Countries With No Military — Nations Without an Army

More than 20 countries in the world have no standing military forces. Costa Rica famously abolished its army in 1948 and has maintained a peaceful, demilitarized status ever since, instead investing heavily in education and healthcare. Iceland, a NATO member, has no army but maintains a coast guard and crisis response unit. Many small Pacific island nations like Palau, Nauru, and the Marshall Islands rely on defense agreements with the United States or Australia. European microstates like Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City also maintain minimal or no formal military forces.

The reasons countries have no military are diverse. For small, wealthy European microstates, the lack of an army is a historical arrangement with a protecting power — Andorra's defense is guaranteed by France and Spain under a co-principality agreement dating to 1278, while Monaco relies on France. For Pacific island nations, independence from colonial powers often came with Compacts of Free Association that transfer defense responsibilities to the United States or Australia in exchange for economic support and access to their territories. Panama dissolved its military in 1990 following the US invasion, and its constitution now prohibits a standing army.

Countries without militaries tend to allocate more resources to social services, education, and healthcare — Costa Rica is the clearest example, consistently ranking among the happiest countries despite modest GDP. However, they also remain dependent on larger powers for their security, a vulnerability that can become politically sensitive. The debate over whether demilitarization is a long-term sustainable policy for small states continues, particularly as the global security environment grows more unpredictable.