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Military Strength: Flag of Burkina Faso Burkina Faso vs Flag of Ghana Ghana

Military Strength
Burkina Faso Ghana
Global Military Index 14.3 (#130) 9.5 (#149)
Military personnel 11,000 16,000
– Reserve troops 0 0
– Paramilitary forces 5,000 0
Military aircraft 26 20
– incl. combat aircraft 3 4
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 19 11
Military ships 0 0
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 0
Main battle tanks 0 0
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Burkina Faso (ranked #130 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Ghana (#149) on the Global Military Index. Burkina Faso fields 11,000 active troops vs 16,000 for Ghana. Burkina Faso's $1B defense budget is 3.2x that of Ghana ($0.3B).

In the air, Burkina Faso operates 26 aircraft including 3 combat jets, while Ghana fields 20 with 4 fighters.

Neither Burkina Faso nor Ghana possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso World #130
15.3/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 48.0 12700 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 24.4 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 33.6 $1.0B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.06 Budget per soldier
🇬🇭 Ghana World #149
13.4/ 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% 49.7 15500 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 23.5 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 25.2 $0.3B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.96 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Burkina Faso Ghana
Population 23.5 million 34.4 million
GDP $23.1 billion $82.3 billion
GDP per capita $982 $2,391
Military budget $1.0 billion $329.2 million
– share of GDP 4.5% 0.4%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 0.0%
– per capita spending $44 $10
Land area 273,602 km² 227,533 km²
Coastline 0 km 539 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Burkina Faso or Ghana?
Ghana has approximately 16,000 active military personnel compared to Burkina Faso's 11,000.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Burkina Faso or Ghana?
Ghana operates 4 combat aircraft compared to Burkina Faso's 3. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Which country spends more on defense, Burkina Faso or Ghana?
Burkina Faso has a larger defense budget at $1.0 billion (3:1 more) compared to Ghana's $329 million annually.
Do Burkina Faso and Ghana have nuclear weapons?
Neither Burkina Faso nor Ghana currently possesses nuclear weapons.