In the present age, it is crucial for every country and nation to have Armed Forces to protect itself and to defend the country when it’s attacked. Every country strives to have a better and strengthened armed force equipped with the latest defensive weapons. Every year, countries spend huge sums of money on their military forces, but there are also some other countries that are not a part of this race and don’t have armed forces.
In a world where the United States has a massive army of 1.3 million active and ready to roll troops, it’s difficult to imagine that there are some countries in this world that don’t have any army. According to CIA’s studies, there are 34 countries that don’t have an army, and the police manage the defensive tasks.
In the countries that don’t possess an army, the police are held responsible, like the mobile forces of Vanuatu and Public Forces of Costa Rica watch out for all the activities on the borders.
Reasons Behind No Troops:
There are many reasons that these nations do not possess any army. Of the total 34 countries, there are some nations that are smaller in size and population. That is why they cannot afford to maintain a whole force for the protection. The other primary reason is that some small nations also have pacts with other neighboring countries. So whenever they need protection or guard, the army of the nearby countries help them out.
No Military Forces in Andorra
Andorra is a small landlocked country that has no military units. Law and order are maintained in the country by the police, and the police are also given the authority to perform the basic parliamentary tasks. Spain and France are located on the borders, and their military unit offer protection to the country. In the country, there’s a small army comprising of volunteers, but they are only for official events.
Costa Rica and No Armed Forces
After the civil war in 1948, the country abolished all the army, and since then there is no standing army in the country. Just like other countries, the police manages all the affairs of internal security. Costa Rica is in fact, the largest country in the world to not have any active military troops. Although they have some border issues with Nicaragua still the country doesn’t have armed defensive soldiers.
The absence of Army in Dominica
Dominica is a mountainous island and is known for its beautiful places. In this country, there is no standing army. Similar to the other nations, the police manages all the operations regarding safety and security. The Regional Security System manages the security issues of several Caribbean nations.
Grenada and No Military
The absence of military units in Grenada is because of the US invasion. Within the country, police forces are responsible for internal security. The Regional Security System is also responsible for the external issues and overall defense of the country.
No Army In Iceland
Iceland is known for its dramatic landscapes. These include volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, and lava fields. It’s surprising to know that a country like Iceland has no armed forces since 1869. The country has defense agreements with the United States and is also a member of NATO forces, so it doesn’t have to worry much about the defense mechanism.
Mauritius having no army
Mauritius is a perfect destination for holidays. The crystal waters, exotic resorts, and other beautiful landscapes, it attracts tourists from all across the world. Mauritius is a country that doesn’t have any armed forces, and the police are responsible for all the security issues in the country. The country has police for comprising of 10,000 individuals that are under the commandment of Commissioner of Police military, security, and other police duties. It has been in peace without any forces since 1968.
The absence of Army in Monaco
Monaco abolished its armed unit back in 17th century. In the country, there are, however, two units of the military that are assigned two different tasks. One unit is primarily assigned to protect the prince, and the other unit is for the safety of civilians. However, the defensive system of France is also responsible for matters of security.
Regional Security in Saint Vincent and Grenadines
Saint Vincent and Grenadines is an island. It has a total population of 120,000 people. The country comes under the constitutional monarchy, and Queen Elizabeth is the head of the state. Fishing is a primary occupation over here. The local fishermen catch all kinds of fish from the waters. Then they sell it on the streets. It is another Caribbean country that doesn’t possess any military troops. Out here the security and safety of the region are maintained by the Regional Security System just like the other Caribbean nations.
