# The countries with no army

From Costa Rica, which banned its army in its Constitution after the 1948 civil war, and Iceland, without troops since 1869 but a NATO member, to Liechtenstein, Andorra and the small Pacific states: the 21 sovereign countries with no standing armed forces, and what they have instead.

- 326 votes · 21 items
- Apr 6, 2024 · cazadorvuelos_cadiz
- https://even.best/en/l/5368/the-countries-with-no-army

## Top 21

1. **Costa Rica** (42 · ▲43 ▼1) — Article 12 of its Constitution has banned a standing army since 1949, after the civil war; the Public Force handles security.
2. **Iceland** (28 · ▲30 ▼2) — No standing army since 1869, although it is a NATO member with a militarised coast guard.
3. **Panama** (26 · ▲27 ▼1) — Abolished its army in 1990, confirmed by a constitutional change in 1994; it has a police force and air-naval and border services.
4. **Liechtenstein** (19 · ▲20 ▼1) — Abolished its army in 1868 because it was too expensive; one is only allowed in wartime.
5. **Monaco** (17 · ▲17 ▼0) — Gave up its own military in the 17th century; France is responsible for its defence.
6. **Vanuatu** (15 · ▲15 ▼0) — Its police maintains a paramilitary force of about 300, the Vanuatu Mobile Force.
7. **Tuvalu** (14 · ▲14 ▼0) — Has never formed a military; it only has a small police force with a maritime patrol.
8. **Vatican City** (13 · ▲14 ▼1) — The Swiss Guard, which protects the pope, answers to the Holy See rather than to Vatican City.
9. **Andorra** (12 · ▲14 ▼2) — No standing army; Spain and France provide defence under treaty.
10. **Grenada** (10 · ▲11 ▼1) — No standing military since the People's Revolutionary Army was disbanded in 1983, after the US-led invasion.
11. **Saint Vincent and the Grenadines** (9 · ▲14 ▼5) — The police maintain two paramilitary forces, a special unit and the coast guard.
12. **Dominica** (9 · ▲11 ▼2) — No standing military since 1981; the police has a special unit and a coast guard.
13. **Federated States of Micronesia** (9 · ▲10 ▼1) — Has never formed a military; the police patrol the sea with three boats.
14. **Mauritius** (9 · ▲9 ▼0) — No standing army since independence in 1968; the police carry out all security functions.
15. **Nauru** (8 · ▲8 ▼0) — Has never formed a military; Australia is responsible for its defence under an informal agreement.
16. **Marshall Islands** (7 · ▲9 ▼2) — Has never formed a military; the police has a maritime patrol unit.
17. **Palau** (6 · ▲7 ▼1) — Has never formed a military; the police has a maritime unit of about 30.
18. **Samoa** (6 · ▲7 ▼1) — Has never formed a military; a small police force with a maritime patrol handles security.
19. **Solomon Islands** (5 · ▲6 ▼1) — No military force since 1946; a relatively large police force handles internal security.
20. **Kiribati** (4 · ▲7 ▼3) — Under Article 126 of its Constitution, the police is the only security force allowed.
21. **Saint Lucia** (4 · ▲6 ▼2) — The police maintain two small paramilitary units; defence relies on the Caribbean Regional Security System.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.