This is a
list of countries without armed forcesThe armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external and internal aggressors. In some countries...
. The term "country" is used in the sense of
independent stateIndependence is the self-government of a nation, country, or state by its residents and population, or some portion thereof, generally exercising sovereignty....
; thus, it applies only to
sovereignSovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
statesA sovereign state is a political association with effective internal and external sovereignty over a geographic area and population which is not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state...
and not dependencies, whose defense is the responsibility of another country or an army alternative. The term "
armed forcesThe armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external and internal aggressors. In some countries...
" refers to any government-sponsored
defenseDefense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
used to further the
domesticDomestic policy, also known as public policy, presents decisions, laws, and programs made by the government which are directly related to issues in the country....
and
foreignA country's foreign policy, also called the international relations policy, is a set of goals outlining how the country will interact with other countries economically, politically, socially and militarily, and to a lesser extent, how the country will interact with non-state actors...
policies of their respective government. Some of the countries listed, such as
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
and
MonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea, having a land border on three sides only with France, and being about away from Italy. Its size is just under 2 km² with an...
, have no armies, but still have a non-police
military forceA military is an organization authorized by its nation to use force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. As an adjective the term "military" is also used to refer to any property or aspect of a military...
.
Many of the 21 countries listed here typically have had a long-standing agreement with a former
occupying countryBelligerent military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army.-Military occupation and the laws of war:...
; one example is the agreement between
MonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea, having a land border on three sides only with France, and being about away from Italy. Its size is just under 2 km² with an...
and
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, which has
existed for at least 300 yearsThe early history of Monaco is primarily concerned with the protective and strategic value of the Rock of Monaco, the area's chief geological landmark, which served first as a shelter for ancient peoples and later as a fortress...
.
This is a
list of countries without armed forcesThe armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external and internal aggressors. In some countries...
. The term "country" is used in the sense of
independent stateIndependence is the self-government of a nation, country, or state by its residents and population, or some portion thereof, generally exercising sovereignty....
; thus, it applies only to
sovereignSovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
statesA sovereign state is a political association with effective internal and external sovereignty over a geographic area and population which is not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state...
and not dependencies, whose defense is the responsibility of another country or an army alternative. The term "
armed forcesThe armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external and internal aggressors. In some countries...
" refers to any government-sponsored
defenseDefense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
used to further the
domesticDomestic policy, also known as public policy, presents decisions, laws, and programs made by the government which are directly related to issues in the country....
and
foreignA country's foreign policy, also called the international relations policy, is a set of goals outlining how the country will interact with other countries economically, politically, socially and militarily, and to a lesser extent, how the country will interact with non-state actors...
policies of their respective government. Some of the countries listed, such as
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
and
MonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea, having a land border on three sides only with France, and being about away from Italy. Its size is just under 2 km² with an...
, have no armies, but still have a non-police
military forceA military is an organization authorized by its nation to use force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. As an adjective the term "military" is also used to refer to any property or aspect of a military...
.
Many of the 21 countries listed here typically have had a long-standing agreement with a former
occupying countryBelligerent military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army.-Military occupation and the laws of war:...
; one example is the agreement between
MonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea, having a land border on three sides only with France, and being about away from Italy. Its size is just under 2 km² with an...
and
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, which has
existed for at least 300 yearsThe early history of Monaco is primarily concerned with the protective and strategic value of the Rock of Monaco, the area's chief geological landmark, which served first as a shelter for ancient peoples and later as a fortress...
.
MonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea, having a land border on three sides only with France, and being about away from Italy. Its size is just under 2 km² with an...
,
Marshall IslandsThe Marshall Islands , officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. This nation of roughly 62,000 people is located north of Nauru and...
,
MicronesiaMicronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising hundreds of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines and Indonesia lie to the west....
, and
PalauPalau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 miles east of the Philippines and 2,000 miles south of Tokyo. Having emerged from United Nations trusteeship in 1994, it is one of the world's youngest and smallest sovereign states...
have no say in their respective country's defense matters, and have little say in
international relationsInternational relations or International studies represents the study of foreign affairs and global issues among states within the international system, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , non-governmental organizations , and multinational corporations...
. For example, when Micronesia negotiated a defensive agreement with the United States, it did so from a weak position because it had grown heavily dependent on American assistance.
AndorraAndorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of ...
can request defensive aid if necessary, while
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
had a
unique agreementThe Iceland Defense Force was the military command responsible for protecting Iceland, headquartered at Keflavík, and manned by the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006...
with the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that lasted until 2006, which required them to provide defense to Iceland when needed. The remaining countries are responsible for their own defense, and operate either without any armed forces, or with limited armed forces. Some of the countries, such as
Costa RicaCosta Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east.Costa Rica, which translates literally as "Rich Coast", constitutionally...
,
DominicaDominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth of Dominica has an...
, and
GrenadaGrenada is an island country and sovereign state consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the...
