Countries With No Military: The 22 Nations That Have No Armed Forces
Countries With No Military: The 22 Nations That Have No Armed Forces
Here's a geography question that surprises most people: How many countries have no military?
The answer is 22 — more than 10% of all UN member states have either abolished their armed forces or never established one in the first place.
These nations range from tiny Pacific islands to Costa Rica (population 5 million) to Iceland (a NATO founding member). Some rely on powerful allies, others on geographic isolation, and a few simply decided that armies cause more problems than they solve.
Let's explore every country that has chosen peace over military power.
🤔 Why Would a Country Have No Military?
Countries end up without armed forces for several reasons:
1. Constitutional Abolition
The country actively dissolved its military, often after conflict.
Examples: Costa Rica, Panama, Haiti
2. Defense Treaties
A larger power guarantees protection, making a military redundant.
Examples: Monaco (France), Palau (USA), Andorra (France/Spain)
3. Practical Impossibility
The nation is too small to sustain meaningful armed forces.
Examples: Vatican City, Nauru, Tuvalu
4. Colonial Legacy
The former colonial power handled defense, and independence didn't change that.
Examples: Many Pacific island nations
5. Geographic Isolation
No realistic military threats exist.
Example: Iceland
🌍 Complete List: All 22 Countries Without a Military
| Country | Population | Region | Defense Arrangement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇩 Andorra | 80,000 | Europe | France & Spain |
| 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 5.2M | Central America | None (abolished 1948) |
| 🇩🇲 Dominica | 72,000 | Caribbean | RSS treaty |
| 🇬🇩 Grenada | 125,000 | Caribbean | RSS treaty |
| 🇭🇹 Haiti | 11.6M | Caribbean | UN peacekeepers |
| 🇮🇸 Iceland | 380,000 | Europe | NATO member |
| 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 120,000 | Pacific | Australia/NZ |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 39,000 | Europe | Switzerland |
| 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 42,000 | Pacific | USA (COFA) |
| 🇫🇲 Micronesia | 114,000 | Pacific | USA (COFA) |
| 🇲🇨 Monaco | 40,000 | Europe | France |
| 🇳🇷 Nauru | 12,000 | Pacific | Australia |
| 🇵🇼 Palau | 18,000 | Pacific | USA (COFA) |
| 🇵🇦 Panama | 4.4M | Central America | None (abolished 1990) |
| 🇼🇸 Samoa | 220,000 | Pacific | NZ treaty |
| 🇸🇲 San Marino | 34,000 | Europe | Italy |
| 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | 180,000 | Caribbean | RSS treaty |
| 🇻🇨 St. Vincent | 110,000 | Caribbean | RSS treaty |
| 🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis | 54,000 | Caribbean | RSS treaty |
| 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 720,000 | Pacific | Australia |
| 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | 11,000 | Pacific | None formal |
| 🇻🇦 Vatican City | 800 | Europe | Italy (Swiss Guard ceremonial) |
Now let's explore the most interesting cases in detail.
🇨🇷 Costa Rica — The Peaceful Pioneer
Abolished military: December 1, 1948
Costa Rica is the largest and most famous country without a military. In 1948, President José Figueres Ferrer made a dramatic decision after a brief civil war: he abolished the army entirely and redirected military spending to education and healthcare.
How It Happened:
After winning a 44-day civil war, Figueres could have consolidated military power. Instead, he:
- 1Dissolved the armed forces by constitutional amendment
- 2Converted military barracks into schools and museums
- 3Invested savings in education, healthcare, and infrastructure
- 4Declared Costa Rica "permanently neutral"
75+ Years Later:
The results speak for themselves:
- •Literacy rate: 98% (highest in Central America)
- •Life expectancy: 80 years (comparable to the USA)
- •Democracy: Unbroken since 1948 (rare in the region)
- •Environment: 25% of land is protected national parks
- •Happiness: Consistently ranks among world's happiest countries
But What About Defense?
Costa Rica maintains:
- •Public Force: ~15,000 police officers with light weapons
- •Border Security: Coast guard and border patrol
- •US Treaty: The 1947 Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty) provides mutual defense
Crucially, Costa Rica is surrounded by countries that also have small or no militaries (Panama) or are focused elsewhere (Nicaragua's military is tiny). Geographic luck matters.
🇮🇸 Iceland — NATO Without an Army
Never had a military (modern era)
Iceland is unique: a founding NATO member with no standing army. When NATO was created in 1949, Iceland joined despite having no armed forces — and hasn't created any since.
