Top 10: Most Powerful Armed Forces in the World

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Lizz Shepherd
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The population of a country has a lot to do with how many people are available to serve in the military. When countries require conscription into the military, this has a big impact on the numbers, too.

Some countries that you might not expect to be on the list have enormous militaries. According to Visual Capitalist, these countries have the largest armies.

 

1. Vietnam

Aerial view of the Golden Bridge is lifted by two giant hands in the tourist resort on Ba Na Hill in Da Nang, Vietnam. Ba Na mountain resort is a favorite destination for tourists
Image Credit: Hien Phung Thu/Shutterstock.

 

Like other countries that have conscription of young adults in their military, they have a large one. While there are more than 600,000 active members of the military, the small country has more than five million in reserve. It has a total personnel estimate of 5.8 million.

2. India

Aerial view of Ahmedabad,Gujarat,India. Riverfront and garden with skyline buildings drone view landscape. Post coronavirus covid-19 city reopens. social distancing rules after city restrictions ease.
Image Credit: Mahi.freefly/Shutterstock.

 

With such an enormous population of 1.4 billion, it’s no wonder that India has such a large military. It has an estimated 5.1 million personnel in its active military, reserves, and paramilitary.

3. South Korea

Sunset at Seoul City Skyline,South Korea
Image Credit: CJ Nattanai/Shutterstock.

 

South Korea is another country that has a conscription system, and this has led to an extremely large military. It has about 3.8 million people in its standing army and in its reserves.

4. Russia

Moscow,Russia,Red square,view of St. Basil's Cathedral.
Image Credit: Reidl/Shutterstock.

 

As it’s fighting an active war, the amount of conscription into the military has soared in recent years. The military now has 3.6 million people in both its active service and reserves.

5. China

Aerial photography of Tianjin city architecture landscape skyline
Image Credit: 4045/Shutterstock.

 

China has a population of 1.4 billion, so it’s able to keep a huge military. It has the largest standing army in the world with more than two million being active. It has a total estimated military of 3.2 million members.

6. Ukraine

Majestic sunset in the mountains landscape. Dramatic sky. Carpathian, Ukraine, Europe. Beauty world.
Image Credit: Creative Travel Projects/Shutterstock.

 

Since it’s been at war with Russia, the country has required virtually all able-bodied men of certain ages to join the military. It currently has an estimated military of 2.2 million personnel.

7. United States

The Jefferson Memorial during the Cherry Blossom Festival. Washington, D.C. in USA
Image Credit: f11photo/Shutterstock.

 

While the U.S. is considered to have the largest military force in the world and spends more on it than any other military, this isn’t true of its personnel. There are about 2.1 million active and reserve personnel.

8. North Korea

Locals walking in front of a big statue in Pyongyang, North Korea capital in a cloudy day.
Image Credit: LMspencer/Shutterstock.

 

With a total population of only 26 million, it’s amazing that South Korea’s military is so large. It’s estimated to include about two million people in its military forces thanks to required conscription being in the country’s constitution.

9. Pakistan

Aerial photo of Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan showing the landmark Shah Faisal Mosque and the lush green mountains of the city
Image Credit: Umer Arif/Shutterstock.

 

This country has no conscription, but it still manages to have a military of about 1.7 million personnel. The country itself has an enormous population of about 235 million, one of the highest in the world.

10. Iran

The Secretary-General Antonio Guterres meets with President of Islamic Republic of Iran Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi at UN Headquarters in New York on September 18, 2023.
Image Credit: lev radin/Shutterstock.

 

With two years of military service required for virtually all men who are 18 and older, this mid-sized country has built up a large military. It currently has an estimated 1.2 million personnel.

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