List of Countries Without Armed Forces

 It is common for police forces to serve as de facto military troops in some areas where there are no standing armies. More stories can be found on the Business Insider homepage. Is it possible to provide security in the absence of a military? Most people will see this question to be a paradox. However, certain countries can maintain their geographical sovereignty without using military troops.

This list includes countries with no military at all, as well as those that are reliant on the army of other countries in the event of a crisis. Because of their proximity, the United States is responsible for the military protection of the Marshall Islands, whereas France and Spain offer military assistance to Andorra.While many of these countries have temporary armies, they don’t have a standing army.

The Island of Aruba

In 1990, Aruba requested that complete independence be halted.

On Aruba, a small Caribbean island, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has been a semi-autonomous, Caribbean-based state since 1986. Tourists have flocked to it in droves in the last few years.

The Netherlands is in charge of the defence of the 116,000-person nation. Security forces in Aruba are dedicated to the battle against criminality and terrorism.

The Cayman Islands

In the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands belong to the British Overseas Territories, a group of islands. As a result, the archipelago, which lies about 150 miles south of Cuba, is also within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. There is a national police force in the Cayman Islands, however, which is known as the Royal Cayman Islands Police Force.

Islands of the Cooks

Only 9,038 people live on the Cook Islands as of July 2018. Tony Probst is a well-known television personality.

Named after Captain James Cook and located in the southern Pacific Ocean, the Cook Islands is a sovereign country but has a close relationship with New Zealand. As a result, New Zealand is solely responsible for its defence, but only if the Cook Islands seek it.

The Republic of Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, there haven’t been any standing army troops since 1949, although the country’s police force is employed for the standing army. In 1983, El Salvador, known as the “Switzerland of Central America,” declared its permanent and unarmed neutrality. In truth, the United States has taken steps to safeguard Costa Rica.

Curaçao Willemstad, Curacao

The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes Curacao as one of its four component countries. 

Curacao is another Caribbean island state that lists countries without armed forces. On this 171-square-mile island with a population of roughly 150,000, the Dutch government has complete authority over both foreign and defence affairs.

The people of Curacao decided in a referendum in 2009 to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On top of everything else, the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard offers maritime security.

Dominica

The last of the Caribbean islands to be colonised by Europeans, Dominica was the last to be settled. Photographs by Joseph Thomas/Shutterstock

Located in the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Pacific, Dominica is part of the Commonwealth, a group of sovereign states that includes the United Kingdom and its former colonies. The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force serves as a police force and a coastguard in Dominica.

The Faroe Islands

5,11,000 people call the Faroe Islands home. They are in the middle of the North Atlantic between the British Isles and Norway. The Danish government is in charge of defence despite the country’s lack of a standing army. The Faroe Islands are protected by the Danish military forces’ Arctic Command, which controls their security.

Polynesia, the French

Many small and big islands make up French Polynesia, located in the southern Pacific Ocean, and Tahiti is the most well-known island in the archipelago. The population of French Polynesia is 290,000. However, the country does not have a military. On the other hand, France is responsible for protecting its borders.

Greenland 

It is the tenth most populous country in the world.Fishing regulations were at the heart of Greenland’s withdrawal from the European Union in 1985. In terms of size, Greenland is the world’s largest island; it is technically part of the United States of America, but it is administered independently by the Danish government. Stronger self-government and responsibility in domestic matters were endorsed by Greenlanders in 2008.

As a result of the Self-Government Act, Greenland’s population recognised their right to self-determination under international law, which was ratified in 2009. Foreign, security, and financial policy, for example, remain in the control of Denmark. As a result, the island’s defence falls within the jurisdiction of the Danish government.

Grenada:

Christopher Columbus found the island in 1498. Grenada is a Caribbean island nation located in the northern Lesser Antilles. Because of the 1983 US invasion, Grenada no longer possesses its military.

However, the Royal Grenada Police Force, which also serves as the country’s coast guard, does exist.

Iceland Waterfalls in Iceland

Iceland has grown in popularity among travellers throughout the years. Maridav/Shutterstock

Despite being a NATO member, Iceland does not maintain a standing army, and Iceland’s defence is NATO’s responsibility.

US military has been withdrawn from Iceland since 2006. The civilian Icelandic crisis management unit performs international peace missions on behalf of Iceland and the list of countries without armed forces

The Principality of Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is the world’s twelfth-tiniest country. Despite the absence of a military, the country’s national police work closely with a list of countries without armed forces of neighbouring nations like Austria and Switzerland to maintain security.

Marshall Islands – Majuro

This country’s capital is located on a 64-island atoll. Nicole Evatt of the AP contributed to this report. In 1986, the Marshall Islands became an independent nation after nearly 40 years of US rule. The Marshall Islands have no military forces; thus, the US continues to support the territorial defence.

Conclusion:

Thirty-nine countries and territories are listed in the CIA World Factbook without a permanent armed force. Some nations do not have a list of countries without armed forces but instead have national police forces that operate like military forces. According to the description supplied by the CIA, it is entrusted with patrolling the country’s border.