Military Strength: 
United Arab Emirates vs 
Pakistan
Pakistan (ranked #15 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than United Arab Emirates (#19) on the ARMS Index. Pakistan fields 943,000 active troops — 15:1 United Arab Emirates's 63,000, backed by 550,000 reserves and 291,000 paramilitary. United Arab Emirates's $22B defense budget is 2.4:1 that of Pakistan ($9.3B).
ARMS (Aggregate Rating of Military Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
United Arab EmiratesWorld #19
51.2
ARMS Index / 100
Pakistan leads on 6 of 6 pillars
PakistanWorld #15
54.3
United Arab Emirates
Pakistan
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · readiness modifier ×1.15 vs ×0.93 · Methodology
Key figures
| United Arab Emirates | Pakistan | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $22B | $9.3B | 🇦🇪 2.4× |
| – share of GDP | 4.0% | 2.5% | 🇦🇪 1.6× |
| Active personnel | 63,000 | 943,000 | 🇵🇰 15× |
| Combat aircraft | 135 | 469 | 🇵🇰 3.5× |
| Warships | 79 | 117 | 🇵🇰 1.5× |
| – submarines | 0 | 6 | 🇵🇰 |
| Main battle tanks | 354 | 2,627 | 🇵🇰 7.4× |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 170 | 🇵🇰 |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 130,000 | 550,000 | 🇵🇰 4.2× |
| Paramilitary forces | 0 | 291,000 | 🇵🇰 |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 548 | 1,369 | 🇵🇰 2.5× |
| – helicopters | 264 | 355 | 🇵🇰 1.3× |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $2,011 | $37 | 🇦🇪 54× |
| Population | 11M | 251.3M | 🇵🇰 23× |
| GDP | $552B | $372B | 🇦🇪 1.5× |
| GDP per capita | $50,274 | $1,479 | 🇦🇪 34× |
| Land area | 83,600 km² | 856,690 km² | 🇵🇰 10× |
| Coastline | 1,318 km | 1,046 km | 🇦🇪 1.3× |
Backbone systems most numerous in service
Defense budget history United Arab Emirates ×1.0 · Pakistan ×0.8 since 2020
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, United Arab Emirates or Pakistan?
Pakistan has approximately 943,000 active military personnel compared to United Arab Emirates's 63,000, giving Pakistan a 15:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, United Arab Emirates or Pakistan?
Pakistan operates 469 combat aircraft compared to United Arab Emirates's 135. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, United Arab Emirates or Pakistan?
Pakistan has a larger navy with 117 vessels compared to United Arab Emirates's 79 ships. United Arab Emirates operates 0 submarines while Pakistan has 6.
Which country spends more on defense, United Arab Emirates or Pakistan?
United Arab Emirates has a larger defense budget at $22.1 billion (2.4:1 more) compared to Pakistan's $9.3 billion annually.
Do United Arab Emirates and Pakistan have nuclear weapons?
Pakistan possesses nuclear weapons with approximately 170 warheads, while United Arab Emirates does not have nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of United Arab Emirates and Pakistan compare?
Pakistan operates 2,627 main battle tanks compared to United Arab Emirates's 354. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.