Which of the following countries do you think has the most Main Battle Tanks?
 

I just bought a copy of "The Military Balance", which is published by the International Institute of Strategic Studies. This book contains the entire known inventory of every military in the world, including troops, equipment, planes, etc. It's probably the best reference book in the history of the world.

Poll coming.

As a bonus question, rank the above countries from 1st through 13th in terms of the number of Main Battle Tanks they own. I'll pass along hints about the number that each guesser gets right.

Modern MBTs or are you including rebuilt Shermans and T-34s?

It appears that they go back to the T-54/M-47 era, but not older.

Tunisia
Iran
Bulgaria
Uraguay
Uganda
Kenya
Croatia
Togo
Bangladesh
Canada
Netherlands
New Zealand (doesn't have any)

lol T-54s

To the uninitiated, sheer quantity may shock into fearful submission; as the case of Gulf War I. People lamented and wailed the vast armies and tank forces available to Sodamn Insane. heh, those people soon learned that quality > quantity.

I'll take a small/medium force of M1s, Challengers, LeClercs, or Leopards over a vast army of T-72s & T-80s ANY day! :D

You have placed 1 country in the proper ranking (and you're missing Norway, by the way). We're off to a nice start.

Pffft.

OK..which one?

Iran
Kenya
Tunisia

OK...new list.

Kenya
Iran
Uganda
Uruguay
Croatia
Tunisia
Bulgaria
Togo
Bangladesh
Norway
Canada
Netherlands
New Zealand

Iran
Bulgaria
Uganda

This time, you placed 1 unit correctly. Since we have now had two correct guesses, I will reveal that New Zealand is indeed ranked 13th. The nation has no Main Battle Tanks, which I found kind of surprising.

New rules: you have to rank all 13, and I will tell you how many are correct. Once a nation has been correctly guessed twice, I'll reveal the nation and its rank.

I'll take a stab...

Bulgaria
Croatia
Iran
Uganda
Canada
Kenya
Tunisia
Uruguay
Netherlands
Norway
Togo
Bangladesh
New Zealand

Iran
Bulgaria
Uganda
Croatia
Tunisia
Canada
Netherlands
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
Bangladesh
Norway
New Zealand

I am pleased to say that you got 1 correct - New Zealand.

Tied for first. YES!!!

This thread doesn't have a very large target demographic.

Ooh, nice start. We're up to three - New Zealand and two others.

Iran
Kenya
Tunisia
Uraguay
Uganda
Croatia
Bangladesh
Togo
Canada
Bulgaria
Norway
Netherlands
New Zealand

Niche threads can be valuable, too. And if you someday find yourself leading a democracy protest in Togo, you'll wish you had participated.

Norway
Bulgaria
Uganda
Croatia
Tunisia
Canada
Netherlands
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
Bangladesh
Iran
New Zealand

Two correct, and I can now report that we've got the #1 and #13 spots locked in.

You've got to love Iran's lineup. It's a maintenance nightmare. They've got Soviet, British, American, and I think Chinese and native Iranian tanks across several eras.

540 T-54/55 and PRC-59,
75 T-62,
480 T-72,
100 Chieftain Mk 3/5,
168 M-47/48,
150 M-60A1,
approx. 100 Zulfiqar

Uh-oh. Back down to two.

Iran
Norway
Uganda
Croatia
Tunisia
Canada
Netherlands
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
Bangladesh
Bulgaria
New Zealand

Still at two with this one, but I should have revealed that two correct picks have been made for Bulgaria at the #2 spot.

Bulgaria has had consistent buying patterns.

1042 T-55
432 T-72

Still at two. I hope you're mapping out the math.

Iran
Bulgaria
Norway
Uganda
Croatia
Tunisia
Canada
Netherlands
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
Bangladesh
New Zealand

Holding steady at 3.

Iran
Bulgaria
Uganda
Croatia
Tunisia
Canada
Netherlands
Kenya
Uruguay
Norway
Bangladesh
Togo
New Zealand

Iran
Bulgaria
Togo
Tunisia
Kenya
Croatia
Uganda
Norway
Canada
Netherlands
Bangladesh
Uraguay
NZ

Iran
Bulgaria
Canada
Netherlands
Uganda
Uruguay
Norway
Croatia
Tunisia
Kenya
Bangladesh
Togo
New Zealand

Bumped up to 4.

Also at 4.

Ooh. Up to 7 in a quantum leap, and I can now reveal that Togo is indeed #12.

Don't mess with Togo and their 2 T-54/55 tanks.

Iran
Bulgaria
Canada
Netherlands
Uganda
Croatia
Tunisia
Kenya
Norway
Uruguay
Bangladesh
Togo
New Zealand

Back down to 5, but you've nailed down the loveable Dutch. Netherlands is indeed ranked #4, with what I think are German purchases.

25 Leopard 1
258 Leopard 2

Wow.... I'm surprised The Netherlands has that large an armored force!

Solid force at that... the Leopard is a mightly MBT

I was a bit surprised, too, given their location. Their only even matchup would probably be Belgium.

Bulgaria
Iran
Norway

Iran
Bulgaria
Norway
Netherlands
Canada
Tunisia
Uganda
Croatia
Uruguay
Bangladesh
Kenya
Togo
New Zealand

Per the rules, you must rank all 13.

