Military service

Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Some nations (e.g., Mexico) require a specific amount of military service from every citizen (except for special cases, such as physical or mental disorders or religious beliefs, and most countries that have conscription only conscript men). A nation with a fully volunteer military does not normally require mandatory military service from its citizens, unless it is faced with a recruitment crisis during a time of war.

Summary of countries

In this summary, 195 countries are included.

No defence forces

The following nineteen countries have been identified as having no defence forces or as having no standing army but having very limited military forces:

No enforced conscription

The following 105 countries have been identified as having no enforced conscription:

Both compulsory and voluntary military service

The following ten countries and colonies have been identified as having both compulsory and voluntary military service: