Don’t Underestimate This Tiny Nation’s NATO Power

Total military personnel: 0
Active personnel: 0
Reserves: 0
Paramilitary forces: 0
Total population: 360,872
Fit-for-service: 49,800

NATO’s importance in the aftermath of World War II cannot be understated. This global organization has created an almost unbreakable alliance, especially as it came together to influence the Western World positively. Whether it’s watching North Korea, China, or Russia, NATO must continue to be a significant factor in global affairs.

What Is NATO?

The North American Treaty Organization is a multinational force of 30-plus countries that come together for everyone's mutual defense. Only two of the 32 primary member states are not based somewhere in Europe, with the United States and Canada.

Between the US, France, United Kingdom, and Italy, there is considerable strength in numbers across NATO to help defend against aggressive action from North Korea, China, and Russia.

How Does Russia Compare to NATO?

Given that Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine have spurred many conversations about NATO activity, it begs the question of how Russia compares militarily against a combined NATO force. As Russia has had measurable difficulty beating back Ukranian forces, it has shown a glaring weakness in the once-vaunted strength of the Russian military.

Compared to NATO, which has 22,308 aircraft and 2,258 military ships, Russia lacks size, with only 4,814 aircraft and 781 military vessels. Russia has more tanks, with 3,000, but that of NATO dwarfs its number of armored vehicles. Russia's biggest strength may be its nuclear arsenal, similar to the combined strength of the US, UK, and France.