20 Countries with the Strongest Armies in the World

2. China

GDP (2023): $17.7 trillion

Defense Spending (2023): $296.4 billion

Active Manpower: 2,035,000

Tanks: 5,000

Armored Fighting Vehicles: 174,300

Self-propelled Artillery: 3,850

Towed Artillery: 1,434

Rocket Projectors: 3,180

Attack Helicopters: 281

Nuclear Weapons: 350

Technological Capabilities Rank: 11

Weighted Ranking: 3.20

China is fast catching up with the United States in military strength, driven by rapid technological advancements in the country and its large economy, whose size was measured at $17.7 trillion in 2023. It has the largest army in the world, with over two million active personnel. The Asian giant boasts a large arsenal of nuclear weapons and also has a sizable number of battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and artillery units.