slightly larger than California
Paracel Islands
NA
Paraguay
slightly smaller than California
Peru
slightly smaller than Alaska
Philippines
slightly larger than Arizona
Pitcairn Islands
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Poland
slightly smaller than New Mexico
Portugal
slightly smaller than Indiana
Puerto Rico
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Qatar
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Romania
slightly smaller than Oregon
Russia
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US
Rwanda
slightly smaller than Maryland
Saint Barthelemy
less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC
Saint Helena
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Saint Kitts and Nevis
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Saint Lucia
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Saint Martin
more than one-third the size of Washington, DC
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
twice the size of Washington, DC
Samoa
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
San Marino
about one third times the size of Washington, DC
Sao Tome and Principe
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Saudi Arabia
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
Senegal
slightly smaller than South Dakota
Serbia
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Seychelles
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Sierra Leone
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Singapore
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Slovakia
about twice the size of New Hampshire
Slovenia
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Solomon Islands
slightly smaller than Maryland
Somalia
slightly smaller than Texas
South Africa
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
slightly larger than Rhode
Island
Southern Ocean
slightly more than twice the size of the US
Spain
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Spratly Islands
NA
Sri Lanka
slightly larger than West Virginia
Sudan
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US
Suriname
slightly larger than Georgia
Svalbard
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Swaziland
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Sweden
slightly larger than California
Switzerland
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Syria
slightly larger than North Dakota
Taiwan
slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Tajikistan
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Tanzania
slightly larger than twice the size of California
Thailand
slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
Timor-Leste
slightly larger than Connecticut
Togo
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Tokelau
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Tonga
four times the size of Washington, DC
Trinidad and Tobago
slightly smaller than Delaware
Tunisia
slightly larger than Georgia
Turkey
slightly larger than Texas
Turkmenistan
slightly larger than California
Turks and Caicos Islands
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Tuvalu
0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Uganda
slightly smaller than Oregon
Ukraine
slightly smaller than Texas
United Arab Emirates
slightly smaller than Maine
United Kingdom
slightly smaller than Oregon
United States
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the
size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly
larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the
size of the European Union
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
Baker Island: about
two and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Howland Island: about three times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Johnston Atoll: about four and a half times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Kingman Reef: a little more than one and a half times the size of
The Mall in Washington, DC
Midway Islands: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Uruguay
slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Uzbekistan
slightly larger than California
Vanuatu
slightly larger than Connecticut
Venezuela
slightly more than twice the size of California
Vietnam
slightly larger than New Mexico
Virgin Islands
twice the size of Washington, DC
Wake Island
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Wallis and Futuna
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
West Bank
slightly smaller than Delaware
Western Sahara
about the size of Colorado
World
land area about 16 times the size of the US
top fifteen World Factbook entities ranked by size: Pacific Ocean
155.557 million sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76.762 million sq km; Indian
Ocean 68.556 million sq km; Southern Ocean 20.327 million sq km;
Russia 17,098,242 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14.056 million sq km;
Antarctica 14 million sq km; Canada 9,984,670 sq km; United States
9,826,675 sq km; China 9,596,961 sq km; Brazil 8,514,877 sq km;
Australia 7,741,220 sq km; European Union 4,324,782 sq km; India
3,287,263 sq km; Argentina 2,780,400 sq km
Yemen
slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Zambia
slightly larger than Texas
Zimbabwe
slightly larger than Montana
======================================================================
@2024
Field Listing :: Military service age and obligation
This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript
military service and the length of service obligation.
