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Military power of North Korea & Iran

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North Korea vs Iran

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North Korea Iran

North Korea is a country located in Eastern Asia with an area of 120,540 km2 (land boundries: 1,607 km and costline 2,495 km). The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang. The number of inhabitants is 25,549,604.

The KPA is equipped with older weapon systems originally acquired from the former Soviet Union, Russia, and China, as well as some domestically-produced equipment. The North Korea produces a diverse array of military hardware like light armored vehicles, tanks, naval vessels and submarines, and advanced weapons systems, such as ballistic missiles. North Korea developing also nuclear weapons.

More about North Korea military

Iran is a country located in Middle East with an area of 1,648,195 km2 (land boundries: 5,894 km and costline 2,440 km - note: Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)). The capital of Iran is Tehran. The number of inhabitants is 83,183,741.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979. The IRGC was a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces. The Iranian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and mostly older foreign equipment largely of Chinese, Russian, Soviet, and US origin. Iran has a defense industry with the capacity to develop, produce, support, and sustain air, land, missile, and naval weapons programs.

More about Iran military

If you want to check the comparison in terms of economic ratios check out CompareEconomy.com

Military expenditures

small flag KP
small flag IR

Military budget

+
2 billion $
10 billion $

Percent of GDP

+
5 %
2.1 %

Manpower

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small flag IR

Active personnel

+
1,320,000
587,000

Reserve personnel

+
600,000
200,000

Available for military

+
6,515,279
23,619,215

Land Forces

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small flag IR
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Tanks

+
6,000
2,842
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Armoured fighting vehicles

+
4,000
3,555
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Total artillery

+
13,000
4,873
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Self-propelled artillery

+
4,500
1,030
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Rocket artillery

+
4,000
1,755

Air Forces

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small flag IR
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Total aircraft

+
960
973
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Fighter

+
349
112
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Multirole

+
35
75
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Attack

+
188
23
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Helicopters

+
202
519
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UCAV (combat drone)

+
0
83

Navy

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small flag IR
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Total naval

+
967
272
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Aircraft carriers

+
0
0
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Destroyers

+
0
0
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Frigates

+
2
6
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Corvettes

+
8
3
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Submarines

+
72
19

Nuclear weapons

North Korea

Although at the beginning North Korea joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, they withdrew from it on January 2003. It was a consequence of the United States accusation. The USA government claimed that North Korea was unofficially funding a program of uranium enrichment. Because of that, they cancelled the 1994 Agreed Framework treaty and cut off the energy assistance. Two years after withdrawing, the officials from North Korea claimed that they own operational nuclear arsenal. In spite of North Koreans assurances, the United States did not believe that North Korea really posses such weapons. As a result, the government of North Korea decided to conduct tests.

There were three tests that North Korea initially conducted. The first one, with the yield of less than a kiloton, took place in 2006. However, to show that this was in fact a nuclear detonation, North Koreans conducted second and third tests, respectable in 2009 and 2013. The maximum power of the blast of the aforementioned tests can be estimated to be up to 40 kilotons. However, a lot of sources claim that yield did not surpass 10-15 kilotons. Noteworthy is also the fact that in 2016, North Korea announced that they have conducted their first hydrogen-bomb test.

Iran

Does not have nuclear weapons.

Military service

North Korea

18 is presumed to be the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 16-17 is the presumed legal minimum age for voluntary service.

Iran

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation is 18 months; women exempt from military service.