Countries With Mandatory Military Service 2022

Armed forces are present in the majority of countries across the globe. There is a wide variation in the strategies used to recruit new military members in different countries. The following are the primary techniques of recruiting:

Citizens may opt to join the military and make it their employer, or make it a profession, by voluntarily signing up for military service. Often considered the most desirable and socially acceptable approach to sustaining an army.

Mandatory military service is making headlines.

Men (and occasionally women) above a particular age are required by law to serve in the armed forces for a certain period (usually 1-3 years). Typically used by the military in necessity or by despotic dictators.

Draft or Conscription refers to a variation on mandatory military service in which all males in a particular age range (typically 18-35 years old) must register as eligible for military service. Still, there is no guarantee that they will be called to active duty at any time, especially during peacetime.

In many conscription systems, recruits are chosen randomly or via a lottery. On the other hand, selective compulsive systems only call in people specifically needed to fill a need in the workforce (for instance, medical personnel, mechanics, or pilots).

Compulsory de jure service is the least taxing option available. Although the law mandates military duty, it is seldom, if ever, really implemented. Men in the United States aged 18-25 must still register with Selective Duty, which means they might be recruited into military service if necessary.

However, because of many voluntary enlistees, the draft hasn’t been utilized in the United States since 1973. (during the Vietnam War). Similarly, Chinese men between 18 and 22 must sign up for 24-month military service, although there are so many volunteers that no draft of conscripts has ever been held.

Combinations — Several countries use a combination of systems. A de jure conscription system (the Selective Service) is in place for emergencies in the United States, which depends on voluntary enrollment.

Less than 1% of American citizens serve in the military, although the United States spends the most on defense. Selective service is on the approach of oblivion. Therefore those Americans who were astonished to hear that it still exists might take solace.

Also See: Drinking Age by Country 2022

In December 2019, the House of Representatives presented House resolution H.R. 5492, which would eliminate the Selective Service. However, as of November 2021, it was still in limbo.

Korean musicians like K-pop group BTS, who will soon be required to leave the group to fulfill their country’s military obligations, may postpone their 18-21 month military duty until they are 30 after South Korea’s mandatory conscription legislation was revised in 2020.

Countries where military service is obligatory:

• Algeria — 12 months for males aged 19-30
• Angola — 24 months for males aged 20-45
• Argentina — De jure – Conscription suspended, but government is authorized to reinstate if necessary
• Armenia — 24 months for males aged 18-27
• Austria — 6-9 months for males aged 18-50
• Azerbaijan — 12-18 months for men aged 18-25
• Belarus — 12-36 months for men aged 18-27
• Belize — De jure – Conscription legal, but has never been needed
• Benin — 18 months selective compulsory for males and females aged 18-35
• Bhutan — Training required for males aged 20-25, but full enlistment is voluntary
• Bolivia — 12-24 months for males aged 18-22
• Brazil — 10-12 months for males aged 18-45, but only 5-10% are actually required to serve
• Cambodia — 18 months for males aged 18-30
• Cape Verde/Cabo Verde — 24 months selective compulsory for males and females aged 18-35
• Chad — 36 months for males age 20, 12 months for females age 21 (females can opt for civic service)
• Chile — 12-22 months selective compulsory service for males 18-45, but conscription is rarely needed
• China — De jure – Conscription of males aged 18-22 for 24 months service is legal but has never been needed
• Columbia — 18 months for males aged 18-24
• Congo (Democratic Republic of) — Conscription of citizens aged 18-45 is legal, but degree of usage is unclear
• Cuba — 24 months for males aged 17-28
• Cyprus — 14 months in National Guard for males aged 18-50
• Denmark — 4-12 months training for men at age 18, eligible for active conscription until age 50
• Egypt — 18-36 months plus 9 years reserve for males aged 18-30
• El Salvador — 11-12 months selective compulsory for males at age 18
• Equatorial Guinea — 24 months selective compulsory for citizens at age 18
• Eritrea — 18 months for males and females aged 18-40 – service obligation may be extended indefinitely
• Estonia — 8-11 months for males aged 18-27
• Ethiopia — De jure – No ongoing conscription, but military has authority to conduct compulsory draft if necessary
• Finland — 6-12 months for males at age 18, reserves until age 60
• Georgia — 12 months for males aged 18-27
• Greece — 9-12 months for males aged 19-45
• Guatemala — 12-24 months selective conscription service for males aged 17-21, though conscription is rare in practice
• Guinea-Bissau — 24 months selective compulsory for males and females aged 18-25
• Indonesia — De jure – Selective conscription of 18-24 months service for males at age 18 is authorized, but not currently utilized
• Iran — 18-24 months for males at age 18
• Israel — 24-48 months (9 years for pilots) for males and females at age 18
• Ivory Coast/Cote d’Ivoire — De jure – Selective conscription of males and females aged 18-25 is authorized, but not currently utilized
• Jordan — 12 months for unemployed males aged 25-29
• Kazakhstan — 12-24 months for males aged 18-27 – may be abolished soon
• Kuwait — 12 months for males aged 18-35
• Kyrgyzstan — 9-12 months for males aged 18-27
• Laos — 18 months for males at age 18
• Lithuania — 9 months for males aged 19-26
• Mali — 24 months selective compulsory for men and women at age 18
• Mexico — 12 months for lottery-selected males at age 18, eligible as reserves until 40
• Moldova — 12 months for males aged 18-27 – may be abolished soon
• Mongolia — 12-24 months for males aged 18-27, eligible as reserves until 45
• Morocco — 12 months for males and females at age 19
• Mozambique — 24 months selective compulsory for males and females aged 18-35
• Myanmar(Burma) — De jure – Law reauthorizing conscription passed in 2010, but hasn’t gone into effect

