A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term maréchaussée () may also be used (e.g., Royal Marechaussee) but is now uncommon.
Although pioneered in France, the concept of a gendarmerie was adopted by several other European nations during the Napoleonic Wars. It remains an integral part of the military establishment in most Francophone states and territories. A somewhat related phenomenon has been the formation of paramilitary units which fall under the authority of civilian police agencies. Since these are not strictly military forces, however, they are not considered gendarmeries. 20 gendarmeries and 1 observer are part of the International Association of Gendarmeries and Police Forces with Military Status (FIEP) as of 2024. 7 EU states are part of the European Gendarmerie Force, with 1 partner and 1 observer.
List of active gendarmeries
Country or territory Image English name Native-language name Notes Algeria National Gendarmerie () Formed in 1962 following Algerian independence and attached to the Ministry of Defence Argentina Argentine National Gendarmerie Formed in 1938, and a member of FIEP Azerbaijan Internal Troops of Azerbaijan Belarus Internal Troops ()() Bosnia and Herzegovina(Republika Srpska) Gendarmerie of Republika Srpska () Bosnia and Herzegovina has two major entity-level ministries of interior, so only Republika Srpska has gendarmerie type unit formed in September 2019. Brazil Military Police Brazilian states have their own gendarmeries. Member of FIEP Bulgaria Gendarmerie (Bulgaria) () Burkina Faso National Gendarmerie Established in 1960 following independence as part of the army, and operates within the Defence Ministry Bhutan Royal Bhutan Police () Cambodia Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia () First formed in 1954 and operated until the Khmer Rouge dictatorship in 1975. Reformed in 1993 with assistance from France. Cameroon National Gendarmerie Formed in 1960, and operates under the Defence Ministry as one of the two primary law enforcement organisations, alongside the Cameroonian National Police Central African Republic Gendarmerie Chad National Gendarmerie Created following independence from France in 1960 Chile Carabineros of Chile Formed in 1903 as part of the army. In 1927 it was merged with the civilian Fiscal Police and Rural Police to create the Carabineros de Chile. Member of FIEP China People's Armed Police () Formed in 1982, the PAP perform military-civilian police duties. The PAP is a component of the Paramilitary forces of China. Comoros Gendarmerie Formed in 1978 Republic of the Congo Initially formed in 1960 following independence before being dissolved and split between the Army and Police in 1970. Restored in 1991 and shares policing duties with the National Police. Controlled by the Defense Ministry Côte d'Ivoire Gendarmerie In 1958 the French Gendarmerie began to supervise the first elements of the Ivorian Republican Guard, before becoming the National Gendarmerie following independence in 1960 Djibouti Djiboutian National Gendarmerie The first French Gendarmes arrived in 1919, following independence in 1977 the Djiboutian Gendarmerie was created and is primarily under the Ministry of Defense. Member of FIEP Dominican Republic Dominican Republic National Police France National Gendarmerie Established in 1791 and member of FIEP and the European Gendarmerie Force Gabon National Gendarmerie Formed in 1960 following independence with Gabonization occurring in 1964. A branch of the Defense Ministry Guinea Gendarmerie Formed following independence in 1958 and shares policing duties with the National Police Guinea-Bissau National Guard Created in 2010 through the merger of several former security agencies. Modeled on the Portuguese National Republican Guard and other similar organizations. Hungary Law Enforcement and Public Safety Service Israel Israel Border Police National Guard of Israel Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Established in 5 May 1979. It is part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces. Iraqi Kurdistan Zeravani () Established in 1997 and has been described as a gendarmerie. Under the operational control of the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Interior, but are part of the Peshmerga armed forces of Iraqi Kurdistan. Italy Corps of Carabineers The Carabinieri is a component of the Italian Armed Forces. Formed in 1814 and a part of the Defence Ministry but coordinated by the Interior Ministry. Member of FIEP and the European Gendarmerie Force Jordan General Directorate of Gendarmerie Established in 2008 and member of FIEP Kazakhstan National Guard of Kazakhstan Established in 2014 on the basis of Kazakhstan Interior Troops Kuwait Kuwait National Guard Member of FIEP Lithuania Public Safety Service Created following independence in 1991 as the Internal Service Unit and reorganised in 2002. Madagascar National Gendarmerie Formed following independence