The military balance 2002/2003 - International Institute for Strategic Studies

The Military Balance is an indispensable handbook for anyone conducting serious studies of security policy and military affairs. Published annually in October, it is unique as the only reliable, publicly available inventory of the world's armed forces, rebel groups, and organised non-state armed groups. Region-by-region analyses cover the major military and economic developments affecting security policy and the trade in weapons and other military equipment. Country-by-country defence statistics include numbers of armed forces personnel and weapons systems, as well as information on defence budgets and expenditure. A comprehensive tabular section portrays key data on weapons and defence economics. The Military Balance also includes a wall chart of armed conflicts with fatalities and cost estimates depicted on a map of the world together with information on current and past UN and non-UN peacekeeping operations. Designed as an easy-to-read reference, The Military Balance informs readers in as brief a fashion as possible on the widest variety of military topics through a mix of hard data and considered and informed analysis.