Table 17: Length of Service

Relative Lengths of Military and Alternative Service
Alternative Service Introduced Date of changes in duration Military Service (months) Alternative Service (months) Alternative as % of military
Albania 2003   12 12 100
Armenia 2004   24 42 175
      36 (u) 150
Austria pre 1990   8 8 100
  1991 8 10 125
  1994 8 11 138
  1996 8 12 150
Bosnia-Herzegovina:   until 1991:   see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic  
Federation   1992 12 24 (u) 200
1996   12 ? ?
  2002 6 ? ?
  2004 4 6 150
  2006   suspended  
Republika Srpska   1992 18 24 (u) 133
1996   9 12 133
  2001 6 10 167
  2004 4 10 250
  2006   suspended  
Brazil     12 12 (u) 100
Bulgaria

graduates

 1998   9 13.5 150
    6 9 150
Croatia   until 1991:   see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic  
  1992 10 15 150
  2001 6 8 133
Cyprus 1992   26 42 162
Czechoslovakia (until 1992) 1990   18 27 150
  from 1993:   see Czech Republic,  Slovakia  
Czech Republic   until 1992:   see Czechoslovakia  
  1993 12 18 150
  2004   suspended  
Denmark pre 1990   9 9 100
Estonia 1994   8 16 minimum 200
Finland pre 1990   8 16 200
  1993 6 13 217
France pre 1990   12 24 200
1992 10 20 200
2002 suspended
Georgia 1998 18 36 200
Germany pre 1990 1995 10 13 130
2003 9 10 111
2004 9 9 100
Greece 1997 18 36 200
1997 - 2002 12 28 233
6 20 333
3 15 500
2003 12 30 250

reductions based on family circumstances 2003-

 12 23 192
9 17 189
6 11 183
3 5 167
Hungary 1989 18 28 156
1990 12 22 183
1997 9 18 200
2002 6 11 183
2005 suspended
Italy pre 1990 12 18 150
1997 10 10 100
2005 suspended
Kyrgystan

graduates

 2002 18 24 133
12 18 150
Latvia 2002 12 24 200
Lithuania 1996 12 18 150
Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic) until 1991: see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic 9 14 156
2001
2003 6 10 167
Moldova 1991 18 24 133
2002 12 24 200
Mongolia 2002 12 24 200
Norway pre 1990 12 16 133
9 13 144
Poland 1988 24 36 150
1990 18 36 200
1991 18 24 133
1999 12 18 150
2004 10 18 180
  graduates 3 6 200
Portugal pre 1990 1994 4 7 175
2005 suspended
Romania 1996 12 24 200
2003 8 12 150
Russian Federation

graduates

 2004 24 42 175
12 21 175
Serbia-Montenegro until 1991:   see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic
1992 12 24 (u) 200
2003 9 13 144
Slovakia until 1992:   see Czechoslovakia
1993 12 18 150
1995 12 24 200
2000 9 18 200
2004 6 9 150
Slovenia until 1991:   see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic
1992 7 7 100
2005 suspended
Spain 1984 1991 9 13 144
2002 suspended
Sweden pre 1990 7.5 7.5 100
Switzerland 1996 8.5 13 153
Taiwan 2000 22 24 109
Ukraine 1999 18 27 150
Uzbekistan 1992 18 24 133
graduates 12 18 150
2002 12 24 200
9 18 200
Yugoslavian Socialist Federal Republic (until 1991) 1989 12 24 (u) 200
from 1992:  see separate entries

Notes: Durations in bold are those believed to apply at the beginning of 2006.

Durations in italics relate to shorter periods of service for specific groups