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Military Strength: Flag of Bolivia Bolivia vs Flag of Brazil Brazil

Military Strength
Bolivia Brazil
Global Military Index 22.7 (#92) 50.1 (#22)
Military personnel 71,000 762,000
– Reserve troops 0 1,340,000
– Paramilitary forces 37,100 395,000
Military aircraft 70 502
– incl. combat aircraft 4 124
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 28 188
Military ships 0 66
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 5
Main battle tanks 54 294
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Brazil (ranked #22 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Bolivia (#92) on the Global Military Index. Brazil fields 762,000 active troops — 11:1 Bolivia's 71,000, backed by 1,340,000 reserves and 395,000 paramilitary. Brazil's $24B defense budget is 37:1 that of Bolivia ($0.7B).

In the air, Bolivia operates 70 aircraft including 4 combat jets, while Brazil fields 502 with 124 fighters.

Brazil operates a 66-ship naval fleet; Bolivia has no navy. On the ground, Bolivia deploys 54 main battle tanks vs 294 for Brazil.

Neither Bolivia nor Brazil possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇧🇴 Bolivia World #92
22.7/ 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% 58.8 45230 effective
Ground forces 20% 40.4 54 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 28.2 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 30.2 $659M, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.95 Budget per soldier
🇧🇷 Brazil World #22
50.1/ 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% 89.7 1155000 effective
Ground forces 20% 56.2 294 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 47.9 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 57.1 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 67.9 $24B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.04 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Bolivia Brazil
Population 12.4 million 212.0 million
GDP $54.9 billion $2.2 trillion
GDP per capita $4,421 $10,311
Military budget $659M $24B
– share of GDP 1.2% 1.1%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 0.0%
– per capita spending $53 $113
Land area 1,083,301 km² 8,460,415 km²
Coastline 0 km 7,491 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart
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Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Bolivia or Brazil?
Brazil has approximately 762,000 active military personnel compared to Bolivia's 71,000, giving Brazil a 11:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Bolivia or Brazil?
Brazil operates 124 combat aircraft compared to Bolivia's 4. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Bolivia or Brazil?
Brazil has a larger navy with 66 vessels compared to Bolivia's 0 ships. Bolivia operates 0 submarines while Brazil has 5.
Which country spends more on defense, Bolivia or Brazil?
Brazil has a larger defense budget at $24 billion (37:1 more) compared to Bolivia's $659 million annually.
Do Bolivia and Brazil have nuclear weapons?
Neither Bolivia nor Brazil currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Bolivia and Brazil compare?
Brazil operates 294 main battle tanks compared to Bolivia's 54. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.