The security needs of European nations range broadly among the countries that call the continent home. Some powers like France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have large active-duty forces that facilitate most of their security needs. However, other nations rely more on paramilitary forces for their needs. In fact, some of these paramilitary forces greatly outnumber many active-duty European armies. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is exploring the largest paramilitary forces in Europe.

To identify the European countries with the most paramilitary personnel, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Countries were ranked on the total number of paramilitary personnel. We included supplemental information regarding total personnel, active personnel, reserves, total population, fit-for-service, and overall military strength score. Countries without any paramilitary forces were excluded. Note that we did not include Russia in this list.

Here is a look at the largest paramilitary forces in Europe:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the military dynamics in Europe is important considering the continent’s deeply rooted geopolitical challenges going forward. Historically, Europe has been marked by wars, shifting alliances, and territorial disputes, and yet it still remains a key player on the global stage. At the same time, alliances like the EU or NATO are some of the most powerful in terms of their influence on the world. Whether it is a question of NATO’s expansion or Russia’s campaign in Eastern Europe, these military forces tilt the region’s balance of power.

27. Albania

• Paramilitary forces: 500
• Active personnel: 6,600
• Reserves: 2,000
• Total military personnel: 9,100
• Total population: 3,101,621
• Fit-for-service: 1,290,274
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.8188 – #90 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Albania also has a total of 19 aircraft, 976 military vehicles (including 40 tanks and 0 MLRS units), as well as 19 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

26. Kosovo

• Paramilitary forces: 500
• Active personnel: 10,000
• Reserves: 5,000
• Total military personnel: 15,500
• Total population: 1,965,327
• Fit-for-service: 738,963
• Military strength score and world rank: 3.4115 – #135 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Kosovo also has a total of 922 military vehicles at its disposal.

25. Croatia

• Paramilitary forces: 2,000
• Active personnel: 14,325
• Reserves: 20,100
• Total military personnel: 36,425
• Total population: 4,169,239
• Fit-for-service: 1,571,803
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.1333 – #66 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Croatia also has a total of 81 aircraft, 3,076 military vehicles (including 75 tanks and 105 MLRS units), as well as 32 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

24. Moldova

• Paramilitary forces: 2,000
• Active personnel: 8,500
• Reserves: 67,000
• Total military personnel: 77,500
• Total population: 3,250,532
• Fit-for-service: 1,618,765
• Military strength score and world rank: 4.2311 – #144 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Moldova also has a total of 3 aircraft and 450 military vehicles at its disposal.

23. North Macedonia

• Paramilitary forces: 3,500
• Active personnel: 9,000
• Reserves: 60,000
• Total military personnel: 72,500
• Total population: 2,133,410
• Fit-for-service: 782,961
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.1717 – #110 out of 145

Outside of its troops, North Macedonia also has a total of 20 aircraft and 2,156 military vehicles (including 23 tanks and 24 MLRS units) at its disposal.

22. Slovenia

• Paramilitary forces: 5,000
• Active personnel: 7,300
• Reserves: 26,000
• Total military personnel: 38,300
• Total population: 2,099,790
• Fit-for-service: 827,317
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.8286 – #91 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Slovenia also has a total of 38 aircraft, 1,502 military vehicles (including 55 tanks), as well as 2 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

21. Netherlands

• Paramilitary forces: 5,000
• Active personnel: 41,380
• Reserves: 6,765
• Total military personnel: 53,145
• Total population: 17,463,930
• Fit-for-service: 6,374,334
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.5644 – #40 out of 145

Outside of its troops, the Netherlands also has a total of 143 aircraft, 3,176 military vehicles (including 18 tanks), as well as 112 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

20. Switzerland

• Paramilitary forces: 5,000
• Active personnel: 101,584
• Reserves: 49,715
• Total military personnel: 156,299
• Total population: 8,563,760
• Fit-for-service: 3,057,262
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.6097 – #43 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Switzerland also has a total of 147 aircraft and 4,304 military vehicles (including 134 tanks) at its disposal.

19. Montenegro

• Paramilitary forces: 5,500
• Active personnel: 2,350
• Reserves: 0
• Total military personnel: 7,850
• Total population: 602,445
• Fit-for-service: 85,547
• Military strength score and world rank: 2.9109 – #129 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Montenegro also has a total of 11 aircraft, 662 military vehicles (including 12 MLRS units), as well as 13 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

18. Estonia

• Paramilitary forces: 10,000
• Active personnel: 7,700
• Reserves: 78,800
• Total military personnel: 96,500
• Total population: 1,202,762
• Fit-for-service: 459,455
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.7237 – #87 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Estonia also has a total of 7 aircraft, 1,409 military vehicles (including 6 MLRS units), as well as 10 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

17. Latvia

• Paramilitary forces: 12,500
• Active personnel: 17,250
• Reserves: 36,000
• Total military personnel: 65,750
• Total population: 1,821,750
• Fit-for-service: 655,830
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.9911 – #99 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Latvia also has a total of 7 aircraft, 1,544 military vehicles, as well as 18 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

16. Lithuania

• Paramilitary forces: 14,150
• Active personnel: 23,000
• Reserves: 104,000
• Total military personnel: 141,150
• Total population: 2,655,755
• Fit-for-service: 1,346,468
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.7395 – #88 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Lithuania also has a total of 9 aircraft, 1,356 military vehicles, as well as 11 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

15. Hungary

• Paramilitary forces: 15,000
• Active personnel: 41,600
• Reserves: 20,000
• Total military personnel: 76,600
• Total population: 9,670,009
• Fit-for-service: 3,722,953
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.8478 – #54 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Hungary also has a total of 62 aircraft and 7,797 military vehicles (including 208 tanks) at its disposal.

