WASHINGTON (Web Desk) – Technically, every country should have a standing military force but there are few countries in the world who believe that ‘War is Hell’ and hence, they do not keep any military force in their country.
Let’s look at some of the countries that have been living without any armed forces:
Costa Rica
In 1948, after its victory in the civil war, the country put an end to having any armed force. Every year, Costa Rica celebrates Army Abolition Day on December 1. The police force currently handles the internal security of the country.
Grenada
The country was invaded by the United States in the year 1983, and since then Grenada has not had a standing army in its service. A paramilitary force as part of the Royal Grenada Police Force works on internal security.
Kiribati
A nation of three group of islands, Kiribati, is another country with no standing army. The nation has a defence assistance from Australia and New Zealand along with its own Kiribati Police Service.
Andorra
Under a separate military treaty, Andorra receives protection from Spain and France but has no standing military force. Andorra does have a small army for special ceremonies. Laws in the nation are handled by the National Police Corps.
Vatican City
The smallest country in the world, Vatican City used to have many armed forces to protect the pope and the country but Pope Paul VI abolished all the forces in 1970. However, since the little country is located in Rome, Italy protects the Vatican City.
Iceland
Iceland had an army in 1869 but after that, the country had defense agreements with the U.S. to maintain an Iceland Defense Force that existed from 1951-2006. In 2006, America announced that it will provide Iceland its security without any stationed forces in the country.
