Many countries operate foreign military bases; the U.S. by far operates the most, with 877 military bases around the world. But at least 18 other nations operate foreign military bases, each of which increases the risk of war.  Some of these physical installations are on land occupied as spoils of war. Most are maintained through collaborations with governments, many of them brutal and oppressive governments benefiting from the bases’ presence. In many cases, human beings were displaced to make room for these military installations, often depriving people of farmland, adding huge amounts of pollution to local water systems and the air, and existing as an unwelcome presence.

By a foreign military base, we refer to any installation, facility, or site located outside the operating country that is financed, operated, leased, rented, or temporarily accessed by that country. These bases accommodate military personnel, weapons systems, and/or logistical infrastructure, and fulfill diverse functions such as training, information gathering, operational planning, command and control, administrative tasks, and/or weapons storage. Regardless of their size or permanence, these bases inherently support military objectives that may include preparation for or facilitation of military interventions or warfare.

Please use the links on this page to explore the current state of military foreign base expansion and escalation on country-specific map pages. To explore each country’s foreign bases,  click on map markers or use the dashboard to make selections.  A map of closed foreign bases is here. The main page for World BEYOND War’s Close Bases campaign is here.

Countries With Military Bases In 10 Or More Countries (Click for Detail)