Military Strength: 
Estonia vs 
North Macedonia
North Macedonia (ranked #114 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Estonia (#126) on the ARMS Index. North Macedonia fields 16,000 active troops — 2.3:1 Estonia's 7,000, backed by 4,850 reserves and 5,000 paramilitary. Estonia's $1.5B defense budget is 4.3:1 that of North Macedonia ($0.3B).
ARMS (Aggregate Rating of Military Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
EstoniaWorld #126
15.0
ARMS Index / 100
North Macedonia leads overall, ahead on 2 of 6 pillars
North MacedoniaWorld #114
17.4
Estonia
North Macedonia
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · readiness modifier ×1.12 vs ×1.01 · Methodology
Key figures
| Estonia | North Macedonia | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $1.5B | $339M | 🇪🇪 4.3× |
| – share of GDP | 3.4% | 2.0% | 🇪🇪 1.7× |
| Active personnel | 7,000 | 16,000 | 🇲🇰 2.3× |
| Combat aircraft | 0 | 0 | — |
| Warships | 8 | 0 | 🇪🇪 |
| – submarines | 0 | 0 | — |
| Main battle tanks | 0 | 20 | 🇲🇰 |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 | — |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 41,200 | 4,850 | 🇪🇪 8.5× |
| Paramilitary forces | 18,000 | 5,000 | 🇪🇪 3.6× |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 5 | 20 | 🇲🇰 4.0× |
| – helicopters | 0 | 14 | 🇲🇰 |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $1,069 | $186 | 🇪🇪 5.8× |
| Population | 1.4M | 1.8M | 🇲🇰 1.3× |
| GDP | $43B | $17B | 🇪🇪 2.5× |
| GDP per capita | $31,428 | $9,292 | 🇪🇪 3.4× |
| Land area | 42,388 km² | 25,433 km² | 🇪🇪 1.7× |
| Coastline | 3,794 km | 0 km | 🇪🇪 |
Defense budget history Estonia ×2.0 · North Macedonia ×1.6 since 2021
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Estonia or North Macedonia?
North Macedonia has approximately 16,000 active military personnel compared to Estonia's 7,000, giving North Macedonia a 2.3:1 numerical advantage.
Who has the larger navy, Estonia or North Macedonia?
Estonia has a larger navy with 8 vessels compared to North Macedonia's 0 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, Estonia or North Macedonia?
Estonia has a larger defense budget at $1.5 billion (4.3:1 more) compared to North Macedonia's $339 million annually.
Do Estonia and North Macedonia have nuclear weapons?
Neither Estonia nor North Macedonia currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Estonia and North Macedonia compare?
North Macedonia operates 20 main battle tanks compared to Estonia's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.