Navy comparison: Canada vs China

China's 1036-ship navy outnumbers Canada's 159 vessels (6.5x advantage). Of these, 66 and 1023 are in active service respectively. The fleet breakdown includes 16 vs 73 submarines, 0 vs 3 aircraft carriers, 15 vs 58 destroyers, 12 vs 47 frigates, 0 vs 50 corvettes, 0 vs 107 amphibious ships, 26 vs 94 patrol boats, 12 vs 0 coastal boats, 0 vs 58 mine warfare ships (Canada vs China). Canada's navy is officially the Royal Canadian Navy, while China's is the People's Liberation Army Navy.

Royal Canadian Navy 🇨🇦

Official Name Royal Canadian Navy
Total ships 159 as of 2026
Active ships 66 as of 2026
Naval Ensign

Ensign of Canada navy

People's Liberation Army Navy 🇨🇳

Official Name People's Liberation Army Navy
Total ships 1036 as of 2025
Active ships 1023 as of 2025
Naval Ensign

Ensign of China navy

Canadian ships by category

Ship category Total
Submarines 16
Aircraft carriers 0
Destroyers 15
Cruisers 0
Frigates 12
Corvettes 0
Coastal boats 12
Patrol boats 26
Amphibious ships 0
Mine Warfare ships 0
Cargo ships 0
Support ships 36
Other ships 42

Chinese ships by category

Ship category Total
Submarines 73
Aircraft carriers 3
Destroyers 58
Cruisers 0
Frigates 47
Corvettes 50
Coastal boats 0
Patrol boats 94
Amphibious ships 107
Mine Warfare ships 58
Cargo ships 27
Support ships 468
Other ships 51

Ship Categories Radar Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has more naval ships, Canada or China?
China has a larger navy with 1,036 ships compared to Canada's 159 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, Canada or China?
China operates more submarines with 73 compared to Canada's 16.
Which country has more aircraft carriers, Canada or China?
China has 3 aircraft carrier(s) compared to Canada's 0.
Which navy has more destroyers, Canada or China?
China operates 58 destroyers compared to Canada's 15.
Which navy has more frigates, Canada or China?
China operates 47 frigates compared to Canada's 12.
How do the Canada and China navies compare in size?
China's navy is 6.5 times larger than Canada's in terms of total ships (1,036 vs 159).