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Military Strength: Flag of Denmark Denmark vs Flag of Sweden Sweden

Sweden (ranked #32 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Denmark (#42) on the ARMS Index. Denmark fields 15,000 active troops vs 15,000 for Sweden, backed by 44,000 reserves. Denmark allocates $14B to defense compared to $15B for Sweden.

Military Strength
Denmark Sweden
ARMS Index 42.9 (#42) 45.9 (#32)
Military personnel 15,000 15,000
– Reserve troops 44,000 32,900
– Paramilitary forces 0 21,200
Military aircraft 123 170
– incl. combat aircraft 57 96
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 34 53
Military ships 127 232
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 5
Main battle tanks 44 110
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart
🇩🇰 Denmark World #42
42.8/ 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% 56.9 36500 effective
Ground forces 20% 42.5 44 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 39.5 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 44.7 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 55.6 $14B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.20 Budget per soldier
🇸🇪 Sweden World #32
45.9/ 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% 60.1 52560 effective
Ground forces 20% 45.5 110 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 43.9 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 51.0 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 56.6 $15B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.18 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Denmark Sweden
Population 6.0 million 10.6 million
GDP $424.5 billion $603.7 billion
GDP per capita $71,026 $57,117
Military budget $14B $15B
– share of GDP 3.2% 2.5%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 0.0%
– per capita spending $2273 $1428
Land area 2,220,072 km² 407,284 km²
Coastline 21 km 3,218 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Denmark or Sweden?
Sweden has approximately 15,000 active military personnel compared to Denmark's 15,000.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Denmark or Sweden?
Sweden operates 96 combat aircraft compared to Denmark's 57. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Denmark or Sweden?
Sweden has a larger navy with 232 vessels compared to Denmark's 127 ships. Denmark operates 0 submarines while Sweden has 5.
Which country spends more on defense, Denmark or Sweden?
Sweden has a larger defense budget at $15.1 billion compared to Denmark's $13.6 billion annually.
Do Denmark and Sweden have nuclear weapons?
Neither Denmark nor Sweden currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Denmark and Sweden compare?
Sweden operates 110 main battle tanks compared to Denmark's 44. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.