Key:
Nation: Self-explanatory
Kage/Leader: Self-explanatory
Military Strength: The approximate number of active ninja the village employs, not including forces from the nation's capital or any hired regulars/shinobi.
Population: How many people live in the Village proper.
Economic Standing: The relative economic strength of the village, also indicates a village's ability to keep itself supplied during wartime.
Tailed Beast(s): Whichever (if any) Tailed Beasts this nation possesses, a dagger indicates active status, an asterisk indicates unknown status.
Clan Structure: The influence and bearing clan politics has on a village, or how ingrained clans are in the standard operation of a village. While clan councils are ubiquitous, most Hidden Villages don't have the same caste structure as Kiri does, a "moderate" clan structure is similar to how Konoha functions in canon.
Autonomy: How independent a Hidden Village is from its Daimyo/Nation's government, more autonomous villages are able to act with less interference from the capital.
Alignment: Which Great Village/alliance a minor village is most closely affiliated with.
Notes:
A blurb about the village's situation at the outbreak of the Third Great Ninja War.
Konohagakure
Nation: Land of Fire
Kage: Hiruzen Sarutobi
Military Strength: 16,500-18,000
Population: 129,000
Economic Standing: Strong
Tailed Beast(s): Nine Tails*
Clan Structure: Moderate
Autonomy: High
Notes:
Konohagakure, despite emerging from the Second Great Ninja War politically the same as it entered it, has greatly increased its military power. With renown ninja such as the Sannin, Sakumo Hatake, Mito Uzumaki, and Hiruzen Sarutobi (the Third Hokage himself), among others, Konoha has managed to seize an outsized amount of missions from other Villages. This, among other factors, fostered great resentment between Konoha and her neighbors. Konoha is seen as the leading partner in a tenuous alliance with Sunagakure.
Sunagakure
Nation: Land of Wind
Kage: Sogane
Military Strength: 12,000-13,000
Population: 66,000
Economic Standing: Weak
Tailed Beast(s): One Tail*
Clan Structure: Weak
Autonomy: Moderate
Notes:
Sunagakure was one of the losers of the Second Great Ninja War. Though not wracked by instability the way Kiri or Kumo were, Suna lost a number of prominent shinobi and was humiliated on several occasions. The assassination of the Second Kazekage during peacetime further eroded Suna's image, and cemented the view of many that Suna is a lesser partner to Konoha. Many in Suna, the Third Kazekage included, seek to buck this status quo.
Kirigakure
Nation: Land of Water
Kage: Ryujou Tatsyumi
Military Strength: ~13,500
Population: 73,000
Economic Standing: Moderate
Tailed Beast(s): Three Tails†, Six Tails
Clan Structure: Strong
Autonomy: Low
Notes:
Kirigakure's outsized aggression prior to and in the opening stages of the Third Great Ninja War can be attributed to an attempt to compensate for the Village's perceived weakness in the closing stages and immediately after the Second Great Ninja War. Unlike Kumo, which easily overcame its internal divisions or Iwa, which was able to stabilize during the war, Kiri was unable to stave off instability in the wake of the Second Mizukage's death. After ignominiously suing for peace, Kiri spent close to a decade in civil upheaval, which only ended after a series of bloody purges at the hands of the Third Mizukage's secret police. Kiri remains the most insular and suspicious Hidden Village, and is unlikely to align itself with any of the other Great Villages.
Kumogakure
Nation: Land of Lightning
Kage: A
Military Strength: 14,500-15,500
Population: 92,000
Economic Standing: Moderate
Tailed Beast(s): Eight Tails*, Two Tails
Clan Structure: Weak
Autonomy: High
Notes:
Kumogakure emerged from the Second Great Ninja War in a weakened state. Having lost its Kage at the war's outset and losing both its jinchuuriki in the fighting, external pressure was the only thing keeping the village together, and the Second Raikage's handpicked successor (as well as his nephew and namesake) faced nearly four years of dissent and strife. The Third Raikage crushed the opposition with an iron fist and, quickly outmaneuvering the Daimyo's court, was able to institute a massive military buildup in the shaky interbellum. While neither of Kumo's jinchuuriki have been sighted on the battlefield as yet, the lack of rampages from the Eight Tails indicates that they will be deployed at some point in the war.
Iwagakure
Nation: Land of Earth
Kage: Ohnoki
Military Strength: 16,000-17,000
Population: 110,000
Economic Standing: Strong
Tailed Beast(s): Four Tails†, Five Tails†
Clan Structure: Moderate
Autonomy: Moderate
Notes:
Iwagakure alone managed to grasp the closest thing to victory during the Second Great Ninja War. With Sunagakure laid low and Kumo in turmoil, Iwa's new, shrewd Kage was able to secure economic near-exclusivity in the northern and western areas of the continent, contributing to the postwar baby boom and cementing the Land of Earth's role as a breadbasket. Close collaboration between the country's Daimyo and the Third Tsuchikage meant that the Land and Village entered the Third Great Ninja War from a position of strength.
Amegakure
Nation: Land of Storms
Leader: Hanzo
Military Strength: 9,500
Population: 68,000
Economic Standing: Moderate
Clan Structure: Very Weak
Autonomy: Dominant
Alignment: Independent
Notes:
While Amegakure itself remained militarily untouched during the Second Great Ninja War, the Land of Storms was itself was ruined in a three-way battle between the Great Powers of Suna, Iwa, and Konoha. While the country was heavily damaged, an influx of people from the countryside and other nations in the closing days and immediately after the war meant that the village was able to rapidly rebuild the nation an increase its strength. Its current standing means that its neighbors are unlikely to stage invasions on the scale of the Second War, not when there are other options.
