Military · personnel · 2023 data

Which Country Has the Most Air force personnel?

United States leads the world with 660,107 personnel, followed by China (400,000) and India (310,575).

660,107

#1 United States

3,510,627

World total (145 countries)

5,000

Median country

39%

Share held by the top 3

Top 10

660,107

400,000

310,575

250,000

110,000

89,000

81,000

80,000

65,000

50,000

Top 5%
Top 30%
Lower half
None

Air force personnel — full ranking

Rank	Country	Air force personnel	Share of world
1	United States	660,107	18.8%
2	China	400,000	11.4%
3	India	310,575	8.8%
4	Russia	250,000	7.1%
5	North Korea	110,000	3.1%
6	Israel	89,000	2.5%
7	Brazil	81,000	2.3%
8	Pakistan	80,000	2.3%
9	South Korea	65,000	1.9%
10	Egypt	50,000	1.4%
10	Japan	50,000	1.4%
10	Türkiye	50,000	1.4%
13	Thailand	47,000	1.3%
14	Iran	45,000	1.3%
14	Italy	45,000	1.3%
16	Greece	42,500	1.2%
17	Finland	41,100	1.2%
18	France	40,500	1.2%
19	Indonesia	40,000	1.1%
19	United Kingdom	40,000	1.1%
21	Poland	37,000	1.1%
22	Taiwan	35,000	1.0%
22	Ukraine	35,000	1.0%
22	Vietnam	35,000	1.0%
25	Sri Lanka	34,000	1.0%
26	Philippines	33,500	1.0%
27	Germany	30,000	0.9%
28	Colombia	25,000	0.7%
29	Spain	23,000	0.7%
30	Bolivia	22,000	0.6%
31	Bangladesh	21,100	0.6%
32	Australia	20,000	0.6%
32	Peru	20,000	0.6%
32	Saudi Arabia	20,000	0.6%
32	Switzerland	20,000	0.6%
32	Venezuela	20,000	0.6%
37	Belarus	18,200	0.5%
38	Nigeria	18,000	0.5%
39	Honduras	16,500	0.5%
40	Dominican Republic	16,100	0.5%
41	Canada	15,620	0.4%
42	Malaysia	15,000	0.4%
42	Myanmar	15,000	0.4%
42	Singapore	15,000	0.4%
42	Syria	15,000	0.4%
42	Uzbekistan	15,000	0.4%
47	Algeria	14,000	0.4%
47	Argentina	14,000	0.4%
47	Jordan	14,000	0.4%
50	Morocco	13,500	0.4%
51	Sudan	13,000	0.4%
52	Azerbaijan	12,000	0.3%
52	Kazakhstan	12,000	0.3%
52	Mexico	12,000	0.3%
52	South Africa	12,000	0.3%
56	Romania	10,700	0.3%
57	Chile	10,600	0.3%
58	Cambodia	10,000	0.3%
58	Iraq	10,000	0.3%
58	Kenya	10,000	0.3%
61	Cuba	8,000	0.2%
62	Paraguay	7,500	0.2%
62	Yemen	7,500	0.2%
64	Netherlands	6,550	0.2%
65	Belgium	6,500	0.2%
65	Bulgaria	6,500	0.2%
67	Ecuador	6,400	0.2%
68	Angola	6,000	0.2%
68	Hungary	6,000	0.2%
68	Portugal	6,000	0.2%
71	Oman	5,500	0.2%
72	Zambia	5,300	0.2%
73	Botswana	5,000	0.1%
73	Czechia	5,000	0.1%
73	El Salvador	5,000	0.1%
73	Ethiopia	5,000	0.1%
73	Ghana	5,000	0.1%
73	Qatar	5,000	0.1%
73	Zimbabwe	5,000	0.1%
80	Libya	4,500	0.1%
80	Tunisia	4,500	0.1%
82	Austria	4,300	0.1%
83	DR Congo	4,000	0.1%
83	Mozambique	4,000	0.1%
83	United Arab Emirates	4,000	0.1%
86	Norway	3,700	0.1%
87	Armenia	3,500	0.1%
87	Cameroon	3,500	0.1%
87	Denmark	3,500	0.1%
87	Eritrea	3,500	0.1%
87	Guatemala	3,500	0.1%
92	Slovakia	3,200	0.1%
93	Georgia	3,000	0.1%
93	New Zealand	3,000	0.1%
93	Serbia	3,000	0.1%
93	Sweden	3,000	0.1%
93	Turkmenistan	3,000	0.1%
93	Uruguay	3,000	0.1%
99	Kuwait	2,500	0.1%
99	Lebanon	2,500	0.1%
99	Mauritania	2,500	0.1%
102	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2,100	0.1%
103	Estonia	1,570	0.0%
104	Bahrain	1,500	0.0%
104	Gabon	1,500	0.0%
104	Lithuania	1,500	0.0%
104	Mongolia	1,500	0.0%
108	Croatia	1,250	0.0%
109	Namibia	1,200	0.0%
109	Tajikistan	1,200	0.0%
109	Uganda	1,200	0.0%
112	Côte d'Ivoire	1,000	0.0%
112	Laos	1,000	0.0%
112	Senegal	1,000	0.0%
115	Tanzania	800	0.0%
116	Ireland	755	0.0%
117	Moldova	700	0.0%
118	Madagascar	550	0.0%
118	Republic of the Congo	550	0.0%
120	Albania	500	0.0%
120	Burkina Faso	500	0.0%
120	Central African Republic	500	0.0%
120	Kyrgyzstan	500	0.0%
120	Montenegro	500	0.0%
120	Nepal	500	0.0%
120	Nicaragua	500	0.0%
127	Slovenia	400	0.0%
128	Chad	350	0.0%
128	Mali	350	0.0%
128	Niger	350	0.0%
128	North Macedonia	350	0.0%
128	Sierra Leone	350	0.0%
128	South Sudan	350	0.0%
128	Suriname	350	0.0%
135	Benin	300	0.0%
135	Somalia	300	0.0%
137	Latvia	250	0.0%
138	Afghanistan	0	0.0%
138	Belize	0	0.0%
138	Bhutan	0	0.0%
138	Iceland	0	0.0%
138	Kosovo	0	0.0%
138	Liberia	0	0.0%
138	Luxembourg	0	0.0%
138	Panama	0	0.0%

About this ranking

This ranking counts air-force personnel. United States leads the world with 660,107 personnel, followed by China (400,000) and India (310,575).

The world total is 3,510,627 personnel. The top three — United States, China and India — hold 39% of it. The median country has 5,000.

8 of the 145 countries in the ranking report none — Panama, Luxembourg, Liberia, Kosovo, Iceland and Bhutan and others.

Leaders by continent

Americas: United States — 660,107 (world #1)
Asia: China — 400,000 (world #2)
Europe: Russia — 250,000 (world #4)
Africa: Egypt — 50,000 (world #10)
Oceania: Australia — 20,000 (world #32)

A note on the data

Figures come from the Global Firepower 2023 military strength ranking. Equipment totals are estimates that include units in reserve or storage; readiness — the share actually available — is often much lower.