Global Firepower, an analytical company, compiles the ranking of world armies every year, 2020 was no exception. Experts analyze over 50 parameters, such as financial capabilities, mining and consumption of minerals, the quality of logistics services, the state of the air force, ground forces, naval forces, etc.
Alexander III once said that Russia has only 2 allies: its army and navy. If desired, this quote can be applied to any other country, because military power is a guarantee of a quiet life and independence.
World Army Rankings 2020, Global Firepower Complete List
A place | Country | Power index |
---|---|---|
1 | United States | 0.0606 |
2 | Russia | 0.0681 |
3 | China | 0.0691 |
4 | India | 0.0953 |
5 | Japan | 0.1501 |
6 | South Korea | 0.1509 |
7 | France | 0.1702 |
8 | United Kingdom | 0.1717 |
9 | Egypt | 0.1872 |
10 | Brazil | 0.1988 |
11 | Turkey | 0.2098 |
12 | Italy | 0.2111 |
13 | Germany | 0.2186 |
14 | Iran | 0.2191 |
15 | Pakistan | 0.2364 |
16 | Indonesia | 0.2544 |
17 | Saudi Arabia | 0.3034 |
18 | Israel | 0.3111 |
19 | Australia | 0.3225 |
20 | Spain | 0.3388 |
21 | Poland | 0.3397 |
22 | Vietnam | 0.3559 |
23 | Thailand | 0.3571 |
24 | Canada | 0.3712 |
25 | North Korea | 0.3718 |
26 | Taiwan | 0.4008 |
27 | Ukraine | 0.4457 |
28 | Algeria | 0.4659 |
29 | South Africa | 0.4985 |
30 | Switzerland | 0.5259 |
31 | Norway | 0.5277 |
32 | Sweden | 0.5304 |
33 | Greece | 0.5311 |
34 | Czech Republic | 0.5531 |
35 | Myanmar | 0.5691 |
36 | Netherlands | 0.5919 |
37 | Colombia | 0.6045 |
38 | Mexico | 0.6065 |
39 | Romania | 0.6177 |
40 | Peru | 0.6219 |
41 | Venezuela | 0.6449 |
42 | Nigeria | 0.6485 |
43 | Argentina | 0.6521 |
44 | Malaysia | 0.6546 |
45 | United Arab Emirates | 0.7034 |
46 | Bangladesh | 0.7066 |
47 | Chile | 0.7668 |
48 | Philippines | 0.7852 |
49 | Denmark | 0.7878 |
50 | Iraq | 0.7911 |
51 | Singapore | 0.7966 |
52 | Uzbekistan | 0.8086 |
53 | Belarus | 0.8179 |
54 | Hungary | 0.8215 |
55 | Syria | 0.8241 |
56 | Angola | 0.8379 |
57 | Morocco | 0.8408 |
58 | Slovakia | 0.8466 |
59 | Finland | 0.8498 |
60 | Ethiopia | 0.8581 |
61 | Portugal | 0.8612 |
62 | Bulgaria | 0.8916 |
63 | Kazakhstan | 0.9098 |
64 | Azerbaijan | 0.9463 |
65 | Serbia | 0.9479 |
66 | Austria | 0.9568 |
67 | Bolivia | 0.9942 |
68 | Ecuador | 1.0062 |
69 | Croatia | 1.0183 |
70 | Belgium | 1.0499 |
71 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1.1389 |
72 | Jordan | 1.1441 |
73 | Cuba | 1.2208 |
74 | Yemen | 1.2412 |
75 | Oman | 1.2514 |
76 | Sudan | 1.3017 |
77 | Turkmenistan | 1.3292 |
78 | Afghanistan | 1.3444 |
79 | New Zealand | 1.3684 |
80 | Libya | 1.3696 |
81 | Tunisia | 1.4619 |
82 | Sri Lanka | 1.4661 |
83 | Lithuania | 1.4752 |
84 | Kenya | 1.5287 |
85 | Kuwait | 1.5701 |
86 | Uganda | 1.6176 |
87 | Chad | 1.6383 |
88 | Zambia | 1.6464 |
89 | Georgia | 1.6679 |
90 | Qatar | 1.6703 |
91 | Zimbabwe | 1.7577 |
92 | Guatemala | 1.8302 |
93 | Bahrain | 1.8547 |
94 | Tajikistan | 1.8661 |
95 | Uruguay | 1.8909 |
96 | Mali | 1.8941 |
97 | Burkina Faso | 1.9009 |
98 | Kyrgyzstan | 1.9244 |
99 | Ireland | 1.9481 |
