The strength of a particular army depends not only on the size, but also on the state's availability of the latest developments in the field of military engineering, on the nuclear potential of the state and on the control system of the actions of military units. The presence of a powerful army has been and remains an important lever of influence in the international arena.
Today we offer ranking of armies of the world for 2013 according to RBK, which includes 7 countries with the most powerful and combat-ready military forces.
Attention! The material is out of date. Read the current ranking of the armies of the world... The list of the strongest troops is now updated annually.
7.Turkey (army size - 613 thousand people, reserve - 429 thousand)
The outpost between Europe and Asia must historically have authority, including the military. Therefore, the number of the Turkish armed forces exceeds the army of any European country. True, the main danger for the state is not at all external enemies, but Kurdish separatists. It is with them that almost all military clashes of recent years have occurred. Turkey is among the world leaders in the availability of air defense systems. The country does not officially have nuclear weapons.
6. India (the size of the army - 1 million 325 thousand people)
The ongoing confrontation between India and Pakistan leads to an inevitable increase in the size of the armies and military spending. The Indian army is the third largest in the world after the USA and China. The armed forces are recruited on a voluntary contract basis. The country has at least five dozen nuclear warheads. Among the developments of the Indian military industry is the Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of carrying a warhead at a distance of up to 6 thousand kilometers.
5. North Korea (army size - 1 million 106 thousand people)
The deplorable state of the country's economy does not allow significant funds to be allocated for the maintenance of the army. Therefore, the budget of the Korean armed forces is the smallest among all the participants in the ranking of the armies of the world for 2013, only $ 5 billion. In addition to the main staff, 8 million reservists are constantly ready for conscription. Most of the troops are concentrated on the border with South Korea. North Korea first tested nuclear weapons in 2006. Today, the country has up to 10 warheads in its arsenal.
4.Russia (the size of the army - 1 million 200 thousand people)
The power of the Russian army is largely determined by the country's nuclear potential; the Russian Federation has about 11,000 warheads at its disposal, as well as advanced delivery vehicles. Russia's defense budget is $ 56 billion. The US spends 692 billion, China 100 billion. The last serious armed clash with the participation of the Russian army was the armed conflict in South Ossetia with the Georgian military in 2008.
3. Israel (size of the army - 176.5 thousand people, reserve - 565 thousand people)
A distinctive feature of the smallest army in the 2013 ranking is the presence of women who serve on a compulsory basis for 24 months.The term of service for men is 36 months. In the ranking of the armies of the world for 2013, Israel leads in terms of defense spending per capita - about $ 2,400. Officially, the country does not have nuclear weapons, but it is believed that Israel may have 80 to 200 warheads at its disposal.
2.China (army size - 2 million 285 thousand people)
China's main resource is its people; the country's army is the largest in the world. However, the state is methodically developing the defense industry, moving from simple copying of Western models to the development and production of its own equipment. The army is staffed both on a conscription basis and on a contract basis. China's defense budget is the second largest in the world. The country's nuclear potential includes about 200 warheads.
1. USA (army size - 1 million 478 thousand people)
In terms of the total number of nuclear warheads, the country leading ranking of armies of the world for 2013, only slightly inferior to Russia. And the intercontinental ballistic missiles at the disposal of the American military can carry warheads at a distance of 15 thousand kilometers. The United States has an unprecedentedly large defense budget, 12 times the Russian military spending.