Iceland's Defense Strategy:
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| NATO membership | Full member since 1949 |
| US bases | Keflavík base operated 1951-2006 |
| Coast Guard | 200 personnel, 3 patrol vessels |
| Police | ~700 officers (none routinely armed) |
| Air policing | Rotational NATO jets since 2006 |
The Cod Wars
Iceland's most famous "military" conflicts were the Cod Wars (1958-1976) against the UK over fishing rights. The Icelandic Coast Guard faced off against the Royal Navy — and Iceland won every time through diplomatic pressure, not military might.
Why It Works:
- •Remote location: No land borders, 1,000+ km from mainland Europe
- •Strategic value: NATO protects Iceland to control the GIUK gap
- •Small population: 380,000 people can't sustain a meaningful military anyway
- •Peaceful neighbors: The North Atlantic has no hostile powers
🇵🇦 Panama — From Invasion to Abolition
Abolished military: 1990
Panama's demilitarization came under very different circumstances than Costa Rica's — it followed a US military invasion.
The Road to Abolition:
- •1903-1968: Panama had a small military, dominated by the National Guard
- •1968-1989: Military dictatorships under Torrijos and then Noriega
- •1989: US invades Panama to remove dictator Manuel Noriega
- •1990: New government abolishes the military by constitutional amendment
Panama Today:
Without a military, Panama relies on:
- •National Police: ~27,000 officers
- •Border Service: Patrols the Colombian border
- •Canal Security: Specialized force protects the Panama Canal
- •US Partnership: Close security cooperation, though no formal treaty
The Panama Canal's strategic importance means the US has strong incentive to ensure Panama's stability — an unspoken security guarantee.
🇻🇦 Vatican City — The Swiss Guard
Population: ~800 (world's smallest country)
Vatican City technically has no military — but it does have the famous Swiss Guard, making it one of the most visually distinctive defense forces on Earth.
The Swiss Guard:
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1506 by Pope Julius II |
| Size | 135 soldiers |
| Requirements | Swiss, Catholic, male, single, 19-30, 5'9"+ tall |
| Weapons | Halberds (ceremonial), SIG Sauer pistols, MP5s (real) |
| Uniforms | Renaissance-style, possibly designed by Michelangelo |
Despite the fancy uniforms, the Swiss Guard is a real military unit. Guards undergo Swiss Army basic training before joining and are trained in modern firearms and close protection.
Actual Defense:
Italy handles Vatican City's external security. The 1929 Lateran Treaty established Vatican independence under Italian protection.
🇱🇮 Liechtenstein — 80 Soldiers to Zero
Abolished military: 1868
This tiny Alpine principality (population 39,000) once had an army — all 80 soldiers of it. In 1868, Liechtenstein decided the cost wasn't worth it and disbanded entirely.
Liechtenstein's Famous War Record:
In 1866, Liechtenstein sent 80 soldiers to guard an Austrian pass during the Austro-Prussian War. They saw no combat and returned home with 81 men — they'd made an Italian friend along the way.
It remains the only war in history where a country returned with more soldiers than it sent.
Modern Defense:
- •No military since 1868
- •No formal treaty with Switzerland (just assumed protection)
- •National Police: ~90 officers for the entire country
- •Customs union: Full economic integration with Switzerland
🇦🇩 Andorra — Protected by Everyone
Never had a standing army (modern era)
This Pyrenean microstate between France and Spain has a unique situation: it's technically protected by both neighbors through centuries-old treaties.
Andorra's Unusual Government:
Andorra has two co-princes:
- 1The President of France (currently Emmanuel Macron)
- 2The Bishop of Urgell (a Spanish Catholic diocese)
Both France and Spain are obligated to defend Andorra under medieval treaties still in force.
What Andorra Has:
- •Police: ~250 officers
- •Unpaid militia: Technically, all Andorran men 21-60 can be called up
- •Last "war": 1933, when France briefly occupied a radio station
🏝️ Pacific Island Nations
Several Pacific island nations have no military, relying on larger powers:
Compact of Free Association (COFA) States
Palau, Marshall Islands, and Micronesia have special treaties with the USA:
- •USA provides defense
- •USA can establish military bases
- •In return: significant financial aid
This explains why the US military has installations across the Pacific despite these nations' nominal independence.
Australia's Sphere
Nauru, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu rely on Australia and New Zealand for defense:
- •No formal treaties in most cases
- •Practical reality: Australia would respond to any threat
- •Australian police/military have intervened (Solomon Islands 2003-2017)
Samoa
New Zealand maintains a defense relationship with Samoa, its former colony.
🇭🇹 Haiti — Abolished, Then Chaos
Abolished military: 1995
Haiti represents a cautionary tale about demilitarization. Unlike Costa Rica, Haiti's abolition didn't lead to peace.
