Imagine a military installation so vast it covers more area than New York City, housing a quarter million people and operating its own airports, hospitals, and schools. Welcome to the world’s largest military bases – colossal centres of power that most people never knew existed.
From sprawling American super-bases that dwarf major metropolitan areas to strategic overseas outposts controlling critical global chokepoints, these military giants represent the ultimate expression of national defence infrastructure.
Some are larger than entire countries, others house populations bigger than major cities, and all wield influence that shapes global politics.
Ready to explore these incredible fortresses that operate like self-contained nations?
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1. Fort Bragg (Fort Liberty), North Carolina, USA
Size: 251 square miles (161,000 acres / 651 square kilometres)
Military Personnel: 52,280 active-duty soldiers
Reserve Components/Students: 12,624 personnel
Civilian Personnel: 8,757 civilian employees
Contractors: 3,516 contractors
Family Members: 62,962 family members
Total Population: Over 139,000 people on base
Established: 1918
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Fort Bragg, recently renamed Fort Liberty, stands as the largest military installation in the world by population and one of the largest by area. Originally established as an artillery training ground, it has evolved into the home of the U.S. Army’s Special Operations Forces and the XVIII Airborne Corps.
The base houses the 82nd Airborne Division and serves as the headquarters for U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Its massive size accommodates extensive training facilities, airfields, and residential areas for military families.
2. Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, USA
Size: 724 square miles (463,128 acres / 1,874 square kilometres)
Personnel: Over 20,000 military and civilian personnel
Water Ranges: 86,500 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico
Established: 1935
Eglin Air Force Base holds the distinction of being the largest air force base in the world by area. Located in the Florida Panhandle, it serves as a major testing and training facility for the U.S. Air Force.
The base is home to the Air Force Special Operations Command and conducts extensive weapons testing and pilot training programmes. Its vast area includes multiple ranges, test facilities, and the Gulf of Mexico coastline.
3. Camp Humphreys, South Korea
Size: 3,454 acres (14 square kilometres)
Military Personnel: 28,500 U.S. military personnel (official U.S. troop presence in South Korea)
Population: 38,000+ U.S. and South Korean personnel
Families and Civilians: Approximately 27,000 troops, contractors, and dependents
Established: 1919 (significantly expanded 2006-2018) Cost: Over $10 billion in construction and expansion
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Camp Humphreys represents the largest overseas U.S. military base by area and serves as the headquarters for U.S. Forces Korea.
The base underwent massive expansion and modernisation, becoming a small city with shopping centres, schools, hospitals, and recreational facilities. It plays a crucial role in maintaining U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and supporting alliance commitments with South Korea.
4. Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Size: 5,600 acres (23 square kilometres)
Personnel: Over 16,000 (including U.S. military, civilians, and contractors)
Military Personnel: Approximately 9,200 U.S. military personnel
Established: 1951
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Ramstein Air Base serves as the largest U.S. air base in Europe and acts as a critical hub for NATO operations. Located in southwestern Germany, it functions as the headquarters for U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa.
The base plays a vital role in strategic airlift operations and medical evacuations and serves as a transit point for personnel and equipment moving between the United States and operational theatres worldwide.
5. Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
Size: 6,200 acres (25 square kilometres)
Personnel: Approximately 12,000 total
Military Personnel: Around 4,000 active-duty personnel
Established: 1941
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Naval Air Station Corpus Christi serves as the primary flight training facility for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators.
Known as the “Birthplace of Naval Aviation”, the base conducts primary flight training for nearly all Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard pilots.
The facility includes multiple airfields, training simulators, and academic facilities supporting the training of thousands of aviators annually.
6. Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
Size: 3,000 acres (12 square kilometres)
Personnel: Over 11,000 U.S. and coalition forces
Military Personnel: Approximately 8,000 U.S. military personnel
Established: 1999
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Al Udeid Air Base serves as the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East and the regional headquarters for U.S. Central Command’s air operations.
Located southwest of Doha, Qatar, the base supports operations across the Middle East, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. It houses the Combined Air Operations Centre, which coordinates coalition air operations throughout the region.
7. Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan
Size: 1,200 acres (5 square kilometres)
Peak Personnel: Over 35,000 coalition forces at its height
Status: Transferred to Afghan control in 2021
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While no longer under U.S. control, Kandahar Airfield was one of the largest military installations during the Afghanistan conflict.
At its peak, it housed tens of thousands of international coalition forces and served as a major hub for military operations in southern Afghanistan. The base featured extensive facilities, including hospitals, dining facilities, recreational centres, and multiple runways.
8. Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, USA
Size: 87,000 acres (352 square kilometres)
Personnel: Over 40,000 total population
Military Personnel: Approximately 25,000 active-duty personnel
Established: 2010 (merger of existing installations)
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord represents one of the largest joint military installations on the U.S. West Coast. The base combines Army and Air Force operations, housing the I Corps headquarters, multiple combat brigades, and strategic airlift capabilities.
It serves as a major deployment hub for Pacific operations and provides extensive training facilities for ground and air operations.
9. Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia, USA
Size: 6,400 acres (26 square kilometres)
Personnel: Over 75,000 total (including families)
Military Personnel: Approximately 43,000 active duty
Established: 1917
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Naval Station Norfolk stands as the world’s largest naval station and home port to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. The installation supports 75 ships and 134 aircraft, making it one of the most strategically important naval facilities globally.
The base serves as headquarters for several major naval commands and plays a crucial role in Atlantic and Mediterranean operations.
10. Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, Cyprus (UK)
Size: 131 square miles (339 square kilometres)
Personnel: Approximately 7,500 (including families and civilians)
Military Personnel: Around 3,000 British forces
Established: 1960
Dhekelia, along with Akrotiri, forms one of two British Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus. While smaller in personnel compared to other bases, it covers a significant area and serves as a strategic British outpost in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The base supports intelligence gathering and regional stability operations and serves as a staging area for Middle Eastern operations.
