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Military - note (Country profile category: Military)

American Samoa:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Andorra:
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Anguilla:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Antarctica:
the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

Aruba:
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

Baker Island:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

Bassas da India:
defense is the responsibility of France

Bermuda:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Bouvet Island:
defense is the responsibility of Norway

British Indian Ocean Territory:
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

British Virgin Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Bulgaria:
the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense has begun a new downsizing, modernization, and reform program (PLAN 2004) that will result in the adoption of a smaller force structure of around 50,000 personnel, based upon a Rapid Reaction Force and two additional corps headquarters, all with subordinate brigades

Cayman Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Christmas Island:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Clipperton Island:
defense is the responsibility of France

Cocos (Keeling) Islands:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Cook Islands:
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Coral Sea Islands:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors

Cuba:
Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Europa Island:
defense is the responsibility of France

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas):
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Faroe Islands:
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

French Guiana:
defense is the responsibility of France

French Polynesia:
defense is the responsibility of France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands:
defense is the responsibility of France

Georgia:
a CIS peacekeeping force consisting of Russian troops is deployed in the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Gibraltar:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Glorioso Islands:
defense is the responsibility of France

Greenland:
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Guadeloupe:
defense is the responsibility of France

Guam:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Guernsey:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Haiti:
the Haitian Armed Forces have been demobilized and replaced by the Haitian National Police

Heard Island and McDonald Islands:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Holy See (Vatican City):
defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City

Hong Kong:
defense is the responsibility of China

Howland Island:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

Iceland:
Iceland's defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

Jan Mayen:
defense is the responsibility of Norway

Jarvis Island:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

Jersey:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Johnston Atoll:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Juan de Nova Island:
defense is the responsibility of France

Kingman Reef:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Kiribati:
Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ

Lesotho:
The Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs.

Liechtenstein:
defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Macau:
responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999

Man, Isle of:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Marshall Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Martinique:
defense is the responsibility of France

Mayotte:
defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island

Micronesia, Federated States of:
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Midway Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Monaco:
defense is the responsibility of France

Montserrat:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Nauru:
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, Australia is responsible for defense of the island

Navassa Island:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Netherlands Antilles:
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

New Caledonia:
defense is the responsibility of France

Niue:
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Norfolk Island:
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Northern Mariana Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Palau:
defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years

Palmyra Atoll:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Panama:
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external aggression"

Paracel Islands:
occupied by China

Pitcairn Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Puerto Rico:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Reunion:
defense is the responsibility of France

Saint Helena:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon:
defense is the responsibility of France

Samoa:
Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

South Africa:
the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Spratly Islands:
Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Svalbard:
demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Tokelau:
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Tromelin Island:
defense is the responsibility of France

Turks and Caicos Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Virgin Islands:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Wake Island:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Wallis and Futuna:
defense is the responsibility of France

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