At its peak, the Russian Empire was the third-largest in history
The United States military currently stations American personnel in nearly 170 territories, on every continent in the world. In fact, the Department of Defense manages over 4,790 military sites worldwide. But which countries host the most active duty troops? In this gallery, we list the top 10 nations other than the US where American military personnel are garrisoned, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center, together with examples of primary US bases in each country.
Click through and find out where in the world US military members are stationed in the greatest numbers.
Of the nearly 170,000 active duty American troops currently stationed overseas, 55,000 are in Japan. This is the most of any country outside of the United States. The headquarters of the United States Forces Japan is Yokota Air Base, about 19 miles (30 km) west of central Tokyo.
Camp Zama, a United States Army post located in the cities of Zama and Sagamihara, serves as the headquarters of the US Army Japan.
The United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka operates base facilities for the logistic, recreational, administrative support, and service of the US Naval Forces Japan, Seventh Fleet.
The country with the second largest number of active duty American troops stationed on foreign soil is Germany. Approximately 35,000 American military personnel are based here. Ramstein Air Base serves as the headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and NATO Allied Air Command (AIRCOM).
The Lucius D. Clay Kaserne US military complex in Wiesbaden is the headquarters of the US Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF). It's also home to the US Army's 2d Theater Signal Brigade, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade.
The headquarters of United States Africa Command is located at Kelley Barracks, part of US Army Garrison Stuttgart, in Stuttgart-Möhringen. The city is also home to the US European Command (EUCOM) headquarters.
South Korea currently hosts 24,000 active duty American troops within its borders, making it the country with the third highest number of American personnel based overseas. The Eight Army, which commands all United States Army forces in South Korea, is headquartered at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek.
Osan Air Base, also in the city of Pyeongtaek, is home of the headquarters for Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces' 51st Fighter Wing.
The United States Naval Forces Korea is located within Busan Naval Base at Nam-Gu in Busan. The US Navy's Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are among the vessels accommodated here.
Twelve thousand active duty US troops are based in Italy, the fourth highest number of American military personnel stationed abroad. Caserma Ederle, a military complex near Vicenza, is the headquarters of United States Army Africa and the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Also in Vicenza is Caserma Del Din, where the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, also part of US Army Africa, is headquartered.
The Darby Military Community, a US military complex sited near Pisa, is home to the 405th Army Field Support Battalion-Africa, 839th Transportation Battalion, and 731st Munitions Squadron.
The United States Air Force (USAF) has maintained a presence in the United Kingdom since 1942. Just over 10,000 US personnel are currently based on British soil, making the UK the fourth largest territory hosting the American military. RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk is the most important US air base. In fact, Lakenheath currently only hosts USAF units and military personnel.
RAF Mildenhall, also in Suffolk, primarily supports USAF operations, and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing.
RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is the USAF's only European airfield for heavy bombers, and routinely supports Bomber Task Force (BTF) operations. Fairford also hosts a Lockheed U-2S Dragon Lady detachment from the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron.
Guam is a territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. Of vital strategic importance, the island is home to Andersen Air Force Base, which was established in 1944. Guam hosts 6,500 US American personnel, the fifth largest contingent outside of the United States mainland.
Andersen is one of the US military's four air force bomber forward operating locations and the only base in the Western Pacific that can permanently service US heavy strategic bombers. These include B-1B, B-2, and B-52 aircraft.
The deep-water port of Apra Harbor, one of the best natural ports in the Pacific Ocean, is where Naval Base Guam is located, occupying the Orote Peninsula. The base is home to Commander Submarine Squadron 15, Coast Guard Sector Guam, and Naval Special Warfare Unit One.
Seventh on the top 10 list of countries hosting active duty US military personnel is Bahrain, with 3,500 troops stationed in the Persian Gulf kingdom. The center of operations is Naval Support Activity Bahrain (NSA Bahrain).
NSA Bahrain is home to US Naval Forces Central Command. Its area of responsibility includes the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea, and consists of the United States Fifth Fleet.
NSA Bahrain served as the primary base in the region for the naval and marine activities in support of Operation Enduring Freedom during the war in Afghanistan.
The United States and Spain have shared security interests. To that end, 3,300 US military personnel are based in the country, the fifth largest number stationed overseas. Morón Air Base near Seville is the location of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Africa.
Up to 40 USAF aircraft of the 496th Air Base Squadron can be accommodated at Morón, including C-17s (pictured).
Naval Station Rota in the Province of Cádiz is the largest American military community in Spain, housing US Navy and US Marine Corps personnel. Rota also hosts small US Army and US Air Force contingents.
The nation with the ninth largest number of active duty US military personnel on foreign soil is Turkey with a complement of 1,700, mostly stationed at Incirlik Air Base in Adana. There's also a USAF facility at Izmir.
The United States Air Force and the Turkish Air Force are the primary users of Incirlik. The main American unit stationed at the base is the 39th Air Base Wing (39 ABW) of the US Air Force.
US aircraft operating out of Incirlik include B-1B Lancers and A-10 Thunderbolt II planes (pictured), also known as "tank killers."
In 10th place is Norway, which currently hosts 1,400 active duty US military personnel. This figure is likely set to rise given the increasing fraught security situation across the European continent in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Since 1952, the USAF has maintained a small but significant presence in Norway, with the 426th Air Base Squadron operating out of Stavanger Air Base.
Pending approval from the Norwegian government, Norway and the US are set to expand their defense cooperation agreement to include new agreed areas. In northern Norway these are Andøya and Bardufoss air stations and the Setermoen garrison, as well as a mountain complex in Evenes municipality. US soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines Regiment are pictured participating in the Nordic Response 24 military exercise on March 8, 2024, in Alta, above the Arctic Circle.
With Finland and Sweden both now in NATO, cross-border military cooperation in the Nordic region has become more streamlined as northern Europe remains on high alert after Russian President Vladimir Putin's increasingly vocal nuclear threats.
Sources: (Defense Manpower Data Center) (Visual Capitalist) (USAFacts) (Statista) (U.S. Army Europe and Africa) (U.S. Air Force) (The Barents Observer) (High North News)
See also: The fractious relationship between NATO and Russia
Where in the world are US troops stationed?
The US military's global presence
LIFESTYLE Military
The United States military currently stations American personnel in nearly 170 territories, on every continent in the world. In fact, the Department of Defense manages over 4,790 military sites worldwide. But which countries host the most active duty troops? In this gallery, we list the top 10 nations other than the US where American military personnel are garrisoned, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center, together with examples of primary US bases in each country.
Click through and find out where in the world US military members are stationed in the greatest numbers.