in 1960 and reports to the National Defence Ministry Mali National Gendarmerie Established in 1960 and shares policing duties with the National Police. Administratively controlled by the Ministry of Defence, with operational control shared between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection. Mauritania National Gendarmerie Established in 1960 and part of the Defence Ministry Mexico National Guard The National Guard was created in 2019 by merging the Federal Police (including the National Gendarmerie). Moldova Carabinier Troops Created in 1991 under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. FIEP observer Monaco Prince's Company of Carabiniers The Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers provide an armed support service. Mongolia National Police Agency () Internal Troops of Mongolia Disestablished in 2013, reestablished in 2017 Morocco Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie () Formed in 1957 and with law enforcement primarily in rural areas. Member of FIEP Netherlands Royal Marechaussee Established in 1814, and part of the Ministry of Defence although non-military operations are performed under the Ministry of Justice and Security and Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. Member of FIEP and the European Gendarmerie Force Niger National Gendarmerie Established in 1960 and part of the Defence Ministry Palestine Palestinian National Security Forces () Member of FIEP Pakistan Pakistan Levies Federal Constabulary Poland Military Gendarmerie Created in 1812 and directed by the Ministry of Defence. Member of the European Gendarmerie Force Portugal National Republican Guard Precursor units date back to 1801, with the National Republican Guard created in 1911. In peacetime it responds to the Ministry of Internal Administration, and in wartime the Ministry of National Defence. Member of FIEP and the European Gendarmerie Force Romania Romanian Gendarmerie Formed in 1850 and under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Member of FIEP and the European Gendarmerie Force Qatar Internal Security Force لخويا Established in 2003 as part of the Interior Ministry. Member of FIEP Russia National Guard of Russia (Rosgvardiya) The first Russian gendarmerie units were created in 1817 with the current National Guard established in 2016 containing SOBR, OMON, and the Internal Troops and reporting directly to the President. San Marino Corps of Gendarmerie of San Marino Established in 1824 and member of FIEP Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabian National Guard () Senegal Senegalese Gendarmerie Established in 1962 The Gendarmerie and civilian National Police are the two main law enforcement bodies. It is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Armed Forces. Member of FIEP Serbia Gendarmery () Originally formed in 1860, it was disbanded in 1945 and re-established in 2001. Spain Civil Guard Formed in 1844 with control for functions shared between the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of the Interior and one of the two national Policing bodies. Member of FIEP and the European Gendarmerie Force Taiwan Military Police may be mobilized by prosecutors to investigate civilian crimes Tajikistan Internal Troops Togo National Gendarmerie Created in 1962 and is part of the Ministry of Defense, although may report to the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection for law enforcement. Tunisia National Guard Member of FIEP Turkey Gendarmerie General Command Subordinate to the Turkish Ministry of Interior since 2016. Member of FIEP and observer of the European Gendarmerie Force Turkmenistan Internal Troops Turkmen National Guard Ukraine National Guard () Created 1991 from the Internal Troops of Ukrainian SSR, reverted to old name between 2000 and 2014. Member of FIEP United StatesUnited States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, law enforcement, and military service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the U.S. military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its duties. Uzbekistan Uzbekistan National Guard Vatican City Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City General responsibility for security and public order which encompasses all regular police duties, including border control, crime prevention and investigation, and enforcement of financial and commercial regulations. VietnamMobile Police Command Europe European Gendarmerie Force Formed by seven members of the European Union: France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Spain. The European Gendarmerie Force was created as an intervention force at the service of the EU, the NATO, the UN, the OSCE, or other "ad hoc" alliances. It is characterized by its robustness, and quick deployability, and it specializes in the management of crisis areas. Lithuania is currently a Partner Member, and Turkey has Observer status.
Ranks
List of former gendarmeries