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Countries Spending Most on Their Militaries
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Most Effective Military Nations in the World 2018
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Using over 55 factors to determine a country’s PowerIndex score, the Global Firepower 2018 list ranks the most powerful military nations in the world. Of the 136 advanced and lesser developed nations included, the parameters include their geographical location, natural resource reliance, manpower and current economic health. It must be noted that nuclear capability and current political/military leadership is not taken into account. Also, land-locked nations are not penalized for not having a standing navy. Here's a look at the 50 most powerful military nations, according to the list, as of April 14, 2018.
Among the findings:
-The United States has the best-equipped military on the planet.
-Both Russia & China have been modernizing their armed forces, and while their equipment still lags behind top-end American technology, experts say the gap is closing.
-The French military is larger and arguably more capable than its traditional British rival.
-Italy is stronger than Germany in every area, from aircraft and land forces to seapower.
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The most powerful militaries in the world,
updated April 21, 2018:
1. United States
Population: 326,625,791
Reaching military age annually: 4,220,000
Active personnel/Reserve personnel: 1,281,900/801,200
Aircraft strength: 13,362
Combat tanks: 5,884
Naval assets: 415
2. Russia
Russia comes in at second mostly because they possess the most number of tanks as well as nuclear warheads in the world.
Population: 142,257,519
Reaching military age annually: 1,355,000
Active personnel/Reserve personnel: 1,013,628/2,572,500
Aircraft strength: 3,914
Combat tanks: 20,300
Naval assets: 352
3. China
The Chinese economy is second only to the United States, and their military capabilities are growing at a shocking speed.
Population: 1,379,302,771
Reaching military age annually: 19,550,000
Active personnel/Reserve personnel: 2,183,000/510,000
Aircraft strength: 3,035
Combat tanks: 7,716
Naval assets: 714
4. India
India has successfully emerged as a major military power in the last two decades and has recently overtaken China as the fastest growing major economy in the world.
Population: 1,281,935,911
Reaching military age annually: 22,900,000
Active personnel/Reserve personnel: 1,362,500/2,844,750
Aircraft strength: 2,185
Combat tanks: 4,426
Naval assets: 295
5. France
The French have always been told by the British that they are weak but the reality is the modern French military is larger and more capable than Britain.
In addition to being highly trained, the French have power projection capabilities second only to the United States thanks to multiple bases around the globe.
Population: 67,106,161
Reaching military age annually: 775,000
Active personnel/Reserve personnel: 205,000/183,635
Aircraft strength: 1,262
Combat tanks: 406
Naval assets: 118
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