100 | Slovenia | 1.9496 |
101 | Cameroon | 1.9902 |
102 | Latvia | 2.0145 |
103 | Niger | 2.0153 |
104 | Cote d'Ivoire | 2.0236 |
105 | Mongolia | 2.0299 |
106 | Ghana | 2.0554 |
107 | Cambodia | 2.0557 |
108 | Botswana | 2.0582 |
109 | Tanzania | 2.0651 |
110 | Honduras | 2.0943 |
111 | Armenia | 2.1251 |
112 | Moldova | 2.1291 |
113 | Paraguay | 2.1898 |
114 | Nicaragua | 2.2747 |
115 | Albania | 2.3137 |
116 | Mozambique | 2.3364 |
117 | south sudan | 2.3501 |
118 | Lebanon | 2.5193 |
119 | Estonia | 2.5893 |
120 | Dominican Republic | 2.7504 |
121 | Republic of the Congo | 2.9509 |
122 | Nepal | 2.9891 |
123 | Montenegro | 2.9941 |
124 | Mauritania | 3.0477 |
125 | Madagascar | 3.0869 |
126 | Salvador | 3.1291 |
127 | North Macedonia | 3.1808 |
128 | Namibia | 3.2817 |
129 | Central African Republic | 3.2889 |
130 | Gabon | 3.3736 |
131 | Laos | 3.4433 |
132 | Panama | 3.6537 |
133 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3.8586 |
134 | Sierra leone | 4.2063 |
135 | Suriname | 4.6042 |
136 | Somalia | 4.6404 |
137 | Liberia | 5.5737 |
138 | Butane | 10.1681 |
Top 10 most powerful armies in the world in 2020
10. Brazil
The tenth place in the ranking of military power of the countries of the world was given to the Brazilian army, which dominates the South American mainland in terms of military strength.
It takes the fifth place in the world in the number of air transport, in the 10th position in oil production, and in the fifth in the total population. Brazil is also among the top five countries in terms of the number of operating airports (4,093), the labor force involved in the logistics industry, and the number of seaports and terminals (17).
Brazil's defense budget is relatively small and amounts to $ 27.8 billion.
9. Egypt
In 2020, Egypt dominated the Middle East in terms of military strength.
This country takes 10th place (out of 138 in the ranking) in terms of the total number of air forces, 4th place in terms of the number of tanks and 6th in terms of armored vehicles and missiles.
By the total assets of the naval forces of the army, Egypt is in 7th place. But according to the defense budget - 11.2 billion dollars - the country is not even among the top twenty.
8. Great Britain
It remains to be seen how the lavishly celebrated Brexit will affect the future of one of the largest nuclear powers, but its army is still one of the best in the world.
She ranks third in the number of aircraft carriers (2 units), fifth in the number of frigates (13) and 8th in the number of mine-sweeping ships (13). And let Britain no longer be the mistress of the seas, but it is precisely in its Navy that the entire nuclear power of the state is concentrated. Four nuclear-powered submarines with ballistic missiles (SSBNs) of not the newest Wangard class are in combat readiness. By 2030, it is planned to replace them with new Successor-class SSBNs.
With regard to defense spending, Britain does not skimp, and has allocated as much as 55.1 billion dollars, which put it in fifth place among all countries considered by Global Firepower experts.
