Military branches (Country profile category: Military) |
Afghanistan:
NA; note - the military does not exist on a national basis; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various groups
Albania:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Algeria:
National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie
Angola:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Police Force
Antigua and Barbuda:
Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, Royal Antigua and Barbuda Police Force (includes Coast Guard)
Argentina:
Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes Naval Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Aeronautical Police Force
Armenia:
Army, Air Force and Air Defense Aviation, Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Australia:
Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force
Austria:
Army (includes Flying Division)
Azerbaijan:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guards
Bahamas, The:
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force
Bahrain:
Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force
Bangladesh:
Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps), Armed Police battalions
Barbados:
Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Belarus:
Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Belgium:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
Belize:
Belize Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard), Belize National Police
Benin:
Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Bermuda:
Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary
Bhutan:
Royal Bhutan Army, Palace Guard, Militia, Royal Police Force
Bolivia:
Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana), National Police Force (Policia Nacional de Bolivia)
Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Federation Army or VF (composed of both Croatian and Bosniak elements), Army of the Serb Republic (composed of Bosnian Serb elements); note - within both of these forces air and air defense are subordinate commands
Botswana:
Botswana Defense Force (includes Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police
Brazil:
Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)
Brunei:
Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police
Bulgaria:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Troops, Internal Troops, Railway and Construction Troops
Burkina Faso:
Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police, People's Militia
Burma:
Army, Navy, Air Force
Burundi:
Army (includes naval and air units), paramilitary Gendarmerie
Cambodia:
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), including Army, Navy, and Air Force - created in 1993 by the merger of the Cambodian People's Armed Forces and the two noncommunist resistance armies
note:
there are also resistance forces comprised of the Khmer Rouge (also known as the National United Army or NUA) and a separate royalist resistance movement
Cameroon:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Canada:
Canadian Forces (includes Land Forces Command or LC, Maritime Command or MC, Air Command or AC, Communications Command or CC, Training Command or TC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
Cape Verde:
single branch that includes both ground and naval elements
Cayman Islands:
Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF)
Central African Republic:
Central African Armed Forces (includes Republican Guard and Air Force), Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, Police Force
Chad:
Armed Forces (includes Ground Force, Air Force, and Gendarmerie), Republican Guard, Rapid Intervention Force, Police, Rural and Nomadic Guard (GNNT)
Chile:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marines), Air Force, Carabineros of Chile (National Police), Investigations Police
note:
normally administered by Ministry of Interior; in times of national emergency, Carabineros and Investigations Police are considered part of the military
China:
People's Liberation Army (PLA), which includes the Ground Forces, Navy (includes Marines and Naval Aviation), Air Force, Second Artillery Corps (the strategic missile force), People's Armed Police (internal security troops, nominally subordinate to Ministry of Public Security, but included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered to be an adjunct to the PLA in wartime)
Colombia:
Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana), National Police (Policia Nacional)
Comoros:
Comoran Security Force
Congo, Democratic Republic of the:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Security Group, Gendarmerie
Congo, Republic of the:
Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie
Costa Rica:
Coast Guard, Air Section, Ministry of Public Security Force (Fuerza Publica);
Cote d'Ivoire:
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard), Sapeur-Pompier (Military Fire Group)
Croatia:
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Frontier Guard, Home Guard
Cuba:
Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) includes ground forces, Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Territorial Troops Militia (MTT), and Youth Labor Army (EJT); the Border Guard (TGF) is controlled by the Interior Ministry
Cyprus:
Greek Cypriot area: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air and naval elements), Hellenic Forces Regiment on Cyprus (ELDYK), Greek Cypriot Police; Turkish Cypriot area: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (TCSF), Turkish mainland army units
Czech Republic:
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense, Railroad Units
Denmark:
Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home Guard
Djibouti:
Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)
Dominica:
Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Dominican Republic:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Ecuador:
Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), National Police (Policia Nacional)
Egypt:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command
El Salvador:
Army, Navy, Air Force
Equatorial Guinea:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police
Eritrea:
Army, Navy, Air Force
Estonia:
Ground Forces, Navy/Coast Guard, Air and Air Defense Force (not officially sanctioned), Maritime Border Guard, Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Ethiopia:
Ground Forces, Air Force, Police, Militia
note:
Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the independence of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession and ships which belonged to the former Ethiopian Navy and based at Djibouti have been sold
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
British Forces Falkland Islands (includes Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and Royal Marines), Police Force
Faroe Islands:
no organized native military forces; only a small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained
Fiji:
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF; includes ground and naval forces)
Finland:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (includes Sea Guard)
France:
Army (includes Marines), Navy (includes Naval Air), Air Force (includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie
French Guiana:
French Forces, Gendarmerie
French Polynesia:
French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Gabon:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police
Gambia, The:
Army (includes marine unit), National Police, National Guard
Gaza Strip:
NA
Georgia:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Naval Forces, National Guard, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Germany:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm), Air Force, Medical Corps, Border Police, Coast Guard
Ghana:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense
Gibraltar:
British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Greece:
Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police
Grenada:
Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
Guadeloupe:
French Forces, Gendarmerie
Guatemala:
Army, Navy, Air Force
Guinea:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National)
Guinea-Bissau:
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force
Guyana:
Guyana Defense Force (GDF; includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Corps), Guyana People's Militia (GPM), Guyana National Service (GNS), Guyana Police Force
Haiti:
Haitian National Police (HNP)
note:
the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until constitutionally abolished
Honduras:
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Hong Kong:
Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region
Hungary:
Ground Forces, Air Force, Border Guard
Iceland:
no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard; note - Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik
India:
Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, various security or paramilitary forces (includes Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, and Rashtriya Rifles)
Indonesia:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Iran:
Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces), Revolutionary Guards (includes Ground, Air, Navy, Qods, and Basij-mobilization-forces), Law Enforcement Forces
Iraq:
Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam
Ireland:
Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)
Israel:
Israel Defense Forces (includes ground, naval, and air components), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services
