Military
This South American Country Has the Continent’s Strongest Military, and It's Not Even Close
Published:
24/7 Wall St. Insights
- Information includes active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power.
- Brazil is easily the strongest nation, militarily speaking, on the South American continent.
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The Middle East (Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq) and Africa (Somalia and Libya) are home to countries with longstanding armed conflict. Generally, South American countries do not make this list, with the continent’s most recent territorial dispute being the 1995 Cenepa War, a brief conflict between Peru and Ecuador. Though war is not frequent in this region of the world, this doesn’t mean South American countries aren’t prepared for potential battle.
Here, 24/7 Wall St. looks at some of the strongest military forces on the South American continent. To determine the countries with the strongest military might in South America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Global Firepower ranked 145 countries based on their PowerIndex, a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value, the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability. We also included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power.
The weakest South American nation, in terms of military power, is Suriname. This small country only has 2,000 active-duty personnel and just three aircraft. Fortunately, they have had little need for an expansive military.
Brazil is easily the strongest nation, militarily speaking, on the South American continent. It has by far the largest standing army with roughly 360,000 personnel in its employ. Aside from this, Brazil boasts the largest air force on the continent, with over 600 aircraft. Although it does not have a large navy, it still has a sizable force compared to other nations in the region.
Also coming in near the top of the list is Colombia, which has the second largest standing army and the largest navy. Its air force has over 400 aircraft in service, including combat aircraft and helicopters.
Why We Are Talking About This
From Russian attacks on Ukraine, to the War on Gaza, to Myanmar’s civil war, conflict is ripe around the globe. Aside from nations currently amidst conflict, we tend to collectively focus our interests on the most war-torn countries. For example, many Americans know of the longstanding battles in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. Additionally, we are also aware of the most peaceful countries, like Iceland and Ireland. However, when it comes to military prowess, many of us tend to discount the continent of South America. But there is much to learn about these Hispanic nations and their armies.
Here is a look at the strongest militaries in South America:
11. Suriname
- Military strength score: 3.9038
- Active military personnel: 2,000
- Total military aircraft: 3
- Total military vehicles: 650
- Total navy ships and submarines: 16
10. Uruguay
- Military strength score: 1.9695
- Active military personnel: 25,000
- Total military aircraft: 43
- Total military vehicles: 3,993
- Total navy ships and submarines: 11
9. Paraguay
- Military strength score: 1.7053
- Active military personnel: 15,650
- Total military aircraft: 41
- Total military vehicles: 1,936
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
8. Bolivia
- Military strength score: 1.4851
- Active military personnel: 40,000
- Total military aircraft: 63
- Total military vehicles: 452
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
7. Ecuador
- Military strength score: 1.2388
- Active military personnel: 41,250
- Total military aircraft: 110
- Total military vehicles: 5,662
- Total navy ships and submarines: 27
6. Venezuela
- Military strength score: 0.9447
- Active military personnel: 109,000
- Total military aircraft: 242
- Total military vehicles: 14,966
- Total navy ships and submarines: 32
5. Peru
- Military strength score: 0.8475
- Active military personnel: 120,000
- Total military aircraft: 258
- Total military vehicles: 7,896
- Total navy ships and submarines: 69
4. Chile
- Military strength score: 0.8128
- Active military personnel: 80,000
- Total military aircraft: 289
- Total military vehicles: 9,492
- Total navy ships and submarines: 130
3. Colombia
- Military strength score: 0.7347
- Active military personnel: 293,200
- Total military aircraft: 434
- Total military vehicles: 2,724
- Total navy ships and submarines: 237
2. Argentina
- Military strength score: 0.3823
- Active military personnel: 108,000
- Total military aircraft: 229
- Total military vehicles: 21,724
- Total navy ships and submarines: 41
1. Brazil
- Military strength score: 0.1944
- Active military personnel: 360,000
- Total military aircraft: 628
- Total military vehicles: 44,044
- Total navy ships and submarines: 134
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