Military Strength: 
Croatia vs 
North Macedonia
Croatia (ranked #66 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than North Macedonia (#122) on the ATLAS Index. Croatia fields 15,200 active troops vs 8,000 for North Macedonia, backed by 20,100 reserves. Croatia's $1.9B defense budget is 5.5:1 that of North Macedonia ($0.3B).
ATLAS (Aggregate Total of Land, Air and Sea strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
CroatiaWorld #66
23.3
ATLAS Index / 100
Croatia leads on 5 of 6 pillars
North MacedoniaWorld #122
10.9
Croatia
North Macedonia
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · each conventional pillar read after its branch's availability proxy · Methodology
Key figures
| Croatia | North Macedonia | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $1.9B | $339M | 🇭🇷 5.5× |
| – share of GDP | 2.0% | 2.0% | — |
| Active personnel | 15,200 | 8,000 | 🇭🇷 1.9× |
| Combat aircraft | 12 | 0 | 🇭🇷 |
| Warships | 14 | 0 | 🇭🇷 |
| – submarines | 0 | 0 | — |
| Main battle tanks | 47 | 20 | 🇭🇷 2.4× |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 | — |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 20,100 | 4,850 | 🇭🇷 4.1× |
| Paramilitary forces | 0 | 5,000 | 🇲🇰 |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 85 | 16 | 🇭🇷 5.3× |
| – helicopters | 37 | 10 | 🇭🇷 3.7× |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $480 | $186 | 🇭🇷 2.6× |
| Population | 3.9M | 1.8M | 🇭🇷 2.1× |
| GDP | $105B | $19B | 🇭🇷 5.5× |
| GDP per capita | $27,104 | $10,490 | 🇭🇷 2.6× |
| Land area | 55,974 km² | 25,433 km² | 🇭🇷 2.2× |
| Coastline | 5,835 km | 0 km | 🇭🇷 |
Backbone systems most numerous in service
Defense budget history Croatia ×1.3 · North Macedonia ×1.6 since 2021
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Croatia or North Macedonia?
Croatia has approximately 15,200 active military personnel compared to North Macedonia's 8,000, giving Croatia a 1.9:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Croatia or North Macedonia?
Croatia operates 12 combat aircraft compared to North Macedonia's 0. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Croatia or North Macedonia?
Croatia has a larger navy with 14 warships compared to North Macedonia's 0.
Which country spends more on defense, Croatia or North Macedonia?
Croatia has a larger defense budget at $1.9 billion (5.5:1 more) compared to North Macedonia's $339 million annually.
Do Croatia and North Macedonia have nuclear weapons?
Neither Croatia nor North Macedonia currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Croatia and North Macedonia compare?
Croatia operates 47 main battle tanks compared to North Macedonia's 20. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.