15 Countries That Survive Without an Army in the Modern World

Today, various nations have chosen not to maintain a standing army and instead rely on police, paramilitary groups, or mutual security arrangements benefitting from partnerships with other allies. Here are 15 nations that prosper without the traditional forces of a military:

Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948, reorienting towards education, healthcare, and diplomacy. Costa Rica law enforcement provides for security.

Iceland renounced a standing army in 1869 and relies on NATO (and bilateral agreements, mainly with the United States) for defense.

Liechtenstein abolished its army in 1868 and relied on Switzerland for defense, while internal security fell with police.

Panama dissolved its army after the US invasion in 1990, relying today on public security organizations and border patrol.

Vatican City has no army but is ostensibly under the defense of both its Swiss Guard and the Italian state.

Monaco has an agreement with France for defense, and relies on police to provide internal security with the assistance of trained personnel.

Caribbean nations (which use police forces, coast guards and share a regional arrangement for security) consist of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda. 

The Pacific island nations include Palau, Micronesia, Nauru and Kiribati (the ones using the US, Australia or New Zealand). 

Andorra has no armed forces. It depends upon police forces and defence agreements with France and Spain.

These states share peaceful coexistence through diplomacy, strategic partnership and robust internal security systems. Their allocations of time and resources indicate a prioritization of ambitions that extend beyond a focus on military displacement; rather, they approach alternatives for social welfare and stability, keeping environmental sustainability and ecological disturbance in an uncertain and disorderly world in mind. Such models of significance consider ways to exist peacefully, while forcing us to reconsider the historical consensus that military means are indispensable to their own autonomy and safety.

This article is for informational purposes only. The geopolitical and defense arrangements mentioned may change over time. Readers should refer to official government and defense sources for the most accurate and updated information.