Before the end of the Cold War, the United States Military had a much more prominent presence throughout the globe. It is estimated that there were slightly more than 1,100 bases in the mid-to-late 1940s and while these numbers have fluctuated, as of today, there are around 750 bases spread in 80 countries, the largest global military presence of any nation on earth. However, according to independent news organization Al Jazeera, there may be more as the Pentagon doesn’t publish all its data.
Although there may not be quite the amount there once was, these current bases are spread in more locations and territories, according to the Quincy Institute. Europe has been a popular location for U.S. military installations since the Second World War, although in recent years, the U.S. has been maintaining bases in the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia.
The majority of all new bases are still located in Europe in countries previously allied with the former Soviet Union – Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary – as well as the Baltic states of Estonia and Latvia that were under the Soviet thumb. Many of these countries have joined NATO. (Also read: the biggest US military bases)
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the study, U.S. Military Bases Abroad, 1776-2021 by David Vine, professor at the Department of Anthropology at American University to determine the newest U.S. active military bases overseas. We ranked the bases that opened since 2017 according to the year that they opened. Data on the number of active-duty personnel and bases within each country came from the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a military think-tank.
There is a growing debate over the need for so many U.S. overseas facilities. Critics cite the cost of maintaining far-flung infrastructure. U.S. international bases cost taxpayers an estimated $55 billion a year, according to the Quincy Institute. The reasoning behind having such installations throughout the globe – to aid in nation rebuilding, stabilize specific regions, or show of force to contain and deter opponents – lends credence to their presence.
But there are also concerns that these military bases are a lightning rod for hostility toward the United States and serve as propaganda for recruiting militant groups. The Quincy Institute notes that foreign bases have made it easier for America to become involved in wars of choice. (Also see, 21 bases where the U.S. military trains its combat forces.)
Here are the newest US military bases outside the country.
29. Dirkou, Niger
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Dirkou, Niger
The United States has six military installations in Niger. Dirkou is located in the Agadez Region in the north-eastern part of the country. There is currently a total of 21 active-duty personnel.
28. Arlit, Niger
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Arlit, Niger
The United States has six military installations in Niger. Arlit is located in the northern-central region of the country, between the Sahara Desert and the Aïr Mountains. There is currently a total of 21 active-duty personnel.
27. Sidi Ahmed Air Base, Tunisia
Source: Gelia / iStock via Getty Images
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Bizerte, Tunisia
The United States has one military installation in Tunisia. Bizerte, the northernmost city in Africa, is located west of Menzel Abderhama. There is currently a total of 26 active-duty personnel.
26. Mashabim Air Base, Israel
Source: Nadav Neuhaus / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Dimona, Israel
The United States has six military installations in Israel. Dimona is in the Negev Desert, 35 miles west of the Dead Sea. There is currently a total of 127 active-duty personnel.
25. Cincu Training Base, Romania
Source: Oregon National Guard from Salem, Oregon, United States, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Cincu, Romania
The United States has nine military installations in Romania. Cincu is located in Brașov County, Transylvania. There is currently a total of 165 active-duty personnel.
24. Powidz, Poland
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Powidz, Poland
The United States has four military installations in Norway. Powidz lies on the Niedzięgiel Lake and is located in the west-central region of the country. There is currently a total of 226 active-duty personnel.
23. Ponzan, Poland
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Krzesiny, Poland
The United States has four military installations in Poland. Also known as Poznań-Krzesiny Airport, this base in Krzesiny is located in the west-central region of the country. There is currently a total of 226 active-duty personnel.
22. Zaqaf, Syria
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Al-Tanf, Syria
The United States has four military installations in Norway. Al-Tanf is located on the Iraqi border and is close to the Jordanian border. There is currently a total of 900 active-duty personnel.
21. Tal Baydar, Syria
Source: Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Fenaroli, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Tal Baydar, Syria
The United States has four military installations in Syria. Tal Baydar is located in the northeastern region of the country. There is currently a total of 900 active-duty personnel.
20. Zutendaal, Belgium
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Zutendaal, Belgium
The United States has nine military installations in Belgium. Zutendaal is located northeast of Brussels. There is currently a total of 1,869 active-duty personnel.
19. Duelmen Tower Barracks, Germany
- Opening year: 2017
- Location: Dülmen, Germany
The United States has 76 military installations in Germany. Dulmen is located in North Rhine-Westphalia, south of Münster in the northwest region. There is currently a total of 46,562 active-duty personnel.
18. Keflavik, Iceland
Source: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Juan S. Sua, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Keflavik, Iceland
The United States has two military installations in Iceland. Keflavik is located in the southwest region of the country. There is currently a total of three active-duty personnel.