What Happened:
- •1994: US military intervention restores elected President Aristide
- •1995: Aristide abolishes the Haitian army (which had repeatedly overthrown governments)
- •2004: Aristide himself overthrown; UN peacekeepers deploy
- •2017: UN mission ends after 13 years
- •2019: Calls to restore military begin
- •2024: Gang violence reaches crisis levels; Kenya leads new intervention force
Why Haiti Differs from Costa Rica:
| Factor | Costa Rica | Haiti |
|---|---|---|
| GDP per capita | $12,000 | $1,800 |
| Police capacity | Strong | Collapsed |
| Institutions | Stable | Weak |
| Neighbors | Stable | Shared island with DR |
| Gang presence | Low | Overwhelming |
Haiti shows that abolishing the military only works if replaced with functional alternatives.
🌴 Caribbean RSS Nations
Five small Caribbean nations share defense through the Regional Security System (RSS):
- •🇩🇲 Dominica
- •🇬🇩 Grenada
- •🇱🇨 Saint Lucia
- •🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- •🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis
How RSS Works:
Created in 1982 after the US invasion of Grenada, the RSS provides:
- •Joint coast guard patrols
- •Shared police training
- •Disaster response coordination
- •Mutual aid agreements
Barbados and Antigua (which have small defense forces) are also members and provide the backbone of RSS military capability.
📊 By the Numbers: Military-Free Nations
By Region:
| Region | Countries Without Military |
|---|---|
| Caribbean | 6 |
| Pacific | 7 |
| Europe | 5 |
| Central America | 2 |
| Other | 2 |
By Population:
- •Largest: Haiti (11.6 million)
- •Smallest: Vatican City (800)
- •Total population: ~24 million people live in countries without armies
By Area:
- •Largest: Haiti (27,750 km²)
- •Smallest: Vatican City (0.44 km²)
🧠 Geography Quiz: Test Your Knowledge!
1. Which country abolished its military on December 1, 1948?
<details>
<summary>Answer</summary>
Costa Rica — now celebrated as "Abolition of the Army Day"
</details>
2. Which NATO founding member has no military?
<details>
<summary>Answer</summary>
Iceland — protected by NATO alliance despite no armed forces
</details>
3. What famous guard protects Vatican City?
<details>
<summary>Answer</summary>
The Swiss Guard — founded 1506, with distinctive Renaissance uniforms
</details>
4. Which country returned from war with MORE soldiers than it sent?
<details>
<summary>Answer</summary>
Liechtenstein — sent 80, returned with 81 (made an Italian friend)
</details>
5. How many countries total have no military?
<details>
<summary>Answer</summary>
22 countries have no standing armed forces
</details>
🎯 Lessons From Military-Free Nations
What can we learn from these 22 countries?
When Demilitarization Works:
✅ Strong institutions — Costa Rica had functioning democracy and police
✅ Wealthy neighbors — Monaco, San Marino, Liechtenstein are protected by rich, stable countries
✅ Geographic isolation — Iceland and Pacific islands face no land threats
✅ Security guarantees — COFA treaties, NATO membership, RSS provide backup
When It's Risky:
❌ Weak institutions — Haiti couldn't replace army with functional police
❌ Unstable neighbors — Threats can emerge unexpectedly
❌ No alternatives — Abolishing army without security plan invites chaos
The Costa Rica Model:
Costa Rica remains the gold standard: a mid-sized country that consciously chose education over weapons, invested the savings wisely, and built institutions that made military unnecessary. It's been replicated partially (Panama) but never fully.
🌏 The Future of Military-Free Nations
The number of countries without militaries has actually grown over time:
- •1900: ~5 (mostly European microstates)
- •1948: Costa Rica joins
- •1968: Liechtenstein formally confirms abolition
- •1990: Panama abolishes army
- •1995: Haiti abolishes (with mixed results)
Climate change poses new challenges: Pacific island nations may need military resources for disaster response as storms intensify. Some, like Fiji and Tonga, maintain small forces partly for this reason.
But for most military-free nations, the formula works: stay small, stay peaceful, stay protected by larger friends.
🎮 Can You Find Them?
Now that you know about these 22 peaceful nations, can you locate them on a map? Test your geography skills with our Name All Countries Quiz and see if you can find Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, and the tiny Pacific islands that have chosen diplomacy over defense.
Enjoyed this article? Explore more geographic curiosities: [Smallest Countries in the World](/blog/smallest-countries-in-the-world), [Landlocked Countries](/blog/landlocked-countries-complete-guide), and [Countries That No Longer Exist](/blog/countries-that-no-longer-exist).