List of Countries With No Armed Forces:
Down below is a list of countries that have no armies:
| Sr. No. | Country Name | Status |
| 1 | Andorra | no forces; Police Corps of Andorra (2017) |
| 2 | Aruba | no military forces (2011) |
| 3 | British Indian Ocean Territory | no forces (2014 |
| 4 | Cayman Islands | No forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2012) |
| 5 | Cook Islands | no regular military forces; National Police Department |
| 6 | Costa Rica | No armed troops; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2011) |
| 7 | Curacao | no troops; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy (2012 |
| 8 | Dominica | no army; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2012) |
| 9 | Falkland Islands | no military |
| 10 | Faroe Islands | no army troops or conscription |
| 11 | French Polynesia | No military troops (2011) |
| 12 | Greenland | no troops or conscription; the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense; as such the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for territorial defense of Greenland (2016) |
| 13 | Grenada | no armed forces; Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2010) |
| 14 | Iceland | no troops; Icelandic National Police; Icelandic Coast Guard (2018) |
| 15 | Kiribati | no army (establishment prevented by the constitution); Police Force (2011) |
| 16 | Liechtenstein | no troops; National Police maintain close relations with neighboring forces (2016) |
| 17 | Marshall Islands | no regular forces; Marshall Islands Police (2012) |
| 18 | Mauritius | no army; Mauritius Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2014) |
| 19 | Micronesia | no regular army (2012) |
| 20 | Monaco | no regular troops; Directorate of Public Security (2012) |
| 21 | Montserrat | no regular forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2011) |
| 22 | Nauru | no regular military forces (2012) |
| 23 | New Caledonia | no regular troops; French military, police, and gendarmerie (2012) |
| 24 | Palau | no regular troops; Palau National Police (2009) |
| 25 | Panama | no regular military; Panamanian Public Security (subordinate to the Ministry of Public Security), comprising the National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2013) |
| 26 | Saint Lucia | no regular army; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Marine Unit) (2012) |
| 27 | Saint Vincent and Grenadines | no regular army; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF) (2013) |
| 28 | Samoa | no regular troops; Samoa Police |
| 29 | San Marino | no regular troops; voluntary Military Corps (Corpi Militari) performs ceremonial duties and limited police support functions (2010) |
| 30 | Saint Maarten | no regular forces (2012) |
| 31 | Solomon Islands | no regular army; Royal Solomon Islands Police (2013) |
| 32 | Svalbard | no regular military |
| 33 | Tuvalu | no regular forces; Tuvalu Police Force (2012) |
| 34 | Vanuatu | no regular army; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF; includes Police Maritime Wing (PMW)) (2013) |
Countries With Best Military forces:
Well, you’ve read much about the countries that have no standing troops for guards. Here is a list of some nations that have the strongest and the most reliable army in the world. The United States stands on top of these nations. With it’s latest technology weapons, it is possible for the US to have the best security in the world as compared to any other country. As per the global firepower index 2018, the US has the power index of 0.0818. It has a total of 2,083,100 military personnel.
| Sr. No. | Country | Count | Power Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 2,083,100 | 0.0818 |
| 2 | Russia | 3,586,128 | 0.0841 |
| 3 | China | 2,693,000 | 0.0852 |
| 4 | India | 4,207,250 | 0.1417 |
| 5 | France | 388,635 | 0.1869 |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 279,230 | 0.1917 |
| 7 | South Korea | 5,827,250 | 0.2001 |
| 8 | Japan | 310,457 | 0.2107 |
| 9 | Turkey | 710,565 | 0.2216 |
| 10 | Germany | 208,641 | 0.2416 |
| 11 | Italy | 267,500 | 0.2565 |
| 12 | Egypt | 1,329,250 | 0.2751 |
| 13 | Iran | 934,000 | 0.3131 |
| 14 | Brazil | 1,987,000 | 0.3198 |
| 15 | Indonesia | 975,750 | 0.3266 |
| 16 | Israel | 615,000 | 0.3444 |
| 17 | Pakistan | 919,000 | 0.3689 |
| 18 | North Korea | 6,445,000 | 0.3876 |
| 19 | Spain | 174,700 | 0.4079 |
| 20 | Vietnam | 5,488,500 | 0.4098 |
The United States is among the most developed nations in the world. So, to assure the authority and to affirm the security it needs a more significant force. It has a massive population of 326 Million people. The US also possesses the best weaponry in the world. It has the latest weapons crafted with perfection. The United States is also on the list of countries with the most nuclear weapon. It was also one of the first countries to produce and test nukes.
