Military Size by Country 2026
China 2,035,000
Highest
Antigua and Barbuda 200
Lowest
Active Military Personnel
0
200K
400K
600K
800K
1M
1.2M
1.4M
1.6M
1.8M
2M
2.2M
2,035,000
1,475,750
1,315,600
1,280,000
1,134,000
730,000
Countries Ranked by Military Size
Country | Active Military Personnel 2025↓ | Military Reserve Personnel 2025 | Paramilitary Personnel 2025 | Total Personnel 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | China | 2,035,000 | 510,000 | 3,045,000 | 3,045,000 |
 | India | 1,475,750 | 1,155,000 | 4,246,800 | 4,246,800 |
 | United States | 1,315,600 | 797,200 | 2,112,800 | 2,112,800 |
 | North Korea | 1,280,000 | 600,000 | 7,580,000 | 7,580,000 |
 | Russia | 1,134,000 | 1,500,000 | 3,203,000 | 3,203,000 |
 | Ukraine | 730,000 | 990,000 | 990,000 | |
 | Pakistan | 660,000 | 550,000 | 1,501,000 | 1,501,000 |
 | Iran | 610,000 | 350,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
 | Ethiopia | 503,000 | 503,000 | 503,000 | |
 | South Korea | 500,000 | 3,100,000 | 6,613,500 | 6,613,500 |
 | Vietnam | 450,000 | 5,000,000 | 5,490,000 | 5,490,000 |
 | Egypt | 438,500 | 479,000 | 1,314,500 | 1,314,500 |
 | Indonesia | 404,500 | 400,000 | 1,094,750 | 1,094,750 |
 | Brazil | 374,500 | 1,415,000 | 2,184,500 | 2,184,500 |
 | Thailand | 360,850 | 200,000 | 699,550 | 699,550 |
 | Turkey | 355,200 | 378,700 | 894,700 | 894,700 |
 | Eritrea | 301,750 | 301,750 | 301,750 | |
 | Mexico | 287,000 | 81,500 | 505,400 | 505,400 |
 | Colombia | 269,000 | 34,950 | 469,000 | 469,000 |
 | Sri Lanka | 262,500 | 5,500 | 362,050 | 362,050 |
 | Saudi Arabia | 257,000 | 281,500 | 281,500 | |
 | Japan | 247,150 | 55,900 | 317,850 | 317,850 |
 | France | 202,000 | 38,500 | 335,600 | 335,600 |
 | Morocco | 195,800 | 150,000 | 395,800 | 395,800 |
 | Iraq | 193,000 | 459,000 | 459,000 | |
 | Germany | 179,850 | 34,100 | 213,950 | 213,950 |
 | Afghanistan | 172,000 | 172,000 | 172,000 | |
 | Bangladesh | 171,250 | 235,150 | 235,150 | |
 | Israel | 169,500 | 465,000 | 642,500 | 642,500 |
 | Taiwan | 169,000 | 1,657,000 | 1,837,800 | 1,837,800 |
 | Poland | 164,100 | 37,500 | 215,900 | 215,900 |
 | Italy | 161,850 | 14,500 | 354,950 | 354,950 |
 | Philippines | 146,250 | 131,000 | 357,950 | 357,950 |
 | Nigeria | 143,000 | 223,000 | 223,000 | |
 | United Kingdom | 141,100 | 70,450 | 211,550 | 211,550 |
 | Algeria | 139,000 | 150,000 | 476,200 | 476,200 |
 | Myanmar | 134,000 | 204,000 | 204,000 | |
 | Greece | 132,000 | 289,000 | 428,400 | 428,400 |
 | DR Congo | 128,350 | 128,350 | 128,350 | |
 | Cambodia | 124,300 | 191,300 | 191,300 | |
 | Venezuela | 123,000 | 8,000 | 351,000 | 351,000 |
 | Spain | 122,200 | 13,800 | 223,450 | 223,450 |
 | Malaysia | 113,000 | 51,600 | 431,800 | 431,800 |
 | Angola | 107,000 | 117,000 | 117,000 | |
 | Sudan | 104,300 | 164,300 | 164,300 | |
 | Jordan | 100,500 | 65,000 | 180,500 | 180,500 |
 | Nepal | 96,600 | 111,600 | 111,600 | |
 | South Sudan | 90,000 | 90,000 | 90,000 | |
 | Argentina | 83,000 | 114,250 | 114,250 | |
 | Peru | 81,000 | 188,000 | 346,000 | 346,000 |
