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Military Strength: Flag of Bahamas Bahamas vs Flag of Jamaica Jamaica

Military Strength
Bahamas Jamaica
Global Military Index 6.7 (#158) 12.7 (#141)
Military personnel 2,000 6,000
– Reserve troops 0 2,580
– Paramilitary forces 0 0
Military aircraft 2 17
– incl. combat aircraft 0 0
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 0 14
Military ships 0 0
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 0
Main battle tanks 0 0
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Jamaica (ranked #141 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Bahamas (#158) on the Global Military Index. Jamaica fields 6,000 active troops — 3.0x Bahamas's 2,000, backed by 2,580 reserves. Jamaica's $0.3B defense budget is 2.8x that of Bahamas ($0.1B).

In the air, Bahamas operates 2 aircraft vs 17 for Jamaica.

Neither Bahamas nor Jamaica possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇧🇸 Bahamas World #158
6.7/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier. Full methodology.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 30.9 1300 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 3.7 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 18.1 $0.1B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.06 Budget per soldier
🇯🇲 Jamaica World #141
12.7/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier. Full methodology.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 41.1 5240 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 21.4 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 24.7 $0.3B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.05 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Bahamas Jamaica
Population 401283 2.8 million
GDP $15.8 billion $22.0 billion
GDP per capita $39,455 $7,754
Military budget $110.8 million $308.2 million
– share of GDP 0.7% 1.4%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 0.0%
– per capita spending $276 $109
Land area 10,010 km² 10,831 km²
Coastline 3,542 km 1,022 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Bahamas or Jamaica?
Jamaica has approximately 6,000 active military personnel compared to Bahamas's 2,000, giving Jamaica a 3:1 numerical advantage.
Which country spends more on defense, Bahamas or Jamaica?
Jamaica has a larger defense budget at $308 million (3:1 more) compared to Bahamas's $111 million annually.
Do Bahamas and Jamaica have nuclear weapons?
Neither Bahamas nor Jamaica currently possesses nuclear weapons.