, underwent a process of demilitarization. Other countries were formed without armed forces, such as
Andorra over 700 years agoAndorra is the last independent survivor of the Marca Hispanica, the buffer states created by Charlemagne to keep the Islamic Moors from advancing into Christian France. Tradition holds that Charlemagne granted a charter to the Andorran people in return for their fighting the Moors...
; the primary reason being that they were, or still are, under protection from another nation at their point of independence. All of the countries on this list are considered to be in a situation of "non-militarization."
Countries without armed forces
List 1: Countries with absolutely no military forces.
|
| Country |
Comments |
References |
| Andorra |
Defense of the country is the responsibility of FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
and SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. [The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
. Similar treaties were made with both nations on June 3, 1993. |
|
| Costa Rica |
Costa Rica was the first country to formally abolish military forces. The constitution has forbidden a standing military since 1949. Seat of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is an autonomous judicial institution based in the city of San José, Costa Rica.Together with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, it makes up the human rights protection system of the Organization of American States , which serves to uphold and...
and the United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
' University for PeaceThe University for Peace was established in Costa Rica in 1980 "to provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace and with the aim of promoting among all human beings the spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence."At present, the UPEACE Costa...
. |
|
| Dominica |
Has not had a standing army The military of Dominica consists of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force .Military expenditures - dollar figure:$NAMilitary expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%...
since 1981 due to an attempted army coup. Defense is the responsibility of the Regional Security SystemThe Regional Security System is an international agreement for the defence and security of the eastern Caribbean region.The Regional Security System was created out of a need for collective response to security threats, which were impacting on the stability of the region in the late 1970s and...
. |
|
| Grenada |
Has not had a standing army The military of Grenada comprises two branches:*Royal Grenada Police Force, which includes a Special Service Unit*Coast GuardTotal military expenditure: NAMilitary expenditure as a percentage of GDP: NA%-1983 invasion :...
since 1983 due to an American-led invasionThe Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, was an invasion ordered by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on the nation of Grenada, an island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela, and over southeast of the United States...
. Defense is the responsibility of the Regional Security SystemThe Regional Security System is an international agreement for the defence and security of the eastern Caribbean region.The Regional Security System was created out of a need for collective response to security threats, which were impacting on the stability of the region in the late 1970s and...
. |
|
| Haiti |
Haiti's military The country of Haiti currently has no military. The former Haitian Armed Forces were demobilized and replaced by the Haitian National Police. The country also maintains a small coast guard...
disbanded in June 1995, but rebels have demanded its re-establishment. The 9,000 strong Haitian National PoliceThe Haitian National Police was created in 1995 to bring public security under civilian control as mandated in Haiti's constitution. More than 8,500 police officers have completed training in modern law enforcement. U.S. instructors along with instructors from Canada, Brazil, Argentina and France...
maintains some paramilitary units; these units are considered to be larger than what is required, considering the much smaller militaries of some neighboring countries. |
|
| Kiribati |
The only forces permitted are the police and the coast guard. Defense assistance is provided by AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
and New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
. |
|
| Liechtenstein |
Abolished its army in 1868 because it was deemed too costly. Army is only permitted in times of war, but this situation has never occurred. According to the CIA World Factbook, defense is the responsibility of Switzerland. However, official sources of both Switzerland and Liechtenstein do not provide any backing to this claim and no defense treaty is ever mentioned. |
|
| Marshall Islands |
Defense Military branches of the Marshall Islands:no regular military forces ; Police ForceMilitary expenditures - dollar figure:$NAMilitary expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%Military - note:...
is the responsibility of the United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. |
|
| Mauritius |
Has had a paramilitary police force and coast guardMauritius does not have a standing army. All military, police, and security functions are carried out by 10,000 active-duty personnel under the command of the Commissioner of Police. The 8,000-member National Police is responsible for domestic law enforcement...
since 1968. |
|
| Micronesia |
Defense is the responsibility of the United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Maintains a small paramilitary police force. |
|
| Nauru |
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
is responsible for Nauru's defence under an informal agreement between the two countries. |
|
| Palau |
Defense is the responsibility of the United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. |
|
| Saint Lucia |
The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force maintains a paramilitary special service unit Military branches:Royal Saint Lucia Police Force Military expenditures - dollar figure:$5 million Military expenditures - percent of gross domestic product:...
for internal security purposes. Defense is the responsibility of Regional Security SystemThe Regional Security System is an international agreement for the defence and security of the eastern Caribbean region.The Regional Security System was created out of a need for collective response to security threats, which were impacting on the stability of the region in the late 1970s and...
. |
|
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
The Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force maintains a paramilitary special service unit Military branches:Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force , Coast GuardMilitary expenditures - dollar figure:$NAMilitary expenditures - percent of GDP:NA%...
for internal security purposes. Defense is the responsibility of Regional Security SystemThe Regional Security System is an international agreement for the defence and security of the eastern Caribbean region.The Regional Security System was created out of a need for collective response to security threats, which were impacting on the stability of the region in the late 1970s and...
. |
|
| Samoa |
Does not have a standing army Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with New Zealand, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship.-External links:*...
