This Country Could Call Up The Biggest Reserve Army

Most countries in the world have two categories of military personnel: active service members and reservists. Reservists are civilians who have careers outside of military service but receive regular training so that they can be activated during times of conflict. For example, the U.S. tapped hundreds of thousands of reservists during its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The number of reserve troops often outnumber active military service members, in some cases by a very large margin. (These are the countries where the most people serve in the military.)

To determine the countries with the largest military reserves, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2023 data from GlobalFirepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We ranked countries by the size of their reserve forces and included the number of active-duty and paramilitary forces for each country. From Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s Military Expenditure Database, we included total military spending by country in 2021 and military spending as a percentage of gross domestic product. 2021 population figures come from the World Bank.

Finland, has 900,000 reservists, one of the largest reserve forces in the world, but only about 24,000 active-duty troops. A major reason for this is the country’s sometimes-precarious relationship with its much more powerful neighbor, Russia. The two countries share an 830-mile border. Russia itself began drafting hundreds of thousands of reservists last year to bolster its forces fighting in Ukraine. (Here are 29 countries currently at war.)

Four countries in the world are known to have reserve forces greater than 1 million, led by Vietnam’s estimated 2.5 million reservists, followed by Taiwan, Brazil, and India. The 25 largest reserve forces have a combined 14.9 million regularly-trained soldiers compared to 11.8 million active service members.

It is not surprising to find countries with large populations on this list. However, the number of reservists does not necessarily depend on the size of the population. Countries with rather small populations, like Israel and Finland, which is home to 9.3 million and 5.5 million residents, respectively, have more reserve personnel than much larger countries, the U.S.

Besides active troops and reservists, many countries also have a third broad category of military personnel: paramilitary organizations, state-sanctioned forces that have sometimes acted outside the rules of engagement.

Most countries in the world have two categories of military personnel: active service members and reservists. Reservists are civilians who have careers outside of military service but receive regular training so that they can be activated during times of conflict. For example, the U.S. tapped hundreds of thousands of reservists during its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The number of reserve troops often outnumber active military service members, in some cases by a very large margin. (These are the countries where the most people serve in the military.)

To determine the countries with the largest military reserves, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2023 data from GlobalFirepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We ranked countries by the size of their reserve forces and included the number of active-duty and paramilitary forces for each country. From Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s Military Expenditure Database, we included total military spending by country in 2021 and military spending as a percentage of gross domestic product. 2021 population figures come from the World Bank.

Finland, has 900,000 reservists, one of the largest reserve forces in the world, but only about 24,000 active-duty troops. A major reason for this is the country’s sometimes-precarious relationship with its much more powerful neighbor, Russia. The two countries share an 830-mile border. Russia itself began drafting hundreds of thousands of reservists last year to bolster its forces fighting in Ukraine. (Here are 29 countries currently at war.)

Four countries in the world are known to have reserve forces greater than 1 million, led by Vietnam’s estimated 2.5 million reservists, followed by Taiwan, Brazil, and India. The 25 largest reserve forces have a combined 14.9 million regularly-trained soldiers compared to 11.8 million active service members.

It is not surprising to find countries with large populations on this list. However, the number of reservists does not necessarily depend on the size of the population. Countries with rather small populations, like Israel and Finland, which is home to 9.3 million and 5.5 million residents, respectively, have more reserve personnel than much larger countries, the U.S.

Besides active troops and reservists, many countries also have a third broad category of military personnel: paramilitary organizations, state-sanctioned forces that have sometimes acted outside the rules of engagement.

Here are the countries with the largest military reserves.

Sponsored: Tips for Investing

A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.

Source: Read Full Article