Military Strength: 
Central African Republic vs 
South Sudan
South Sudan (ranked #102 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Central African Republic (#139) on the ATLAS Index. South Sudan fields 53,000 active troops — 5.3:1 Central African Republic's 10,000. South Sudan's $0.2B defense budget is 3.5:1 that of Central African Republic ($0.07B).
ATLAS (Aggregate Total of Land, Air and Sea strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Central African RepublicWorld #139
8.4
ATLAS Index / 100
South Sudan leads on 4 of 6 pillars
South SudanWorld #102
14.4
Central African Republic
South Sudan
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · each conventional pillar read after its branch's availability proxy · Methodology
Key figures
| Central African Republic | South Sudan | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $69M | $240M | 🇸🇸 3.5× |
| – share of GDP | 2.5% | 2.0% | 🇨🇫 1.2× |
| Active personnel | 10,000 | 53,000 | 🇸🇸 5.3× |
| Combat aircraft | 0 | 0 | — |
| Warships | 0 | 0 | — |
| – submarines | 0 | 0 | — |
| Main battle tanks | 4 | 30 | 🇸🇸 7.5× |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 | — |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 0 | 0 | — |
| Paramilitary forces | 8,000 | 0 | 🇨🇫 |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 8 | 20 | 🇸🇸 2.5× |
| – helicopters | 0 | 15 | 🇸🇸 |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $13 | $20 | 🇸🇸 1.6× |
| Population | 5.3M | 11.9M | 🇸🇸 2.2× |
| GDP | $2.8B | $12B | 🇸🇸 4.4× |
| GDP per capita | $516 | $1,005 | 🇸🇸 1.9× |
| Land area | 622,984 km² | 644,329 km² | 🇸🇸 ≈ |
| Coastline | 0 km | 0 km | — |
Defense budget history Central African Republic ×1.6 · South Sudan ×1.3 since 2020
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Central African Republic or South Sudan?
South Sudan has approximately 53,000 active military personnel compared to Central African Republic's 10,000, giving South Sudan a 5.3:1 numerical advantage.
Which country spends more on defense, Central African Republic or South Sudan?
South Sudan has a larger defense budget at $240 million (3.5:1 more) compared to Central African Republic's $69 million annually.
Do Central African Republic and South Sudan have nuclear weapons?
Neither Central African Republic nor South Sudan currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Central African Republic and South Sudan compare?
South Sudan operates 30 main battle tanks compared to Central African Republic's 4. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.