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Military Strength: Flag of Cuba Cuba vs Flag of Jamaica Jamaica

Military Strength
Cuba Jamaica
Global Military Index 26.6 (#78) 12.7 (#140)
Military personnel 76,000 6,000
– Reserve troops 39,000 2,580
– Paramilitary forces 1,146,500 0
Military aircraft 20 17
– incl. combat aircraft 0 0
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 13 14
Military ships 33 0
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 0
Main battle tanks 113 0
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Cuba (ranked #78 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Jamaica (#140) on the Global Military Index. Cuba fields 76,000 active troops — 13:1 Jamaica's 6,000, backed by 39,000 reserves and 1,146,500 paramilitary. Jamaica's $0.3B defense budget is 2.4x that of Cuba ($0.1B).

In the air, Cuba operates 20 aircraft vs 17 for Jamaica.

Cuba operates a 33-ship naval fleet; Jamaica has no navy. On the ground, Cuba deploys 113 main battle tanks vs 0 for Jamaica.

Neither Cuba nor Jamaica possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

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🇨🇺 Cuba World #78
26.6/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 79.4 412450 effective
Ground forces 20% 67.4 113 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 26.9 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 16.3 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 19.0 $0.1B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.82 Budget per soldier
🇯🇲 Jamaica World #140
12.7/ 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% 41.1 5240 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 21.4 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 24.7 $0.3B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.05 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Cuba Jamaica
Population 11.0 million 2.8 million
GDP $107.4 billion $22.0 billion
GDP per capita $9,777 $7,754
Military budget $128.6 million $308.2 million
– share of GDP 2.9% 1.4%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 0.0%
– per capita spending $11 $109
Land area 109,884 km² 10,831 km²
Coastline 3,735 km 1,022 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart
Related Comparisons
Cuba vs Jamaica Air Forces Strongest militaries in the world (2026)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Cuba or Jamaica?
Cuba has approximately 76,000 active military personnel compared to Jamaica's 6,000, giving Cuba a 13:1 numerical advantage.
Who has the larger navy, Cuba or Jamaica?
Cuba has a larger navy with 33 vessels compared to Jamaica's 0 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, Cuba or Jamaica?
Jamaica has a larger defense budget at $308 million (2:1 more) compared to Cuba's $129 million annually.
Do Cuba and Jamaica have nuclear weapons?
Neither Cuba nor Jamaica currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Cuba and Jamaica compare?
Cuba operates 113 main battle tanks compared to Jamaica's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.