAE armed forces have proved so effective in various international and local military campaigns that they’ve earned themselves a nickname, “Little Sparta.” They might be small, but they’re formidable.
Photo by Arsalan Cheema on Unsplash Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
44. Malaysia
PowerIndex: 0.6523
Population: 31,809,660
Active personnel: 110,000
Aircraft strength: 170
Combat tanks: 74
Naval assets: 61
Military budget: $4,000,000,000
The Malaysian army’s motto is “Strong and loyal.” I was formed through the unification of smaller forces after the cessation of British colonial rule in 1957.
Photo by CK Yeo on Unsplash Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
43. Argentina
PowerIndex: 0.6521
Population: 44,694,198
Active personnel: 83,515
Aircraft strength: 227
Combat tanks: 370
Naval assets: 49
Military budget: $4,200,000,000
“Born with the fatherland in 1810” -- the Argentinian army’s motto is educational, if not very inspiring.
Photo by Andrea Leopardi on Unsplash Buenos Aires, Argentina
42. Nigeria
PowerIndex: 0.7007
Population: 203,452,505
Active personnel: 120,000
Aircraft strength: 129
Combat tanks: 253
Naval assets: 75
Military budget: $2,155,000,000
The Nigerian army’s motto is “Victory is from God alone.”
Photo by Ovinuchi Ejiohuo on Unsplash Total Jikwoyi, Abuja, Nigeria
41. Venezuela
PowerIndex: 0.6449
Population: 31,689,176
Active personnel: 343,000
Aircraft strength: 260
Combat tanks: 390
Naval assets: 49
Military budget: $745,000,000
The official colors of the Venezuelan army are red and blue, and its motto is “Forger of liberties.” Venezuela is one of the 12 countries in the world that have compulsory military service.
Photo by Jose Gil on Unsplash Merida, Venezuela
40. Peru
PowerIndex: 0.6841
Population: 31,331,228
Active personnel: 90,000
Aircraft strength: 273
Combat tanks: 146
Naval assets: 60
Military budget: $2,560,000,000
The Peruvian army’s motto would make a great name for an action movie: “Until the last cartridge has been fired.”
Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash Lima, Peru
39. Romania
PowerIndex: 0.6461
Population: 21,457,116
Active personnel: 70,000
Aircraft strength: 143
Combat tanks: 943
Naval assets: 48
Military budget: $5,050,000,000
Photo by CALIN STAN on Unsplash The Carpathian Mountains of Romania
38. Mexico
PowerIndex: 0.5574
Population: 125,959,205
Active personnel: 277,000
Aircraft strength: 484
Combat tanks: 0
Naval assets: 189
Military budget: $7,000,000,000
Mexico’s army motto is a simple, “Always loyal,” and much of their attention is focused on eliminating their rivals, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, which boasts even larger numbers than they do, with around 300,000 members.
Photo by Jezael Melgoza on Unsplash San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
37. Colombia
PowerIndex: 0.6045
Population: 48,168,996
Active personnel: 295,000
Aircraft strength: 469
Combat tanks: 0
Naval assets: 453
Military budget: $10,600,000,000
The National Army of Colombia champions “Homeland, honor, loyalty.” In terms of pure manpower, it’s the largest army in the Americas after the US and Brazil.
Photo by Daniel Vargas on Unsplash Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
36. The Netherlands
PowerIndex: 0.5919
Population: 17,151,228
Active personnel: 35,500
Aircraft strength: 168
Combat tanks: 18
Naval assets: 63
Military budget: $12,419,000,000
The Royal Netherlands army dates back to the creation of one of the first standing armies in the world, in 1572. Since WWII they have been engaged primarily in peace-keeping missions abroad.
Image by Oh, Amsterdam!
35. Myanmar
PowerIndex: 0.5691
Population: 55,622,506
Active personnel: 406,000
Aircraft strength: 276
Combat tanks: 434
Naval assets: 187
Military budget: $2,650,000,000
The Myanmar military doesn’t have its own slogan, but the country as a whole does have a motto, “Happiness through harmony.” It stands to reason that the purpose behind having one of the world’s most powerful armies in to maintain that harmony.
Photo by Harish Shivaraman on Unsplash Sule Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
34. Czech Republic
PowerIndex: 0.5531
Population: 10,686,269
Active personnel: 25,000
Aircraft strength: 95
Combat tanks: 116
Naval assets: 0
Military budget: $2,969,000,000
The Army of the Czech Republic is the youngest on this list, beginning in its current form in 1994. It used to be one of the few countries in the world with compulsory military service, but abolished conscription in 2004.
Image by Prague, capital of the Czech Republic
33. Greece
PowerIndex: 0.5311
Population: 10,761,523
Active personnel: 200,000
Aircraft strength: 566
Combat tanks: 1,355
Naval assets: 116
Military budget: $4,844,000,000
The motto of the Hellenic Army is “Freedom stems from valor.” The line comes from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War in 411BC, a reminder that the Greek military has been around for a long, long time.