7. France
The influence of a country located in Western Europe extends to much of the world through science, politics, economics, and, perhaps, above all, culture. But militarily France has something to be proud of.
She has 8th place in the Air Force as a whole, 7th in terms of the number of frigates (11) and mine sweepers (17), and 10th in defense spending ($ 41.5 billion).
6. South Korea
Near South Korea’s unpredictable DPRK, so she has no time to relax. And the defense budget of the Republic of Korea is very solid - 44 billion dollars. By the number of reservists (3.1 million people), this country is in second place among 138 of the most powerful armies in the world.
South Korea also has excellent military performance indicators such as armored vehicles (4th place), self-propelled artillery (3rd place) and towed artillery (3rd place). And at sea, if necessary, this country will not hit in the face. She has 22 submarines (6th line), 12 corvettes (also 6 line), 18 frigates (5th place) and 2 aircraft carriers (4th line). Such an impressive military potential allowed her to occupy the sixth position in the list of states with the strongest army in 2020.
5. Japan
In one of the most technically developed countries, there is heated discussion about the revision of Article 9 of the Constitution, according to which Japan refuses to create ground forces, air forces and navy, and the use of armed force to resolve international disputes.
Formally, the Japanese army is called the Self-Defense Forces, however, the funds for it are not allocated at all formally, but very generously - 49 billion. And you are hardly surprised that Japan takes the first place in the rating in terms of the number of ports and sea terminals (there are 44). and in terms of the number of aircraft carriers (there are 4 of them) and destroyers (40 ships) - the second.
4. India
With a population of 1.29 billion, India is the second most populated country in the world after China. And as expected, it ranks second in human resources (622.4 million people), the number of military (1.4 million people) and third place in the number of reservists (2.1 million people).
India has a powerful Air Force, at its disposal 2123 units of military air equipment (4th line of the rating), as well as a huge number of tanks, there are 4,292 units (5th place). And in terms of military spending, the Indian government brought its country to the top 4, having spent $ 61 billion on these goals.
3. China
The top 3 strongest armies in the world are opened by the Chinese, year after year increasing its power in response to the growing US presence in the region. China is the first in the world in terms of population (1.3 billion people), active human resources (752 855 402 people) and the number of active military personnel - 2.1 million people.
The Chinese Air Force is the third in the world in terms of the total number of equipment, the Navy is the second, and on land the Celestial Empire is ready to set up 3,500 tanks, 33,000 armored vehicles and 2,650 multiple launch rocket systems against the enemy.
Spending on China’s army is colossal — $ 237 billion.
2. Russia
For patriots, the fact that Russia has the second most powerful army in the world as of 2020 will certainly be pleasant. However, this was the case last year.
Although our army is not as large as the Chinese and Indian (1 million active military personnel), and in terms of the number of reservists (2 million) Russia is only in 4th place, but in terms of the number of military air transport (4,163 units) the world, and the number of tanks (12 950), self-propelled artillery (6 083) and multiple launch rocket systems (3 860) - the first.
The naval forces are also reliable friends of Russia, in such areas as the number of corvettes and minesweepers, the country comes first. At the same time, Russia's military budget is even less than that of Japan - $ 48 billion.
In addition to second place in the ranking of armies, Russia is also among the top 2 largest arms exporters in the world, losing first place to the United States.
1. USA
The leader in the list of the world's strongest armies in 2020 according to Global Firepower has not changed.
The United States is the most dominant economic and military power in the world. They dominate in the defense budget - $ 750 billion, in the number of military equipment of the Air Force (13,264 units) and armored vehicles (39,253 units), and are also the second in the world in the number of tanks (6,289 units of equipment).
Recently, media reported that the US Department of Defense has resumed the competition for the creation of a new armored fighting vehicle. The cost of this program, to put it mildly, is large - $ 45 billion. The new equipment will replace the obsolete BMP M2 Bradley, which "entered the service" back in 1981.