Here is the list of the world's ten largest navies

Updated on September 13, 2022 12:12 PM by Laura Mendes

The sea has been fought since it was navigable, and the ability to project might across oceans is a distinguishing attribute of any world power.

The list below, based on data from Global Firepower's 2018 Military Strength Ranking, ranks countries solely by the number of naval assets they have, which includes support craft, patrol boats, corvettes, destroyers, frigates, and aircraft carriers - the latter of which includes both traditional carriers and "helicopter carrier" warships.

Some of the countries on the list are surprising, and they represent global naval strength. Check out the top ten navies below:

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North Korea - 967 ships

The Korean People's Navy is the biggest. However, North Korea's diplomatic isolation and reliance on nuclear and ballistic-missile development have depleted its conventional forces, particularly the navy.

Ten frigates, two corvettes, 86 submarines, 438 patrol craft, and 25 mine-warfare vessels are among its 967 naval assets. Those ships are mostly of Soviet, Chinese, or North Korean origin, and they are generally of low quality and poorly maintained.

The majority of Pyongyang's naval combat has taken place on gunboats, including multiple confrontations with South Korean forces. North Korean ships have caused damage to their South Korean enemies, though the North Koreans have incurred high casualties in general.

North Korea has also made significant investments in its submarine fleet, which is one of the largest in the world. In 2015, the Pentagon thought Pyongyang had 70 submarines. Many of those submarines are assumed to be obsolete, but North Korea still has one Gorae-class ballistic-missile submarine.

In late 2017, US Navy officials reported they discovered "very unusual and unprecedented levels" of North Korean submarine activities, including indications of an "ejection test," which analyses missile-launch capabilities.

A torpedo launched by a North Korean submarine sunk a South Korean naval ship in 2010, killing 46 sailors. North Korea has denied responsibility for the event.

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China - 714 ships

China's navy has also expanded fast in recent years, with increased activities in its immediate vicinity — particularly in the South China Sea, over which Beijing has asserted sweeping and controversial claims — and further afield, such as the Indian Ocean.

It has one aircraft carrier (with another ready to begin sea trials), 50 frigates, 29 destroyers, 39 corvettes, 73 submarines, 220 patrol craft, and 29 mine-warfare vessels among its 714 naval assets.

China's submarines are a particular source of concern for its neighbours and the United States. Chinese submarines have had multiple near encounters with US warships over the last two decades. Its rapid acquisition of modern diesel-electric submarines gives it the ability to project power over the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

"China has risen faster than any other country in the region in terms of maritime power, maritime projection; the increase has been amazing," Mike Fabey, author of "Crashback," a 2017 book about naval tensions between China and the US, told Business Insider earlier this year.

United States - 415 ships

Despite being third in terms of sheer numbers, the US Navy is widely regarded as the most powerful, with activities all over the world.

It has 20 aircraft carriers, the most in the world by a significant margin, ten frigates, 65 destroyers, 66 submarines, 13 patrol craft, and 11 mine-warfare ships among its 415 naval assets.

The Navy has added a number of ships in recent years, including its newest aircraft carrier, the first-in-class USS Gerald R. Ford. The second ship in the class, the USS John F. Kennedy, is nearly finished. The Navy is also considering purchasing the third and fourth Ford-class ships in a single transaction.

It has also created two classes of littoral-combat ships, as well as a new multimission stealth ship, the Zumwalt-class destroyer. The latest Virginia-class attack submarine, the USS Colorado, was commissioned in March, and the Navy plans to continue producing Virginia-class vessels until the manufacturing of the new Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine begins in the early 2020s.

However, the Navy has not been without its challenges. Navy officials have minimised the chances of reaching 355 vessels in the near future. In addition, a string of mishaps in 2017 sparked concerns about the Navy's leadership and training.

Iran - 398 ships

Years of sanctions and embargoes have hampered Iran's ability to bulk up its navy, with patrol ships accounting for the majority of the 398-ship force, of which Tehran possesses 230. There are also five frigates, three corvettes, 33 submarines, and ten mine-warfare ships.

Iran announced in late 2017 that it planned to add a destroyer by 2018 and that it was developing nuclear-powered ships and submarines in accordance with the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran's coastline includes the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a maritime choke point through which much of the world's oil travels. Because of its proximity to major sea lanes, Iran wields enormous influence over maritime events.

