Military
This Asian Nation Is Supercharging Its Military Power - and It's Not China
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The balance of military power throughout the world is constantly in motion, ever shifting tides of alliances and technological innovation tip the scales of power in one way or the other. The strongest militaries in the world have maintained their strength for decades now, but there are many nations on the rise, acquiring new technology, aircraft, and other assets that are further lending to their power.
24/7 Wall St. is taking a look at the rising military powers around the world, those gaining the most ground, and what the composition of their forces looks like. To determine the “Powers on the Rise” countries with the strongest military might, 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 is.
We specifically reviewed countries that are considered “Powers on the Rise” meaning these are the countries that have gained the most military strength in the last year. We included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power as well. We included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power as well.
Here is a look at the strongest rising military powers of the world:
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding global military dynamics is incredibly important due to the interconnected nature of international relations and conflicts. As long as civilization has existed, the world has witnessed shifting power balances and alliances which have ultimately shaped the current geopolitical landscape. While key players like the United States, China, and Russia are easily the global powers, there are a number of emerging military powers that have their own spheres of influence and give shape to geopolitical relations in their own unique way.
30. Estonia
- Active military personnel: 7,700
- Reserve military personnel: 78,800
- Paramilitary personnel: 10,000
- Total military personnel: 96,500
- Total military aircraft: 7
- Total helicopters: 3
- Total military vehicles: 1,409
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 10
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.7237 – #87 out of 145
Estonia has a total population of 1.2 million, of this population 459,455 are fit to serve in the military.
29. Paraguay
- Active military personnel: 15,650
- Reserve military personnel: 168,500
- Paramilitary personnel: 15,000
- Total military personnel: 199,150
- Total military aircraft: 41
- Total helicopters: 14
- Total military vehicles: 1,936
- Total tanks: 10
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.7053 – #85 out of 145
Paraguay has a total population of 7.4 million, of this population 3.0 million are fit to serve in the military.
28. Georgia
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- Active military personnel: 55,000
- Reserve military personnel: 152,500
- Paramilitary personnel: 0
- Total military personnel: 207,500
- Total military aircraft: 52
- Total helicopters: 42
- Total military vehicles: 5,256
- Total tanks: 235
- Total navy ships and submarines: 19
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.6969 – #84 out of 145
Georgia has a total population of 4.9 million, of this population 2.2 million are fit to serve in the military.
27. Jordan
- Active military personnel: 100,500
- Reserve military personnel: 65,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 35,000
- Total military personnel: 200,500
- Total military aircraft: 265
- Total helicopters: 148
- Total military vehicles: 24,148
- Total tanks: 1,365
- Total navy ships and submarines: 27
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.4651 – #80 out of 145
Jordan has a total population of 11,086,716 million, of this population 2,960,153 are fit to serve in the military.
26. Libya
- Active military personnel: 32,000
- Reserve military personnel: 0
- Paramilitary personnel: 100,000
- Total military personnel: 132,000
- Total military aircraft: 132
- Total helicopters: 32
- Total military vehicles: 2,890
- Total tanks: 300
- Total navy ships and submarines: 7
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.4449 – #79 out of 145
Libya has a total population of 7.3 million, of this population 3.2 million are fit to serve in the military.
25. Kuwait
- Active military personnel: 72,000
- Reserve military personnel: 24,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 7,500
- Total military personnel: 103,500
- Total military aircraft: 144
- Total helicopters: 60
- Total military vehicles: 4,409
- Total tanks: 367
- Total navy ships and submarines: 123
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.4261 – #77 out of 145
Kuwait has a total population of 3.1 million, of this population 1.4 million are fit to serve in the military.
24. Austria
- Active military personnel: 16,000
- Reserve military personnel: 125,600
- Paramilitary personnel: 0
- Total military personnel: 141,600
- Total military aircraft: 104
- Total helicopters: 66
- Total military vehicles: 848
- Total tanks: 58
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.2351 – #71 out of 145
Austria has a total population of 8.9 million, of this population 3.6 million are fit to serve in the military.
23. New Zealand
- Active military personnel: 8,670
- Reserve military personnel: 3,250
- Paramilitary personnel: 300
- Total military personnel: 12,220
- Total military aircraft: 47
- Total helicopters: 22
- Total military vehicles: 4,040
- Total tanks: 0
- Total navy ships and submarines: 9
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.1844 – #67 out of 145
New Zealand has a total population of 5.1 million, of this population 1.8 million are fit to serve in the military.
