A ministry of defence or defense (see

spelling differences Despite the various English dialects spoken from country to country and within different regions of the same country, there are only slight regional variations in English orthography, the two most notable variations being British and Americ ...

), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in

states State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

where the government is divided into

ministries Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

or departments. Such a department usually includes all branches of the military, and is usually controlled by a defence minister or secretary of defense. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in some the minister is only in charge of general budget matters and procurement of equipment, while in others they are also an integral part of the operational military chain of command. Historically, such departments were referred to as a ministry of war or department of war, although they generally had authority only over the army of a country, with a separate department governing other military branches. Prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, most "ministries of war" were army ministries, while the navy and the air force, if they existed as separate branches, had their own departments. As late as 1953, for example, the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

had a "ministry of war" alongside a "ministry of the navy". The tendency to consolidate and rename these departments, and to coordinate until then mostly separate components of defence (air, land, navy) arose after World War II.

Lists of current ministries of defence

* Ministry of Defence (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Defence (Albania) * Ministry of Defence (Algeria) * Ministry of National Defence and Homeland Veterans (Angola) *

Ministry of Defense (Argentina) The Ministry of Defense (; abbrevriated MINDEF) of Argentina is a ministry of the national executive power that oversees and advises on matters of national defense, including overseeing the Argentine Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defense is o ...

* Ministry of Defence of Armenia *

Department of Defence (Australia) The Department of Defence, also known simply as Defence, is a Government department, department of the Government of Australia, Australian Government that is responsible for administering the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and its related enti ...

* Ministry of Defence (Austria) * Ministry of Defence (Azerbaijan) * Ministry of Defence (Bangladesh) * Ministry of Defence (Belarus) *

Ministry of Defence (Belgium) The Ministry of Defence (, , ), formerly called the Ministry of War and Ministry of National Defence, is the Belgium, Belgian ministry responsible for national defence and the Military of Belgium, Belgian military. Belgium's ministry of defence is r ...

Ministry of Defence (Bosnia and Herzegovina) The Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina () is the governmental department in charge of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and protection of Bosnia and Herzegovina from invasion and threats. History Prior to the creation o ...

* Ministry of Defence and Security (Botswana) * Ministry of Defence (Brazil) *

Ministry of Defence (Brunei) The Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam (), officially abbreviated as MinDef, is a Cabinet of Brunei, cabinet-level Ministries of Brunei, ministry of the Government of Brunei. It is responsible for the national security and its military force ...

Ministry of Defence (Bulgaria) The Ministry of Defence (, ''Ministerstvo na otbranata'') of Bulgaria is the Ministry (government department), ministry charged with regulating the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The current Minister of Defence is Atanas Zapryanov. The present buildin ...

Ministry of National Defence (Cambodia) The Ministry of National Defence (, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ) is charged with supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. It is Cambodia's m ...

Ministry of Defence (Cameroon) The Ministry of Defence () is a ministry of the Government of Cameroon. This ministry is responsible for military and defence of the country. Ministers of Defence * Jean Baptiste Mabaya, 1960-1961 * Sadou Daoudou, 1961-1982 * Abdoulaye Maikano, ...

Department of National Defence (Canada) The Department of National Defence (DND; ) is the department of the Government of Canada which supports the Canadian Armed Forces in its role of defending Canadian national interests domestically and internationally. The department is a civilian ...

Ministry of National Defense (Chile) The Ministry of National Defense () is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of "maintaining the independence and sovereignty" of Chile. It is also charged with planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling and informing ...

* Ministry of National Defense (China) * Ministry of National Defense (Colombia) *

Ministry of Defence (Croatia) The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia ( or MORH) is the ministry in the Government of Croatia which is in charge of the Armed Forces of Croatia, nation's military. It is Croatia's ministry of defence. The ministry was established in ...

* Ministry of Defence (Czech Republic) * Ministry of Defence (Denmark) * Ministry of Defence (Djibouti) * Ministry of National Defense (Ecuador) * Ministry of Defense (Egypt) * Ministry of Defence (Eritrea) * Ministry of Defence (Estonia) * Ministry of Defense (Ethiopia) * Ministry of Defence (Finland) *

Ministry of Armed Forces (France) The Ministry of Armed Forces (, , ) is the ministry of the Government of France in charge of managing the French Armed Forces inside and outside French territory. Its head is the Minister of the Armed Forces. From 1947 until 2017, the Ministry w ...

* Ministry of National Defence (Gabon) * Ministry of Defence of Georgia * Federal Ministry of Defence (Germany) * Ministry of Defence (Ghana) *

Ministry of National Defence (Greece) The Ministry of National Defence (, abbreviated ΥΠΕΘΑ), is the civilian cabinet organisation responsible for managing the Hellenic Armed Forces, the leader of which is, according to the Constitution (Article 45), the President of the ...

Ministry of Defence (Guatemala) The Ministry of National Defence () is the agency of the Guatemalan Politics of Guatemala, government responsible for the budget, training and policy of the military of Guatemala. Based in Guatemala City, the Defence Ministry is highly guarded, an ...

* Ministry of Defence (Haiti) *

Ministry of Defence (India) The Ministry of Defence (MoD) or Raksha Mantralay is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the cerem ...

Ministry of Defense (Indonesia) The Ministry of Defense ( abbreviated ''Kemhan'') is an Indonesian government ministry responsible for the defense of Indonesia. The ministry was formerly known as the Department of Defense (; Dephan) until 2009 when the nomenclature changed ...

* Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (Iran) * Ministry of Defence (Iraq) *

Department of Defence (Ireland) The Department of Defence () is the Department of State (Ireland), department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for preserving peace and security in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and administers the Defence Forces (Ireland), Iris ...

* Ministry of Defense (Israel) * Ministry of Defence (Italy) *

Ministry of Defense (Japan) The is an executive department of the Government of Japan responsible for preserving the peace and independence of Japan, and maintaining the country's national security and the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The ministry is headed by the Mini ...

Ministry of Defence (Jordan) The Ministry of Defence () of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a ministerial mandate in the Government of Jordan responsible for defence of Jordan. It had never been a separate ministerial entity, and since 1970, the Minister of Defence h ...

* Ministry of Defense (Kazakhstan) * Ministry of National Defence (North Korea) *

Ministry of National Defense (South Korea) The Ministry of National Defense (MND, ) is a department within the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and responsible for the military branches of South Korea. History The Ministry of National Defense was established on 15 August 1948 ...

* Ministry of Defence (Kuwait) * Ministry of Defense (Kyrgyzstan) *

Ministry of Defence (Latvia) The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia () is the Latvian government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation of national security and defence policy, and for the overall management and control of related subordinate agenc ...

* Ministry of National Defense (Lebanon) * Ministry of National Defense (Liberia) * Ministry of National Defence (Lithuania) *

Ministry of Defence (Malaysia) The Ministry of Defence (; Jawi script, Jawi: ), abbreviated MINDEF or KEMENTAH, is a ministry (government department), ministry of the Government of Malaysia that is responsible for Defense (military), defence, national security, army, navy, hy ...

* Ministry of Defence (Maldives) * Ministry of Defence (Moldova) * Ministry of Defence (Mongolia) *

Ministry of Defence (Montenegro) The Ministry of Defence of Montenegro (, МОЦГ, MOCG) is the ministry in the Government of Montenegro that is in charge of the Military of Montenegro, nation's military. List of ministers References External linksMontenegrin Ministry of D ...

Ministry of Defence (Myanmar) The Ministry of Defence (; abbreviated MoD) is a government ministry in Myanmar (Burma), responsible for the country's national security and the armed forces (the Tatmadaw). The ministry has the largest share of the national budget among all gov ...