Country
Military service age and obligation(years of age)
Afghanistan
22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service
for a 4-year term (2005)
Albania
19 years of age (2004)
Algeria
19-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training,
12 months civil projects) (2006)
Angola
22-24 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 2 years; Angolan citizenship required (2009)
Antigua and Barbuda
18 years of age for voluntary military service;
no conscription (2008)
Argentina
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service (18-21
requires parental permission); no conscription (2001)
Armenia
18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military
service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)
Australia
17 years of age for voluntary military service (with
parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in Army
combat units in non-combat support roles (2008)
Austria
18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years
of age for male or female voluntary service; service obligation 6
months of training, followed by an 8-year reserve obligation (2009)
Azerbaijan
men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18
years of age for voluntary military service; length of military
service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)
Bahamas, The
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)
Bahrain
17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of
age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)
Bangladesh
16 years of age for voluntary military service; 17 years
of age for officers (both with parental consent); conscription
legally possible in emergency, but has never been implemented (2008)
Barbados
18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger
requires parental consent); no conscription (2008)
Belarus
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)
Belgium
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
suspended (2008)
Belize
18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow
for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription
has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available
positions by 3:1 (2008)
Benin
21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes
are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18
months (2006)
Bermuda
18-30 years of age for voluntary or compulsory enlistment in
the Bermuda Regiment; males must register at age 18; term of service
is 38 months (2009)
Bhutan
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Bolivia
18-49 years of age for 12-month compulsory military service;
when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory
recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as
14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides
exemption from further military service (2009)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
18 years of age for voluntary military
service; conscription abolished January 2006; 4-month service
obligation (2009)
Botswana
18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the
official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown
(2001)
Brazil
21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 9 to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for
voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are
"long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve
in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army
became the first army in South America to accept women into career
ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve
Corps (2001)
Brunei
18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service;
non-Malays are ineligible to serve (2007)
Bulgaria
18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; as of
May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional
soldiers; conscription ended January 2008; Air Forces and Naval
Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006 (2008)
Burkina Faso
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women
may serve in supporting roles (2009)
Burma
18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes;
forced conscription of children, although officially prohibited,
reportedly continues (2007)
Burundi
military service is voluntary; the armed forces law of 31
December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the
government had previously specified that each recruit would need to
have a primary school leaving certificate (2009)
Cambodia
conscription law of October 2006 requires all males between
18-30 to register for military service; 18-month service obligation
(2006)
Cameroon
18 years of age for male and female voluntary military
service; no conscription; the government makes periodic calls for
volunteers (2009)
Canada
17 years of age for male and female voluntary military
service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and
military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent
residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service
obligation 3-9 years (2008)
Cape Verde
18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military
service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Central African Republic
18 years of age for selective military
service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2009)
Chad
20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation;
18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for
volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year
of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)
Chile
18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military
service, although the right to compulsory recruitment is retained;
service obligation - 12 months for Army, 22 months for Navy and Air
Force (2008)
China
18-22 years of age for selective compulsory military service,
with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary
service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women
high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military
jobs (2009)
Colombia
18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
18-45 years of age for voluntary
military service (2009)
Congo, Republic of the
18 years of age for voluntary military
service; women allowed to serve (2007)
Cote d'Ivoire
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and
female military service (2008)
Croatia
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years
of age with consent for voluntary service; 6-month conscript service
obligation; full conversion to voluntary military service by 2010
(2006)
Cuba
17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year
service obligation; both sexes subject to military service (2006)
Cyprus
Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for
compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of
age for voluntary service; women may volunteer for a 3-year term;
length of normal service is 25 months (2009)
Czech Republic
18-28 years of age for voluntary and 19-28 for
compulsory military service (2008)
Denmark
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies
from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are
assigned to mobilization units following completion of their
conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service
(2004)
Djibouti
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years
of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008)
Dominican Republic
18 years of age for voluntary military service
(2007)
Ecuador
20 years of age for selective conscript military service;
12-month service obligation (2008)
Egypt
18-30 years of age for male conscript military service;
service obligation 12-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve
obligation (2008)
El Salvador
18 years of age for selective compulsory military
service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service;
service obligation - 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs
(2009)
Equatorial Guinea
18 years of age (est.) for compulsory military
service; women hold only administrative positions in the Coast Guard
(2009)
Eritrea
18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and
compulsory military service; 16-month conscript service obligation
(2006)
Estonia
obligation for compulsory service ages 16-60, with
conscription "likely" ages 18-27; service requirement 8-11 months
(2009)
Ethiopia
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; theoretically, no compulsory military service, but the
military can conduct call-ups when necessary and compliance is
