Military Strength: 
United Kingdom vs 
New Zealand
United Kingdom (ranked #7 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than New Zealand (#103) on the ARMS Index. United Kingdom fields 153,000 active troops — 15:1 New Zealand's 10,000, backed by 70,650 reserves. United Kingdom's $88B defense budget is 28:1 that of New Zealand ($3.1B).
ARMS (Aggregate Rating of Military Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
United KingdomWorld #7
62.2
ARMS Index / 100
United Kingdom leads on 6 of 6 pillars
New ZealandWorld #103
19.6
United Kingdom
New Zealand
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · readiness modifier ×1.19 vs ×1.15 · Methodology
Key figures
| United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $88B | $3.1B | 🇬🇧 28× |
| – share of GDP | 2.4% | 1.2% | 🇬🇧 2.0× |
| Active personnel | 153,000 | 10,000 | 🇬🇧 15× |
| Combat aircraft | 151 | 0 | 🇬🇧 |
| Warships | 60 | 4 | 🇬🇧 15× |
| – submarines | 10 | 0 | 🇬🇧 |
| Main battle tanks | 227 | 0 | 🇬🇧 |
| Nuclear warheads | 225 | 0 | 🇬🇧 |
Show full breakdown · 13 more rowsHide the 13 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 70,650 | 3,270 | 🇬🇧 22× |
| Paramilitary forces | 0 | 0 | — |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 673 | 47 | 🇬🇧 14× |
| – helicopters | 259 | 21 | 🇬🇧 12× |
| Aircraft carriers | 2 | 0 | 🇬🇧 |
| Deployed warheads | 120 | 0 | 🇬🇧 |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $1,278 | $590 | 🇬🇧 2.2× |
| Population | 69.2M | 5.3M | 🇬🇧 13× |
| GDP | $3.7T | $260B | 🇬🇧 14× |
| GDP per capita | $53,246 | $49,205 | 🇬🇧 1.1× |
| Land area | 241,930 km² | 262,443 km² | 🇳🇿 1.1× |
| Coastline | 12,429 km | 15,134 km | 🇳🇿 1.2× |
Backbone systems most numerous in service
🇳🇿 New ZealandAnzac-class ×1
Defense budget history United Kingdom ×1.2 · New Zealand ×0.9 since 2021
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, United Kingdom or New Zealand?
United Kingdom has approximately 153,000 active military personnel compared to New Zealand's 10,000, giving United Kingdom a 15:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, United Kingdom or New Zealand?
United Kingdom operates 151 combat aircraft compared to New Zealand's 0. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, United Kingdom or New Zealand?
United Kingdom has a larger navy with 60 vessels compared to New Zealand's 4 ships. United Kingdom operates 10 submarines while New Zealand has 0.
Which country spends more on defense, United Kingdom or New Zealand?
United Kingdom has a larger defense budget at $88.5 billion (28:1 more) compared to New Zealand's $3.1 billion annually.
Do United Kingdom and New Zealand have nuclear weapons?
United Kingdom possesses nuclear weapons with approximately 225 warheads, while New Zealand does not have nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of United Kingdom and New Zealand compare?
United Kingdom operates 227 main battle tanks compared to New Zealand's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.