22. Croatia
- Active military personnel: 14,325
- Reserve military personnel: 20,100
- Paramilitary personnel: 2,000
- Total military personnel: 36,425
- Total military aircraft: 81
- Total helicopters: 52
- Total military vehicles: 3,076
- Total tanks: 75
- Total navy ships and submarines: 32
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.1333 – #66 out of 145
Croatia has a total population of 4.2 million, of this population 1.6 million are fit to serve in the military.
21. Qatar
- Active military personnel: 66,550
- Reserve military personnel: 15,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 5,500
- Total military personnel: 87,050
- Total military aircraft: 228
- Total helicopters: 67
- Total military vehicles: 5,544
- Total tanks: 99
- Total navy ships and submarines: 123
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.0789 – #63 out of 145
Qatar has a total population of 2.5 million, of this population 486,164 are fit to serve in the military.
20. Syria
- Active military personnel: 170,000
- Reserve military personnel: 50,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 50,000
- Total military personnel: 270,000
- Total military aircraft: 452
- Total helicopters: 153
- Total military vehicles: 14,550
- Total tanks: 2,720
- Total navy ships and submarines: 47
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.0026 – #60 out of 145
Syria has a total population of 22.9 million, of this population 12.7 million are fit to serve in the military.
19. Kazakhstan
- Active military personnel: 110,000
- Reserve military personnel: 135,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 55,000
- Total military personnel: 300,000
- Total military aircraft: 243
- Total helicopters: 75
- Total military vehicles: 6,012
- Total tanks: 300
- Total navy ships and submarines: 18
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.9495 – #58 out of 145
Kazakhstan has a total population of 19.5 million, of this population 6.7 million are fit to serve in the military.
18. Serbia
- Active military personnel: 25,000
- Reserve military personnel: 2,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 600,000
- Total military personnel: 627,000
- Total military aircraft: 112
- Total helicopters: 44
- Total military vehicles: 3,954
- Total tanks: 262
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.9038 – #56 out of 145
Serbia has a total population of 6.7 million, of this population 2.6 million are fit to serve in the military.
17. United Arab Emirates
- Active military personnel: 65,000
- Reserve military personnel: 130,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 12,000
- Total military personnel: 207,000
- Total military aircraft: 560
- Total helicopters: 246
- Total military vehicles: 12,253
- Total tanks: 354
- Total navy ships and submarines: 79
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.8083 – #51 out of 145
The United Arab Emirates has a total population of 10.0 million, of this population 4.9 million are fit to serve in the military.
16. Finland
- Active military personnel: 24,000
- Reserve military personnel: 870,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 53,800
- Total military personnel: 947,800
- Total military aircraft: 164
- Total helicopters: 27
- Total military vehicles: 11,716
- Total tanks: 200
- Total navy ships and submarines: 246
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7967 – #50 out of 145
Finland has a total population of 5.6 million, of this population 1.9 million are fit to serve in the military.
15. Denmark
- Active military personnel: 20,000
- Reserve military personnel: 12,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 51,000
- Total military personnel: 83,000
- Total military aircraft: 119
- Total helicopters: 34
- Total military vehicles: 4,056
- Total tanks: 44
- Total navy ships and submarines: 91
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7743 – #48 out of 145
Denmark has a total population of 5.9 million, of this population 2.1 million are fit to serve in the military.
14. Czechia
- Active military personnel: 28,000
- Reserve military personnel: 4,200
- Paramilitary personnel: 0
- Total military personnel: 32,200
- Total military aircraft: 88
- Total helicopters: 33
- Total military vehicles: 6,757
- Total tanks: 65
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7706 – #46 out of 145
Czechia has a total population of 10.7 million, of this population 4.1 million are fit to serve in the military.
13. Switzerland
- Active military personnel: 101,584
- Reserve military personnel: 49,715
- Paramilitary personnel: 5,000
- Total military personnel: 156,299
- Total military aircraft: 147
- Total helicopters: 41
- Total military vehicles: 4,304
- Total tanks: 134
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.6097 – #43 out of 145
Switzerland has a total population of 8.6 million, of this population 3.1 million are fit to serve in the military.
12. Portugal
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- Active military personnel: 24,000
- Reserve military personnel: 211,700
- Paramilitary personnel: 24,700
- Total military personnel: 260,400
- Total military aircraft: 117
- Total helicopters: 38
- Total military vehicles: 11,173
- Total tanks: 34
- Total navy ships and submarines: 113
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.5609 – #38 out of 145
Portugal has a total population of 10.5 million, of this population 4.0 million are fit to serve in the military.
