Military Strength: 
Rwanda vs 
South Sudan
South Sudan (ranked #113 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Rwanda (#120) on the ARMS Index. Rwanda fields 35,000 active troops vs 53,000 for South Sudan. Rwanda allocates $0.2B to defense compared to $0.2B for South Sudan.
ARMS (Aggregate Rating of Military Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
RwandaWorld #120
16.9
ARMS Index / 100
South Sudan leads on 3 of 6 pillars
South SudanWorld #113
17.5
Rwanda
South Sudan
Pillar scores 0–100 (weight under each label) over a headline figure from that domain · readiness modifier ×0.87 vs ×0.80 · Methodology
Key figures
| Rwanda | South Sudan | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense budget | $185M | $240M | 🇸🇸 1.3× |
| – share of GDP | 1.3% | 2.0% | 🇸🇸 1.5× |
| Active personnel | 35,000 | 53,000 | 🇸🇸 1.5× |
| Combat aircraft | 0 | 0 | — |
| Warships | 0 | 0 | — |
| – submarines | 0 | 0 | — |
| Main battle tanks | 24 | 30 | 🇸🇸 1.2× |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | 0 | — |
Show full breakdown · 11 more rowsHide the 11 extra rows
| Reserve troops | 0 | 0 | — |
| Paramilitary forces | 2,000 | 0 | 🇷🇼 |
| Military aircraft (all types) | 21 | 20 | 🇷🇼 1.1× |
| – helicopters | 17 | 15 | 🇷🇼 1.1× |
| Budget share of govt spending | — | — | — |
| Budget per capita | $13 | $20 | 🇸🇸 1.5× |
| Population | 14.3M | 11.9M | 🇷🇼 1.2× |
| GDP | $14B | $12B | 🇷🇼 1.2× |
| GDP per capita | $1,000 | $1,005 | 🇸🇸 ≈ |
| Land area | 24,668 km² | 644,329 km² | 🇸🇸 26× |
| Coastline | 0 km | 0 km | — |
Defense budget history Rwanda ×1.4 · South Sudan ×1.3 since 2020
Military personnel history
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Rwanda or South Sudan?
South Sudan has approximately 53,000 active military personnel compared to Rwanda's 35,000, giving South Sudan a 1.5:1 numerical advantage.
Which country spends more on defense, Rwanda or South Sudan?
South Sudan has a larger defense budget at $240 million compared to Rwanda's $185 million annually.
Do Rwanda and South Sudan have nuclear weapons?
Neither Rwanda nor South Sudan currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Rwanda and South Sudan compare?
South Sudan operates 30 main battle tanks compared to Rwanda's 24. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.