Table 5: Military Service Ages (part 2 of 4)

Military service ages
Country Compulsory military training in schools from: Optional school programme towards obligatory military service from: Admission to military training establishments from: Volunteers legally accepted for training from: become fully incorporated in active units Performance of military service optional from: Registration for obligatory military service Call-up for obligatory military service Liability until: Reserve duties until:
Czech Republic     15   18     19 S 28  
Denmark               18 30  
Djibouti       16 18          
Dominican Republic       16            
Ecuador 15                  
Egypt       16       18    
El Salvador       17   16 17   30  
Eritrea             17 18 40/45 50
Estonia             16/17 18/19    
Ethiopia               18 25  
Finland             17/18 19/20 30 50
France     16  17/18 to 40          
Georgia 14             18 27  
Germany       17       18 23  
Guatemala     11         18 30  
Guinea       18       18 25  
Guinea-Bissau       <16       18 25  
Hungary     <17 17     16/17   S 50  
India       16            
Iran       (c)16       18    
Iraq (d)       18            
Ireland       16            
Israel       17     16 18   40/45
Italy       17 18     18 S    
Jamaica       17.5            
Japan       15 18          
Jordan       17            
Kazakhstan 15   15   19          
Korea, Democratic People's Republic 14     16 18     18 24  
Korea, Republic of     16 17   17   18/19    
Kyrgystan (e)   16         18 27  
Latvia             16 19 27 55

Notes:

  • c.Iran - 17 for enrolment into the police
  • d.Iraq - recruitment of post-invasion armed forces
  • e.Kyrgystan - the final two years of secondary education

General Explanations

  • S obligatory military service referred to currently suspended
  • nk precise age not known
  • 16/17 format used when the legislation refers to a calendar year of the seventeenth birthday or in similar circumstances.
  • <18 specific rules (usually of parental permission)  apply the age stated without their being an explicitly stated minimum age
  • ? evidence unclear or ambiguous