Top banner
The World Factbook Banner

  Field Listing - Military branches


Country
Military branches
Afghanistan Afghan National Army, currently being trained by the US with the assistance of the international community, is 7,000 strong; note - the December 2001 Bonn Agreement called for all militia forces to come under the authority of the central government, but regional leaders have continued to retain their militias and the formation of a national army remains a gradual process; Afghanistan's militia forces continue to be factionalized, largely along ethnic lines
Albania General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Forces Command, Doctrine and Exercises Command, Logistics Support Command
Algeria People's National Army (ANP; includes Ground Forces), Algerian National Navy (ANN), Air Force (QJA), Territorial Air Defense
Andorra no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra
Angola Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces (FANA)
Antigua and Barbuda Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (including Coast Guard)
Argentina Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes Naval Aviation and Marines), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA)
Armenia Army, Air Force and Air Defense Force
Aruba no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard
Australia Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, new Special Operations Command (announced in December 2002)
Austria Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
Azerbaijan Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces
Bahamas, The Royal Bahamas Defense Force (including Coast Guard)
Bahrain Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard
Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force
Barbados Royal Barbados Defense Force (Troops Command and Coast Guard)
Belarus Army, Air and Air Defense Force
Belgium Army, Naval, and Air Operations Commands
Belize Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard)
Benin Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force
Bermuda Bermuda Regiment
Bhutan Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia
Bolivia Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana)
Bosnia and Herzegovina VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army)
Botswana Botswana Defense Force (including an Air Wing)
Brazil Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (including Naval Air and Marines), Brazilian Air Force (FAB)
Brunei Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force
Bulgaria Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces
Burkina Faso Army, Air Force
Burma Army, Navy, Air Force
Burundi Army (including Naval Detachment and Air Wing), National Gendarmerie
Cambodia Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force
Cameroon Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force
Canada Canadian Armed Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command
Cape Verde Army, Coast Guard
Cayman Islands no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force
Central African Republic Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force
Chad Armed Forces: National Army (ANT), Air Force, and Republican Guard
Chile Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean Carabineros (National Police)
China People's Liberation Army (PLA): comprises ground forces, Navy (including naval infantry and naval aviation), Air Force, and II Artillery Corps (strategic missile force), People's Armed Police Force (internal security troops, nominally a state security body but included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered to be an adjunct to the PLA), militia
Colombia Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including Naval Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana)
Comoros Comoran Security Force
Congo, Democratic Republic of the Army, Navy, Air Force
Congo, Republic of the Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Air Force, Navy
Costa Rica no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security
Cote d'Ivoire Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard)
Croatia Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO)
Cuba Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER), Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army (EJT)
Cyprus Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; including air and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police
north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)
Czech Republic Czech Army: Ground Forces, Air Forces, Special Forces
Denmark Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home Guard
Djibouti Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force)
Dominica no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (including Coast Guard)
Dominican Republic Army, Navy, Air Force
East Timor East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy
Ecuador Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police
Egypt Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command
El Salvador Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force
Equatorial Guinea Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force
Eritrea Army, Navy, Air Force
Estonia Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard
note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime
Ethiopia Ethiopian National Defense Force: Ground Forces, Air Force, Mobilized Militia
note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) no regular military forces
Faroe Islands no regular military forces
Fiji Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Division
Finland Army, Navy, Air Force
France Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy (including naval air), Air Force (including Air Defense), National Gendarmerie
French Guiana no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
French Polynesia no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force
Gabon Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Gambia, The Gambian National Army (GNA) (including Naval Unit), Presidential Guard
Gaza Strip in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, a Public Security Force and a civil Police Force
Georgia Ground Forces (including National Guard), Air and Air Defense Forces, Maritime Defense Force
Germany Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche Marine; including Naval Air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint Support Service, Central Medical Service
Ghana Army, Navy, Air Force
Gibraltar Royal Gibraltar Regiment
Greece Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force (EPA), National Guard
Grenada no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force
Guadeloupe no regular military forces
Guatemala Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Guinea Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police
Guinea-Bissau People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force
Guyana Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps; Guyana People's Militia
Haiti Haitian National Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are constitutionally abolished
Holy See (Vatican City) Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)
Honduras Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force
Hong Kong no regular indigenous military forces; 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 Forces
Iceland no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard
India Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard, various security or paramilitary forces (including Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and Defense Security Corps)
Indonesia Indonesia Armed Forces (TNI): Army (TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL, including Marines, Naval Air arm), Air Force (TNI-AU)
Iran Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy, Qods Force [special operations], and Basij [Popular Mobilization Army]), Law Enforcement Forces
Iraq note: in the summer of 2003 the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) began recruiting and training a New Iraqi Army (NIA) that would have a purely defensive mission and capability; in March 2004, the Iraqi Interim Government established a Ministry of Defense to create an Iraqi Armed Force; at that time the NIA was renamed the Iraqi Armed Force - Army (IAF-A); plans also were put into effect to reconstitute an Iraqi Army Air Corps (IAAC) and Coastal Defense Force (navy), but there are no plans to reconstitute an Iraqi Air Force; the Army's primary new focus will be domestic counterinsurgency, which is a change of direction from the CPA's intent to create an army not involved in domestic politics; in mid-2004 the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps (ICDC) was designated the Iraqi National Guard (ING) and subordinated to the Defense Ministry and the Iraqi Armed Forces Pre-war Iraqi military equipment was largely destroyed by Coalition forces during combat operations in early 2003 or subsequently looted or scrapped (September 2004)
