List of naval forces operated by countries that do not have a coastline
A landlocked navy is a naval force operated by a country that
does not have a coastline. While these states are unable to develop a sea-going,
blue-water navy, they may still deploy armed forces on major lakes or rivers. Such forces are often referred to as
brown-water navies.
There are several reasons a landlocked country may choose to maintain a navy. If a river or lake forms a national border, countries may feel the need to protect and patrol that border with a military force. In some regions, roads may be unreliable or circuitous, and a river or lake may be the easiest way to move military forces around the country. Sometimes, possession of a body of water may actually be contested – for example, countries around the landlocked
Caspian Sea have different views of how ownership should be divided.
Patrol boats of various types are the most common craft among landlocked navies. Some landlocked navies possess troop or vehicle transports, allowing ground forces to cross or travel along a lake or river.
The operation of military forces in lakes and rivers is not limited to landlocked countries. Many states maintain these forces in addition to their seagoing navy. They may be part of the same organisation (e.g. the Russian
Caspian Flotilla) or not (e.g.
U.S. Coast Guard).
Landlocked countries maintaining a separate naval force
Azerbaijan – Although Azerbaijan borders the
Caspian Sea, the Caspian Sea is not connected to any ocean by natural waterway;[1] most authorities thus regard the country as landlocked. The
Azerbaijani Navy operates on the Caspian Sea. In 2003, the
RussianVolga–Don Canal was used to deliver a
cutter gifted by the US government to the Azerbaijani Navy.[2]
Bolivia – Bolivia lost access to the
Pacific Ocean during the 1879
War of the Pacific. In 1963, the Bolivian government established a freshwater force (Fuerza Fluvial y Lacustre) to patrol
Lake Titicaca and Bolivia's larger rivers, consisting of four American-purchased patrol boats and 1,800 personnel recruited from the army. This naval force, renamed the Bolivian Naval Force in 1966, reached a strength of 5,000 personnel in 2008. It also had a naval unit permanently deployed in the
Argentine city of
Rosario.[3] To Bolivians, the
Bolivian Navy serves as a symbol that the country has not given up on regaining its lost access to the sea.
Kazakhstan,
Turkmenistan – Although both countries border the
Caspian Sea, the Caspian is not connected to any ocean by natural waterway.[1] By some definitions, this makes the two countries landlocked. Both
Kazakhstan and
Turkmenistan operate small navies on the Caspian Sea.
Laos – The
Lao People's Navy operates vessels on the
Mekong River, a major feature of the country's geography. Because the Mekong makes up a considerable portion of the Laotian border, the Navy is significantly involved in border control work. It is believed to operate two or three dozen small patrol boats.
Paraguay – The
Paraguayan Navy has around a dozen vessels and several thousand personnel. It operates on the country's major rivers, notably the
Paraguay River and the
Paraná River. Vessels could reach the open sea by traveling downriver through
Argentina. The Paraguayan Navy served in the
Paraguayan War and in the
Chaco War.
Landlocked countries with non-independent maritime units
Other countries operate water-based military forces without actually establishing an independent navy—instead, responsibility may be given to a branch of a different service.
Hungary – has one of the heaviest and most qualified warship battalions in
East-Central Europe; only Hungary[clarification needed] operates river-based military forces of the surrounding
NATO members with the exception of Romania. The Home Defence Pyrotechnician and Warship Battalion of the
Hungarian Defence Forces is based in
Újpest Port, on the River
Danube, in
Budapest. In the 2000s, the army bought new
minesweepers and restored or retired the old ones. On
national holidays warships sail along the River Danube in Budapest.[4][5][6]
^
abThe Caspian is connected to the Black Sea via the Volga and Don rivers and a linking 60 km canal that is navigable by seagoing vessels of up to 5,000 gross tons
List of naval forces operated by countries that do not have a coastline
A landlocked navy is a naval force operated by a country that
does not have a coastline. While these states are unable to develop a sea-going,
blue-water navy, they may still deploy armed forces on major lakes or rivers. Such forces are often referred to as
brown-water navies.
There are several reasons a landlocked country may choose to maintain a navy. If a river or lake forms a national border, countries may feel the need to protect and patrol that border with a military force. In some regions, roads may be unreliable or circuitous, and a river or lake may be the easiest way to move military forces around the country. Sometimes, possession of a body of water may actually be contested – for example, countries around the landlocked
Caspian Sea have different views of how ownership should be divided.
Patrol boats of various types are the most common craft among landlocked navies. Some landlocked navies possess troop or vehicle transports, allowing ground forces to cross or travel along a lake or river.
The operation of military forces in lakes and rivers is not limited to landlocked countries. Many states maintain these forces in addition to their seagoing navy. They may be part of the same organisation (e.g. the Russian
Caspian Flotilla) or not (e.g.
U.S. Coast Guard).
Landlocked countries maintaining a separate naval force
Azerbaijan – Although Azerbaijan borders the
Caspian Sea, the Caspian Sea is not connected to any ocean by natural waterway;[1] most authorities thus regard the country as landlocked. The
Azerbaijani Navy operates on the Caspian Sea. In 2003, the
RussianVolga–Don Canal was used to deliver a
cutter gifted by the US government to the Azerbaijani Navy.[2]
Bolivia – Bolivia lost access to the
Pacific Ocean during the 1879
War of the Pacific. In 1963, the Bolivian government established a freshwater force (Fuerza Fluvial y Lacustre) to patrol
Lake Titicaca and Bolivia's larger rivers, consisting of four American-purchased patrol boats and 1,800 personnel recruited from the army. This naval force, renamed the Bolivian Naval Force in 1966, reached a strength of 5,000 personnel in 2008. It also had a naval unit permanently deployed in the
Argentine city of
Rosario.[3] To Bolivians, the
Bolivian Navy serves as a symbol that the country has not given up on regaining its lost access to the sea.
Kazakhstan,
Turkmenistan – Although both countries border the
Caspian Sea, the Caspian is not connected to any ocean by natural waterway.[1] By some definitions, this makes the two countries landlocked. Both
Kazakhstan and
Turkmenistan operate small navies on the Caspian Sea.
Laos – The
Lao People's Navy operates vessels on the
Mekong River, a major feature of the country's geography. Because the Mekong makes up a considerable portion of the Laotian border, the Navy is significantly involved in border control work. It is believed to operate two or three dozen small patrol boats.
Paraguay – The
Paraguayan Navy has around a dozen vessels and several thousand personnel. It operates on the country's major rivers, notably the
Paraguay River and the
Paraná River. Vessels could reach the open sea by traveling downriver through
Argentina. The Paraguayan Navy served in the
Paraguayan War and in the
Chaco War.
Landlocked countries with non-independent maritime units
Other countries operate water-based military forces without actually establishing an independent navy—instead, responsibility may be given to a branch of a different service.
Hungary – has one of the heaviest and most qualified warship battalions in
East-Central Europe; only Hungary[clarification needed] operates river-based military forces of the surrounding
NATO members with the exception of Romania. The Home Defence Pyrotechnician and Warship Battalion of the
Hungarian Defence Forces is based in
Újpest Port, on the River
Danube, in
Budapest. In the 2000s, the army bought new
minesweepers and restored or retired the old ones. On
national holidays warships sail along the River Danube in Budapest.[4][5][6]
^
abThe Caspian is connected to the Black Sea via the Volga and Don rivers and a linking 60 km canal that is navigable by seagoing vessels of up to 5,000 gross tons