14. Romania

• Paramilitary forces: 15,000
• Active personnel: 81,300
• Reserves: 55,000
• Total military personnel: 151,300
• Total population: 18,326,327
• Fit-for-service: 7,807,015
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.7712 – #47 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Romania also has a total of 131 aircraft, 9,990 military vehicles (including 345 tanks and 225 MLRS units), as well as 20 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

13. Portugal

• Paramilitary forces: 24,700
• Active personnel: 24,000
• Reserves: 211,700
• Total military personnel: 260,400
• Total population: 10,467,366
• Fit-for-service: 4,029,936
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.5609 – #38 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Portugal also has a total of 117 aircraft, 11,173 military vehicles (including 34 tanks), as well as 113 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

12. Sweden

• Paramilitary forces: 25,000
• Active personnel: 24,400
• Reserves: 32,900
• Total military personnel: 82,300
• Total population: 10,536,338
• Fit-for-service: 3,540,210
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.4009 – #29 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Sweden also has a total of 212 aircraft, 7,958 military vehicles (including 120 tanks), as well as 353 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

11. Norway

• Paramilitary forces: 40,000
• Active personnel: 23,250
• Reserves: 0
• Total military personnel: 63,250
• Total population: 5,597,924
• Fit-for-service: 1,836,119
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.5664 – #41 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Norway also has a total of 102 aircraft, 7,048 military vehicles (including 36 tanks), as well as 25 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

10. Poland

• Paramilitary forces: 50,000
• Active personnel: 202,100
• Reserves: 350,000
• Total military personnel: 602,100
• Total population: 37,991,766
• Fit-for-service: 15,272,690
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.2917 – #21 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Poland also has a total of 468 aircraft, 13,956 military vehicles (including 612 tanks and 211 MLRS units), as well as 45 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

9. Denmark

• Paramilitary forces: 51,000
• Active personnel: 20,000
• Reserves: 12,000
• Total military personnel: 83,000
• Total population: 5,946,984
• Fit-for-service: 2,117,126
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.7743 – #48 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Denmark also has a total of 119 aircraft, 4,056 military vehicles (including 44 tanks), as well as 91 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

8. Finland

• Paramilitary forces: 53,800
• Active personnel: 24,000
• Reserves: 870,000
• Total military personnel: 947,800
• Total population: 5,614,571
• Fit-for-service: 1,908,954
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.7967 – #50 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Finland also has a total of 164 aircraft, 11,716 military vehicles (including 200 tanks and 76 MLRS units), as well as 246 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

7. Belarus

• Paramilitary forces: 55,000
• Active personnel: 63,000
• Reserves: 145,000
• Total military personnel: 263,000
• Total population: 9,383,853
• Fit-for-service: 3,678,470
• Military strength score and world rank: 1.0901 – #64 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Belarus also has a total of 183 aircraft, 6,700 military vehicles (including 517 tanks and 206 MLRS units) at its disposal.

6. Greece

• Paramilitary forces: 55,000
• Active personnel: 142,700
• Reserves: 221,350
• Total military personnel: 419,050
• Total population: 10,497,595
• Fit-for-service: 3,999,584
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.4349 – #32 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Greece also has a total of 632 aircraft, 57,030 military vehicles (including 1,365 tanks and 152 MLRS units), as well as 187 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

5. Spain

• Paramilitary forces: 78,470
• Active personnel: 133,282
• Reserves: 15,150
• Total military personnel: 226,902
• Total population: 47,222,613
• Fit-for-service: 17,614,035
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.2882 – #20 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Spain also has a total of 513 aircraft, 15,046 military vehicles (including 327 tanks and 0 MLRS units), as well as 168 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

4. Ukraine

• Paramilitary forces: 100,000
• Active personnel: 900,000
• Reserves: 1,200,000
• Total military personnel: 2,200,000
• Total population: 43,306,477
• Fit-for-service: 15,460,412
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.2598 – #18 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Ukraine also has a total of 321 aircraft, 22,110 military vehicles (including 1,777 tanks and 491 MLRS units), as well as 104 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

3. Italy

• Paramilitary forces: 105,000
• Active personnel: 165,500
• Reserves: 18,500
• Total military personnel: 289,000
• Total population: 61,021,855
• Fit-for-service: 22,211,955
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.1863 – #10 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Italy also has a total of 800 aircraft, 61,892 military vehicles (including 200 tanks and 21 MLRS units), as well as 309 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

2. France

• Paramilitary forces: 150,000
• Active personnel: 200,000
• Reserves: 26,000
• Total military personnel: 376,000
• Total population: 68,521,974
• Fit-for-service: 23,845,647
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.1878 – #11 out of 145

Outside of its troops, France also has a total of 972 aircraft, 85,023 military vehicles (including 222 tanks and 9 MLRS units), as well as 128 ships and/or submarines at its disposal.

1. Serbia

• Paramilitary forces: 600,000
• Active personnel: 25,000
• Reserves: 2,000
• Total military personnel: 627,000
• Total population: 6,693,375
• Fit-for-service: 2,590,336
• Military strength score and world rank: 0.9038 – #56 out of 145

Outside of its troops, Serbia also has a total of 112 aircraft and 3,954 military vehicles (including 262 tanks and 82 MLRS units) at its disposal.

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