National Guard

Last updated August 24, 2025

National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.

Africa

National Guard (Mauritania)
Tunisian National Guard, a separate military force of Tunisia

Americas

National Guard (Brazil) (1831–1918), a paramilitary militia created to support the Brazilian Army
National Guard (El Salvador) (1912–1992), the Salvadoran gendarmerie
National Guard (Mexico), a gendarmerie created in 2019.
National Guard (Nicaragua) (1925–1979), a militia and gendarmerie created during the occupation by the United States
National Guard (United States), military reserves organized by each of the 50 U.S. states, territories, D.C. and administered by the National Guard Bureau;
- Army National Guard, a reserve force of the United States Army which functions as the ground component of the state-level militia while not in federal service
- Air National Guard, a reserve force of the United States Air Force which functions as the air component of the state-level militia while not in federal service
National Guard (of Panama) (1946–1990) (Guardia Nacional), were the armed forces of the Republic of Panama. Later re-organized as the Panama Defense Forces.
Venezuelan National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Venezuela), the gendarmerie component of the National Armed Forces of Venezuela

Asia

National Guard (Bahrain), a separate military force in Bahrain that serves both as defence force and as a security force
National Guard (Iraq), part of the new Military of Iraq absorbed by the Iraqi Army
National Guard of Israel
National Guard of Kazakhstan
National Guard (Kyrgyzstan), one of the branches of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan
National Security Guard, India
Pakistan National Guard
Kuwait National Guard, an internal and border security force, part of Kuwait Military Forces
National Guard (Pakistan), a paramilitary force mainly charged with border patrols and air defences
Saudi Arabian National Guard, one of the three major branches of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Sri Lanka National Guard, the largest regiment in the Sri Lanka Army
National Guard (Suwayda), a local alliance in Syria
Presidential National Guard, a special operations branch of the Tajik Armed Forces
Turkmen National Guard
Uzbekistan National Guard

Europe

Azerbaijani National Guard, an armed force of the Government of Azerbaijan, and operates as a semi-independent entity
National Guards Unit of Bulgaria, successor of the Personal Cavalry Convoy of Knyaz Alexander I, re-established in 2001
Cypriot National Guard, combined arms military force of the Republic of Cyprus
Home Guard (Denmark), volunteer defense force from after Danish resistance groups from second world war, split into army, air and navy guards.
Estonian Defence League, unified paramilitary armed forces of the Republic of Estonia
White Guard (Finland) (1918–1944), voluntary militia of the "Whites", who opposed the "Reds" in the Finnish Civil War of 1918
National Guard (France), militias formed in each city from the time of the French Revolution to the Paris Commune, re-established after several terrorist attacks in 2016
National Guard of Georgia, a military structure within the Georgian Armed Forces
National Guard (Greece), a military structure within the Hellenic Army
National Guard (Ireland), better known as the Blueshirts, a 1930s political movement in Ireland
National Republican Guard (Italy), (1943–1945), a paramilitary force of the Italian Social Republic
Latvian National Guard, a volunteer paramilitary armed force, part of National Armed Forces of Latvia
National Republican Guard (Portugal), the gendarmerie of Portugal
National Guard of Russia, gendarmerie force of Russia, formed in 2016
National Militia (Spain), 19th century quasi-military force
National Guard of Ukraine, formed 1991–2000 and 2014–current

United Kingdom

Fencibles, c. 1759 – c.1802
Home Guard (United Kingdom), 1940–1944
GHQ Auxiliary Units, 1940–1944
Home Service Force, 1982–1993