List of countries by number of troops
Encyclopedia
This is a list of countries by number of troops. It includes any government-sponsored troops used to further the domestic and foreign policies of their respective government. The term "country
" is used in the sense of state
which exercises sovereignty
or has limited recognition
.
The list consists of following columns and can be sorted by any of them, by simply clicking on the appropriate title:
These numbers are approximations as military forces around the world are constantly changing in size.
Many of the 172 countries listed here, especially those with the highest number of total troops, such as the two Korea
s and Vietnam
, include a large number of paramilitaries, civilians and policemen into their reserve personnel. Some countries, such as Italy
and Japan
, have only volunteers into their armed forces; while others, such as Iceland
and Panama
, have no national armies, but only a paramilitary force.
Not included in list are the militaries of Bhutan
and San Marino
.
Country
A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
" is used in the sense of state
State (polity)
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
which exercises sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
or has limited recognition
Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state...
.
The list consists of following columns and can be sorted by any of them, by simply clicking on the appropriate title:
- The names of the states, accompanied by their respective national flagNational flagA national flag is a flag that symbolizes a country. The flag is flown by the government, but usually can also be flown by citizens of the country.Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses may fly the national flag...
s. - The military members on active dutyActive dutyActive duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
, that are currently serving full time in their military capacity. - The troops of the reserve forceMilitary reserve forceA military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
, that are not normally kept under armsUnder armsUnder arms describes a state of military readiness used to describe regular combat-ready military forces. Military personnel can be generally categorized into two groups: regular forces, or the regular army, and auxiliary forces, or the reserve army. Regular forces are fully trained and fully...
and their main role is be available to fight when a nation mobilizesMobilizationMobilization is the act of assembling and making both troops and supplies ready for war. The word mobilization was first used, in a military context, in order to describe the preparation of the Prussian army during the 1850s and 1860s. Mobilization theories and techniques have continuously changed...
for emergency. - The paramilitaryParamilitaryA paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
forces, armed units that are not considered part of a nation's formal military forces. - The total number of troops, and the ratio per thousand inhabitants.
These numbers are approximations as military forces around the world are constantly changing in size.
Many of the 172 countries listed here, especially those with the highest number of total troops, such as the two Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
s and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, include a large number of paramilitaries, civilians and policemen into their reserve personnel. Some countries, such as Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, have only volunteers into their armed forces; while others, such as Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, have no national armies, but only a paramilitary force.
List
| Flag | State | Active | Reserve | Paramilitary | Total | Total per 1000 capita | Active per 1000 capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Not included in list are the militaries of Bhutan
Military of Bhutan
The branches of the armed forces of Bhutan are the Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguards, Militia, and Royal Bhutan Police. Being a landlocked country, Bhutan doesn't have a navy. Additionally, Bhutan does not have an air force, although the Royal Bhutan Army does have a very small air arm which...
and San Marino
Military of San Marino
San Marino has one of the smallest military forces in the world. Its different branches have varied functions including: performing ceremonial duties; patrolling borders; mounting guard at government buildings; and assisting police in major criminal cases. There is also a military Gendarmerie which...
.
See also
- List of countries without armed forces
- List of countries by level of military equipment
- List of countries by military expenditures
- List of countries by military expenditures per capita
- Military budgetMilitary budgetA military budget of an entity, most often a nation or a state, is the budget and financial resources dedicated to raising and maintaining armed forces for that entity. Military budgets reflect how much an entity perceives the likelihood of threats against it, or the amount of aggression it wishes...