Introduction
How is the Military in Colombia and how does it work to maintain Sucity and fight terrorism? In terms of Military and security forces, we have the Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Colombian Aerospace Force (Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana, FAC), Colombian Navy (Armada de Colombia; includes Coast Guard); National Police of Colombia (Policia Nacional de Colombia, PNC) (2025).
In Colombia, the Colombian military is responsible for defending and maintaining the country’s independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity but also has a considerable internal security role, which includes protecting the civilian population, as well as private and state-owned assets, and ensuring a secure environment; the military’s primary focus is the conduct of operations against domestic illegal armed groups, including drug traffickers, several factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) terrorist group, and the insurgent/terrorist group National Liberation Army (ELN); these operations are challenged by difficult topography and long and porous land borders
the Colombian Government signed a peace agreement with the FARC in 2016, but some former members (known as dissidents) have returned to fighting (note - these dissident groups include the US-designated foreign terrorist groups Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army or FARC-EP and Segunda Marquetalia); since 2017, the Colombian Government has had periodic cease-fire and peace discussions with ELN and the FARC dissidents, including a 6-month cease-fire with the ELN in 2023-2024
the military is also focused on the security challenges posed by its neighbor, Venezuela, where instability has attracted narcotics traffickers, and both the ELN and FARC dissidents operate openly; Colombia shares a 1,370-mile (2,200 km) border with Venezuela; ELN and FARC insurgents have also used neighboring Ecuador to rest, resupply, and shelter
Colombia has close security ties with the US, including joint training, military assistance, and designation in 2022 as a Major Non-NATO Ally, which provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense, trade, and security cooperation; it also has close ties with some regional neighbors, such as Argentina, Chile, and Peru; Colombian military and security forces have training programs with their counterparts from a variety of countries, mostly those from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (2024)
the Colombian Government signed a peace agreement with the FARC in 2016, but some former members (known as dissidents) have returned to fighting (note - these dissident groups include the US-designated foreign terrorist groups Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army or FARC-EP and Segunda Marquetalia); since 2017, the Colombian Government has had periodic cease-fire and peace discussions with ELN and the FARC dissidents, including a 6-month cease-fire with the ELN in 2023-2024
the military is also focused on the security challenges posed by its neighbor, Venezuela, where instability has attracted narcotics traffickers, and both the ELN and FARC dissidents operate openly; Colombia shares a 1,370-mile (2,200 km) border with Venezuela; ELN and FARC insurgents have also used neighboring Ecuador to rest, resupply, and shelter
Colombia has close security ties with the US, including joint training, military assistance, and designation in 2022 as a Major Non-NATO Ally, which provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense, trade, and security cooperation; it also has close ties with some regional neighbors, such as Argentina, Chile, and Peru; Colombian military and security forces have training programs with their counterparts from a variety of countries, mostly those from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (2024)
Security and military information of Colombia
| Military and security service personnel strengths | information varies; approximately 260,000 active Military Forces (200,000 Army; 45,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines; 15,000 Air Force); approximately 150,000 National Police (2025) |
|---|---|
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the military's inventory includes a wide mix of equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Canada, Germany, Israel, South Korea, and especially the US; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2024) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-24 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military (and police) service; conscript service obligation is 18 months or 12 months for those with a college degree; conscripted soldiers reportedly include regular soldiers (conscripts without a high school degree), drafted high school graduates (bachilleres), and rural (campesino) soldiers who serve in their home regions (2024). note: the Colombian military first incorporated women in 1976 in administrative positions; women were incorporated as non-commissioned officers in 1983 and officers in 2009; as of 2023, about 6,000 women served in the uniformed military while more than 30,000 served in the National Police |
| Military deployments | 275 Egypt (MFO) (2024). |
| Military expenditures | |
| Military Expenditures 2024 | 3.4% of GDP (2024 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2023 | 3% of GDP (2023 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2022 | 3% of GDP (2022 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2021 | 3.2% of GDP (2021 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2020 | 3.4% of GDP (2020 est.) |
Terrorism
In Colombia, the different Terrorist group(s) inlcude: National Liberation Army (ELN); Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP); Segunda Marquetalia (SM)
All Important Facts about Colombia
Want to know more about Colombia? Check all different factbooks for Colombia below.