* Ministry of Defence (Namibia) * Ministry of Defence (Nepal) *

Ministry of Defence (Netherlands) The Ministry of Defence (; MinDef) is the Dutch ministry responsible for the armed forces of the Netherlands and veterans' affairs. The ministry was created in 1813 as the Ministry of War and in 1928 was combined with the Ministry of the Navy. ...

* Ministry of Defence (New Zealand) * Ministry of Defence (Nigeria) *

Ministry of Defence (Norway) The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence () is a Norway, Norwegian government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation of national security and defence policy, and for the overall management and control of the activities of subordin ...

* Ministry of Defence (Oman) *

Ministry of Defence (Pakistan) The Ministry of Defence (, abbreviated as MoD) is a ministry of the federal Government of Pakistan, tasked in defending national interests and territorial integrity of Pakistan. The MoD oversees mission execution of its policies and supervises ...

Department of National Defense (Philippines) The Department of National Defense (DND; ) is the Executive Departments of the Philippines, executive department of the Philippine government responsible for guarding against external and internal threats to peace and security in the country. ...

* Ministry of Defence (Peru) *

Ministry of National Defence (Poland) The Ministry of National Defence ( Polish: ''Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej'' '', MON'' ) is a office of government in Poland headed by the Minister of National Defence. It is responsible for the organisation and management of the Polish Armed ...

Ministry of National Defence (Portugal) The Ministry of National Defence ( or ''MDN'') is a Portuguese government ministry, which is responsible for preparing and executing the national defence policy, within the scope of its powers, as well as ensuring and supervising the administrat ...

Ministry of National Defence (Romania) The Ministry of National Defence () is one of the eighteen ministries of the Government of Romania. The current acting Minister of National Defence is Angel Tîlvăr. Ministry The Ministry of National Defence is the specialized body of the ...

Ministry of Defence (Russia) The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (; MOD) is the governing body of the Russian Armed Forces. The President of Russia is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Commander-in-Chief of the forces ...

Ministry of Defence (Rwanda) The Rwandan Ministry of Defence (; ) is in charge of the Rwandan Defence Forces, Rwanda Defence Force. The Minister of Defence is responsible for the conduct and implementation of defence programmes. Affiliated agencies The MOD has affiliated ag ...

* Ministry of National Defence (São Tomé and Príncipe) * Ministry of Defense (Saudi Arabia) *

Ministry of Defence (Serbia) The Ministry of Defence of Serbia, Republic of Serbia () is the Ministry (government department), ministry in the Government of Serbia which is in the charge of defending the Republic of Serbia from internal and external military threats. The curr ...

* Ministry of Defence and National Security (Sierra Leone) *

Ministry of Defence (Singapore) The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF; ; zh, 新加坡國防部; ) is a ministry (government department), ministry under the Government of Singapore responsible for overseeing the National security, national defence of Singapore. History MINDEF, ...

* Ministry of Defence (Slovakia) * Ministry of Defence (Slovenia) *

Ministry of Defence (Somalia) The Ministry of Defence () is charged with co-ordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Somali Armed Forces. The President of Somalia is the Supreme Commander of the Ar ...

* Ministry of Defence (Somaliland) *

Department of Defence (South Africa) The Department of Defence is a department of the South African government. It oversees the South African National Defence Force, the armed forces responsible for defending South Africa. the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans is Angie ...

* Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs (South Sudan) *

Ministry of Defence (Spain) The Ministry of Defence (MINISDEF) is the Spanish government departments, department of the Government of Spain responsible for planning, developing and carrying out the general guidelines of the Government about the defence policy and the managin ...

Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka) The Ministry of Defence ( Sinhala: රාජ්‍ය ආරක්ෂක අමාත්‍යාංශය ''Rājya ārakshaka amāthyanshaya''; Tamil: பாதுகாப்பு அமைச்சகம்) is the cabinet ministry of th ...

