Top 10 Military Powers of the World

War! We can do without it, but mankind has proven that it can't do without going to war every now and then. Nevertheless, every country is in the continuous race and process of upgrading their own power, and all want and need to be ready to meet any eventuality. Ok, let me make it clear that this article just talks about numbers, and in no way does it truly reflect any country's capability. As we all know very well, that besides all the firepower, strategy, intelligence inputs, respective situations, etc., all play a significant part in determining the success or downfall of a nation during a war or conflict. Besides, the numbers change often, and might I add without the knowledge of many of us outside (we would be the ones in the hot seat controlling everything). Now let us have a look as to who the top 10 military powers of the world are:

The Top 10 Military Powers of the World

1. Unites States of America
2. China
3. Russia
4. India
5. United Kingdom
6. France
7. Germany
8. Brazil
9. Japan
10. Turkey

Top Ten Military Powers - Statistics

Being one of the world's top militaries takes a lot of doing. It is a mix of quantity and quality. Just by numbers everything can't be achieved. It has to be an overall mix of brawn and brain. In the following table we will try to look at the main aspects which determine the brute force of the world's top military powers.

RANK	COUNTRY	LAND AREA (sq kms)	ANNUAL DEFENSE BUDGET (USD)	MILITARY PERSONNEL	AIR FORCE PLANES	NAVY SHIPS
I	USA	9,826,630	$515 Billion	1,385,000	22,700	1,600
II	China	9,596,960	$59 Billion	2,255,000	2,400	760
III	Russia	17,075,200	$43 Billion	1,245,000	6,500	525
IV	India	3,287,590	$33 Billion	1,325,000	1,250	145
V	UK	244,820	$53 Billion	195,000	2,670	140
VI	France	643,427	$62 Billion	225,000	1,900	135
VII	Germany	357,021	$46 Billion	250,000	1,100	130
VIII	Brazil	8,511,965	$24 Billion	287,000	1,650	90
IX	Japan	377,835	$44 Billion	378,000	2,700	150
X	Turkey	780,580	$31 Billion	514,000	1,530	180

And just for information sake, the next 10 military powers are Israel, South Korea, Italy, Indonesia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Egypt, Iran, Mexico, and North Korea.

The above table gives us an overview of the strengths and fire power of the top 10 military powers of the world. The chart is just to view numbers, and rankings take into consideration many aspects such as intelligence, actual combat experience, training, skill, back-up, movement of troops and weapons, etc. Also as mentioned earlier, numbers will not be absolutely accurate, as they keep changing regularly according to specific needs and situations. An interesting fact is that, out of all the countries in the world, Israel has a reserve army that can be mobilized into actual combat more quickly than anyone else. Just numbers are not enough, and this is something that can be citied in a good example in the table regarding the USA and China. Though China has an army nearly twice the size of the USA, the strike power of the USA is double that of China. This is due to many other factors as we have mentioned, like training, skill, modernized equipment, strategy, intelligence, etc. Though, it can be safely said that these are the 10 top militaries in the world as we speak.

There are also many other things that need to be taken into consideration regarding the top ten. For example, the United States indulges in combat mainly in other countries, and for the purpose of quashing terrorism, rouge armies, and peacekeeping ventures. Some countries are engaged in continuous small skirmishes with their neighbors, and are active in protecting their own borders. Nuclear weapons are also a key factor, something that has never been used since the bombing of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. God forbid, even if a war breaks out in which multiple countries are involved, it is very unlikely that they will be used, and the war(s) will be fought in the conventional ways itself. Another aspect is type of weaponry, the advanced military weapons that a state possesses.

To get into the top 10 military powers of the world bracket is no mean task. Also, staying there is equally tough, as almost all countries and for ever engaged in bettering themselves when it comes to military defense. No one wants to be less then their immediate threat, and need to be ever so ready to face any unwanted situation. To summarize, a military war is not something simple, and best if avoided.