Iran announced in late 2017 that it planned to add a destroyer by 2018 and that it was developing nuclear-powered ships and submarines in accordance with the 2015 nuclear deal.

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Russia - 352 ships

Russia's fleet has been revitalised under Vladimir Putin's leadership, with the goal of regaining the status and capabilities lost in the years following the demise of the Soviet Union.

There are now 352 assets in the force, including one aircraft carrier, nine frigates, thirteen destroyers, 78 corvettes, 62 submarines, 41 patrol craft, and 47 mine-warfare vessels.

The Russian navy is currently focusing on deploying long-range precision-guided weapons to provide nonnuclear strategic deterrence. However, those conventional weapons are supposed to supplement, rather not replace, Russia's nuclear forces.

Over the last decade and a half, Russia has paid close attention to its undersea force. NATO naval forces have been wary of new Russian submarines. Western governments have expressed alarm in recent years about the possibility of Russian submarine troops interfering with undersea cables that underpin global telecommunications and banking networks.

Egypt - 319 ships

Egypt's navy is the largest in the Middle East and North Africa. Its missions include protecting the country's Mediterranean and Red Sea coastlines and defending the Suez Canal approaches.

It has two aircraft carriers, nine frigates, four corvettes, six submarines, 53 patrol craft, and 23 mine-warfare vessels in its navy.

In recent years, the country's navy has evolved into a two-sea force, with an emphasis on a larger role in the Red Sea. Submarine and anti-submarine operations, as well as anti-piracy and counter-terrorism activities, have received increased attention.

India - 295 ships

India, like countries in Europe, has grown increasingly anxious about one of its larger neighbours' naval activity: China.

While New Delhi and Beijing have traditionally had tense relations along their land border, India has been wary as China has strengthened its presence in the Indian Water region, deploying attack submarines through the ocean and negotiating development agreements with regional governments.

An aircraft carrier, 14 frigates, 11 destroyers, 22 corvettes, 16 submarines, 139 patrol planes, and four mine-warfare vessels are among India's current naval assets. New Delhi wants to strengthen its military as well as its domestic defence sector, but there have been some setbacks in terms of strategy and technical know-how.

It was recently discovered that one of its new nuclear-powered subs was rendered inoperable in early 2017 after the crew attempted to submerge while an outside hatch remained open.

Finland - 270 ships

Finland shares a Baltic Sea border with Russia and Sweden. It has 270 naval assets, including eight patrol craft and 18 mine-warfare vessels, as well as landing craft, transport ships, and other vessels such as tugs and cable layers.

Finland, like other countries in Northern and Eastern Europe, has grown more concerned about Russian military action. Although Finland is not a member of NATO, it has participated in recent NATO exercises, notably a crisis-management exercise in October 2017.

The US State Department has approved the sale of $730 million in naval armaments to Helsinki, including ship- and surface-launched missiles.

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Colombia - 234 ships

Colombia is the only South American country with both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and its navy consists of four frigates, one corvette, 11 submarines, and 55 patrol ships.

The country is the world's largest producer of cocaine, and its armed forces have been significantly involved in drug-interdiction measures, particularly along the Pacific coast, where governmental presence is low, and smuggling is common.

Colombia also boasts a vast network of waterways that provide the sole access to some sections of the country. "80% of Colombia's coca is grown within... two kilometres of a river," Adam Isacson, director of defence oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, told Business Insider in March.

"There are also a lot of rivers," he adds, "but it is one of the reasons why the Pacific coast is so widely used." "You can just do everything from the coca to the labs to the river jumping-off place."

"The United States did help Colombia establish up a riverine brigade with a number of these piranha patrol boats that they make themselves in the last decade, but I don't think those brigades have increased," Isacson added. "And I believe there is corruption in various areas."

Indonesia - 221 ships

The Indonesian archipelago boasts 34,000 miles of coastline and is strategically placed between the Pacific and Indian oceans. It is the world's largest country, made up entirely of islands, with approximately 13,500 of them permanently inhabited.

Indonesia has eight frigates, 24 corvettes, three submarines, 74 patrol boats, and 12 mine warfare vessels at its disposal.

Indonesia is one of the countries that has resisted China's broad sea claims in the region and is attempting to counter Beijing's increased naval operations. As of early 2017, it was in discussions with foreign shipbuilders about adding new submarines, with an eye to adding eight by 2024. It commissioned its first modern attack submarine in 34 years in August 2017.