11. Bangladesh
- Active military personnel: 163,000
- Reserve military personnel: 0
- Paramilitary personnel: 6,800,000
- Total military personnel: 6,963,000
- Total military aircraft: 216
- Total helicopters: 73
- Total military vehicles: 13,100
- Total tanks: 320
- Total navy ships and submarines: 117
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.5419 – #37 out of 145
Bangladesh has a total population of 167.2 million, of this population 65.5 million are fit to serve in the military.
10. Myanmar
- Active military personnel: 150,000
- Reserve military personnel: 20,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 55,000
- Total military personnel: 225,000
- Total military aircraft: 293
- Total helicopters: 80
- Total military vehicles: 8,139
- Total tanks: 705
- Total navy ships and submarines: 227
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.5251 – #35 out of 145
Myanmar has a total population of 58.0 million, of this population 22.1 million are fit to serve in the military.
9. Sweden
- Active military personnel: 24,400
- Reserve military personnel: 32,900
- Paramilitary personnel: 25,000
- Total military personnel: 82,300
- Total military aircraft: 212
- Total helicopters: 53
- Total military vehicles: 7,958
- Total tanks: 120
- Total navy ships and submarines: 353
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.4009 – #29 out of 145
Sweden has a total population of 10.5 million, of this population 3.5 million are fit to serve in the military.
8. Poland
- Active military personnel: 202,100
- Reserve military personnel: 350,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 50,000
- Total military personnel: 602,100
- Total military aircraft: 468
- Total helicopters: 215
- Total military vehicles: 13,956
- Total tanks: 612
- Total navy ships and submarines: 45
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2917 – #21 out of 145
Poland has a total population of 38.0 million, of this population 15.3 million are fit to serve in the military.
7. Spain
- Active military personnel: 133,282
- Reserve military personnel: 15,150
- Paramilitary personnel: 78,470
- Total military personnel: 226,902
- Total military aircraft: 513
- Total helicopters: 121
- Total military vehicles: 15,046
- Total tanks: 327
- Total navy ships and submarines: 168
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2882 – #20 out of 145
Spain has a total population of 47.2 million, of this population 17.6 million are fit to serve in the military.
6. Germany
- Active military personnel: 181,600
- Reserve military personnel: 34,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 0
- Total military personnel: 215,600
- Total military aircraft: 618
- Total helicopters: 318
- Total military vehicles: 79,317
- Total tanks: 295
- Total navy ships and submarines: 64
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2847 – #19 out of 145
Germany has a total population of 84.2 million, of this population 31.0 million are fit to serve in the military.
5. Israel
- Active military personnel: 170,000
- Reserve military personnel: 465,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 35,000
- Total military personnel: 670,000
- Total military aircraft: 612
- Total helicopters: 146
- Total military vehicles: 43,407
- Total tanks: 1,370
- Total navy ships and submarines: 67
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2596 – #17 out of 145
Israel has a total population of 9.0 million, of this population 3.2 million are fit to serve in the military.
4. Iran
- Active military personnel: 610,000
- Reserve military personnel: 350,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 220,000
- Total military personnel: 1,180,000
- Total military aircraft: 551
- Total helicopters: 129
- Total military vehicles: 65,765
- Total tanks: 1,996
- Total navy ships and submarines: 101
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2269 – #14 out of 145
Iran has a total population of 87.6 million, of this population 41.2 million are fit to serve in the military.
3. Turkey
- Active military personnel: 355,200
- Reserve military personnel: 378,700
- Paramilitary personnel: 150,000
- Total military personnel: 883,900
- Total military aircraft: 1,069
- Total helicopters: 502
- Total military vehicles: 55,104
- Total tanks: 2,231
- Total navy ships and submarines: 186
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.1697 – #8 out of 145
Turkey has a total population of 83.6 million, of this population 3.6 million are fit to serve in the military.
2. Japan
- Active military personnel: 247,150
- Reserve military personnel: 56,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 25,000
- Total military personnel: 328,150
- Total military aircraft: 1,459
- Total helicopters: 577
- Total military vehicles: 37,662
- Total tanks: 518
- Total navy ships and submarines: 155
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.1601 – #7 out of 145
Japan has a total population of 123.7 million, of this population 43.1 million are fit to serve in the military.
1. South Korea
- Active military personnel: 600,000
- Reserve military personnel: 3,100,000
- Paramilitary personnel: 120,000
- Total military personnel: 3,820,000
- Total military aircraft: 1,576
- Total helicopters: 758
- Total military vehicles: 66,492
- Total tanks: 2,501
- Total navy ships and submarines: 200
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.1416 – #5 out of 145
South Korea has a total population of 52.0 million, of this population 21.3 million are fit to serve in the military.
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