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Costa Rica vs. Nicaragua

Military

Costa RicaNicaragua
Military branchesno regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security: the Public Force (Fuerza Pública (National Police)), Air Surveillance Service (Servicio de Vigilancia Aérea), and National Coast Guard Service (Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas) (2021)

note: Costa Rica's armed forces were constitutionally abolished in 1949		Army of Nicaragua (Ejercito de Nicaragua, EN): Land Forces (Fuerza Terrestre); Naval Forces (Fuerza Naval); Air Forces (Fuerza Aérea); Special Operations Command (Comando de Operaciones Especiales) (2021)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP0.7% of GDP (2017)

0.7% of GDP (2016)

0.7% of GDP (2015)

0.8% of GDP (2014)

0.8% of GDP (2013)		0.7% of GDP (2019)

0.6% of GDP (2018)

0.6% of GDP (2017)

0.5% of GDP (2016)

0.8% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths12,500 Public Force personnel; approximately 400-500 air and 400-500 coast guard personnel (2021)the Army of Nicaragua has approximately 12,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 800 Navy; 1,200 Air Force) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe Public Force is lightly armed with an inventory that includes mostly second-hand US equipment; since 2000, the only reported major equipment deliveries were from the US (light helicopters in 2012 and 2014 and second-hand coast guard cutters in 2018) (2020)the Nicaraguan military's inventory includes mostly second-hand Russian/Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, Russia is the leading arms supplier to Nicaragua (2020)

Source: CIA Factbook