List of countries without armed forces

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of the 24 countries that do not maintain any armed forces. The term "country" is used in the sense of independent state; thus, it applies only to sovereign states and not dependencies whose defense is the responsibility of another country, or an army alternative.

Country	Comments
Andorra	Defense of the country is the responsibility of France or Spain. Similar treaties with both, June 3, 1993.
Costa Rica	The constitution forbids a standing military since 1949. Seat of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Seat of the United Nations University of Peace.
Dominica	No standing army since 1981, after the army attempted a coup. Defense is the responsibility of the Regional Security System.
Grenada	No standing army since 1983, after the American-led invasion. Defense is the responsibility of the Regional Security System.
Haiti	Disbanded in June, 1995, but rebels have demanded its re-establishment. The National Police maintains some military units.
Iceland	No standing army since 1869, but is a member of NATO. There is a defense agreement with the U.S., which maintained a military base in the country from 1951 until September 2006. Iceland is not completely without armed forces as it maintains Expeditionary military peacekeeping forces, Air Defence System, Coast Guard, Police as well as a Special Police force.
Kiribati	The only forces permitted are the police and the coast guard. Defense assistance is provided by Australia and New Zealand.
Liechtenstein	Abolished their army in 1868 because it was too costly. Army did only exist in times of war.
Marshall Islands	Defense is the responsibility of the United States.
Mauritius	Has had a paramilitary police force since 1968. External security unofficially is the responsibility of India.
Micronesia	Defense is the responsibility of the United States. Maintains a small paramilitary police force.
Monaco	Renounced its military investment in the 17th century because the expansion of ranges of artillery had rendered it defenseless. Defense is the responsibility of France. A small military unit protects the Prince.
Nauru	Under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia.
Palau	Along with the Philippines (1987 Constitution), the only country with an anti-nuclear constitution (adopted 1979). Defense is the responsibility of the United States.
Panama	Abolished their army in 1990, confirmed by a parliamentary unanimous vote for constitutional change in 1994. Some units within the Public Force (Police, Coast Guard, Air Service and Institutional Security) have limited warfare capabilities.
San Marino	Maintains a 50 man volunteer military force, a police and a border force. Defense is the responsibility of Italy.
Solomon Islands	Has known a heavy ethnic conflict between 1998 and 2006, in which Australia and other Pacific countries finally intervened to restore peace and order. No standing army.
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Maintains a small defense force for internal purposes. Defense is the responsibility of Regional Security System.
Saint Lucia	Maintains a special service unit. Defense is the responsibility of Regional Security System.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Maintains a special service unit. Defense is the responsibility of Regional Security System.
Samoa	No standing army. Defense is the responsibility of New Zealand.
Tuvalu	Has no army, but its police force includes a Maritime Surveillance Unit.
Vanuatu	Has a small mobile military force.
Vatican City	The largely ceremonial Swiss Guard acts as a security police force. Defense is the responsibility of Italy.

Countries without an army (click to enlarge).

Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Monaco and Palau have no say in defense matters and little say in international relations. Andorra can call for help. Iceland has a defense agreement with the USA. All the others (18 countries) stand fully responsible and independent, without an army, for defense matters.

Seven of them (Costa Rica, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Liechtenstein, Monaco and Panama) went through a process of demilitarization. All the 17 others, including Andorra over 700 years ago, were at one point born without an army, mostly because they were (some still are) under protection from a more powerful nation by the time they became independent. They are all thought to be in a situation of "non-militarization".