• Niger — 24 months selective compulsory for unmarried males and females at age 18
• North Korea — 10 years for males and 5 years for females at age 17
• Norway — 19 months (12 months plus 4-5 refreshers) for males and females aged 19-35. However, more than 80% are released from service.
• Paraguay — 12-24 months for males at age 18
• Portugal — De jure – Conscription is legally authorized, but not currently utilized
• Qatar — 4-12 months for males aged 18-35
• Russia — 12 months for males aged 18-27, reserves to age 50. May end conscription in near future.
• San Marino — De jure – No organized conscription, but military can draft citizens aged 16-60 to serve if need arises
• Sao Tome and Principe — (Limited information) De jure – Conscription authorized for citizens at age 18, but is apparently unenforced
• Senegal — 24 months selective compulsory service for males and possibly females at age 20
• Singapore — 24 months for males aged 18-21, reserves to age 40 (enlisted) or 50 (officers)
• Slovakia — De jure – Conscription in peacetime suspended in 2004, but could be reinstated in event of war
• Somalia — De jure – Conscription of males aged 18-40 and females aged 18-30 is authorized, but not currently utilized
• South Korea — 21-24 months for males aged 18-28 (scheduled to decrease to 18-22 months sometime in 2022)
• South Sudan — 12-24 months at age 18
• Spain — De jure – Conscription abolished in 2001, but government can draft citizens aged 19-25 in case of national emergency
• Sudan — 12-24 months for males and females aged 18-33
• Sweden — 7.5-15 months for males and females at age 18, eligible as reserves until age 47; however, only a portion of those who register are selected for service
• Switzerland — 245 days (18 weeks training + six 19-day recalls) for males aged 18-30
• Syria — 18 months for males aged 18-42
• Taiwan — 4 months for males aged 18-36 plus up to four 20-day training recalls
• Tajikistan — 24 months for males aged 18-27, an exemption can be purchased.
• Tanzania — (Limited information) No military conscription, but selective conscription for 24 months public service is authorized. Current enforcement levels are unclear.
• Thailand — 24 months for lottery-chosen males at age 21
• Timor Leste — (Limited information) Conscription authorized for males and females aged 18-30 for 18 months of service, but current level of implementation is unclear
• Tunisia — 12 months for ages 20-35
• Turkey — 6-12 months for males at age 20, an exemption can be purchased after 1 month of training
• Turkmenistan — 24-30 months for males aged 18-30
• Ukraine — 12-24 months for ages 20-27 – may be abolished soon
• United Arab Emirates — 16-24 months for males aged 18-30
• United States — De jure – The United States military has been all-volunteer since 1973. But an act of Congress could still reinstate the draft in case of a national emergency.
• Uruguay — De jure – Conscription currently inactive, but government is authorized to activate conscription in case of national emergency
• Uzbekistan — 12 months for males aged 18-27, shortened (1-month) term can be purchased, though purchaser will remain as reserve until age 27
• Venezuela — Forcible recruitment forbidden, but citizens aged 18-50 must register for possible 12 months military training and service. Those who cannot demonstrate compliance forfeit significant government benefits
• Vietnam — 24-36 months for males aged 18-27 (females eligible, but are not drafted)