Tanks began an age of mechanized warfare, starting back in World War I. Ever since, these armored vehicles have been instrumental in determining the outcome of conflicts around the world. As one of the largest continents in the world, Africa is home to some of the largest tank armies. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look into the African countries with the biggest tank armies. (These are the 30 most mass-produced tanks since WWII ended.)
To identify the African countries with the most tanks, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Countries were ranked on the total number of tanks in their arsenal. We included supplemental information regarding the total military vehicles, artillery and MLRS units, as well as each country’s overall military strength score. Nations that do not have any tanks in their arsenal were excluded.
While the United States may have the strongest military on the planet, it pales in comparison to only a handful of other nations when it comes to its tank arsenal, numerically speaking. The U.S. military primarily relies on its Navy and Air Force for projecting power around the world, but when there are troops on the ground tanks are there to back them up.
Egypt is one of these such nations that is home to a larger tank arsenal than the United States. Algeria ranks fairly high on the world stage as well with an incredibly formidable tank army. Other African nations feature fairly impressive tank armies as well. (These are the countries with the largest tank armies.)
Here is a look at the African countries with the biggest tank armies:
Why Are We Covering This?
Source: peer_gynt / Flickr
Understanding the military dynamics of Africa is important due to the continent’s strategic geopolitical significance. The continent is known for some instability, and military power is one way of ensuring stability both political and economic. Many of these African nations are growing rapidly and the continued stability of this region is crucial.
26. Namibia:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 7
- Total military vehicles: 2,674
- Total artillery: 50
- Total MLRS: 7
- Military strength score: 2.7652 – #124 out of 145
25. Ivory Coast:
Source: Bob Adams / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 10
- Total military vehicles: 476
- Total artillery: 4
- Total MLRS: 6
- Military strength score: 1.9869 – #98 out of 145
24. Madagascar:
Source: DAVID HOLT / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 12
- Total military vehicles: 232
- Total artillery: 0
- Total MLRS: 0
- Military strength score: 3.0655 – #133 out of 145
23. Zimbabwe:
Source: Bob Adams / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 20
- Total military vehicles: 2,412
- Total artillery: 0
- Total MLRS: 0
- Military strength score: 2.0352 – #101 out of 145
22. Mali:
Source: Katangais / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 20
- Total military vehicles: 647
- Total artillery: 10
- Total MLRS: 25
- Military strength score: 2.1115 – #106 out of 145
21. Botswana:
Source: Katangais / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 20
- Total military vehicles: 587
- Total artillery: 48
- Total MLRS: 20
- Military strength score: 2.8353 – #126 out of 145
20. Tanzania:
Source: Katangais / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 21
- Total military vehicles: 712
- Total artillery: 0
- Total MLRS: 0
- Military strength score: 2.0587 – #103 out of 145
19. Republic of the Congo:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 32
- Total military vehicles: 519
- Total artillery: 37
- Total MLRS: 72
- Military strength score: 2.7282 – #122 out of 145
18. Zambia:
Source: NJR ZA / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 38
- Total military vehicles: 506
- Total artillery: 46
- Total MLRS: 35
- Military strength score: 1.9851 – #97 out of 145
17. South Sudan:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 55
- Total military vehicles: 1,920
- Total artillery: 20
- Total MLRS: 10
- Military strength score: 2.4376 – #119 out of 145
16. Mozambique:
- Total tanks: 60
- Total military vehicles: 872
- Total artillery: 104
- Total MLRS: 12
- Military strength score: 1.8377 – #92 out of 145
15. Chad:
Source: Franz Aberham / Photographer's Choice RF via Getty Images
- Total tanks: 90
- Total military vehicles: 1,568
- Total artillery: 25
- Total MLRS: 21
- Military strength score: 1.8607 – #93 out of 145
14. Uganda:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 130
- Total military vehicles: 3,162
- Total artillery: 32
- Total MLRS: 12
- Military strength score: 2.2405 – #114 out of 145
13. Tunisia:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 140
- Total military vehicles: 6,400
- Total artillery: 108
- Total MLRS: 0
- Military strength score: 1.2881 – #74 out of 145
12. Kenya:
Source: Leo za1 / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 188
- Total military vehicles: 4,856
- Total artillery: 71
- Total MLRS: 0
- Military strength score: 1.7629 – #89 out of 145
11. South Africa:
Source: Katangais / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 195
- Total military vehicles: 12,140
- Total artillery: 153
- Total MLRS: 101
- Military strength score: 0.4632 – #33 out of 145
10. Democratic Republic of Congo:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 210
- Total military vehicles: 458
- Total artillery: 135
- Total MLRS: 50
- Military strength score: 1.2491 – #73 out of 145
9. Sudan:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 233
- Total military vehicles: 3,648
- Total artillery: 200
- Total MLRS: 343
- Military strength score: 1.4119 – #76 out of 145
8. Libya:
Source: Stocktrek Images/Andrew Chittock / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
- Total tanks: 300
- Total military vehicles: 2,890
- Total artillery: 75
- Total MLRS: 55
- Military strength score: 1.4449 – #79 out of 145
7. Angola:
Source: Katangais / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 310
- Total military vehicles: 5,500
- Total artillery: 580
- Total MLRS: 123
- Military strength score: 0.8702 – #55 out of 145
6. Nigeria:
Source: Alan Wilson / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 343
- Total military vehicles: 6,404
- Total artillery: 371
- Total MLRS: 37
- Military strength score: 0.5619 – #39 out of 145
5. Ethiopia:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 680
- Total military vehicles: 10,028
- Total artillery: 713
- Total MLRS: 79
- Military strength score: 0.7938 – #49 out of 145
4. Morocco:
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total tanks: 1,564
- Total military vehicles: 13,710
- Total artillery: 871
- Total MLRS: 208
- Military strength score: 1.0081 – #61 out of 145
3. Algeria:
Source: DancingMan / iStock via Getty Images
- Total tanks: 1,632
- Total military vehicles: 35,990
- Total artillery: 707
- Total MLRS: 236
- Military strength score: 0.3589 – #26 out of 145
2. Eritrea:
- Total tanks: 1,756
- Total military vehicles: 3,512
- Total artillery: 210
- Total MLRS: 219
- Military strength score: 2.4152 – #117 out of 145
1. Egypt:
- Total tanks: 5,340
- Total military vehicles: 77,596
- Total artillery: 3,046
- Total MLRS: 1,119
- Military strength score: 0.2283 – #15 out of 145
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