This paper, mainly methodological in scope, aims at providing an estimation of the number of U.S. military bases and strengths at a worldwide scale. After having given a short periodization of the expansion of the U.S. military bases network, the first part presents the official statistical data disseminated by the US Department of Defense. The second one provides a critical analysis of the main limitations of data, and suggests some methodological corrections.
JEL Codes: E62, H56, P43