Ireland Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps)
Israel Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Corps (including Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal)), Navy, Air Force(including Air Defense Forces); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services
Italy Army, Navy, Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri
Jamaica Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Coast Guard
Jordan Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) (Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command or SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations
Kazakhstan Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Republican Guard
Kenya Army, Navy, Air Force
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 Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force), National Guard
Kyrgyzstan Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces, Border Troops
Laos Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force
Latvia Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Lebanon Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Lesotho Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; with Army and Air Wing)
Liberia Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Libya Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command
Lithuania National Defense Volunteer Forces (SKAT), Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force
Luxembourg Army
Macau responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there are local police forces
Macedonia Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; including Air and Air Defense Command)
Madagascar People's Armed Forces: comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval - Navy and Air - Force; National Gendarmerie
Malawi Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including Mobile Force Unit)
Malaysia Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts
Maldives National Security Service: comprising Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element; Coast Guard
Mali Army, Air Force, National Guard
Malta Armed Forces: Land Forces (including Air Squadron and Maritime Squadron), Revenue Security Corps
Marshall Islands no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police
Martinique no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
Mauritania Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard (BSSP)
Mauritius National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)
Mexico National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) (including Army and Air Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)
Moldova National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force
Mongolia Mongolian People's Army (comprising Ground Forces, Air Defense Forces), Border Guards, Internal Security Forces, Construction Corps Forces, Civil Defense Authority
Montserrat no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
Morocco Royal Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force
Mozambique Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special Forces
Namibia Namibian Defense Force: Army (including Naval Wing, Air Wing), Police
Nauru no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force
Nepal Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force
Netherlands Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary, Defense Interservice Command
Netherlands Antilles National Guard, Police Force
New Caledonia no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
New Zealand New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Nicaragua Army (includes Navy), Navy
Niger Army, Air Force, National Intervention and Security Force
Nigeria Army, Navy, Air Force
Niue no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
Norway Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard
Oman Royal Omani Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force
Pakistan Army, Navy, Air Force
Palau no regular military forces; Police Force
Panama an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air Service)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Defense Force: Ground Force, Maritime Operations Element, and Air Operations Element
Paraguay Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Peru Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes Naval Air, Naval Infantry, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru; FAP)
Philippines Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force
Poland Land Forces, Navy, Air Force
Portugal Army, Navy (PON; including Marines), Air Force (FAP), Republican Guard (including Fiscal Guard)
Puerto Rico no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force
Qatar Land Force, Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Amiri Air Force
Reunion no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)
Romania Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR), Civil Defense
Russia Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces; Airborne troops, Strategic Rocket Forces, and Military Space Forces are classified as independent combat arms, not subordinate to any of the three branches
Rwanda Rwandan Defense Forces (Army, Air Forces)
Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special Service Unit)
Saint Lucia Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (including 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 (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note - the Voluntary Military Force performs ceremonial duties and limited police assistance
Sao Tome and Principe Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard, National Guard
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 (VJ) (including ground forces with border troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces)
Seychelles Army, Coast Guard (including Navy Wing, Air Wing), National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit (includes Presidential Guard), Seychelles National Police (includes Police Mobile Unit)
Sierra Leone Army (RSLAF)
Singapore Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force
Slovakia Ground Forces (including Home Guard [Domobrana]), Air and Air Defense Forces (January 2003)
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 A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces
South Africa South African National Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services
Spain Army, Navy, Air Force (Ejercito del Aire, EdA), Marines
Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Sudan Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF), Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Forces
Suriname National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)
Swaziland Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing)
Sweden Army, Royal Navy, Air Force (Flygvapnet)
Switzerland Land Forces, Air Force
Syria Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (including Air Defense Command), Police and Security Force
Taiwan Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Tajikistan Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Presidential National Guard
Tanzania Tanzanian People's Defense Force: Army, Naval Wing, and Air Defense Command; National Service
Thailand Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (including Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force
Togo Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie
Tonga Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal Guard), Maritime Force (including Air Wing)
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard, and Air Wing
Tunisia Army, Navy, Air Force
Turkey Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Naval Forces Command (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard Command, Gendarmerie (Jandarma)
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 Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine Unit, Air Wing
Ukraine Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVS) Troops, Border Troops
United Arab Emirates Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
United Kingdom Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force
United States Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard (Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy)
Uruguay Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force
Uzbekistan Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard
Vanuatu no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the paramilitary 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 - including marines and Coast Guard), 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: Ground Forces, People's Navy Command (including Naval Infantry), Air and Air Defense Force, Coast Guard
Yemen Army (including Special Forces), Naval Forces and Coastal Defenses (including Marines), Air Force (including Air Defense Forces), Republican Guard
Zambia Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police, National Service
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005


Bottom Banner