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Military Strength: Flag of Iran Iran vs Flag of Yemen Yemen

Military Strength
Iran Yemen
Global Military Index 46.6 (#30) 23.9 (#88)
Military personnel 650,000 20,000
– Reserve troops 350,000 0
– Paramilitary forces 40,000 0
Military aircraft 636 156
– incl. combat aircraft 295 75
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 160 40
Military ships 70 29
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 2 0
Main battle tanks 1,713 0
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Iran (ranked #30 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Yemen (#88) on the Global Military Index. Iran fields 650,000 active troops — 32:1 Yemen's 20,000, backed by 350,000 reserves and 40,000 paramilitary. Iran's $10B defense budget is 5.5x that of Yemen ($2B).

In the air, Iran operates 636 aircraft including 295 combat jets, while Yemen fields 156 with 75 fighters.

At sea, Iran's 70-ship navy outnumbers Yemen's 29 vessels, including 2 and 0 submarines respectively. On the ground, Iran deploys 1,713 main battle tanks vs 0 for Yemen.

Neither Iran nor Yemen possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇮🇷 Iran World #30
46.6/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 85.9 797000 effective
Ground forces 20% 72.4 1713 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 37.9 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 58.4 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 6.5 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 60.9 $9.5B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.94 Budget per soldier
🇾🇪 Yemen World #88
23.5/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 57.7 40000 effective
Ground forces 20% 0.0 Tanks, armor & artillery
Naval power 20% 17.8 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 42.9 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 37.6 $1.7B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×1.01 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Iran Yemen
Population 91.6 million 40.6 million
GDP $475.3 billion $21.6 billion
GDP per capita $5,190 $532
Military budget $9.5 billion $1.7 billion
– share of GDP 2.0% 4.0%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 14.3%
– per capita spending $104 $58
Land area 1,531,595 km² 527,968 km²
Coastline 2,440 km 1,906 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart
Related Comparisons
Iran vs Yemen Air Forces Iran vs Yemen Navies Iran vs Israel Iran vs United States Iran vs Saudi Arabia Strongest militaries in the world (2026)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Iran or Yemen?
Iran has approximately 650,000 active military personnel compared to Yemen's 20,000, giving Iran a 32:1 numerical advantage.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Iran or Yemen?
Iran operates 295 combat aircraft compared to Yemen's 75. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Iran or Yemen?
Iran has a larger navy with 70 vessels compared to Yemen's 29 ships. Iran operates 2 submarines while Yemen has 0.
Which country spends more on defense, Iran or Yemen?
Iran has a larger defense budget at $9.5 billion (6:1 more) compared to Yemen's $1.7 billion annually.
Do Iran and Yemen have nuclear weapons?
Neither Iran nor Yemen currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Iran and Yemen compare?
Iran operates 1,713 main battle tanks compared to Yemen's 0. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.