Military Strength: 
Denmark vs 
Norway
Norway (ranked #34 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Denmark (#42) on the ARMS Index. Denmark fields 15,000 active troops vs 25,000 for Norway, backed by 40,000 reserves. Denmark allocates $14B to defense compared to $16B for Norway.
ARMS (Aggregate Rating of Military Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
Denmark
Norway
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · readiness modifier ×1.20 vs ×1.20 · Methodology
Key figures
| Denmark | Norway | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $14B | $16B | 🇳🇴 1.2× |
| – share of GDP | 3.2% | 3.4% | 🇳🇴 1.1× |
| Active personnel | 15,000 | 25,000 | 🇳🇴 1.7× |
| Combat aircraft | 57 | 52 | 🇩🇰 1.1× |
| Warships | 109 | 60 | 🇩🇰 1.8× |
| – submarines | 0 | 6 | 🇳🇴 |
| Main battle tanks | 44 | 44 | — |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 | — |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 44,000 | 40,000 | 🇩🇰 1.1× |
| Paramilitary forces | 0 | 0 | — |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 123 | 111 | 🇩🇰 1.1× |
| – helicopters | 34 | 34 | — |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $2,273 | $2,951 | 🇳🇴 1.3× |
| Population | 6M | 5.6M | 🇩🇰 1.1× |
| GDP | $425B | $484B | 🇳🇴 1.1× |
| GDP per capita | $71,026 | $86,785 | 🇳🇴 1.2× |
| Land area | 2,220,072 km² | 365,957 km² | 🇩🇰 6.1× |
| Coastline | 21 km | 83,281 km | 🇳🇴 3966× |
Backbone systems most numerous in service
Defense budget history Denmark ×2.6 · Norway ×1.9 since 2021
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Denmark or Norway?
Norway has approximately 25,000 active military personnel compared to Denmark's 15,000, giving Norway a 1.7:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Denmark or Norway?
Denmark operates 57 combat aircraft compared to Norway's 52. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Denmark or Norway?
Denmark has a larger navy with 109 vessels compared to Norway's 60 ships. Denmark operates 0 submarines while Norway has 6.
Which country spends more on defense, Denmark or Norway?
Norway has a larger defense budget at $16.4 billion compared to Denmark's $13.6 billion annually.
Do Denmark and Norway have nuclear weapons?
Neither Denmark nor Norway currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Denmark and Norway compare?
Norway operates 44 main battle tanks compared to Denmark's 44. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.