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Military Strength: Flag of Italy Italy vs Flag of Malta Malta

Military Strength
Italy Malta
Global Military Index 56.5 (#11) 8.8 (#152)
Military personnel 338,000 2,000
– Reserve troops 14,500 260
– Paramilitary forces 175,750 0
Military aircraft 743 7
– incl. combat aircraft 190 0
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 387 3
Military ships 311 0
– incl. aircraft carriers 1 0
– incl. submarines 8 0
Main battle tanks 200 0
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Italy (ranked #11 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Malta (#152) on the Global Military Index. Italy fields 338,000 active troops — 169:1 Malta's 2,000, backed by 14,500 reserves and 175,750 paramilitary. Italy's $48B defense budget is 381:1 that of Malta ($0.1B).

In the air, Italy operates 743 aircraft including 190 combat jets, while Malta fields 7 with 0 fighters.

Italy operates a 311-ship naval fleet; Malta has no navy. On the ground, Italy deploys 200 main battle tanks vs 0 for Malta.

Neither Italy nor Malta possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇮🇹 Italy World #11
56.5/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier. Full methodology.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 73.5 225475 effective
Ground forces 20% 57.1 200 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 60.2 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 63.3 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 3.9 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 67.8 $48B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.14 Budget per soldier
🇲🇹 Malta World #152
8.8/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier. Full methodology.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 34.2 2080 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 10.8 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 18.8 $125M, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.04 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Italy Malta
Population 59.0 million 568847
GDP $2.4 trillion $25.0 billion
GDP per capita $40,385 $43,899
Military budget $48B $125M
– share of GDP 2.0% 0.5%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 0.0%
– per capita spending $808 $220
Land area 294,140 km² 316 km²
Coastline 7,600 km 252 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart
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Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Italy or Malta?
Italy has approximately 338,000 active military personnel compared to Malta's 2,000, giving Italy a 169:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Italy or Malta?
Italy operates 190 combat aircraft compared to Malta's 0. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Italy or Malta?
Italy has a larger navy with 311 vessels compared to Malta's 0 ships. Italy operates 8 submarines while Malta has 0.
Which country spends more on defense, Italy or Malta?
Italy has a larger defense budget at $47.6 billion (381:1 more) compared to Malta's $125 million annually.
Do Italy and Malta have nuclear weapons?
Neither Italy nor Malta currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Italy and Malta compare?
Italy operates 200 main battle tanks compared to Malta's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.