Photo by Jonathan Gallegos on Unsplash Santorini, Greece, at sunset
32. Sweden
PowerIndex: 0.5304
Population: 10,040,995
Active personnel: 30,000
Aircraft strength: 204
Combat tanks: 126
Naval assets: 63
Military budget: $6,326,923,600
An interesting bit of history of the Swedish Armed Forces is that after WWI they downsized their military drastically, perhaps optimistically assuming that they were home free when it came to any more major world wars. Yeah, not so much; when WWII came around, they scrambled to rearm themselves in time to defend the country.
Photo by Jon Flobrant on Unsplash Södermalm, Stockholm, Sweden
31. Norway
PowerIndex: 0.6103
Population: 5,372,191
Active personnel: 24,000
Aircraft strength: 150
Combat tanks: 52
Naval assets: 62
Military budget: $7,179,000,000
“For peace and freedom” is Norway’s military motto.
Photo by Lukas on Unsplash Ballstad, Norway
30. Switzerland
PowerIndex: 0.5459
Population: 8,292,809
Active personnel: 21,000
Aircraft strength: 169
Combat tanks: 326
Naval assets: 0
Military budget: $5,000,000,000
With a strong reputation for peace, it might come as a surprise that the Swiss have one of the most powerful militaries. Its motto is “Honor, unity, modesty,” which seems to fit the bill in this case.
Image by TeeFarm from Pixabay Just one of Switzerland's many priceless views
29. South Africa
PowerIndex: 0.5405
Population: 55,380,210
Active personnel: 66,300
Aircraft strength: 226
Combat tanks: 195
Naval assets: 30
Military budget: $4,278,000,000
The green-and-black-clad soldiers of the South African armed forces are called “Wielders of the sword,” though these days they’re carrying more technologically advanced weaponry. That helps them rank among the world's most powerful armies.
Photo by KYLE CUT MEDIA on Unsplash Clifton Beach, Cape Town, South Africa
28. Algeria
PowerIndex: 0.4659
Population: 41,657,488
Active personnel: 130,000
Aircraft strength: 551
Combat tanks: 880
Naval assets: 201
Military budget: $13,000,000,000
The Algerian army formed in 1962, after the liberation war, making it one of the youngest armies on this list. For that reason, it’s even more impressive that it’s already one of the most powerful armies in the world.
Photo by Daoud Abismail on Unsplash Alger Centre, Algeria
27. Ukraine
PowerIndex: 0.4457
Population: 43,952,299
Active personnel: 255,000
Aircraft strength: 297
Combat tanks: 2,026
Naval assets: 25
Military budget: $5,400,000,000
Since 2018, the Armed Forces of Ukraine has had a new motto, “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!” This replaces the old “Wish you health, comrade!” that soldiers used to say to each other during the Soviet Era. It’s anyone’s guess whether they meant it or not.
Photo by Denys Rodionenko on Unsplash Kyiv, capital of Ukraine
26. Taiwan
PowerIndex: 0.4396
Population: 23,545,963
Active personnel: 165,000
Aircraft strength: 744
Combat tanks: 1,180
Naval assets: 117
Military budget: $10,725,000,000
The Taiwanese Armed Forces, otherwise known as the ROC, or Republic of China Armed Forces, has a motto of “Forever loyalty.” Citizens have to serve a mandatory term of four months as part of their mandatory military service.
Image by Pexels from Pixabay Taipei, capital of Taiwan
25. North Korea
PowerIndex: 0.3718
Population: 25,381,085
Active personnel: 1,280,000
Aircraft strength: 949
Combat tanks: 6,045
Naval assets: 984
Military budget: $1,600,000,000
North Korea has universal conscription for citizens, which means that all men, and many women, will serve a mandatory three years in the country’s armed forces.
Photo by Random Institute on Unsplash Using the metro in North Korea's capital, Pyongyang
24. Canada
PowerIndex: 0.3712
Population: 35,881,659
Active personnel: 71,500
Aircraft strength: 385
Combat tanks: 80
Naval assets: 64
Military budget: $22,500,000,000
Canada’s military motto is also a lyric from its national anthem: “We stand on guard for thee.” Not to be confused with the RCMP, which only has jurisdiction inside the country.
Photo by Mike Benna on Unsplash Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada
23. Thailand
PowerIndex: 0.3571
Population: 68,615,858
Active personnel: 360,850
Aircraft strength: 570
Combat tanks: 841
Naval assets: 292
Military budget: $7,100,000,000
The official color of the Thai army is a traffic-stopping red, and its motto is “For the Nation, Religions, Monarchy, and People.” Despite low spending, they're among the world's most powerful armies.
