30 Biggest Armies in the World

Which countries have the world's biggest armed forces in terms of the number of active military personnel? And which are the most militarized nations, with the greatest number of soldiers per 1,000 people?

In this gallery, Newsweek looks at the biggest armies in the world, starting with the 30th biggest and working up to number one. Data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, at the top of the list, at least, there is a heavy correlation between a country's population and their military numbers. Indeed, the top three countries on the list match their ranking for population size.

But that pattern does not follow all the way through the list. And it is clear that some countries have prioritized building up their military might. Foremost in that category is North Korea, which has a population of around 25 million, roughly the same as that of Texas, but which features prominently among the largest armies in the world.

Under Kim Jong Un, North Korea has invested heavily in its military to the tune of almost a quarter of its GDP. That spending, human rights groups have alleged, has come at the expense of feeding its people. Indeed, even its huge army reportedly go hungry much of the time.

While North Korea is an extreme case in terms of the proportion of its GDP it spends on its military, it is far from alone in putting a high stock in military strength. In recent months, long-term rivals the United States and Russia have talked loudly about reinvesting in their armies amid growing tension between the two.

"Today we have received the largest military budget in history, reversing many years of declining and unpredictable funding, and together we are going to make our military stronger than ever," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said following the passing of a spending bill in March that included huge funding for the military.

It is not just tension between the U.S. and Russia that have sparked a renewed focus on military might, however. A similar situation has played out amid military powerhouses and foes, India and Pakistan.