Military Strength: 
Brazil vs 
Costa Rica
Brazil fields 762,000 active troops — 76:1 Costa Rica's 10,000, backed by 1,340,000 reserves and 395,000 paramilitary. Brazil's $24B defense budget is 42:1 that of Costa Rica ($0.6B).
Key figures
| Brazil | Costa Rica | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $24B | $572M | 🇧🇷 42× |
| – share of GDP | 1.1% | 0.6% | 🇧🇷 1.8× |
| Active personnel | 762,000 | 10,000 | 🇧🇷 76× |
| Combat aircraft | 146 | 0 | 🇧🇷 |
| Warships | 66 | 0 | 🇧🇷 |
| – submarines | 5 | 0 | 🇧🇷 |
| Main battle tanks | 294 | 0 | 🇧🇷 |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 | — |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 1,340,000 | 0 | 🇧🇷 |
| Paramilitary forces | 395,000 | 9,800 | 🇧🇷 40× |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 515 | 0 | 🇧🇷 |
| – helicopters | 188 | 0 | 🇧🇷 |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $113 | $112 | 🇧🇷 ≈ |
| Population | 212M | 5.1M | 🇧🇷 41× |
| GDP | $2.2T | $95B | 🇧🇷 23× |
| GDP per capita | $10,311 | $18,587 | 🇨🇷 1.8× |
| Land area | 8,460,415 km² | 51,060 km² | 🇧🇷 166× |
| Coastline | 7,491 km | 1,290 km | 🇧🇷 5.8× |
Backbone systems most numerous in service
Defense budget history Brazil ×1.2 · Costa Rica ×1.3 since 2020
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Brazil or Costa Rica?
Brazil has approximately 762,000 active military personnel compared to Costa Rica's 10,000, giving Brazil a 76:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Brazil or Costa Rica?
Brazil operates 146 combat aircraft compared to Costa Rica's 0. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Brazil or Costa Rica?
Brazil has a larger navy with 66 vessels compared to Costa Rica's 0 ships. Brazil operates 5 submarines while Costa Rica has 0.
Which country spends more on defense, Brazil or Costa Rica?
Brazil has a larger defense budget at $24 billion (42:1 more) compared to Costa Rica's $572 million annually.
Do Brazil and Costa Rica have nuclear weapons?
Neither Brazil nor Costa Rica currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Brazil and Costa Rica compare?
Brazil operates 294 main battle tanks compared to Costa Rica's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.