 | Romania | 69,900 | 55,000 | 181,900 | 181,900 |
 | South Africa | 69,200 | 15,050 | 84,250 | 84,250 |
 | Chile | 68,500 | 19,100 | 132,300 | 132,300 |
 | Azerbaijan | 68,200 | 300,000 | 383,200 | 383,200 |
 | United Arab Emirates | 63,000 | 63,000 | 63,000 | |
 | Canada | 62,300 | 29,100 | 97,200 | 97,200 |
 | Lebanon | 60,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 | |
 | Australia | 58,540 | 21,450 | 79,990 | 79,990 |
 | Dominican Republic | 56,800 | 71,800 | 71,800 | |
 | Singapore | 51,000 | 252,500 | 310,900 | 310,900 |
 | Cuba | 49,000 | 39,000 | 114,500 | 114,500 |
 | Belarus | 48,600 | 289,500 | 448,100 | 448,100 |
 | Uzbekistan | 48,000 | 68,000 | 68,000 | |
 | Uganda | 45,000 | 10,000 | 56,400 | 56,400 |
 | Armenia | 42,900 | 210,000 | 257,200 | 257,200 |
 | Oman | 42,600 | 47,000 | 47,000 | |
 | Yemen | 40,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | |
 | Ecuador | 39,600 | 118,000 | 158,100 | 158,100 |
 | Niger | 39,100 | 87,100 | 87,100 | |
 | Kazakhstan | 39,000 | 70,500 | 70,500 | |
 | Bulgaria | 36,950 | 3,000 | 39,950 | 39,950 |
 | Turkmenistan | 36,500 | 56,500 | 56,500 | |
 | Tunisia | 35,800 | 47,800 | 47,800 | |
 | Bolivia | 34,100 | 71,200 | 71,200 | |
 | Netherlands | 33,650 | 6,350 | 46,800 | 46,800 |
 | Chad | 33,250 | 45,150 | 45,150 | |
 | Rwanda | 33,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | |
 | Hungary | 32,150 | 20,000 | 52,150 | 52,150 |
 | Burundi | 30,050 | 31,050 | 31,050 | |
 | Laos | 29,100 | 129,100 | 129,100 | |
 | Zimbabwe | 29,000 | 50,800 | 50,800 | |
 | Serbia | 28,150 | 50,150 | 82,000 | 82,000 |
 | Ivory Coast | 27,400 | 27,400 | 27,400 | |
 | Tanzania | 27,000 | 80,000 | 108,400 | 108,400 |
 | Czechia | 26,600 | 26,600 | 26,600 | |
 | Portugal | 26,050 | 23,500 | 72,370 | 72,370 |
 | Cameroon | 25,400 | 34,400 | 34,400 | |
 | Norway | 25,400 | 40,000 | 65,400 | 65,400 |
 | Kenya | 24,100 | 29,100 | 29,100 | |
 | Finland | 23,850 | 233,000 | 268,850 | 268,850 |
 | Belgium | 23,500 | 5,900 | 29,400 | 29,400 |
 | Austria | 22,200 | 109,200 | 131,400 | 131,400 |
 | Switzerland | 21,300 | 196,450 | 217,750 | 217,750 |
 | Uruguay | 21,100 | 22,500 | 22,500 | |
 | Mali | 21,000 | 41,000 | 41,000 | |
 | Georgia | 20,650 | 26,050 | 26,050 | |
 | Ghana | 19,000 | 19,000 | 19,000 | |
 | Guatemala | 18,050 | 63,850 | 106,900 | 106,900 |
 | Kuwait | 17,500 | 23,700 | 48,300 | 48,300 |
 | Zambia | 17,100 | 3,000 | 21,500 | 21,500 |
 | Croatia | 16,800 | 2,100 | 18,900 | 18,900 |
 | Qatar | 16,500 | 21,500 | 21,500 | |
 | Lithuania | 16,100 | 12,950 | 47,450 | 47,450 |
 | Bhutan | 16,000 | 60,000 | 76,000 | 76,000 |
 | Mauritania | 15,850 | 20,850 | 20,850 | |
 | Slovakia | 15,850 | 15,850 | 15,850 | |
 | Honduras | 14,950 | 60,000 | 82,950 | 82,950 |
 | Sweden | 14,850 | 21,500 | 57,850 | 57,850 |
 | Paraguay | 13,950 | 164,500 | 193,250 | 193,250 |
 | Somalia | 13,900 | 13,900 | 13,900 | |
 | Togo | 13,750 | 18,750 | 18,750 | |
 | Senegal | 13,600 | 18,600 | 18,600 | |
 | Madagascar | 13,500 | 21,600 | 21,600 | |
 | Denmark | 13,100 | 44,200 | 57,300 | 57,300 |
