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Military Strength: Flag of Eritrea Eritrea vs Flag of Sudan Sudan

Military Strength
Eritrea Sudan
Global Military Index 22.0 (#94) 28.4 (#73)
Military personnel 201,750 144,000
– Reserve troops 0 0
– Paramilitary forces 0 60,000
Military aircraft 20 184
– incl. combat aircraft 2 91
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 13 70
Military ships 23 0
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 0
Main battle tanks 65 224
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Sudan (ranked #73 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Eritrea (#94) on the Global Military Index. Eritrea fields 201,750 active troops vs 144,000 for Sudan. Sudan's $0.4B defense budget is 2.1:1 that of Eritrea ($0.2B).

In the air, Eritrea operates 20 aircraft including 2 combat jets, while Sudan fields 184 with 91 fighters.

Eritrea operates a 23-ship naval fleet; Sudan has no navy. On the ground, Eritrea deploys 65 main battle tanks vs 224 for Sudan.

Neither Eritrea nor Sudan possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇪🇷 Eritrea World #94
22.0/ 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% 76.3 301750 effective
Ground forces 20% 48.3 65 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 13.5 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 20.0 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 21.2 $182M, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.80 Budget per soldier
🇸🇩 Sudan World #73
28.3/ 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% 67.8 122300 effective
Ground forces 20% 68.6 224 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 46.1 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 26.1 $375M, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.84 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Eritrea Sudan
Population 3.5 million 50.4 million
GDP $2.1 billion $49.7 billion
GDP per capita $584 $985
Military budget $182M $375M
– share of GDP 20.9% 0.9%
– share of govt spending 46.4% 9.5%
– per capita spending $75 $8
Land area 125,000 km² 1,731,671 km²
Coastline 2,234 km 853 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Eritrea or Sudan?
Eritrea has approximately 201,750 active military personnel compared to Sudan's 144,000.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Eritrea or Sudan?
Sudan operates 91 combat aircraft compared to Eritrea's 2. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Eritrea or Sudan?
Eritrea has a larger navy with 23 vessels compared to Sudan's 0 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, Eritrea or Sudan?
Sudan has a larger defense budget at $375 million (2.1:1 more) compared to Eritrea's $182 million annually.
Do Eritrea and Sudan have nuclear weapons?
Neither Eritrea nor Sudan currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Eritrea and Sudan compare?
Sudan operates 224 main battle tanks compared to Eritrea's 65. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.