A former US military base in Panama City, Panama, converted into a school. Panama is one of the largest countries in the world without a military, disbanding it in 1994. (Shutterstock/Patricia Hikari)

These Are the Five Largest Countries Without a Military

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A handful of countries have voluntarily abandoned their armies—relying on foreign nations for assistance, and using the cost savings for peace-minded pursuits.

Almost every nation on Earth, large or small, rich or poor, invests in a standing military. It is easy to see why. The world is a dangerous place, and the history of humanity is one of near-endless wars between tribes, principalities, and eventually modern nation-states. While diplomacy and politics are useful tools, at the end of the day, the only way a country can guarantee its freedom is by threatening to use violence against a potential aggressor. To dispense with an army entirely is a profound vote of confidence in one’s neighbors and geopolitical environment.

Despite the risky nature of abandoning a military, roughly 20 nations around the world have done so, requiring heavy reliance on treaties and partnerships. Most of these are small islands in the Caribbean or Pacific, which face no obvious threat from a larger neighbor. But a few are larger and more geopolitically significant. Five nations stand out as the largest (based on population) to go without a military: from largest to smallest, they are Costa Rica, Panama, Mauritius, the Solomon Islands, and Iceland.

Land area: 39,817 sq. mi (103,125 sq. km)

Iceland hasn’t had a standing military since 1869. Instead, the small Arctic island depends on its geography for........

© The National Interest