Iran
Bulgaria
Bangladesh
Netherlands
Canada
Uruguay
Norway
Croatia
Tunisia
Kenya
Uganda
Togo
New Zealand


Obviously, Bangladesh deserves more credit than I was giving them.

They were probably preparing to do their part in the big NATO/Warsaw Pact tank battles in the Fulda Gap.

Back up to 6, and we have now slotted Uganda in the #7 spot, with many more tanks than I would've expected. Old Soviet tanks must be sweltering in the jungle.

Uganda - 152 T-54/T-55

Back up to 7, but Bangladesh was not one of them.

We now have Tunisia in the #9 spot and Kenya in the #10 spot.

Tunisia 54 M-60A3 and 30 M-60A1 (Always buy American)

Kenya 78 Vicker Mk 3 (Always buy American unless you're a former British colony)

Geeeeeeeeeesh. This could take forever. I just want the answer. I like this thread Rainman. I fit into this niche.

They almost have it nailed down. Only five more.

After this, maybe I'll look at who has the most submarines. I love these types of stats.

Iran
Bulgaria
Croatia
Netherlands
Norway
Canada
Uganda
Bangladesh
Tunisia
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
New Zealand

My guess was:
Iran
Croatia
Uganda

I chose Iran for obvious reasons. I picked the other two only because those are troubled nations that have been in a civil war recently.

Iran
Bulgaria
Norway
Neth.
Croatia
Bang.
Uganda
Canada
Tun.
Ken.
Urag.
Togo
NZ

Iran
Bulgaria
Croatia
Netherlands
Canada
Norway
Uganda
Uruguay
Tunisia
Kenya
Bandladesh
Togo
New Zealand

Up to 10, and I'll bet you finish it off within two more guesses.

Croatia is indeed #3, and Uruguay is indeed #11

Croatia must have got all of the tanks when Yugoslavia broke up: 222 T-55, 66 M-84, 3 T-72M (What's an M-84?)

Uruguay must not be expecting any trouble: 15 T-55

Hey Vlad, you left out Bangladesh.

10. We're almost there.

Iran
Bulgaria
Croatia
Netherlands
Canada
Norway
Uganda
Bandladesh
Tunisia
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
New Zealand

10. I bet the next guess wins it.

Iran
Bulgaria
Croatia
Netherlands
Norway
Bangladesh
Uganda
Canada
Tunisia
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
New Zealand

11. Getting warmer...Getting warmer.

Norway is #6 with 165 Leopard tanks.

Iran
Bulg
Cro.
Neth.
Can.
Nor.
Ugan.
Bang.
Tun.
Ken.
Urag.
Togo
NZ

10, and we're playing musical chairs with the last spots.

Iran
Bulgaria
Croatia
Netherlands
Bangladesh
Norway
Uganda
Canada
Tunisia
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
New Zealand

11. We're spinning, spinning, spinning!

Iran
bulg
cro
neth
bang
nor
ugand
can
tun
ken
urag
togo
nz

Iran
Bulgaria
Croatia
Netherlands
Bangladesh
Norway
Uganda
Canada
Tunisia
Kenya
Uruguay
Togo
New Zealand

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

Bangladesh is indeed rated #5, with 80 PRC Type 59/69 and 100 T-54/55s. (Are the PRCs Chinese? I presume so.)

Canada actually has fewer tanks than Uganda and Bangladesh, though I'd wager on Canada in fight between the three of them. Canada has 114 Leopard C2 tanks. (Canada buys German? How odd.)

Here's the full list. I find the numbers to be interesting, as well as the places where the tanks have been bought.

Iran 540 T-54/55 and PRC-59, 75 T-62, 480 T-72, 100 Chieftain Mk 3/5, 168 M-47/48, 150 M-60A1, approx. 100 Zulfiqar
Bulgaria 1042 T-55 and 432 T-72
Croatia 222 T-55, 66 M-84, 3 T-72M
Netherlands 25 Leopard 1 and 258 Leopard 2
Bangladesh 80 PRC Type 59/69 and 100 T-54/55
Norway 165 Leopard
Uganda 152 T-54/T-55
Canada 114 Leopard C2
Tunisia 54 M-60A3 and 30 M-60A1
Kenya 78 Vicker Mk 3
Uruguay 15 T-55
Togo 2 T-54/55
New Zealand None

Dang! Got me by 1 min!

I think Leopards are considered slightly better and slightly less expensive, however I would think shipping costs would overcome the difference. Interesting.

Thanks Kevin that was amusing

I think it's odd that Canada has 113 more tanks than they actually need......

Bangladesh was definitely further up the list than I expected. It looks to me like the foreign sales guys at General Dynamics need to get on the ball.

OK. Now someone needs to answer the next obvious question.

Why?

I'll bet they are more for riot control than defending their own borders.

Thanks for the thread, Rain Man. Good job, rad and Vlad.

Cool. Well I'm off to attack New Zealand now.

hey, where's my good job? :shrug:

I bumped up the count from 4 to 7 in one try. :sulk:

Yeah that was fun , good thread RM

Oh yeah that's right, you did!

What happened towards the end, you kinda slacked off.

Holy Moses. Israel has 3,090 Main Battle Tanks:

300 M-60/A1
600 M-60/A3
186 Magach 7 (Native Israeli?)
114 Ti 67 (T-54/55)
100 T-62
1,790 Merkava I/II/III/IV

I'm betting they didn't pay for those Soviet tanks.

This might be of interest:

http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/index.asp