In this roundup of 10 quirky armies, the phrase “national army” usually brings to mind a massive, imposing, professional fighting force. If you’re familiar with modern militaries, you probably think of the big players—China, Germany, the United States, and so on. Yet several miniature nations maintain forces that don’t fit that conventional picture.
10 quirky armies: Tiny Forces Unveiled
10 Sized Finery
When Italy completed its unification in the 19th century, the process resembled a child’s Easter‑egg hunt—collecting every province and principality in sight. Yet one little gem slipped through the net: San Marino, the last surviving Italian city‑state, perched on a tiny Adriatic enclave surrounded on three sides by Italy. International accords left Italy responsible for defending its diminutive neighbour, but the Sammarinese still run a modest home‑grown force, as delicate and splendid as a painted egg.
Each branch of this micro‑army sports a distinct uniform. The Guard of the Rock, which doubles as border patrol and detective unit, dons a flamboyant double‑breasted green coat paired with bright red trousers. The Company of Uniformed Militia, the nation’s defensive corps, marches in dark‑blue garb trimmed with white sashes, epaulettes, and carries ceremonial muskets and swords. Meanwhile, the Grand and General Council’s personal guard—the Guard of the Council—wears dark‑blue tailcoats edged in gold, white gloves, and cocked hats topped with elaborate blue‑and‑white feather plumes, a look that frequently graces San Marino postcards.
The Crossbow Corps harkens back to the 1300s, when the crossbow was the cutting‑edge weapon of choice. Today, a volunteer troupe of roughly 70 men keeps the tradition alive, wearing medieval‑style tunics and puffed felt hats. Though the world has long outgrown crossbows, the corps still trains rigorously, and its members are surprisingly accurate marksmen, proving that old‑world skills can still shine.
9 Seychelles—The Afterthought Army
With a modest population of just 94,000 spread across 115 islands, Seychelles could easily be assumed to have a tiny army—and that’s correct. What might surprise you is that the nation’s entire defence effort is concentrated almost exclusively in its navy, because an archipelago simply can’t afford a conventional land force that would need to hitch rides on boats every time it wanted to move.
The officially‑named Coast Guard makes up the bulk of Seychelles’ 650‑strong defence personnel. It operates three patrol boats and four gunboats, providing sufficient coverage for the nation’s extensive coastline. This maritime agility even saw the Coast Guard safeguarding the privacy of Prince William and Princess Kate during their 2011 honeymoon.
Other branches receive far less attention. The air component consists of a mere four aircraft, none of which are combat‑capable, while the ground troops largely serve as presidential bodyguards. Nonetheless, the army has had moments of glory: in 1981 a handful of sailors repelled a band of mercenaries who had masqueraded as a beer‑club and briefly seized the main airport, turning a potential coup into a morale‑boosting triumph.
8 Again, Off-Again
Running a small army is an expensive proposition, and for cash‑strapped island nations the decision to maintain one can become a political seesaw. In the Caribbean, St. Kitts and Nevis have seen their defence force flicker in and out of existence like a faulty light bulb, depending on which party holds power.
After gaining independence from the United Kingdom in the late 20th century, the nation created a professional defence force in 1967. A change of government in 1981 led to its dissolution, leaving only a modest reserve component. When the original party returned to power in 1997, the army was resurrected. Today, the 350‑person Defence Force comprises a five‑vessel Coast Guard that intercepts drug traffickers and an infantry regiment consisting of just three rifle platoons, bolstered by reserves and a 150‑strong cadet corps.
In times of crisis, these reserves can be mobilised, but they risk finding the army disbanded again if political tides shift. The constant back‑and‑forth makes the force a fascinating case study in how democracy can shape military policy in miniature nations.
7 Cape Verde—The Drug‑Busters
When a tiny Atlantic island nation takes on a powerful drug cartel, the story reads like a Hollywood thriller. Cape Verde, an off‑shore republic west of Africa, has a National Guard of about 1,200 soldiers that once spearheaded a four‑year campaign—Operation Flying Launch—against cocaine traffickers.
Because the central Atlantic serves as a convenient stop‑over for South‑American cocaine en route to Europe, Cape Verde’s forces went undercover for two years, gathering intelligence and building a joint police‑military task force. In 2011 the operation culminated in a massive seizure that dismantled a major cartel, showcasing how a small nation can punch above its weight in the fight against illicit trade.
However, the victory came at a cost. In the years that followed, disgruntled traffickers launched retaliation attempts, and in 2016 a rogue National Guard soldier went on a shooting spree in a barracks, killing eight comrades—an incident that eliminated 0.6 % of the force in mere minutes.
6 Malta—Playing Armaments Bingo
Malta, an island home to fewer than 450,000 people, fields just under 2,000 military personnel. While the soldiers are largely home‑grown, the nation lacks a domestic arms industry, forcing it to rely on foreign donors for equipment—a situation that resembles a game of armaments bingo.
