Military · personnel · 2023 data

Which Country Has the Most Paramilitary forces?

Bangladesh leads the world with 6,800,000 personnel, followed by India (2,527,000) and Venezuela (1,600,000).

6,800,000

#1 Bangladesh

18,294,350

World total (145 countries)

10,000

Median country

60%

Share held by the top 3

Top 10

6,800,000

2,527,000

1,600,000

1,146,000

625,000

500,000

400,000

375,000

300,000

280,000

Top 5%
Top 30%
Lower half
None

Paramilitary forces — full ranking

Rank	Country	Paramilitary forces	Share of world
1	Bangladesh	6,800,000	37.2%
2	India	2,527,000	13.8%
3	Venezuela	1,600,000	8.7%
4	Cuba	1,146,000	6.3%
5	China	625,000	3.4%
6	Pakistan	500,000	2.7%
7	Brazil	400,000	2.2%
8	Yemen	375,000	2.0%
9	Egypt	300,000	1.6%
10	Indonesia	280,000	1.5%
11	Russia	250,000	1.4%
12	Algeria	200,000	1.1%
12	North Korea	200,000	1.1%
14	Colombia	185,000	1.0%
15	South Africa	180,000	1.0%
16	France	175,000	1.0%
17	Türkiye	150,000	0.8%
18	Iraq	130,000	0.7%
19	Saudi Arabia	125,000	0.7%
20	Belarus	110,000	0.6%
21	Italy	107,000	0.6%
22	Laos	100,000	0.5%
22	Malaysia	100,000	0.5%
22	Mexico	100,000	0.5%
25	Iran	90,000	0.5%
26	Nigeria	80,000	0.4%
26	Spain	80,000	0.4%
28	South Korea	75,000	0.4%
29	Afghanistan	60,000	0.3%
30	Sudan	55,000	0.3%
31	Chile	50,000	0.3%
31	Myanmar	50,000	0.3%
31	Peru	50,000	0.3%
31	Philippines	50,000	0.3%
31	Syria	50,000	0.3%
31	Ukraine	50,000	0.3%
37	Norway	40,000	0.2%
37	Vietnam	40,000	0.2%
39	Greece	35,000	0.2%
39	Libya	35,000	0.2%
41	Poland	32,500	0.2%
42	Kazakhstan	32,000	0.2%
43	Dominican Republic	30,000	0.2%
43	Guatemala	30,000	0.2%
45	Panama	27,000	0.1%
46	Lebanon	25,000	0.1%
46	Morocco	25,000	0.1%
48	Portugal	24,700	0.1%
49	Honduras	23,000	0.1%
50	Sweden	22,000	0.1%
51	Argentina	20,000	0.1%
52	Estonia	16,000	0.1%
53	Azerbaijan	15,000	0.1%
53	El Salvador	15,000	0.1%
53	Jordan	15,000	0.1%
53	Kenya	15,000	0.1%
53	Romania	15,000	0.1%
58	Finland	14,000	0.1%
58	Japan	14,000	0.1%
60	Cameroon	12,500	0.1%
61	Hungary	12,000	0.1%
61	United Arab Emirates	12,000	0.1%
63	Taiwan	11,500	0.1%
64	Lithuania	11,000	0.1%
64	Sri Lanka	11,000	0.1%
66	Angola	10,000	0.1%
66	Cambodia	10,000	0.1%
66	DR Congo	10,000	0.1%
66	Kyrgyzstan	10,000	0.1%
66	Madagascar	10,000	0.1%
66	Mongolia	10,000	0.1%
66	Montenegro	10,000	0.1%
66	Nepal	10,000	0.1%
66	Paraguay	10,000	0.1%
66	Singapore	10,000	0.1%
66	Tunisia	10,000	0.1%
66	Uzbekistan	10,000	0.1%
66	Zimbabwe	10,000	0.1%
79	Latvia	8,200	0.0%
80	Israel	8,000	0.0%
81	Côte d'Ivoire	7,000	0.0%
81	Kuwait	7,000	0.0%
83	Oman	6,000	0.0%
83	Thailand	6,000	0.0%
85	Canada	5,500	0.0%
85	Tajikistan	5,500	0.0%
87	Georgia	5,400	0.0%
88	Chad	5,000	0.0%
88	Mauritania	5,000	0.0%
88	Namibia	5,000	0.0%
88	Netherlands	5,000	0.0%
88	Qatar	5,000	0.0%
88	Serbia	5,000	0.0%
88	Slovenia	5,000	0.0%
88	Turkmenistan	5,000	0.0%
96	Armenia	4,300	0.0%
97	North Macedonia	4,000	0.0%
98	Bahrain	3,000	0.0%
98	Niger	3,000	0.0%
100	Croatia	2,000	0.0%
100	Gabon	2,000	0.0%
100	Mali	2,000	0.0%
100	Republic of the Congo	2,000	0.0%
104	Uganda	1,500	0.0%
104	Uruguay	1,500	0.0%
106	Central African Republic	1,000	0.0%
106	Moldova	1,000	0.0%
106	Tanzania	1,000	0.0%
106	Zambia	1,000	0.0%
110	Albania	500	0.0%
110	Ecuador	500	0.0%
112	Burkina Faso	250	0.0%
113	Australia	0	0.0%
113	Austria	0	0.0%
113	Belgium	0	0.0%
113	Belize	0	0.0%
113	Benin	0	0.0%
113	Bhutan	0	0.0%
113	Bolivia	0	0.0%
113	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0	0.0%
113	Botswana	0	0.0%
113	Bulgaria	0	0.0%
113	Czechia	0	0.0%
113	Denmark	0	0.0%
113	Eritrea	0	0.0%
113	Ethiopia	0	0.0%
113	Germany	0	0.0%
113	Ghana	0	0.0%
113	Iceland	0	0.0%
113	Ireland	0	0.0%
113	Kosovo	0	0.0%
113	Liberia	0	0.0%
113	Luxembourg	0	0.0%
113	Mozambique	0	0.0%
113	New Zealand	0	0.0%
113	Nicaragua	0	0.0%
113	Senegal	0	0.0%
113	Sierra Leone	0	0.0%
113	Slovakia	0	0.0%
113	Somalia	0	0.0%
113	South Sudan	0	0.0%
113	Suriname	0	0.0%
113	Switzerland	0	0.0%
113	United Kingdom	0	0.0%
113	United States	0	0.0%

About this ranking

This ranking counts gendarmerie, border guards, national guards and similar forces. Bangladesh leads the world with 6,800,000 personnel, followed by India (2,527,000) and Venezuela (1,600,000).

The world total is 18,294,350 personnel. The top three — Bangladesh, India and Venezuela — hold 60% of it, and Bangladesh alone has more than the next 6 countries combined. The median country has 10,000.

33 of the 145 countries in the ranking report none — United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Suriname, South Sudan and Somalia and others.

Leaders by continent

Asia: Bangladesh — 6,800,000 (world #1)
Americas: Venezuela — 1,600,000 (world #3)
Africa: Egypt — 300,000 (world #9)
Europe: Russia — 250,000 (world #11)

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

United States · 660,107

Navy personnel

United States · 731,600

Overall military strength ranking

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the most paramilitary forces?

Bangladesh leads the world with 6,800,000 personnel, followed by India (2,527,000) and Venezuela (1,600,000).

How many countries have paramilitary forces?

112 of 145 countries in the ranking report paramilitary forces; 33 report none.

How concentrated is it?

The top three countries — Bangladesh, India and Venezuela — account for 60% of the world total of 18,294,350, and Bangladesh alone has more than the next 6 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.