. New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
can be called upon for military aid per a 1962 agreement. |
|
| Solomon Islands |
Had a heavy ethnic conflict between 1998 and 2006, in which Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific countries intervened to restore peace and order. Has no standing army. |
|
| Tuvalu |
Has no army Tuvalu has no regular military forces, and spends no money on the military. Its police force includes a Maritime Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance operations. The police have a Pacific-class patrol boat provided by Australia under the Pacific Patrol Boat Program...
, but its police force includes a Maritime Surveillance Unit. |
|
| Vatican City |
Maintains a Gendarmerie Corps The Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano is the gendarmerie, or police and security force, of Vatican City. The corps is responsible for security, public order, border control, traffic control, criminal investigation, and other general police duties in Vatican City...
for internal policing. The Swiss GuardSwiss Guards is the name given to the Swiss soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. In contemporary usage it refers to the Pontifical Swiss Guard of Vatican City. They have generally had a high reputation...
is a unit belonging to the Holy SeeThe Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and speaks for the whole Catholic...
, not the Vatican City State. There is no defense treaty with ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
, as it would violate the Vatican's neutrality. The Palatine GuardThe Palatine Guard was a military unit of the Vatican. It was formed in 1850 by Pope Pius IX, who ordered that the two militia units of the Papal States be amalgamated...
and Noble Guard were abolished in 1970. |
|
List 2: Countries with no standing army, but having limited military forces.
|
| Country |
Comments |
References |
| Iceland |
Has not had a standing army A standing army is an army composed of full-time career soldiers who 'stand over', in other words, who do not disband during times of peace. They differ from army reserves who are activated only during such times as war or natural disasters. Standing armies tend to be better equipped, better...
since 1869, but is a member of NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
. There was a defense agreement with the United States, which maintained an Iceland Defense ForceThe Iceland Defense Force was the military command responsible for protecting Iceland, headquartered at Keflavík, and manned by the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006...
and a military base in the country from 1951 to September 2006. Even though Iceland does not have a standing army, it still maintains a military expeditionary peacekeeping forceThe Iceland Crisis Response Unit or Íslenska Friðargæslan, is a 30-person unit operated by the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs...
, an air defense system, an extensive militarised coast guardThe Icelandic Coast Guard is the military service responsible for Iceland's coastal defense and maritime search and rescue. Origins of the Icelandic Coast Guard can be traced to 1859, when the corvette Ørnen started patrolling Icelandic waters. And in 1906 the first purposely built guard-ship...
, a police serviceThe Icelandic National Police is the main police force of Iceland. It is responsible for law enforcement on all Icelandic territories except at sea where the Icelandic Coast Guard enforces the law. The two services assist each other as needed.- History :...
, and a tactical police forceVíkingasveitin , or Sérsveit ríkislögreglustjóra is Iceland's elite counter-terrorism unit, specializing in various types of armed and unarmed infantry combat...
. See Military of IcelandThe Republic of Iceland, a NATO member, maintains no standing army. There is however no legal impediment to forming one, and Iceland does have limited military forces with the Coast Guard and Crisis Response Unit. Iceland also maintains a well trained National Police force and Air Defence system...
for more information. |
|
| Monaco |
Renounced its general military investment in the 17th century because the advancement in artillery technology had rendered it defenseless, but still self-identifies as having limited military forces. Defense is the responsibility of FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, but two small military unitsThe Principality of Monaco, which is the world's second smallest nation , has a very limited military capability, and would depend entirely upon its larger neighbour, France, for defence in the face of an aggressive world power....
are maintained; one primarily protects the PrinceThe Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All Princes or Princesses thus far have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, but have belonged to various other houses in male line...
and judiciary, while the other is responsible for civil defence and fire fighting. Both units are trained and equipped with small arms. |
|
| Panama |
Abolished its armyPanama is the second country in Latin America to permanently abolish standing armies. This came as a result of a US invasion that overthrew a military dictatorship which ruled the country from 1968 to 1989...
in 1990, which was confirmed by a unanimous parliamentary vote for constitutional change in 1994. The Panamanian Public Forces, including the National Police, National Borders Service, National Aeronaval Service, and Institutional Protection Service, have some warfare capabilities. |
|
Demilitarized countries
Some countries, having experienced multiple coups, have disbanded and banned their armed forces. However, some of the duties previously performed by the armed forces are now performed by divisions of a police force or National Guard. These countries include
DominicaDominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth of Dominica has an...
,
PanamaPanama, officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the...
and
GrenadaGrenada is an island country and sovereign state consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the...
. In some cases this leads to the actual existence of a military force, despite the use of an alternative name for the unit.
HaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Creole- and French-speaking Caribbean country. Along with the Dominican Republic, it occupies the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago...
demobilized its military, but exists on paper, as it has not been banned.
Compact of free association
Some countries on this list rely on the
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for defense. They are
Federated States of MicronesiaThe Federated States of Micronesia is an island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, north of New Guinea. It is a sovereign state in free association with the United States. The Federated States of Micronesia were formerly part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, a United Nations Trust...
, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau. They do this due to their status as associated states, receiving other benefits as well.
See also