European Union allies, the United States, China, and other nations have supplied a motley collection of weapons, many of which are donated. The problem? The assorted gear rarely matches, creating logistical nightmares for ordnance officers who must juggle incompatible ammunition, spare parts, and electronic systems.
Beyond the procurement puzzle, the Armed Forces of Malta perform a kaleidoscopic mix of duties: combat readiness, border patrol, anti‑terrorism, medical evacuations, monetary transport, airport security, and even postal protection. Despite limited resources, Malta maintains a Quick Reaction Force ready for United Nations missions worldwide, proving that versatility can outweigh sheer firepower.
5 Monaco—We Few, We Overworked Few
The Principality of Monaco, the globe’s second‑smallest state, is famed for its glittering Monte Carlo casino and a resident wealth that dwarfs its size. Yet its military budget is modest, supporting a microscopic force that could easily be missed amid the casino crowds.
Monaco’s armed contingent splits into two units: the Prince’s Carabiniers, about 116 strong, protect the sovereign and his palace; and the Corps des Sapeurs‑Pompiers, a 135‑person fire‑and‑rescue service that also performs military duties. Together they total roughly 251 personnel across 15 possible ranks—no higher than colonel—making it a rare example of a force where the number of generals could arguably outnumber privates.
The Carabiniers and firemen wear multiple hats: the former run motorcycle escorts, ambulance services, scuba teams, a brass ensemble, trumpeters, a marching band, and even a full orchestra. Meanwhile, the firemen double as paramedics, hazardous‑material responders, and search‑and‑rescue specialists. Whether they ever get a full night’s sleep remains a mystery.
4 The Vatican—A Smattering Of Swiss
When the Pope ruled over the sprawling Papal States, he commanded a sizable army. After Italy’s unification reduced the Vatican to a 110‑acre enclave, its military contracted to the iconic Pontifical Swiss Guard, a 100‑man unit tasked with protecting the Holy See.
The Guard’s lineage is among the oldest continuously operating military formations. Its storied past includes participation in the 1571 Battle of Lepanto and a heroic stand in 1527 that saved the Pope from marauding troops. By the 19th century, however, the Guard had slipped into a largely ceremonial role.
A 20th‑century commander revitalised the corps, redesigning its flamboyant Renaissance‑style uniform—blue, red, and yellow shirts, plumed helmets, and ornate armor—and updating its armament to include pistols, rifles, and sub‑machine guns for modern contingencies. Admission remains strict: single male Swiss citizens, aged 19‑30, at least 174 cm tall, with completed Swiss Army basic training and a clean record, all of whom must be Catholic.
3 The Comoros—Outnumbered By The Police
The Union of the Comoros, a trio of islands between Madagascar and mainland Africa, houses nearly 800,000 citizens. Despite that population, its standing army is tiny, eclipsed by a police force of about 500 officers.
Political instability fuels the army’s modest size. Each island enjoys semi‑autonomous status with its own constitution and president, and the rotating presidency of the union often leads to coups, attempted coups, and assassinations. Since independence from France in 1975, the nation only achieved a peaceful transfer of power in 2006. To prevent any single faction from amassing too much military strength, the army is split among several reporting lines.
The Comoros also fields a modest air security force with just four aircraft, while the police operate six. In 2007, when the president of Anjouan refused to step down, the national force launched an amphibious landing, supported by African Union troops, to restore order. The private army of the dissenting president, though numbering several hundred, largely deserted, allowing the tiny Comorian military to quell the crisis without a single casualty.
2 Ins
Grenada, a seven‑island Caribbean nation, entered the global stage in the early 1980s when a Communist‑backed coup prompted a brief U.S. invasion in 1983. After the conflict, the island dismantled its traditional army, leaving a modest defence structure.
Today, Grenada fields a 30‑person Coast Guard and an 800‑strong police service. The real paramilitary capability rests with the Special Services Unit (SSU), an 80‑member elite squad within the police. If spread across the islands, these troops could only field about ten personnel per island.
Grenada relies heavily on regional partners for defence and receives training assistance from the United States. The SSU now focuses more on weapons disposal than combat; in 2013 it publicly destroyed over 140 obsolete firearms that had languished in armories for decades.
1 Andorra—The Dependable Dozen
Andorra, a speck of a mountain nation nestled in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, boasts a population just shy of 80,000. By law, every native male aged 21 to 60 must be ready to serve, and households are even instructed to keep a rifle at home, creating a theoretical mobilisation potential in the thousands.
In reality, the permanent standing army numbers a mere twelve soldiers, all officers or non‑commissioned officers. The rank‑and‑file would be drafted from the civilian populace only in a crisis that has never arisen in modern times. Consequently, the cadre’s day‑to‑day duties are almost entirely ceremonial, appearing at official events to present the national flag.
The force lives on voluntary donations, and its modest budget has even led to amusing oversights—Andorra accidentally remained at war with Germany from 1914 until 1958 because nobody filed a peace treaty. With such a lean structure, the entire army could comfortably fit on an airport shuttle, though a traffic jam would leave the nation defenseless.