17. Radar Site, Republic of Palau
Source: Babiesan, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Peleliu Island, Palau
The United States has three military installations in Palau. Peleliu Island is one of 16 islands that form the country of Palau in the southwest corner of Micronesia and is where the Battle of Peleliu was fought in WWII. There is currently a total of 12 active-duty personnel.
16. Sliac, Slovakia
Source: Patrik Kunec, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Sliac, Slovakia
The United States has two military installations in Slovakia. Sliac is located in central Slovakia, on the Hron River of the country. There is currently a total of 12 active-duty personnel.
15. Malacky-Kuchyna, Slovakia
Source: Waerfelu, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Malacky, Slovakia
The United States has two military installations in Slovakia. Malacky-Kuchyna is located in the Bratislava region in the southwestern part of the country, along the Danube River. There is currently a total of 12 active-duty personnel.
14. Lielvarde AB, Latvia
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Lielvarde, Latvia
The United States has one military installation in Latvia. Lielvarde AB is located in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, on the right bank of the Daugava River. There is currently a total of 14 active-duty personnel.
13. Amari Air Base, Estonia
Source: US Army Europe Images, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Harju County, Estonia
The United States has one military installation in Estonia. Harju County is located in the northern part of the country, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. There is currently a total of 17 active-duty personnel.
12. Sanem, Luxembourg
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Sanem, Luxembourg
The United States has one military installation in Luxembourg. Sanem is located in the southwest region of the country. There is currently a total of 21 active-duty personnel.
11. Kecskemet Air Base, Hungary
Source: Rob Schleiffert from Holland, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Bacs-Kiskun County, Hungary
The United States has two military installations in Hungary. Kecskemet Air Base is located in Kecskemet, one hour south of Budapest. There is currently a total of 82 active-duty personnel.
10. Campia Turzii Air Base, Romania
Source: Eurocopter at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Cluj County, Romania
The United States has nine military installations in Romania. Campia Turzii Air Base is located near the city of Câmpia Turzii, in Cluj County, Transylvania in the central region of Romania. There is currently a total of 165 active-duty personnel.
9. Rygge, Norway
Source: Stig Andersen, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2018
- Location: Viken County, Norway
The United States has seven military installations in Norway. Rygge is located in Viken County, in the eastern part of the country. There is currently a total of 167 active-duty personnel.
8. Kismayo, Somalia
Source: au_unistphotostream / Flickr
- Opening year: 2019
- Location: Juba Valley, Somalia
The United States has five installations in Somalia. Kismayo is located in the Juba Valley, a valley that follows the Juba River north from the Indian Ocean to the border of Somalia and Ethiopia. There is a total of 71 active-duty personnel.
7. Galcayo, Somalia
Source: Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Opening year: 2019
- Location: Mudug Region, Somalia
The United States has five installations in Somalia. Galcayo is located in the Mudug Region, in north-central Somalia. There is a total of 71 active-duty personnel.
6. Bosaaso, Somalia
Source: usnavy / Flickr
- Opening year: 2019
- Location: Gulf of Aden coast, Somalia
The United States has five installations in Somalia. Bosaaso is located on the coast of the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean. There is a total of 71 active-duty personnel.
5. Basa Air Base, Philippines
Source: Ramon FVelasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2019
- Location: Pampanga, Philippines
The United States has five installations in the Philippines, and in accordance with the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), they will be adding four new bases -Naval Base Camilo Osias in Santa Ana, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; Balabac Island in Palawan; and Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan. The current active-duty personnel is 155.
4. Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia
Source: statephotos / Flickr
- Opening year: 2019
- Location: Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
The United States has 10 military installations in Saudia Arabia, with the most recent in the city of Al-Kharj, located in the southeast of the capital Riyadh. Prince Sultan AB, Al Kharj, Riyadh Province has a total of 693 active-duty personnel.
3. Dier Ez Zour, Syria
- Opening year: 2019
- Location: Deir ez-Zor, Syria
The United States has four military installations in Syria, with the most recent in the city of Deir ez-Zor, located in the southeast of the capital Riyadh. Dier Ez Zor (also spelled Deir Ezzour) has a total of 900 active-duty personnel.
2. Andreas Papandreou Base, Cyprus
Source: pom-angers / Flickr
- Opening year: 2020
- Location: Paphos, Cyprus
The United States has one military installation in the coastal city of Paphos, located in southwest Cyprus. Andreas Papandreou Base has a total of ten active-duty personnel.
1. Redzikowo, Poland
Source: Navy Lt. Amy Forsythe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Opening year: 2023
- Location: Poznań & Gdansk, Poland
The United States has five military installations in Poland, with the addition of the newer permanent Redzikowo Naval detachment in Poznań, a city in west-central Poland, and the first permanent U.S. Army Garrison. This will bring its active-duty personnel to 10,000.
Sponsored: Want to Retire Early? Here’s a Great First Step
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Orare you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.