Ministry of Defence (Sweden) The Ministry of Defence () is a Ministry (government department), ministry in the Government of Sweden responsible for policies related to Defense (military), national defence and civil defence. The ministry is currently headed by the Minister f ...

* Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (Switzerland) * Ministry of Defense (Syria) * Ministry of Defence (Taiwan) * Ministry of Defence (Tajikistan) * Ministry of Defence and National Service (Tanzania) *

Ministry of Defence (Thailand) The Ministry of Defence (Abbreviation, Abrv: MOD; ; ; It is assumed that the word ''Kalahom'' may directly translate to ''Ministry of Places of Fire Worship''.), is a Cabinet of Thailand, cabinet-level government department of the Kingdom of Tha ...

* Ministry of Defence (Transnistria) * Ministry of Defence (Tunisia) * Ministry of National Defence (Turkey) *

Ministry of Defense (Turkmenistan) The Ministry of Defense of Turkmenistan () is a government agency under the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan which is the executive body in implementing defence policies in Turkmenistan. The current Minister of Defense is Major General Begenç Gün ...

* Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs (Uganda) *

Ministry of Defence (Ukraine) The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine () is the ministry of defence, ministry of the Government of Ukraine, Ukrainian government that oversees national defence and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The head of the ministry is the List of Ministers of De ...

Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) The Ministry of Defence (MOD or MoD) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for implementing the defence policy set by the government and serv ...

* Department of Defense (United States) * Ministry of Defense (Uzbekistan) *

Ministry of Defense (Venezuela) The Venezuelan Ministry of People's Power for Defense () is the federal-level organization responsible for maintaining the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela, Venezuelan armed forces. As of October 2014, this ministry is headed by Gene ...

Ministry of Defence (Vietnam) The Ministry of National Defence (MND; ), alternatively the Ministry of Defence (MoD), fully the Ministry of Defence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (or the Ministry of National Defence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; ), is the gover ...

Ministry of Defence (Zambia) The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is a government institution in Zambia responsible for preserving, protecting and defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Zambia from both internal and external threats.''Zambia: Poverty Reduction Strat ...

* Ministry of Defence (Zimbabwe)

Historical

* Department of Defence (1901–1921) (Australia) * Department of Defence (1921–1939) (Australia) * Department of Defence Co-ordination (Australia, 1939–1942) * Department of Defence Production (Australia, 1951–1958) *

Department of Defence Support The Department of Defence Support was an Australian government department that existed between May 1982 and December 1984. History The department was established by the Fraser government after a recommendation from the Defence Review ...

(Australia, 1982–1984) *

Ministry of Defence (Artsakh) The Ministry of Defence of Artsakh () was a government agency of the unrecognized Republic of Artsakh. It was the executive body in implementing defence policies of the Artsakh Defense Army, Artsakh Defence Army. The final minister of defence wa ...

(1995–2023) *

Ministry of Defence (Czechoslovakia) The Ministry of National Defense of the Czechoslovak Republic (, MNO ČSR; later MNO ČSSR and MNO ČSFR) refers to the defence ministry which was responsible for defense of Czechoslovakia during its existence, from 1918 to 1992. List of minist ...

(1918–1992) *

Ministry of National Defence (East Germany) The Ministry of National Defense ( – ''MfNV'') was the chief administrative arm of the East Germany, East German National People's Army. The MND was modeled on the Ministry of Defense (Soviet Union), Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union. Th ...

(1956–1990) * Ministry of Defence (Republika Srpska) (1992–2005) *

Ministry of Defense (Soviet Union) The Ministry of Defense (Minoboron; ) was a government ministry in the Soviet Union, which supervised the Soviet Armed Forces. The first Minister of Defense was Nikolai Bulganin, starting 1953. History The Ministry of Defence was renamed a nu ...

(1953–1992) * Ministry of Defence (1947–1964) (United Kingdom)

Lists

* List of current defence ministers

References

{{Authority control Defence Defence

Lists of current ministries of defence

Historical

Lists

See also

References