Military Strength: Timor-Leste vs South Africa
South Africa (ranked #48 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Timor-Leste (#162) on the Global Military Index. South Africa fields 89,000 active troops — 44:1 Timor-Leste's 2,000, backed by 15,050 reserves. South Africa's $3B defense budget is 61:1 that of Timor-Leste ($0B). South Africa operates 192 military aircraft; Timor-Leste has no significant air force. South Africa operates a 49-ship naval fleet; Timor-Leste has no navy. On the ground, Timor-Leste deploys 0 main battle tanks vs 252 for South Africa. Neither Timor-Leste nor South Africa possesses nuclear weapons.
| Global Military Index | 9.8 (#162) ◉ |
| 🪖 Military personnel | 2,000 ◉ |
| – Reserve troops | 0 ◉ |
| – Paramilitary forces | 0 ◉ |
| 🛩️ Military aircraft | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. bombers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. helicopters | 0 ◉ |
| ⚓️ Military ships | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. submarines | 0 ◉ |
| 🚛 Main battle tanks | 0 ◉ |
| 💥 Nuclear warheads | 0 ◉ |
| Global Military Index | 46.0 (#48) ◉ |
| 🪖 Military personnel | 89,000 ◉ |
| – Reserve troops | 15,050 ◉ |
| – Paramilitary forces | 0 ◉ |
| 🛩️ Military aircraft | 192 ◉ |
| – incl. combat aircraft | 25 ◉ |
| – incl. bombers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. helicopters | 84 ◉ |
| ⚓️ Military ships | 49 ◉ |
| – incl. aircraft carriers | 0 ◉ |
| – incl. submarines | 3 ◉ |
| 🚛 Main battle tanks | 252 ◉ |
| 💥 Nuclear warheads | 0 ◉ |
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste Global Military Index
9.8
Global Rank: #162
| 🪖 Manpower (15%) | 48.0 | Active, reserve & paramilitary: 2280 effective |
| 🛡️ Ground Firepower (20%) | 0.0 | Main battle tanks: 0 |
| ⚓ Naval Power (20%) | 0.0 | Weighted by ship type: carriers, submarines, destroyers... |
| ✈️ Air Power (25%) | 0.0 | Weighted by aircraft type: combat, bombers, helicopters... |
| ☢️ Nuclear Deterrent (10%) | 0.0 | No declared nuclear capability |
| 💰 Defense Budget (10%) | 25.8 | $46M annual military spending |
🇿🇦 South Africa Global Military Index
46.0
Global Rank: #48
| 🪖 Manpower (15%) | 69.5 | Active, reserve & paramilitary: 72875 effective |
| 🛡️ Ground Firepower (20%) | 53.4 | Main battle tanks: 252 |
| ⚓ Naval Power (20%) | 43.6 | Weighted by ship type: carriers, submarines, destroyers... |
| ✈️ Air Power (25%) | 43.3 | Weighted by aircraft type: combat, bombers, helicopters... |
| ☢️ Nuclear Deterrent (10%) | 0.0 | No declared nuclear capability |
| 💰 Defense Budget (10%) | 53.1 | $2836M annual military spending |
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| Population | 1.4 million ◉ |
| GDP | $2.1 billion ◉ |
| GDP per capita | $1,503 ◉ |
| Military Budget | $46.4 million ◉ |
| Share of GDP in Milex | 2.7% ◉ |
| Share of Govt Expenditures | 2.6% ◉ |
| Military spends per capita | $33 ◉ |
| Population | 63.2 million ◉ |
| GDP | $380.7 billion ◉ |
| GDP per capita | $6,023 ◉ |
| Military Budget | $2.8 billion ◉ |
| Share of GDP in Milex | 0.7% ◉ |
| Share of Govt Expenditures | 2.1% ◉ |
| Military spends per capita | $45 ◉ |
Timor-Leste Geography
| Land Area | 14,919 km² ◉ |
| Coastline Length | 706 km ◉ |
South Africa Geography
| Land Area | 1,214,470 km² ◉ |
| Coastline Length | 2,798 km ◉ |
Military Forces Chart
Economic Metrics Chart
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has more military personnel, Timor-Leste or South Africa?
South Africa has approximately 89,000 active military personnel compared to Timor-Leste's 2,000, giving South Africa a 44:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Timor-Leste or South Africa?
South Africa operates 25 combat aircraft compared to Timor-Leste's 0. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Timor-Leste or South Africa?
South Africa has a larger navy with 49 vessels compared to Timor-Leste's 0 ships. Timor-Leste operates 0 submarines while South Africa has 3.
Which country spends more on defense, Timor-Leste or South Africa?
South Africa has a larger defense budget at $2.8 billion (61:1 more) compared to Timor-Leste's $46 million annually.
Do Timor-Leste and South Africa have nuclear weapons?
Neither Timor-Leste nor South Africa currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Timor-Leste and South Africa compare?
South Africa operates 252 main battle tanks compared to Timor-Leste's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.