Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerza de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire); Ministry of Interior: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil; includes paramilitary units) (2021)
Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Air Wing; Belize Coast Guard (independent from the BDF, but under the Ministry of Defense) (2021)
Military service age and obligation
all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are eligible for military service; in practice, most of the force is volunteer, however, a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 1 to 2 years; women can serve as officers (2019)
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; initial service obligation 12 years (2012)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.4% of GDP (2019)
0.4% of GDP (2018)
0.4% of GDP (2017)
0.4% of GDP (2016)
0.4% of GDP (2015)
1.2% of GDP (2019)
1.2% of GDP (2018)
1.3% of GDP (2017)
1.3% of GDP (2016)
1.2% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 21,500 active personnel (19,000 Land Forces; 1,500 Naval Forces; 1,000 Air Forces); approximately 30,000 National Civil Police (2021)
the Belize Defense Force (BDF) has approximately 1,300 active personnel; approximately 300 Belize Coast Guard (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Guatemalan military inventory is small and mostly comprised of older US equipment; since 2010, Guatemala has received small amounts of equipment from Canada, Colombia, Spain, Taiwan, and the US (2020)
the BDF's inventory is limited and consists mostly of UK- and US-origin equipment (2020)