Image by The beauty of Thailand
22. Vietnam
PowerIndex: 0.3559
Population: 97,040,334
Active personnel: 482,000
Aircraft strength: 293
Combat tanks: 2,615
Naval assets: 65
Military budget: 5,500,000,000USD
The Republic of Vietnam’s military motto is “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom.” Have to say we agree wholeheartedly with that one.
Photo by Ammie Ngo on Unsplash Hạ Long, Vietnam
21. Poland
PowerIndex: 0.3397
Population: 38,420,687
Active personnel: 118,000
Aircraft strength: 457
Combat tanks: 1,069
Naval assets: 87
Military budget: 12,000,000,000
“God, honor, fatherland,” is the Polish navy’s austere motto. It’s also the only military in the world to give a two-finger salute, instead of the more common one using all the fingers of the right hand.
MAx92 / Wikimedia Lodz, Poland
20. Spain
PowerIndex: 0.3321
Population: 49,331,076
Active personnel: 124,000
Aircraft strength: 512
Combat tanks: 327
Naval assets: 77
Military budget: 15,100,000,000USD
Spain’s armed forces don’t have an official motto, but the unofficial one is “Everything for the Motherland.” We prefer the promise of that of the Rescue Swimmers regiment: “Dead or alive, you come with us.”
Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash The sunset from Gibralfaro Castle, Málaga, Spain
19. Australia
PowerIndex: 0.3225
Population: 23,470,145
Active personnel: 60,000
Aircraft strength: 464
Combat tanks: 59
Naval assets: 48
Military budget: $26,300,000,000
“Duty and honor” apparently sums it up for the Aussie army, whose values champion “courage, initiative, respect, and teamwork.”
Wikimedia Brisbane, Australia
18. Israel
PowerIndex: 0.3111
Population: 8,424,904
Active personnel: 170,000
Aircraft strength: 589
Combat tanks: 2,760
Naval assets: 65
Military budget: $20,000,000,000
The Israel Defense Force’s motto is a bit of a mouthful: “As the bat emerges from the darkness, As the blade cuts through with silence, As the grenade smashes in rage.” Pretty ironic since the zip-lipped soldiers of the army are known as the “people of silence.”
Image by Tel Aviv, Israel
17. Saudi Arabia
PowerIndex: 0.2973
Population: 33,091,113
Active personnel: 478,000
Aircraft strength: 879
Combat tanks: 1,062
Naval assets: 55
Military budget: $67,600,000,000
Saudi Arabia is one of the few monarchies left in the world, and the Saudi military is technically owned by the king. Lucky for him, it's among the world's most powerful armies.
Photo by Yasmine Arfaoui on Unsplash Nabawi Mosque, Madina, Saudi Arabia
16. Indonesia
PowerIndex: 0.2544
Population: 262,787,403
Active personnel: 400,000
Aircraft strength: 46
Combat tanks: 313
Naval assets: 282
Military budget: 7,600,000,000
Indonesia’s army motto is in Sanskrit, and can be translated in two ways: “Great bird, no opponent,” or “Unmatchable bird with noble goals.”
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash The island of Bali, Indonesia
15. Pakistan
PowerIndex: 0.2364
Population: 207,862,518
Active personnel: 654,000
Aircraft strength: 1,372
Combat tanks: 2,200
Naval assets: 100
Military budget: 11,400,000,000USD
The motto for the army of Pakistan is “Faith, piety, and fight in the path of God.” Their official colors are green and white, displayed prominently in their logo of two crossed scimitars.
Photo by Mehtab Farooq on Unsplash Hunza Valley, Hunza, Pakistan
14. Iran
PowerIndex: 0.2282
Population: 83,024,745
Active personnel: 523,000
Aircraft strength: 509
Combat tanks: 2,056
Naval assets: 398
Military budget: $19,600,000,000
Iran’s military motto is "And Our Soldiers, They Verily Would Be the Victors." Quite a boast from one of the world's most powerful armies.
Photo by Foroozan Faraji on Unsplash Shiraz, Iran
13. Germany
PowerIndex: 0.2186
Population: 80,457,737
Active personnel: 182,650
Aircraft strength: 712
Combat tanks: 245
Naval assets: 80
Military budget: $50,000,000,000
The German army’s motto runs “To protect, help, moderate, and fight,” in that order. The current iteration of the German armed forces was inaugurated in 1955.
Photo by Kai Pilger on Unsplash Cochem, Germany
12. Italy
PowerIndex: 0.2093
Population: 62,246,674
Active personnel: 175,000
Aircraft strength: 860
Combat tanks: 200
Naval assets: 249
Military budget: $27,800,000,000
Italy’s army has a no-nonsense motto, “The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law.” Fun!
