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Military Strength: Flag of Eritrea Eritrea vs Flag of Yemen Yemen

Military Strength
Eritrea Yemen
Global Military Index 22.0 (#94) 23.6 (#88)
Military personnel 201,750 20,000
– Reserve troops 0 0
– Paramilitary forces 0 0
Military aircraft 20 156
– incl. combat aircraft 2 75
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 13 40
Military ships 23 29
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 0
Main battle tanks 65 0
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Yemen (ranked #88 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Eritrea (#94) on the Global Military Index. Eritrea fields 201,750 active troops — 10:1 Yemen's 20,000. Yemen's $1.7B defense budget is 9.4:1 that of Eritrea ($0.2B).

In the air, Eritrea operates 20 aircraft including 2 combat jets, while Yemen fields 156 with 75 fighters.

At sea, Eritrea's 23-ship navy faces Yemen's 29 vessels. On the ground, Eritrea deploys 65 main battle tanks vs 0 for Yemen.

Neither Eritrea nor Yemen 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
🇾🇪 Yemen World #88
23.6/ 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% 57.7 40000 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 17.7 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 42.9 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 37.6 $1.7B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.01 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Eritrea Yemen
Population 3.5 million 40.6 million
GDP $2.1 billion $21.6 billion
GDP per capita $584 $532
Military budget $182M $1.7B
– share of GDP 20.9% 4.0%
– share of govt spending 46.4% 14.3%
– per capita spending $75 $58
Land area 125,000 km² 527,968 km²
Coastline 2,234 km 1,906 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart
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Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Eritrea or Yemen?
Eritrea has approximately 201,750 active military personnel compared to Yemen's 20,000, giving Eritrea a 10:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Eritrea or Yemen?
Yemen operates 75 combat aircraft compared to Eritrea's 2. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Eritrea or Yemen?
Yemen has a larger navy with 29 vessels compared to Eritrea's 23 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, Eritrea or Yemen?
Yemen has a larger defense budget at $1.7 billion (9.4:1 more) compared to Eritrea's $182 million annually.
Do Eritrea and Yemen have nuclear weapons?
Neither Eritrea nor Yemen currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Eritrea and Yemen compare?
Eritrea operates 65 main battle tanks compared to Yemen's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.