The Largest Militaries in the World

What defines a world power? A country's gross domestic product, its nuclear arsenal, political influence in international relations, or an immense military? It is actually a combination of all of these elements plus more. Strong militaries have been a symbol of international power since the beginning of nation-states. The Roman Empire would not have been what it came to be without its Roman soldiers that helped conquer most of Europe and pushed into the Middle East. Europe would have fallen into Hitler's arms if American troops had not made their historic landing on the shores of Normandy during World War II. History is history, but who has the largest armies in the world today?

The fifth largest army in the world with the combination of active troops, reserve force, and paramilitary personnel calls Russia its home. Today, Russia has 3,796,100 troops and fleets in the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, Caspian Sea, Arctic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. Flexible Russian legislation creates loopholes in the conscription system, allowing 90% 18-year-old men to circumvent enlisting in the army. Russia spends about $40 billion a year on its military.

North Korea has the fourth largest army in the world with 6 million troops which is a staggering number in comparison to its population of approximately 23 million. This means one out of every four North Koreans serves in the army. The Korean People's Army starts conscription at the age of 17. North Korea is said to be the most militarized nation in the world; it operates a vast network of military posts throughout the country and its air space is heavily guarded.

The third largest army in the world belongs to China, with a total of 7,024,000 troops. The People's Liberation Army has the second highest military budget in the world, spending around $70 billion annually. All men upon reaching the age of 18 must register with the military service; however, a draft has never been put into effect due to the constant influx of volunteers. The Chinese army is divided into Ground Forces, the Navy, the Air Force, the Second Artillery Corps (manning the nuclear missiles), and the Armed Police.

Surprisingly, Vietnam has the second biggest army in the world with 9.5 million troops. This translates to about one in every ten Vietnamese citizens is part of the army. Vietnam People's Army requires all men upon reaching the age of 18 to register with the army and complete 18 months of obligatory service. Vietnam spends annually $4 billion on military expenditures, about only 2% of its gross domestic product.

The country with the largest military in the world may come as surprising. Most people would think it's the United States, but it is actually Iran. The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran has 12,285,000 total troops with also the largest paramilitary in the world. Another surprise may be that Iran only spends about $6 billion a year on its military. When Iranian men turn 18, they must serve 16 months of obligatory military service. Maybe the reasons behind the eroded relationship between Iran and the United States seem clearer; Iran has the largest military on the planet and is being accused by the United States of stockpiling nuclear weapons.