Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Republic of Colombia Navy (Armada Republica de Colombia, ARC; includes Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC); Colombian National Police (civilian force that is part of the Ministry of Defense) (2021)
no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security: the Panama National Police (La Policía Nacional de Panamá, PNP), National Air-Naval Service (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval, SENAN), National Border Service (Servicio Nacional de Fronteras, SENAFRONT) (2021)
note: on 10 February 1990, the government of then President Guillermo ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's National Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external aggression"
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2019)
3.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2017)
3.1% of GDP (2016)
1.2% of GDP (2017)
1.3% of GDP (2016)
1.2% of GDP (2015)
1.3% of GDP (2014)
1.4% of GDP (2013)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Military Forces of Colombia (FMC) have approximately 295,000 total active troops (235,000 Army; 45,000 Navy, including about 22,000 marines; 14,000 Air Force); approximately 185,000 Colombian National Police (2021)
approximately 20,000 National Police; 4,000 National Border Service; 3,000 National Air-Naval Service (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Colombian military inventory includes a wide mix of equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Canada, Europe, Israel, South Korea, and the US; Germany, Israel, and the US are the leading suppliers of military hardware since 2010; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2020)
Panama's security forces are lightly armed; Canada, Italy and the US have provided equipment to the security forces since 2010 (2020)