Italy:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri
Jamaica:
Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force
Japan:
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)
Jordan:
Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF; includes Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, and Royal Jordanian Air Force); Badiya (irregular) Border Guards; Ministry of the Interior's Public Security Force (falls under JAF only in wartime or crisis situations)
Kazakhstan:
General Purpose Forces (Army), Air Force, Border Guards, Navy, Republican Guard
Kenya:
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police
Kiribati:
no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts are on all islands)
Korea, North:
Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces
Korea, South:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (Coast Guard)
Kuwait:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard
Kyrgyzstan:
Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Laos:
Lao People's Army (LPA; includes militia element), Lao People's Navy (LPN; includes riverine element), Air Force, National Police Department
Latvia:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Lebanon:
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Lesotho:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police (RLMP)
Liberia:
Army, Air Force, Navy
Libya:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Command
Lithuania:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard (Skat)
Luxembourg:
Army; note - the new government abolished the Gendarmerie
Macau:
Macau garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes about 500 troops
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force
Madagascar:
Popular Armed Forces (includes Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces - includes Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment
Malawi:
Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (includes paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)
Malaysia:
Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts
Maldives:
National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Mali:
Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)
Malta:
Armed Forces (including land forces, an air squadron, a maritime squadron, and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese Police Force
Marshall Islands:
no regular military forces (a coast guard may be established); Police Force
Martinique:
French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Mauritania:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard
Mauritius:
National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF, Special Support Units or SSU, and National Coast Guard)
Mexico:
National Defense Secretariat (includes Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (includes Naval Air and Marines)
Moldova:
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Mongolia:
Mongolian People's Army (includes Internal Security Forces and Border Guards), Air Force, Civil Defense troops
Montserrat:
Police Force
Morocco:
Royal Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces
Mozambique:
Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Militia
Namibia:
National Defense Force (Army), Police
Nauru:
no regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru Police Force
Nepal:
Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force
Netherlands:
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary
Netherlands Antilles:
Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force
New Caledonia:
French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
New Zealand:
New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Nicaragua:
Army, Navy, Air Force
Niger:
Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Police
Nigeria:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Niue:
Police Force
Norway:
Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard
Oman:
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Royal Oman Police)
Pakistan:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard
Palau:
NA
Panama:
an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air Service)
Papua New Guinea:
Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit)
Paraguay:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Peru:
Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes Naval Air, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police (Policia Nacional)
Philippines:
Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force
Poland:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force
Portugal:
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Republican Guard
Puerto Rico:
paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Qatar:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security
Reunion:
French forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Romania:
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense
Russia:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Strategic Rocket Forces
Rwanda:
Army, Gendarmerie, Navy, Air Force
Saint Kitts and Nevis:
Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force, Coast Guard, Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force
Saint Lucia:
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
Samoa:
no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force
San Marino:
Voluntary Military Force, Police Force
Sao Tome and Principe:
Army, Navy, Security Police
Saudi Arabia:
Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Senegal:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police (Surete Nationale)
Serbia and Montenegro:
Army (including ground forces with border troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces)
Seychelles:
Army, Coast Guard, Marines, air wing, National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force
Sierra Leone:
Army
Singapore:
Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force
Slovakia:
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, Civil Defense Force
Slovenia:
Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)
Solomon Islands:
no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Somalia:
no functioning central government military forces; clan militias continue to battle for control of key economic or political prizes
South Africa:
South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS
Spain:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil Guard
Sri Lanka:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Sudan:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force Militia
Suriname:
National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements), Civil Police
Swaziland:
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force
Sweden:
Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy, Swedish Air Force
Switzerland:
Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Syria:
Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
Tajikistan:
Army, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Presidential National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Tanzania:
Tanzanian People's Defense Force or TPDF (includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit, Militia
Thailand:
Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, Paramilitary Forces
Togo:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie
Tonga:
Tonga Defense Services (includes, Royal Tongan Marines, Tongan Royal Guards, Maritime Force, Police); note - a new Air Wing which will be subordinate to the Defense Ministry is being developed
Trinidad and Tobago:
Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Trinidad and Tobago Police Service
Tunisia:
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard
Turkey:
Land Forces, Navy (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard, Gendarmerie
Turkmenistan:
Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard
Tuvalu:
no regular military forces; Police Force includes Maritime Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance operations
Uganda:
Army, Navy, Air Wing
Ukraine:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Internal Troops, National Guard, Border Troops
United Arab Emirates:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force)
United Kingdom:
Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force
United States:
Department of the Army, Department of the Navy (includes Marine Corps), Department of the Air Force
note:
the Coast Guard is normally subordinate to the Department of Transportation, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy
Uruguay:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)
Uzbekistan:
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Security Forces (internal and border troops), National Guard
Vanuatu:
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; includes the paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force or VMF)
Venezuela:
National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN) includes Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)
Vietnam:
People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includes Ground Forces, Navy, and Air Force), Coast Guard
West Bank:
NA
Western Sahara:
NA
Yemen:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, paramilitary (includes Police)
Zambia:
Army, Air Force, National Service, police
Zimbabwe:
Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)
Taiwan:
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces