34 Countries With the Most Firearms Per Soldier

Firearms remain a core tool of modern warfare, even as drones, missiles, and advanced weapons systems reshape the battlefield. Around the world, many militaries maintain stockpiles of rifles, pistols, and machine guns that far exceed their number of active duty troops.

Using data from the Small Arms Survey and the World Bank, History Computer identified 34 countries where military firearm inventories outnumber service members by at least five to one. Among them are major global powers as well as nations facing ongoing or historic security threats.

Why It Matters

Over the last 100 years, the continual evolution of military technology has changed the ways in which wars are fought. Firearms have changed little and still function much as they did for most of the previous century; they remain among the most important weapons in any country's military arsenal. Effective and versatile, military firearms are a fundamental tool for infantry men and women — and many countries have stockpiled more of them than can practically be deployed.

34. Iran

Military arms to personnel ratio: 5.1 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 3,333,550
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 650,000
Defense budget in 2024: $7.9 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.0%
Global region: Southern Asia

33. Kazakhstan

Military arms to personnel ratio: 5.3 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 375,690
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 71,000
Defense budget in 2024: $1.2 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 0.4%
Global region: Central Asia

32. Mozambique

Military arms to personnel ratio: 5.5 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 60,000
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 11,000
Defense budget in 2024: $450.4 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.0%
Global region: Eastern Africa

31. Estonia

Military arms to personnel ratio: 5.5 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 38,760
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 7,000
Defense budget in 2024: $1.4 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 3.4%
Global region: Northern Europe

30. North Korea

Military arms to personnel ratio: 5.7 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 8,363,100
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 1,469,000
Defense budget in 2018: $1.6 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2018: N/A
Global region: Eastern Asia

29. Israel

Military arms to personnel ratio: 5.7 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 1,016,900
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 178,000
Defense budget in 2024: $46.5 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 8.8%
Global region: Western Asia

28. Czechia

Military arms to personnel ratio: 5.8 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 157,233
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 27,000
Defense budget in 2024: $6.5 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.9%
Global region: Eastern Europe

27. Ecuador

Military arms to personnel ratio: 6.0 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 253,668
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 42,000
Defense budget in 2024: $2.7 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.2%
Global region: South America

26. Portugal

Military arms to personnel ratio: 6.4 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 333,640
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 52,000
Defense budget in 2024: $4.6 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.5%
Global region: Southern Europe

25. Azerbaijan

Military arms to personnel ratio: 6.6 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 537,920
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 82,000
Defense budget in 2024: $3.8 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 5.0%
Global region: Western Asia

24. Argentina

Military arms to personnel ratio: 6.6 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 679,770
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 103,000
Defense budget in 2024: $4.2 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 0.6%
Global region: South America

23. South Sudan

Military arms to personnel ratio: 6.6 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 351,500
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 53,000
Defense budget in 2024: $2.0 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.0%
Global region: Eastern Africa

22. Tanzania

Military arms to personnel ratio: 6.8 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 190,050
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 28,000
Defense budget in 2024: $920.8 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.2%
Global region: Eastern Africa

21. Kyrgyz Republic

Military arms to personnel ratio: 6.9 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 145,010
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 21,000
Defense budget in 2024: $473.0 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 3.0%
Global region: Central Asia

20. Vietnam

Military arms to personnel ratio: 7.3 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 3,829,200
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 522,000
Defense budget in 2018: $5.5 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2018: 1.8%
Global region: South-eastern Asia

19. Norway

Military arms to personnel ratio: 7.5 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 188,646
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 25,000
Defense budget in 2024: $10.4 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.1%
Global region: Northern Europe

18. Cyprus

Military arms to personnel ratio: 7.6 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 99,000
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 13,000
Defense budget in 2024: $598.2 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.6%
Global region: Western Asia

17. Paraguay

Military arms to personnel ratio: 8.1 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 235,780
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 29,000
Defense budget in 2024: $414.0 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 0.9%
Global region: South America

16. Denmark

Military arms to personnel ratio: 8.3 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 124,120
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 15,000
Defense budget in 2024: $10.0 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.4%
Global region: Northern Europe

15. Sweden

Military arms to personnel ratio: 9.3 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 139,180
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 15,000
Defense budget in 2024: $12.0 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.0%
Global region: Northern Europe

14. Singapore

Military arms to personnel ratio: 9.7 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 574,140
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 59,000
Defense budget in 2024: $15.1 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.8%
Global region: South-eastern Asia

13. Austria

Military arms to personnel ratio: 10.5 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 240,880
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 23,000
Defense budget in 2024: $5.3 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.0%
Global region: Western Europe

12. China

Military arms to personnel ratio: 10.8 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 27,466,400
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 2,535,000
Defense budget in 2024: $313.7 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.7%
Global region: Eastern Asia

11. Armenia

Military arms to personnel ratio: 10.8 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 509,240
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 47,000
Defense budget in 2024: $1.4 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 5.5%
Global region: Western Asia

10. Serbia

Military arms to personnel ratio: 12.0 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 384,422
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 32,000
Defense budget in 2024: $2.3 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.6%
Global region: Southern Europe

9. Cuba

Military arms to personnel ratio: 12.6 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 958,100
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 76,000
Defense budget in 2018: $128.6 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2018: 2.9%
Global region: Caribbean

8. Switzerland

Military arms to personnel ratio: 16.2 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 324,484
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 20,000
Defense budget in 2024: $6.7 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 0.7%
Global region: Western Europe

7. Moldova

Military arms to personnel ratio: 16.4 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 98,600
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 6,000
Defense budget in 2024: $110.7 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 0.6%
Global region: Eastern Europe

6. Mongolia

Military arms to personnel ratio: 18.0 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 323,400
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 18,000
Defense budget in 2024: $180.8 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 0.7%
Global region: Eastern Asia

5. Slovenia

Military arms to personnel ratio: 18.8 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 131,686
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 7,000
Defense budget in 2024: $951.9 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 1.3%
Global region: Southern Europe

4. Russia

Military arms to personnel ratio: 20.8 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 30,272,900
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 1,454,000
Defense budget in 2024: $149.0 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 7.1%
Global region: Eastern Europe

3. Finland

Military arms to personnel ratio: 21.6 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 475,030
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 22,000
Defense budget in 2024: $7.0 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 2.3%
Global region: Northern Europe

2. Nicaragua

Military arms to personnel ratio: 21.8 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 261,800
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 12,000
Defense budget in 2024: $105.3 million (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 0.5%
Global region: Central America

1. Ukraine

Military arms to personnel ratio: 22.1 military firearms per soldier
Total, est. number of military firearms in country: 6,600,000
Est. active duty military personnel in country (incl. paramilitary): 298,000
Defense budget in 2024: $64.7 billion (current USD)
Defense budget as a share of GDP in 2024: 34.5%
Global region: Eastern Europe