Countries With No Military: Complete Guide to Nations Without Armed Forces

Approximately 20 countries have no standing military forces, including Costa Rica, Iceland, Panama, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City, and several Pacific island nations. Most rely on police forces, defense treaties, or larger ally nations for security.

Introduction

While most countries maintain armed forces for national defense, about 20 sovereign states have no military at all. Some abolished their armies after wars or revolutions, others are too small to sustain one, and a few have defense guaranteed by larger allies. These nations challenge the assumption that every country needs a military to survive. Here is a comprehensive guide to countries without armed forces.

Countries That Abolished Their Military

Costa Rica

• Abolished: 1948
• Reason: After a civil war, President José Figueres abolished the army
• Security: Public Force (police and border patrol)
• Population: ~5.2 million

Costa Rica is the most famous country without a military. After a brief civil war in 1948, President José Figueres Ferrer abolished the army and redirected military spending to education, healthcare, and environmental protection. The decision has been enshrined in the constitution since 1949.

The results have been remarkable: Costa Rica consistently ranks as the happiest country in Latin America, has a literacy rate of 98%, and generates over 98% of its electricity from renewable sources. The country maintains a Public Force of about 10,000 personnel for law enforcement and border security.

Panama

• Abolished: 1990
• Reason: After the US invasion that removed dictator Manuel Noriega
• Security: Panamanian Public Forces (~26,000)
• Notable: Guards the Panama Canal with police forces

Panama dissolved its military in 1990 following the US invasion that removed dictator Manuel Noriega. The Panamanian Public Forces include a national police, border service, and a coast guard-like Aeronaval Service that patrols the Panama Canal approaches.

Despite having no army, Panama successfully manages security for one of the world's most critical trade routes. The US retains a defense interest in the Canal's security under treaty obligations.

Haiti

• Abolished: 1995
• Reason: President Aristide disbanded the military after a coup
• Security: Haitian National Police
• Note: A small military was reconstituted in 2017

Haiti disbanded its army in 1995 after the military had repeatedly intervened in politics. The country relied on UN peacekeeping forces for stability for years. In 2017, a small military force was reconstituted, so Haiti is no longer strictly military-free, but it spent over two decades without armed forces.

European Microstates Without Militaries

Iceland

• Status: No standing army since independence in 1944
• Security: Icelandic Coast Guard; NATO member
• Population: ~380,000
• Notable: Only NATO member without a military

Iceland is the only NATO member without a standing military. Instead, it contributes to NATO through hosting the Keflavík air base (now used by allied forces as needed) and maintaining a well-equipped Coast Guard that handles defense of its vast territorial waters. Iceland's geographic isolation in the North Atlantic provides natural defense.

Liechtenstein

• Abolished: 1868
• Reason: Too expensive for the small principality
• Security: National Police (~87 officers)
• Population: ~39,000

Liechtenstein abolished its army in 1868, partly because it was too expensive for the tiny Alpine principality. The country's last military engagement was during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, when its 80-man army reportedly returned with 81 people — having made a friend along the way.

Andorra

• Status: No military since at least the 13th century
• Security: Small police force; France and Spain responsible for defense
• Population: ~80,000

Andorra, nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, has had no military for centuries. Defense is informally the responsibility of France and Spain. The country maintains a small police force of about 240 officers.

Monaco

• Security: Carabiniers du Prince (~120) and police
• Defense: France is responsible for external defense
• Area: 2.02 km²

Monaco has no military in the traditional sense but maintains the Carabiniers du Prince, a ceremonial guard of about 120 personnel who protect the Prince's Palace. France is responsible for Monaco's external defense under a long-standing treaty.

Vatican City

• Security: Swiss Guard (~135), Gendarmerie Corps
• Area: 0.44 km²
• Notable: World's smallest independent state

Vatican City is protected by the Pontifical Swiss Guard, a force of about 135 Swiss Catholic soldiers who have guarded the Pope since 1506. Italy is responsible for external security. The Swiss Guard is one of the oldest military units in continuous operation.

San Marino

• Status: Has ceremonial military units but no standing army
• Security: Gendarmerie and Guard of the Rock
• Population: ~34,000

San Marino maintains ceremonial military corps for parades and state occasions but has no combat-capable armed forces. Italy provides external defense. San Marino claims to be the oldest republic in the world, founded in 301 AD.

Pacific Island Nations

Several Pacific island nations have no military forces due to their small size and remote locations. These include:

• Samoa: Population ~200,000; relies on New Zealand for defense
• Palau: Population ~18,000; Compact of Free Association with the US provides defense
• Marshall Islands: Population ~42,000; US provides defense under Compact
• Micronesia: Population ~105,000; US provides defense under Compact
• Nauru: Population ~12,500; smallest republic in the world; Australia provides informal defense
• Tuvalu: Population ~12,000; no military; police force of ~60
• Kiribati: Population ~120,000; police and maritime unit only
• Solomon Islands: Population ~700,000; disbanded military after ethnic tensions in 2003

These Pacific nations share a common pattern: small populations, remote locations, and defense arrangements with larger regional powers (primarily the United States, Australia, and New Zealand).

Caribbean Nations

• Grenada: Disbanded military after 1983 US invasion; relies on Regional Security System
• Dominica: Disbanded military in 1981; maintains police and coast guard
• St. Vincent: No military; member of Regional Security System
• St. Lucia: No military; police and coast guard only

Why Countries Choose No Military

Countries forgo military forces for several reasons. Small nations often cannot afford the cost of maintaining armed forces. Some, like Costa Rica, made a deliberate philosophical choice to prioritize development over defense. Others, particularly Pacific island nations, exist under the security umbrella of larger allies. Microstates often rely on larger neighbors for protection as a practical reality of their size.

The benefits can be significant: Costa Rica redirected military spending into education and healthcare, achieving development outcomes that surpass most of its militarized neighbors. Iceland, despite having no army, is consistently ranked as one of the most peaceful and prosperous countries on Earth.

Key Facts

• Approximately 20 countries worldwide have no standing military forces.
• Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948 and redirected spending to education and healthcare.
• Iceland is the only NATO member without a standing military.
• Several Pacific island nations rely on the US for defense under Compact of Free Association agreements.
• Most military-free countries are either microstates, island nations, or countries with strong defense treaties.

Fun Facts

• Liechtenstein's army returned from its last deployment in 1866 with one more soldier than it sent out.
• The Vatican's Swiss Guard still wears uniforms designed (according to legend) by Michelangelo.
• Costa Rica's former military headquarters was converted into a national art museum.
• Iceland's Coast Guard has won all three "Cod Wars" with the British Royal Navy — despite having no navy.

Final Thoughts

Countries without militaries demonstrate that national security is not exclusively about armed forces. Through diplomacy, alliances, geographic advantage, and strategic redirection of resources, these nations have found alternative paths to stability and prosperity. Their experiences offer valuable lessons for a world seeking new approaches to peace and security.