Photo by Anders Jildén on Unsplash Vernazza, Italy at sunset
11. Turkey
PowerIndex: 0.2189
Population: 81,257,239
Active personnel: 355,000
Aircraft strength: 1,055
Combat tanks: 2,622
Naval assets: 149
Military budget: $19,000,000,000
The Turkish army motto makes a lot of sense: “Peace at home, peace in the world.” Their official colors are gold and maroon, making their soldiers look a little like they’ve just been inducted into Gryffindor. Dumbledore's army was also one of the world's most powerful armies.
Photo by Anna on Unsplash Istanbul, Turkey
10. Brazil
PowerIndex: 0.1988
Population: 208,846,892
Active personnel: 334,500
Aircraft strength: 715
Combat tanks: 437
Naval assets: 112
Military budget: $27.8BN
The Brazilian army’s mascot is a jaguar. A friendly jaguar, to go along with its motto, “Strong arm, friendly hand!” We like the addition of the exclamation mark.
Image by The skyline of Sao Paulo
9. Egypt
PowerIndex: 0.1889
Population: 99,413,317
Active personnel: 440,000
Aircraft strength: 1,054
Combat tanks: 4,295
Naval assets: 316
Military budget: $11.2BN
There’s a lot to unpack in the Egyptian army’s motto, “Victory or martyrdom.” It’s one of the countries that have compulsory military service for citizens. The result is one of the world's most powerful armies.
Photo by Simon Matzinger on Unsplash Isn't that a pretty picture of Egypt?
8. United Kingdom
PowerIndex: 0.1768
Population: 65,105,246
Active personnel: 192,660
Aircraft strength: 733
Combat tanks: 227
Naval assets: 88
Military budget: $55.1BN
The British army, despite its sterling reputation for etiquette, is historically one of the most powerful armies. You’ll find hints of this in their motto, “Death or glory,” and even more so in the navy’s motto, “If you wish for peace, prepare for war.”
7. France
PowerIndex: 0.1702
Population: 67,364,357
Active personnel: 268,000
Aircraft strength: 1,229
Combat tanks: 528
Naval assets: 180
Military budget: $41.5BN
France’s army motto is a classic, “Honor and fidelity.” Here’s a bit of history trivia for you: a French soldier is colloquially known as a poilu, meaning, literally, a hairy person.
6. South Korea
PowerIndex: 0.1488
Population: 51,418,097
Active personnel: 580,000
Aircraft strength: 1,649
Combat tanks: 2,614
Naval assets: 234
Military budget: $44BN
This country’s army motto is actually kind of sweet: “A strong friend, Republic of Korea Army.” Sort of how you would sign off on a letter to a pen pal, but it's one of the world's most powerful armies.
Johannes Barre, iGEL / Wikimedia A checkpoint on the South Korean edge of the DMZ
5. Japan
PowerIndex: 0.1441
Population: 126,168,156
Active personnel: 247,160
Aircraft strength: 1,561
Combat tanks: 1,004
Naval assets: 155
Military budget: $49BN
Officially known as the Japanese Self-Defences Forces, Japan’s army hasn’t had an official motto since WWII, when it was “All the world under one roof.” Pretty good saying when you have world domination in mind.
4. India
PowerIndex: 0.0953
Population: 1,296,834,042
Active personnel: 1,444,000
Aircraft strength: 2,123
Combat tanks: 4,292
Naval assets: 285
Military budget: $61BN
The Indian army’s main motto is “Service before self.” But all 33 of its regiments have their own mottos, including the optimistic; “Victory everywhere” and the hardcore; “It is better to die than live like a coward.” Worthy of one of the world's most powerful armies.
Photo by JK on Unsplash Riding the rails in Goa, India
3. China
PowerIndex: 0.0691
Population: 1,384,688,986
Active personnel: 2,183,000
Aircraft strength: 3,210
Combat tanks: 3,500
Naval assets: 777
Military budget: $237BN
The Chinese army’s motto is simply, “Serve the people.” Can’t argue with that. Nor with the fact it's one of the world's most powerful armies.
Photo by Zhiwen Cai on Unsplash
2. Russia
PowerIndex: 0.0681
Population: 142,122,776
Active personnel: 1,013,628
Aircraft strength: 4,163
Combat tanks: 12,950
Naval assets: 603
Military budget: $48BN
The Russian army does not currently have a motto, although in the days of the Soviet Union it was the less-than-rousing “Exhortation, organization, and reprisals.” If they’re in the market for a new one, might we suggest “In Putin we trust?”
1. United States
PowerIndex: 0.0606
Population: 329,256,465
Active personnel: 1,400,000
Aircraft strength: 13,264
Combat tanks: 6,289
Naval assets: 490
Military budget: $750BN
The US Army’s motto is “This we’ll defend”. Its colors are black, gold, and white. And, it has a birthday: June 14. The US has the highest defense budget in the world, ensuring its military is armed, ready, and dangerous no matter what situation presents itself.
