Military · personnel · 2023 data

Which Country Has the Most Navy personnel?

United States leads the world with 731,600 sailors, followed by China (300,000) and Russia (155,000).

731,600

#1 United States

2,910,717

World total (145 countries)

2,800

Median country

41%

Share held by the top 3

Top 10

731,600

300,000

155,000

142,252

80,500

75,200

75,000

70,000

70,000

60,000

Top 5%
Top 30%
Lower half
None

Navy personnel — full ranking

Rank	Country	Navy personnel	Share of world
1	United States	731,600	25.1%
2	China	300,000	10.3%
3	Russia	155,000	5.3%
4	India	142,252	4.9%
5	Brazil	80,500	2.8%
6	Mexico	75,200	2.6%
7	Indonesia	75,000	2.6%
8	South Korea	70,000	2.4%
8	Thailand	70,000	2.4%
10	North Korea	60,000	2.1%
11	Pakistan	54,100	1.9%
12	Japan	51,000	1.8%
13	Vietnam	50,000	1.7%
14	Sri Lanka	48,000	1.6%
15	United Kingdom	46,200	1.6%
16	Türkiye	45,000	1.5%
17	France	44,000	1.5%
18	Taiwan	40,000	1.4%
19	Finland	38,200	1.3%
20	Colombia	35,000	1.2%
21	Egypt	32,500	1.1%
22	Italy	31,000	1.1%
23	Algeria	30,000	1.0%
23	Bangladesh	30,000	1.0%
23	Greece	30,000	1.0%
26	Peru	26,000	0.9%
27	Chile	25,000	0.9%
27	Philippines	25,000	0.9%
29	Venezuela	23,000	0.8%
30	Spain	21,000	0.7%
31	Australia	20,000	0.7%
31	Iran	20,000	0.7%
31	Israel	20,000	0.7%
34	Argentina	18,500	0.6%
35	Germany	16,500	0.6%
36	Myanmar	16,000	0.5%
37	Canada	15,700	0.5%
38	Libya	15,000	0.5%
38	Malaysia	15,000	0.5%
38	Ukraine	15,000	0.5%
41	Saudi Arabia	13,500	0.5%
42	Poland	12,500	0.4%
43	Ethiopia	11,500	0.4%
44	Dominican Republic	11,200	0.4%
45	Yemen	10,500	0.4%
46	Qatar	10,000	0.3%
47	Ecuador	9,130	0.3%
48	Portugal	9,000	0.3%
48	Singapore	9,000	0.3%
50	Morocco	7,800	0.3%
51	Netherlands	7,500	0.3%
52	Romania	7,150	0.2%
53	South Africa	6,815	0.2%
54	DR Congo	6,700	0.2%
55	Kenya	6,500	0.2%
55	Tunisia	6,500	0.2%
57	Uruguay	6,000	0.2%
58	Syria	5,500	0.2%
59	Paraguay	5,400	0.2%
60	Honduras	5,300	0.2%
61	Bolivia	5,000	0.2%
62	Oman	4,200	0.1%
63	Bulgaria	4,000	0.1%
63	Norway	4,000	0.1%
65	Denmark	3,600	0.1%
66	Cuba	3,550	0.1%
67	Ghana	3,500	0.1%
67	Laos	3,500	0.1%
69	Iraq	3,000	0.1%
69	Kazakhstan	3,000	0.1%
69	New Zealand	3,000	0.1%
69	United Arab Emirates	3,000	0.1%
73	Cambodia	2,800	0.1%
74	Kuwait	2,700	0.1%
75	El Salvador	2,500	0.1%
75	Guatemala	2,500	0.1%
75	Nigeria	2,500	0.1%
78	Azerbaijan	2,200	0.1%
79	Sweden	2,100	0.1%
80	Sudan	2,000	0.1%
80	Turkmenistan	2,000	0.1%
82	Lebanon	1,700	0.1%
83	Croatia	1,400	0.0%
84	Belgium	1,300	0.0%
84	Cameroon	1,300	0.0%
86	Namibia	1,200	0.0%
87	Albania	1,000	0.0%
87	Angola	1,000	0.0%
87	Côte d'Ivoire	1,000	0.0%
87	Eritrea	1,000	0.0%
87	Mauritania	1,000	0.0%
92	Ireland	900	0.0%
93	Bahrain	750	0.0%
94	Jordan	700	0.0%
94	Lithuania	700	0.0%
96	Mozambique	550	0.0%
96	Nicaragua	550	0.0%
96	South Sudan	550	0.0%
96	Tanzania	550	0.0%
96	Uzbekistan	550	0.0%
101	Estonia	500	0.0%
101	Gabon	500	0.0%
101	Madagascar	500	0.0%
101	Montenegro	500	0.0%
101	Senegal	500	0.0%
106	Latvia	350	0.0%
106	Liberia	350	0.0%
106	Suriname	350	0.0%
109	Slovenia	320	0.0%
110	Somalia	300	0.0%
111	Sierra Leone	250	0.0%
112	Benin	200	0.0%
113	Afghanistan	0	0.0%
113	Armenia	0	0.0%
113	Austria	0	0.0%
113	Belarus	0	0.0%
113	Belize	0	0.0%
113	Bhutan	0	0.0%
113	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0	0.0%
113	Botswana	0	0.0%
113	Burkina Faso	0	0.0%
113	Central African Republic	0	0.0%
113	Chad	0	0.0%
113	Czechia	0	0.0%
113	Georgia	0	0.0%
113	Hungary	0	0.0%
113	Iceland	0	0.0%
113	Kosovo	0	0.0%
113	Kyrgyzstan	0	0.0%
113	Luxembourg	0	0.0%
113	Mali	0	0.0%
113	Moldova	0	0.0%
113	Mongolia	0	0.0%
113	Nepal	0	0.0%
113	Niger	0	0.0%
113	North Macedonia	0	0.0%
113	Panama	0	0.0%
113	Republic of the Congo	0	0.0%
113	Serbia	0	0.0%
113	Slovakia	0	0.0%
113	Switzerland	0	0.0%
113	Tajikistan	0	0.0%
113	Uganda	0	0.0%
113	Zambia	0	0.0%
113	Zimbabwe	0	0.0%

About this ranking

This ranking counts naval personnel. United States leads the world with 731,600 sailors, followed by China (300,000) and Russia (155,000).

The world total is 2,910,717 sailors. The top three — United States, China and Russia — hold 41% of it, and United States alone has more than the next 4 countries combined. The median country has 2,800.

33 of the 145 countries in the ranking report none — Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tajikistan, Switzerland and Slovakia and others.

Leaders by continent

Americas: United States — 731,600 (world #1)
Asia: China — 300,000 (world #2)
Europe: Russia — 155,000 (world #3)
Africa: Egypt — 32,500 (world #21)
Oceania: Australia — 20,000 (world #31)

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.

More personnel rankings

Personnel

Active military personnel

China · 2,000,000

Reserve military personnel

Vietnam · 2,500,000

Paramilitary forces

Bangladesh · 6,800,000

Army personnel

China · 2,545,000

Air force personnel

United States · 660,107

Overall military strength ranking

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the most navy personnel?

United States leads the world with 731,600 sailors, followed by China (300,000) and Russia (155,000).

How many countries have navy personnel?

112 of 145 countries in the ranking report navy personnel; 33 report none.

How concentrated is it?

The top three countries — United States, China and Russia — account for 41% of the world total of 2,910,717, and United States alone has more than the next 4 countries combined.

Where does the data come from?

Global Firepower 2023 military strength ranking. Equipment counts are estimates and include units in reserve or storage.