ABSTRACT
The size of a country’s military and its budgetary allocations to defence are influenced by a wide range of factors—political, strategic and economic. Clearly, while ongoing conflicts, arms races and assorted security concerns are major considerations, the balance between technology and manpower varies as a result of financial resources, population size and societal preference. Unemployment concerns also impact the decisions made about the number of armed forces personnel needed, and access to military aid plays an important role in defence budgets in some states. 1