Takigakure
Nation: Land of Hills
Leader: Daigo Fuma
Military Strength: 8,500-9,000
Population: 56,000
Economic Standing: Moderate
Tailed Beast(s): Seven Tails†
Clan Structure: Strong
Autonomy: Moderate
Alignment: Independent
Notes:
Takigakure has long held itself apart from the rest of the shinobi world diplomatically, using both its reputation and the fact that it's the only village apart from the Five Great Villages that has a Tailed Beast, the Seven Tails to retain its independence. However, Taki spent the Second Great Ninja War offending its neighbors, Konoha and Kusa in particular, as well as leaving Kumo with more than one black eye. Taki is unlikely to find itself crushed between Iwa and Konoha, though its rather fragile status quo means that it could easily be destabilized.
Kusagakure
Nation: Land of Meadows
Leader: Muji Tenro
Military Strength: ~3,000 (6,500-8,000 prewar)
Population: 98,000 (71,000 prewar)
Economic Standing: Weak
Clan Structure: Moderate
Autonomy: Weak
Alignment: Isolated
Notes:
Much like Amegakure and the Land of Storms, Kusagakure found itself its nation severely scarred by the Second Great Ninja War. Unlike Ame, however, Kusa had to focus on rebuilding its infrastucture and agricultural capactiy rather than its military strength, and it finds itself unprepared for the upcoming war. Futhermore, Kusa is characterized by a reluctance to align with either of its more powerful neighbors, fearing retribution from the spurned party.
Tanigakure
Nation: Land of Rivers
Leader: Shinobi Executive Tribunal
Military Strength: ~10,000
Population: 74,000
Economic Standing: Moderate
Clan Structure: Strong
Autonomy: Weak
Alignment: Sunagakure
Notes:
The Land of Rivers allowance of free movement through its borders during the Second Great Shinobi War spared it the widespread destruction that a lot of the continent saw, but also meant that clashing Konoha and Suna-nin turned swathes of the country into wastelands. Healing these scars required a lot of investment from the village and central government, but it was necessary to keep the Land of Rivers the economic hub that it's been since the Warring States Era. Tani is aligned with Suna thanks to the mutual economic relationship the Land of Rivers shares with the Land of Wind; rather than the more independent and domineering Konoha. The number of active Tani-nin is something of a paper tiger, with a much higher ratio of genin than other nations, and a much lower ratio of jounin.
Sonogakure
Nation: Land of Tea
Kage/Leader: Head Ninja's Council
Military Strength: 4,500-6,000
Population: 77,000
Economic Standing: Moderate
Clan Structure: Strong
Autonomy: Weak
Alignment: Konohagakure
Notes:
The Land of Tea is an important economic power in the western half of the continent, facilitating trade along the Airo Peninsula and between the Lands of Fire, Water, and Rivers. Most missions undertaken by Sono-nin are at the direction of the country's central government and the corporations which are affiliated with the government, guiding and guarding caravans both within and outside of the country's borders. This exclusivity has put Sono at odds with both Kirigakure and Tanigakure, which has increased tensions with both the former, by proxy, Sunagakure. Tea and Sono are unlikely to come under attack before the conflict in the smaller countries to their north cools down, and the Daimyo is desperate to keep his country from turning into a battlefield.
Yugakure
Nation: Land of Steam
Leader: Council of Elders
Military Strength: 3,500-4,500
Population: 59,000
Economic Standing: Moderate
Clan Structure: Moderate
Autonomy: Weak
Alignment: Kumogakure/Kirigakure
Notes:
Since its founding, Yugakure has been second priority for the Land of Steam. Both the country and the village have pacifist leanings, only bringing their ninja together into a Hidden Village due to outside factors, to keep the country from being carved up. Yu has long walked a thin line between the three Great Nations that surround it, usually tying itself economically to Kumo, militarily to Konoha, and territorially to Kiri. The Land of Steam became a three-way battlefield during the First Shinobi World War; and since the Second has drifted away from Konoha, largely blaming them on the destruction wrought by the Eight Tails at the end of that conflict. A secret mutual defense pact was signed with Kumo shortly before the outbreak of the current war triggered hostilities with Konoha and made the Land of Steam a target for Kiri.
Shimogakure
Nation: Land of Frost
Leader: Megumi Ryuma
Military Strength: 4,000-5,000
Population: 36,000
Economic Standing: Weak
Clan Structure: Moderate
Autonomy: Moderate
Alignment: Kumogakure
Notes:
Shimogakure has been firmly aligned with Kumogakure since a brief attempt at asserting its independence at the beginning of the Second Great Ninja War. While there has been some chafing at the lack of independence from its larger neighbor, Kumo has spent a great deal of money and resources on fortifying and strengthening what it sees as an important buffer state between itself and Konoha's sphere of influence. Shimo has often been witness to unlikely battles and truces during the past Great Wars, and it's likely that should something unforseen happen, one of Kumo's enemies will try to use that to dislodge Shimo from its ally's firm oversight.
A/N: Had the idea to make this as a shower thought. Might change the numbers later but the rough number lines up with my/the canon estimate of ~14.5k per Hidden Village after ~15 years of peace. Took longer than I thought but it wasn't too bad, next update soon (the clothing question has relevance in both the plot and developing Tsubaki's skills I promise) but it's currently the middle of one of the longest heat waves I can remember and I don't do well with heat so, as always, I appreciate your patience.