compulsory (2008)
Fiji
18 years of age for voluntary military service; reserve
obligation to age 45 (2006)
Finland
18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and
female voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service;
service obligation 6-12 months; mandatory retirement at age 60 (2008)
France
17-40 years of age for male or female voluntary military
service; no conscription; 12-month service obligation; women serve
in noncombat military posts (2008)
Gabon
20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service
(2007)
Gambia, The
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Georgia
18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active
duty military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months
(2005)
Germany
18 years of age (conscripts serve a 9-month tour of
compulsory military service) (2004)
Ghana
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Greece
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during
wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year
of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years
of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 1 year for all
services; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2008)
Guatemala
all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable
for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to
24 months; women can serve as officers (2008)
Guinea
18-25 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military
service; 18-month conscript service obligation (2009)
Guinea-Bissau
18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military
service; 16 years of age or younger with parental consent, for
voluntary service (2009)
Guyana
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Honduras
18 years of age for voluntary 2 to 3-year military service
(2004)
Hungary
18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription; 6-month service obligation (2008)
India
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription; women officers allowed in noncombat roles only (2008)
Indonesia
18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary
military service; 2-year conscript service obligation, with reserve
obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2008)
Iran
19 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15
years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript
military service obligation - 18 months; women exempt from military
service (2008)
Iraq
18-49 years of age for voluntary military service (2008)
Ireland
17-25 years of age for male or female voluntary military
service (17-27 years of age for the Naval Service); enlistees 16
years of age can be recruited for apprentice specialist positions;
maximum obligation 12 years; 17-35 years of age for the Reserve
Defense Forces; EU citizenship or 5-year residence in Ireland
required (2008)
Israel
18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary
(Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are
obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36
months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for
officers; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) (2008)
Italy
18-27 year of age for voluntary military service; conscription
abolished January 2005; women may serve in any military branch;
10-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 45
(Army and Air Force) or 39 (Navy) (2006)
Jamaica
18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger
recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)
Japan
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Jordan
17 years of age for voluntary military service; male
conscription at age 18 - suspended in 1999 - resurrected in July
2007 in order to provide youth training necessary for job market
needs; all males under age 37 are required to register; women not
subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat
military positions in the Royal Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps
(2009)
Kazakhstan
18 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers
NA (2004)
Kenya
18 years of age (est.) for voluntary service, with a 9-year
obligation (2007)
Korea, North
17 years of age (2004)
Korea, South
20-30 years of age for compulsory military service,
with middle school education required; conscript service obligation
- 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved (to be
reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18-26 years of age for
voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted
to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from
artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women
serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of
all officers (2008)
Kuwait
18-30 years of age for compulsory and 18-25 years of age for
voluntary military service; women age 18-30 may be subject to
compulsory military service; conscription suspended in 2001 (2009)
Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)
Laos
15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum
18-month conscript service obligation (2006)
Latvia
18 years of age for voluntary male and female military
service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law,
every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life
(2009)
Lebanon
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2007)
Lesotho
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Liberia
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Libya
17 years of age (2004)
Lithuania
19-26 years of age for compulsory military service; 18
years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation;
male registration required at age 16 (2009)
Luxembourg
17-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military
service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with
peacekeeping missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU
citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2008)
Macedonia
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2007)
Madagascar
18-25 years of age for male-only compulsory military
service; 18-month conscript service obligation (either military or
equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National
Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military
experience) (2008)
Malawi
18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard
obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service
(2007)
Malaysia
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)
Maldives
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Mali
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years (2008)
Malta
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Mauritania
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2
years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in
Air Force and Navy is voluntary (2006)
Mexico
18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for
voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and
Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary
military service (2007)
Moldova
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of
age for voluntary service; male registration required at age 16;
12-month service obligation (2009)
Mongolia
18-25 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 12 months in land or air defense
forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5
percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed
overseas for military operations (2006)
Montenegro
compulsory national military service abolished August 2006
Morocco
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)
Mozambique
19-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 18
years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation (2009)
Namibia
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2008)
Nepal
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of
age for military training; no conscription (2008)
Netherlands
20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)
Netherlands Antilles
16 years of age for National Guard recruitment;
no conscription (2004)
New Zealand
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2008)
Nicaragua
17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of
duty 18-36 months (2008)
Niger
17-21 years of age for selective compulsory or voluntary
military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried;
2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2009)
Nigeria
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)