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GLOBAL MILITARISATION INDEX 2014: ARMENIA RANKED THIRD
15:39, 10 Dec 2014
Armenia is the third most militarized country, according to the Global
Militarisation Index (GMI) issued by the Bonn International Center
for Conversion.
In the 2014 GMI, Israel, Singapore, Armenia, Syria, Russia, Cyprus,
South Korea, Jordan, Greece and Azerbaijan (rank 1 to 10) are amongst
the ten countries with the highest levels of militarization three
of which are situated in the Middle East, two in East Asia and
the remaining five in Western and Eastern Europe. The high levels
of militarization in these countries are mostly the result of
comprehensive arms purchases.
The causes for the generally high levels of militarization in The
Middle East are manifold. They range from the defense of existing
authoritarian regimes against possible internal adversaries to external
conflicts and potential threats from the outside. All in all, one
will have to assume that the level of militarization in the region
will remain high or will even increase.
The neighboring states Armenia (rank 3) and Azerbaijan (rank 10),
both belonging to Europe, show very high levels of militarization
and have initiated major increases in their military expenditures
over the past years. The high levels of militarization in these
two countries must, however, be seen in the overall context. Russia
(rank 5) delivers arms to both South Caucasian republics and has been
pursuing a comprehensive military reform since 2008.
Between 2009 and 2013, expenditures for equipment and procurement
in European NATO states fell by more than US $ 9 billion. Still,
some states show high levels of militarisation (Greece: 9, Estonia:
21, Turkey: 24, Bulgaria: 27, Portugal: 28).
Singapore (rank 2) and South Korea (rank 7) are the two countries
within East Asia that are amongst the ten most militarized countries in
the world. Singapore's procurement efforts are a reaction to its many
unresolved territorial issues, the importance of strategic waterways in
the region and the Chinese anti-access / area denial strategy. South
Korea's high level of militarization can be understood in the context
of the ongoing state of war with North Korea, but also with unresolved
territorial issues with Japan and China in the Yellow Sea.
The Global Militarisation Index (GMI) depicts the relative weight and
importance of the military apparatus of one state in relation to its
society as a whole. The update of the GMI 2014 is based on data from
the year 2013 (i. e. the most recent year for which data has been
available) and comprises 152 states. BICC's GMI is supported by the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The GMI is divided into three overarching categories: expenditure,
personnel and heavy weapons. Military spending in relation to GDP
and health spending are the most important indicators for determining
the level of militarization. Besides military expenditure, the level
of militarization is also represented by the relation of military
personnel to the total population and physicians. As its third
category the GMI takes into consideration the number of an armed
forces' heavy weapons in relation to the total population.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/12/10/global-militarisation-index-2014-armenia-ranked-third/
15:39, 10 Dec 2014
Armenia is the third most militarized country, according to the Global
Militarisation Index (GMI) issued by the Bonn International Center
for Conversion.
In the 2014 GMI, Israel, Singapore, Armenia, Syria, Russia, Cyprus,
South Korea, Jordan, Greece and Azerbaijan (rank 1 to 10) are amongst
the ten countries with the highest levels of militarization three
of which are situated in the Middle East, two in East Asia and
the remaining five in Western and Eastern Europe. The high levels
of militarization in these countries are mostly the result of
comprehensive arms purchases.
The causes for the generally high levels of militarization in The
Middle East are manifold. They range from the defense of existing
authoritarian regimes against possible internal adversaries to external
conflicts and potential threats from the outside. All in all, one
will have to assume that the level of militarization in the region
will remain high or will even increase.
The neighboring states Armenia (rank 3) and Azerbaijan (rank 10),
both belonging to Europe, show very high levels of militarization
and have initiated major increases in their military expenditures
over the past years. The high levels of militarization in these
two countries must, however, be seen in the overall context. Russia
(rank 5) delivers arms to both South Caucasian republics and has been
pursuing a comprehensive military reform since 2008.
Between 2009 and 2013, expenditures for equipment and procurement
in European NATO states fell by more than US $ 9 billion. Still,
some states show high levels of militarisation (Greece: 9, Estonia:
21, Turkey: 24, Bulgaria: 27, Portugal: 28).
Singapore (rank 2) and South Korea (rank 7) are the two countries
within East Asia that are amongst the ten most militarized countries in
the world. Singapore's procurement efforts are a reaction to its many
unresolved territorial issues, the importance of strategic waterways in
the region and the Chinese anti-access / area denial strategy. South
Korea's high level of militarization can be understood in the context
of the ongoing state of war with North Korea, but also with unresolved
territorial issues with Japan and China in the Yellow Sea.
The Global Militarisation Index (GMI) depicts the relative weight and
importance of the military apparatus of one state in relation to its
society as a whole. The update of the GMI 2014 is based on data from
the year 2013 (i. e. the most recent year for which data has been
available) and comprises 152 states. BICC's GMI is supported by the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The GMI is divided into three overarching categories: expenditure,
personnel and heavy weapons. Military spending in relation to GDP
and health spending are the most important indicators for determining
the level of militarization. Besides military expenditure, the level
of militarization is also represented by the relation of military
personnel to the total population and physicians. As its third
category the GMI takes into consideration the number of an armed
forces' heavy weapons in relation to the total population.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/12/10/global-militarisation-index-2014-armenia-ranked-third/