How many of the red countries were controlled by the British Empire in 1900?
Takomay on
Both of these maps are literally meaningless
midnightmoose on
Active soldiers is a very limited understanding of “larger millitary” when you don’t factor in nuclear warheads, aircraft carriers and submarines.
NoSwordfish1978 on
Well yeah, Britain doesn’t have an Empire any more.
fodasseisto on
UK doesn’t need military now. It’s abandoned territory
Seran-Ast on
It’s 2026… a million men are useless when technological superiority is far more decisive.
For example, the Mexican army is a joke.
And Morocco has more soldiers than Spain, but it could never win a war against Spain.
Wgh555 on
The UK is still stronger than all but 5 of the countries shaded in red on the below map, and all of the countries in grey.
aziad1998 on
I misread the sources as ISIS
yIdontunderstand on
1900 was peak British empire, the largest empire the world has ever seen….
So if that is a surprise that the military was big….
AceOfSpades532 on
Did France really have a larger military than the close to peak British Empire?
menemstalin on
Royal Navy would not expect (another) invasión from Argentina in Falklands
AcidaliaPlanitia on
Whoa, the Moroccan Army is a lot bigger than I ever would have expected. If Wikipedia numbers are to be believed, 1% of the population is active duty Army.
Sufficient_Laugh9012 on
“Larger” as in physical size of personnel? Weight, height, lime consumption, or average waistline?
Hot_Taekout on
Crazy how much things can change in just 126 years
tyger2020 on
The UK doesn’t need armed forces it had in 1900, nor does it really need even large ones. It is an island bordering absolutely 0 hostile nations, or nations that would/could pose a threat.
No-One2123 on
I’m skeptical of this map. The Qing Dynasty was in a decline in 1900 and European Powers and Japan had already began partioning zones of control within China.
Exact_Accident_2343 on
wtf kinda military does Iraq have rn to suggest it’s “bigger” than the UK’s man what the heck, a huge proportion of its soldiers take orders from Iran before they do from Iraq in the first place
Qweedo420 on
How can Japan have a larger military? They’re legally forbidden from having a military
Yoyle0340 on
Numbers are not the full story, even then some smaller militaries would arguably have a very strong fight against the British in quality, competence and functional state, the Royal navy is in a deep sorry state.
TraditionTurbulent39 on
Ironically, some of the countries in red on the bottom map were under British rule in 1900.
27 Comments
Things can get dicey if Argentina becomes red.
Who would have thought that we needed a larger army when we owned a quarter of the earth compared to now?
Great Britain’s strength was never its military but there navy
Back when we used to actually demobilize and shrink the military after a conflict.
Finally a positive indicator for UK.
Using modern borders for 1900 map
Largest Armies in 1913:
|**Rank** |**Country**|**Active Personnel (Est.)**|
|:-|:-|:-|
|1|**Russian Empire**|~1,300,000|
|2|**German Empire**|~800,000|
|3|**France**|~750,000|
|4|**Austro-Hungarian Empire**|~450,000|
|5|**Italy**|~300,000|
|6|**Ottoman Empire**|~250,000|
|7|**British Empire**|~250,000|
|8|**Japan**|~230,000|
|9|**Spain**|~140,000|
|10|**United States**|~95,000|
How many of the red countries were controlled by the British Empire in 1900?
Both of these maps are literally meaningless
Active soldiers is a very limited understanding of “larger millitary” when you don’t factor in nuclear warheads, aircraft carriers and submarines.
Well yeah, Britain doesn’t have an Empire any more.
UK doesn’t need military now. It’s abandoned territory
It’s 2026… a million men are useless when technological superiority is far more decisive.
For example, the Mexican army is a joke.
And Morocco has more soldiers than Spain, but it could never win a war against Spain.
The UK is still stronger than all but 5 of the countries shaded in red on the below map, and all of the countries in grey.
I misread the sources as ISIS
1900 was peak British empire, the largest empire the world has ever seen….
So if that is a surprise that the military was big….
Did France really have a larger military than the close to peak British Empire?
Royal Navy would not expect (another) invasión from Argentina in Falklands
Whoa, the Moroccan Army is a lot bigger than I ever would have expected. If Wikipedia numbers are to be believed, 1% of the population is active duty Army.
“Larger” as in physical size of personnel? Weight, height, lime consumption, or average waistline?
Crazy how much things can change in just 126 years
The UK doesn’t need armed forces it had in 1900, nor does it really need even large ones. It is an island bordering absolutely 0 hostile nations, or nations that would/could pose a threat.
I’m skeptical of this map. The Qing Dynasty was in a decline in 1900 and European Powers and Japan had already began partioning zones of control within China.
wtf kinda military does Iraq have rn to suggest it’s “bigger” than the UK’s man what the heck, a huge proportion of its soldiers take orders from Iran before they do from Iraq in the first place
How can Japan have a larger military? They’re legally forbidden from having a military
Numbers are not the full story, even then some smaller militaries would arguably have a very strong fight against the British in quality, competence and functional state, the Royal navy is in a deep sorry state.
Ironically, some of the countries in red on the bottom map were under British rule in 1900.