Military · personnel · 2023 data
Which Country Has the Most Reserve military personnel?
Vietnam leads the world with 2,500,000 reservists, followed by Taiwan (1,500,000) and Brazil (1,340,000).
2,500,000
#1 Vietnam
17,852,700
World total (145 countries)
10,000
Median country
30%
Share held by the top 3
Top 10
- Top 5%
- Top 30%
- Lower half
- None
Reserve military personnel — full ranking
| Rank | Country | Reserve military personnel | Share of world |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Vietnam |
2,500,000 | 14.0% |
| 2 |  Taiwan |
1,500,000 | 8.4% |
| 3 |  Brazil |
1,340,000 | 7.5% |
| 4 |  India |
1,155,000 | 6.5% |
| 5 |  Finland |
900,000 | 5.0% |
| 6 |  Colombia |
845,000 | 4.7% |
| 7 |  North Korea |
600,000 | 3.4% |
| 8 |  Pakistan |
550,000 | 3.1% |
| 9 |  China |
510,000 | 2.9% |
| 10 |  South Korea |
500,000 | 2.8% |
| 11 |  Egypt |
480,000 | 2.7% |
| 12 |  Israel |
465,000 | 2.6% |
| 13 |  United States |
442,000 | 2.5% |
| 14 |  Indonesia |
400,000 | 2.2% |
| 15 |  Iran |
350,000 | 2.0% |
| 16 |  Azerbaijan |
300,000 | 1.7% |
| 17 |  Belarus |
290,000 | 1.6% |
| 18 |  Russia |
250,000 | 1.4% |
| 18 |  Ukraine |
250,000 | 1.4% |
| 20 |  Singapore |
240,000 | 1.3% |
| 21 |  Estonia |
230,000 | 1.3% |
| 22 |  Greece |
220,500 | 1.2% |
| 23 |  Portugal |
211,700 | 1.2% |
| 24 |  Armenia |
210,000 | 1.2% |
| 25 |  Eritrea |
200,000 | 1.1% |
| 25 |  Türkiye |
200,000 | 1.1% |
| 27 |  Austria |
160,000 | 0.9% |
| 27 |  Paraguay |
160,000 | 0.9% |
| 29 |  Morocco |
150,000 | 0.8% |
| 30 |  Algeria |
135,000 | 0.8% |
| 30 |  Mongolia |
135,000 | 0.8% |
| 32 |  Ecuador |
120,000 | 0.7% |
| 32 |  Switzerland |
120,000 | 0.7% |
| 34 |  Bahrain |
110,000 | 0.6% |
| 35 |  Peru |
100,000 | 0.6% |
| 35 |  Philippines |
100,000 | 0.6% |
| 35 |  Thailand |
100,000 | 0.6% |
| 38 |  Guatemala |
65,000 | 0.4% |
| 38 |  Jordan |
65,000 | 0.4% |
| 38 |  Mauritania |
65,000 | 0.4% |
| 38 |  Mexico |
65,000 | 0.4% |
| 42 |  Honduras |
60,000 | 0.3% |
| 42 |  North Macedonia |
60,000 | 0.3% |
| 42 |  Oman |
60,000 | 0.3% |
| 45 |  Japan |
55,000 | 0.3% |
| 46 |  Malaysia |
52,000 | 0.3% |
| 47 |  Romania |
50,000 | 0.3% |
| 47 |  Serbia |
50,000 | 0.3% |
| 47 |  Sudan |
50,000 | 0.3% |
| 50 |  Denmark |
45,500 | 0.3% |
| 51 |  Bolivia |
40,000 | 0.2% |
| 51 |  Chile |
40,000 | 0.2% |
| 51 |  Cuba |
40,000 | 0.2% |
| 51 |  Tanzania |
40,000 | 0.2% |
| 55 |  United Kingdom |
37,000 | 0.2% |
| 56 |  Bulgaria |
36,000 | 0.2% |
| 57 |  France |
35,000 | 0.2% |
| 58 |  Australia |
30,000 | 0.2% |
| 58 |  Venezuela |
30,000 | 0.2% |
| 60 |  Croatia |
20,000 | 0.1% |
| 60 |  Hungary |
20,000 | 0.1% |
| 60 |  Italy |
20,000 | 0.1% |
| 63 |  Canada |
19,000 | 0.1% |
| 64 |  Germany |
15,000 | 0.1% |
| 64 |  Latvia |
15,000 | 0.1% |
| 64 |  Lithuania |
15,000 | 0.1% |
| 64 |  Qatar |
15,000 | 0.1% |
| 64 |  Spain |
15,000 | 0.1% |
| 69 |  Kuwait |
14,000 | 0.1% |
| 70 |  South Africa |
12,500 | 0.1% |
| 71 |  Moldova |
12,000 | 0.1% |
| 72 |  El Salvador |
10,000 | 0.1% |
| 72 |  Uganda |
10,000 | 0.1% |
| 74 |  Belgium |
7,000 | 0.0% |
| 75 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
6,000 | 0.0% |
| 76 |  Sri Lanka |
5,500 | 0.0% |
| 77 |  Netherlands |
5,000 | 0.0% |
| 78 |  Burkina Faso |
4,500 | 0.0% |
| 79 |  Ireland |
4,000 | 0.0% |
| 80 |  Kosovo |
3,000 | 0.0% |
| 81 |  New Zealand |
2,500 | 0.0% |
| 82 |  Slovenia |
2,000 | 0.0% |
| 83 |  Belize |
1,000 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Afghanistan |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Albania |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Angola |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Argentina |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Bangladesh |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Benin |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Bhutan |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Botswana |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Cambodia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Cameroon |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Central African Republic |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Chad |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Czechia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Côte d'Ivoire |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  DR Congo |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Dominican Republic |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Ethiopia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Gabon |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Georgia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Ghana |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Iceland |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Iraq |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Kazakhstan |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Kenya |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Kyrgyzstan |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Laos |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Lebanon |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Liberia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Libya |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Luxembourg |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Madagascar |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Mali |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Montenegro |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Mozambique |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Myanmar |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Namibia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Nepal |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Nicaragua |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Niger |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Nigeria |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Norway |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Panama |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Poland |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Republic of the Congo |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Saudi Arabia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Senegal |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Sierra Leone |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Slovakia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Somalia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  South Sudan |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Suriname |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Sweden |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Syria |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Tajikistan |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Tunisia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Turkmenistan |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  United Arab Emirates |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Uruguay |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Uzbekistan |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Yemen |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Zambia |
0 | 0.0% |
| 84 |  Zimbabwe |
0 | 0.0% |
No country matches your search.
About this ranking
This ranking counts trained reservists who can be called up in a crisis. Vietnam leads the world with 2,500,000 reservists, followed by Taiwan (1,500,000) and Brazil (1,340,000).
The world total is 17,852,700 reservists. The top three — Vietnam, Taiwan and Brazil — hold 30% of it. The median country has 10,000.
62 of the 145 countries in the ranking report none — Zimbabwe, Zambia, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Uruguay and United Arab Emirates and others.
Leaders by continent
- Asia: Vietnam — 2,500,000 (world #1)
- Americas: Brazil — 1,340,000 (world #3)
- Europe: Finland — 900,000 (world #5)
- Africa: Egypt — 480,000 (world #11)
- Oceania: Australia — 30,000 (world #58)
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the most reserve military personnel?
Vietnam leads the world with 2,500,000 reservists, followed by Taiwan (1,500,000) and Brazil (1,340,000).
How many countries have reserve military personnel?
83 of 145 countries in the ranking report reserve military personnel; 62 report none.
How concentrated is it?
The top three countries — Vietnam, Taiwan and Brazil — account for 30% of the world total of 17,852,700.
Where does the data come from?
Global Firepower 2023 military strength ranking. Equipment counts are estimates and include units in reserve or storage.