 | Benin | 12,300 | 17,100 | 17,100 | |
 | Nicaragua | 12,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | |
 | Cyprus | 12,000 | 60,000 | 72,000 | 72,000 |
 | Namibia | 11,600 | 17,600 | 17,600 | |
 | Mozambique | 11,200 | 11,200 | 11,200 | |
 | Kyrgyzstan | 10,900 | 20,400 | 20,400 | |
 | Malawi | 10,700 | 14,900 | 14,900 | |
 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10,650 | 6,000 | 16,650 | 16,650 |
 | Republic of the Congo | 10,000 | 13,500 | 13,500 | |
 | Guinea | 9,700 | 12,300 | 12,300 | |
 | Mongolia | 9,700 | 137,000 | 154,200 | 154,200 |
 | Ireland | 9,500 | 4,050 | 13,550 | 13,550 |
 | Central African Republic | 9,150 | 10,150 | 10,150 | |
 | Botswana | 9,000 | 9,000 | 9,000 | |
 | Tajikistan | 8,800 | 20,000 | 36,300 | 36,300 |
 | New Zealand | 8,700 | 3,270 | 11,970 | 11,970 |
 | Sierra Leone | 8,500 | 8,500 | 8,500 | |
 | Djibouti | 8,450 | 13,100 | 13,100 | |
 | Bahrain | 8,200 | 19,460 | 19,460 | |
 | North Macedonia | 8,000 | 4,850 | 20,450 | 20,450 |
 | Albania | 7,500 | 7,500 | 7,500 | |
 | Brunei | 7,200 | 700 | 8,350 | 8,350 |
 | Estonia | 7,100 | 41,200 | 69,500 | 69,500 |
 | Burkina Faso | 7,000 | 11,450 | 11,450 | |
 | Latvia | 6,600 | 16,000 | 22,600 | 22,600 |
 | Slovenia | 6,200 | 950 | 7,150 | 7,150 |
 | Jamaica | 5,950 | 2,580 | 8,530 | 8,530 |
 | Moldova | 5,150 | 58,000 | 64,050 | 64,050 |
 | Gabon | 4,700 | 6,700 | 6,700 | |
 | Guinea-Bissau | 4,450 | 4,450 | 4,450 | |
 | Gambia | 4,100 | 4,100 | 4,100 | |
 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4,050 | 4,050 | 4,050 | |
 | Fiji | 4,040 | 6,000 | 10,040 | 10,040 |
 | Papua New Guinea | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | |
 | Maldives | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | |
 | Guyana | 3,400 | 670 | 4,070 | 4,070 |
 | Eswatini | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | |
 | Montenegro | 2,885 | 2,800 | 9,785 | 9,785 |
 | El Salvador | 2,600 | 9,900 | 15,100 | 15,100 |
 | Timor-Leste | 2,250 | 2,250 | 2,250 | |
 | Liberia | 2,010 | 2,010 | 2,010 | |
 | Lesotho | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | |
 | Belize | 2,000 | 850 | 3,480 | 3,480 |
 | Suriname | 1,840 | 1,840 | 1,840 | |
 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,750 | 1,750 | 1,750 | |
 | Malta | 1,700 | 260 | 1,960 | 1,960 |
 | Bahamas | 1,500 | 1,500 | 1,500 | |
 | Cape Verde | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | |
 | Luxembourg | 1,100 | 1,100 | 1,100 | |
 | Comoros | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
 | Tonga | 750 | 750 | 750 | |
 | Haiti | 700 | 9,700 | 9,700 | |
 | Barbados | 610 | 430 | 1,040 | 1,040 |
 | San Marino | 445 | 445 | 445 | |
 | Seychelles | 420 | 420 | 420 | |
 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 300 | 300 | 300 | |
 | Monaco | 250 | 250 | 250 | |
 | Antigua and Barbuda | 200 | 80 | 280 | 280 |
 | Costa Rica | 9,950 | 9,950 | ||
 | Panama | 27,700 | 27,700 | ||
 | Mauritius | 2,550 | 2,550 | ||
 | Iceland | 250 | 250 | ||
| Total | 20,522,090 | 22,933,840 | 60,250,440 | 60,250,440 |
