Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito de Boliviano, EB), Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB, includes Marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB); Ministry of Interior: National Police (Policía Nacional de Bolivia, PNB; includes Anti-Narcotics Special Forces (Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico, FELCN) and other paramilitary units (2021)
Armed Forces of Chile (Fuerzas Armadas de Chile): Chilean Army (Ejército de Chile), Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes marine units and coast guard or Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh); Ministry of Interior: Carabineros de Chile (National Police Force) (2021)
note: Carabineros de Chile are responsible to both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior
Military service age and obligation
compulsory for all men between the ages of 18 and 22; men can volunteer from the age of 16, women from 18; service is for one year; Search and Rescue service can be substituted for citizens who have reached the age of compulsory military service; duration of this service is 2 years (2019)
18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service, although the right to compulsory recruitment of males 18-45 is retained; service obligation is 12 months for Army and 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.4% of GDP (2019)
1.5% of GDP (2018)
1.5% of GDP (2017)
1.6% of GDP (2016)
1.6% of GDP (2015)
1.8% of GDP (2019)
1.9% of GDP (2018)
2% of GDP (2017)
2% of GDP (2016)
2% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 40,000 active troops (27,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force); note - a considerable portion of the Navy personnel are marines and naval police (2021)
the Armed Forces of Chile have approximately 80,000 active personnel (45,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Bolivian Armed Forces are equipped with a mix of mostly older Brazilian, Chinese, European, and US equipment; since 2010, China and France are the leading suppliers of military hardware to Bolivia (2020)
the Chilean military inventory is comprised of a wide mix of mostly Western equipment and some domestically-produced systems; since 2010, it has received military hardware from nearly 15 countries, with Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US as the leading suppliers; Chile's defense industry has capabilities in military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2020)