Country A
Panama
#126 global · #10 in North America
0.5Military Strength Score / 100
2026 MILITARY DATA COMPARISON
Panama vs North Korea Military Power
A structured comparison across 27 available indicators. Country A is always cyan; Country B is always amber. Larger inventories are not predictions of combat outcomes.
Country B
North Korea
#5 global · #3 in Asia
36.3Military Strength Score / 100
MSS gap35.8 pointsNorth Korea has the higher score
Reported values higherA 2 · B 241 tied; “higher” does not always mean “better”
Global positionsA #126 · B #5of 145 country profiles
Change the two countries
A
PanamaCYAN COLUMN
B
North KoreaAMBER COLUMN
Country context
PopulationNorth Korea +21,999,847
A · Panama4,571,189World Bank 2025
B · North Korea26,571,036World Bank 2025
Nominal GDPPanama +$75.5B
A · Panama$90.5BWorld Bank 2025
B · North Korea$15.0BWorld Bank unavailable
Land areaNorth Korea +46,230 km²
A · Panama74,180 km²World Bank 2023
B · North Korea120,410 km²World Bank 2023
Defense budget per residentPanama +$55.3
A · Panama$234Derived · population 2025
B · North Korea$178.8Derived · population 2025
Active troops per 1,000 residentsNorth Korea +46.11
A · Panama3.57Derived · population 2025
B · North Korea49.68Derived · population 2025
Manpower
Active troopsNorth Korea +1,303,700
A · Panama16,300
B · North Korea1,320,000
Reserve troopsNorth Korea +560,000
A · Panama0
B · North Korea560,000
ParamilitaryNorth Korea +20,000
A · Panama80,000
B · North Korea100,000
Air force
Total aircraftNorth Korea +799
A · Panama38
B · North Korea837
Fighter aircraftNorth Korea +341
A · Panama0
B · North Korea341
Attack aircraftNorth Korea +114
A · Panama0
B · North Korea114
Transport aircraftNorth Korea +162
A · Panama15
B · North Korea177
HelicoptersNorth Korea +182
A · Panama23
B · North Korea205
Attack helicoptersNorth Korea +20
A · Panama0
B · North Korea20
Navy
Total naval assetsNorth Korea +250
A · Panama14
B · North Korea264
Aircraft carriersSame reported value
A · Panama0
B · North Korea0
DestroyersNorth Korea +2
A · Panama0
B · North Korea2
SubmarinesNorth Korea +24
A · Panama0
B · North Korea24
FrigatesNorth Korea +2
A · Panama0
B · North Korea2
Army and ground forces
TanksNorth Korea +4,895
A · Panama0
B · North Korea4,895
Armored vehiclesNorth Korea +46,242
A · Panama1,550
B · North Korea47,792
Self-propelled artilleryNorth Korea +1,300
A · Panama0
B · North Korea1,300
Towed artilleryNorth Korea +700
A · Panama0
B · North Korea700
Multiple-launch rocket systemsNorth Korea +1,500
A · Panama0
B · North Korea1,500
Financial and strategic
Defense budgetNorth Korea +$3.7B
A · Panama$1.1B
B · North Korea$4.8B
Defense budget share of GDPNorth Korea +30.1%
A · Panama0.7%
B · North Korea30.8%
Estimated nuclear warheadsNorth Korea +60
A · Panama0
B · North Korea60
What this comparison cannot tell you
A larger reported inventory or MSS score is not a prediction of military success. Readiness, training, maintenance, geography, logistics, technology quality, alliances, doctrine and objectives sit outside this table.
Review sources, weights and limitations →Country inventory baseline: 2026 edition. Population, GDP, land-area context and military-expenditure trends: World Bank WDI, with the observation year shown at the decision point. Nuclear totals: FAS beginning-of-2026 estimates. Source links and structure reviewed August 25, 2026.