- The size of a country’s military is only one factor in that country’s ability to effectively conduct warfare. Additional factors include the level of training given soldiers, the age and condition of support vehicles and weaponry, and the effectiveness of strategic command.
- Transnistria is an unrecognized territory in Moldova. It is recognized as sovereign by other (also unrecognized) territories, but not by the United Nations. However, it does maintain its own separate military.
Key Findings
Countries with the Largest Militaries
-
China (2,035,000), India (1,475,750), and United States (1,315,600) have the largest militaries in the world by total personnel. China has the largest military with 2,035,000 total military personnel.
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The largest militaries tend to belong to countries with large populations, major regional security concerns, or geopolitical positions that require maintaining large active, reserve, or paramilitary forces.
Active Duty vs. Total Military Size
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Military rankings can shift significantly depending on whether only active-duty troops are counted or whether reserves and paramilitary forces are included.
-
This means the top countries by total military personnel can look very different from the top countries by active-duty personnel alone.
How Many People Are in the US Military
-
The US military has 1,315,600 active-duty service members, ranking 3rd globally by total military size.
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While the US does not have the world's largest military by personnel count, it spends more on defense than any other country, demonstrating that military size and military spending do not move in lockstep.
Countries with No Military
-
Antigua and Barbuda has one of the smallest military forces in the world.
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Several countries maintain no active military personnel, relying instead on police forces, security agreements, or defense treaties.
Definitions & Methodology
What is military size?
- Active-duty personnel are full-time service members currently serving in a country’s armed forces.
- Reserve personnel are trained military members who are not serving full time but can be called into service when needed.
- Paramilitary personnel include organized security forces that are not part of the regular military but may support national defense or internal security.
Why military size doesn't equal military strength Military size measures personnel count, not overall combat effectiveness. A smaller military with stronger funding, advanced technology, better training, and modern equipment may be more capable than a larger force with fewer resources.
Data sources and methodology Figures include active-duty, reserve, and paramilitary personnel where reported. Some countries do not publicly disclose complete military figures, so totals may vary depending on available data and reporting methods.
Last Updated: May 29, 2026
