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Military Strength: Flag of Estonia Estonia vs Flag of Lithuania Lithuania

Military Strength
Estonia Lithuania
Global Military Index 14.7 (#128) 15.4 (#123)
Military personnel 7,000 37,000
– Reserve troops 41,200 28,000
– Paramilitary forces 18,000 18,400
Military aircraft 5 11
– incl. combat aircraft 0 0
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 0 6
Military ships 8 0
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 0
Main battle tanks 0 0
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Lithuania (ranked #123 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Estonia (#128) on the Global Military Index. Lithuania fields 37,000 active troops — 5.3x Estonia's 7,000, backed by 28,000 reserves and 18,400 paramilitary. Lithuania's $3B defense budget is 2.3x that of Estonia ($1B).

In the air, Estonia operates 5 aircraft vs 11 for Lithuania.

Estonia operates a 8-ship naval fleet; Lithuania has no navy.

Neither Estonia nor Lithuania possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇪🇪 Estonia World #128
15.0/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 56.1 33100 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 10.4 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 6.4 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 36.3 $1.5B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.12 Budget per soldier
🇱🇹 Lithuania World #123
15.7/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 57.6 39370 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 14.7 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 43.2 $3.4B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.10 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Estonia Lithuania
Population 1.4 million 2.9 million
GDP $43.1 billion $84.9 billion
GDP per capita $31,428 $29,384
Military budget $1.5 billion $3.4 billion
– share of GDP 3.4% 4.0%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 0.0%
– per capita spending $1069 $1175
Land area 42,388 km² 62,680 km²
Coastline 3,794 km 90 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Estonia or Lithuania?
Lithuania has approximately 37,000 active military personnel compared to Estonia's 7,000, giving Lithuania a 5:1 numerical advantage.
Who has the larger navy, Estonia or Lithuania?
Estonia has a larger navy with 8 vessels compared to Lithuania's 0 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, Estonia or Lithuania?
Lithuania has a larger defense budget at $3.4 billion (2:1 more) compared to Estonia's $1.5 billion annually.
Do Estonia and Lithuania have nuclear weapons?
Neither Estonia nor Lithuania currently possesses nuclear weapons.