Spain spends five times more than Morocco on its army, but has three times fewer soldiers
Spain spends far more on its defense than Morocco and maintains a clear air and naval advantage. But in terms of military personnel, the balance is reversed: the estimates cited attribute more than three times as many troops to Morocco.
Spanish.
On Bladi.net : Morocco Military Spending Outpaces Spain’s Defense Effort
According to Global FirePower, Morocco would have around 400,000 military personnel, compared with 121,802 for Spain. The gap is even greater among reservists: 250,000 on the Moroccan side versus 24,033 on the Spanish side, reports El Independiente.
This numerical superiority contrasts with the financial resources mobilized. The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates Morocco’s defense budget at 73.8 billion dirhams in 2026, or approximately 6.89 billion euros. For Spain, SIPRI estimates military spending at 34.83 billion euros in 2025. The two figures therefore do not concern the same year, but the gap remains close to a one-to-five ratio.
Spain remains ahead in the air and at sea
The number of soldiers is not, however, enough to measure an army’s power. Global FirePower ranks Spain 18th in the world and Morocco 56th. Madrid has, in particular, more helicopters and military transport capabilities, as well as a larger navy, with an aircraft carrier and two submarines.
Akram Kharief therefore believes that Morocco cannot compete with Spain in a conventional confrontation. He particularly points to the gap in air, naval and force-projection capabilities.
Spain, on the other hand, suffers from a shortage of personnel that is regularly reported. The Observatory of Military Life described this deficit as “chronic” in 2024, following the loss of 13,300 professional military personnel since 2010. At the time, the country had only 2.4 military personnel per 1,000 inhabitants, compared with 3.6 in the European Union and 6 within NATO.
Morocco is simultaneously continuing to modernize its army, notably through purchases of American and Israeli equipment. Kharief nevertheless considers that one of its main assets also lies in the possibility of quickly obtaining logistical support, intelligence or resupply from its partners.
On Bladi.net : Spain and Morocco: Comparing Military Strengths Amid Regional Tensions
The balance of power is therefore mixed: Morocco has significantly larger personnel numbers, while Spain maintains a substantial lead in military spending, air power, naval power and force projection.
