Ukraine is the most militarized country in the world
Since 2007, Israel has consistently been at the top of the global militarization index. However, Ukraine, which has long been in second place, is catching up due to the Russian invasion. However, this could change again with the start of the Gaza war this year.
According to a study, Ukraine has become the most militarized country in the world in the year following the Russian attack, replacing long-time leader Israel in first place in the Global Militarization Index (GMI). This is according to the GMI 2023, published by the Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies (BICC).
The GMI compares the military apparatus and civil society of a country. To do this, BICC weights, for example, a country's military expenditure and number of soldiers and heavy weapons in relation to its gross domestic product (GDP) and other civilian indicators. The GMI incorporates the latest available data - for the current survey, this is mostly from 2022, so the Gaza war is not yet reflected in it. Israel has consistently been at the top of the annual index since 2007.
Overall, the number of heavy weapons and armaments has increased worldwide, according to the study. However, the level of militarization has fallen on average because the population or GDP of many countries has grown. Military expenditure in Western and Central Europe rose by 13 percent in 2022. According to the study, this is the largest increase since the end of the Cold War. Ukraine and Israel are followed in the GMI's "Top 10" by three other post-Soviet states: Armenia (3rd place), Azerbaijan (9th place) and Russia (10th place). This points to the high potential for conflict and the changing power and alliance constellations in this region, said study author Markus Bayer.
Russia has significantly increased its military expenditure from 66 to almost 72 billion US dollars, the study continued. The bottom line, however, is a low level of militarization due to the "massive losses of people and material". The "top 10" also includes three Gulf states, Qatar (4th place), Bahrain (5th place) and Saudi Arabia (6th place). In relation to civilian society, Greece (7th place) and Singapore (8th place) are also highly militarized. Germany ranks 98th out of 149 countries as a "weakly" militarized country, followed by only two EU states, Luxembourg and Ireland. The USA ranks 25th.
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The Russian invasion of Ukraine significantly contributed to Ukraine becoming the most militarized country in the world, surpassing Israel's long-held position at the top of the Global Militarization Index (GMI). Despite the Gaza war this year, Israel still maintains a high position in the GMI. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues to be a source of concern globally, highlighting the high potential for conflict in the region.
Source: www.ntv.de
