
Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on
amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conduc ...
. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included
raiding ashore (often in support of naval objectives) and the
boarding of vessels during
ship-to-ship combat or capture of
prize ships. Marines also assisted in maintaining security, discipline, and order aboard ships (reflecting the historically
pressed-nature of the rest of the ship's company and the risk of
mutiny
Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military or a crew) to oppose, change, or remove superiors or their orders. The term is commonly used for insubordination by members of the military against an officer or superior, ...
). While maintaining many of their historical roles, in modern times, marines also engage in duties including
rapid-response operations,
humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material and Humanitarian Logistics, logistic assistance, usually in the short-term, to people in need. Among the people in need are the homelessness, homeless, refugees, and victims of natural disasters, wars, and famines. Th ...
,
disaster relief
Emergency management (also Disaster management) is a science and a system charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actu ...
,
special operations roles, and
counter-terrorism operations. In most nations, marines are an integral part of that state's
navy
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
, such as the United Kingdom's
Royal Marines
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
; in some countries their marine forces can instead be part of the
land army, such as the
French Troupes de Marine, or, more uncommonly, a nation’s marine forces may be an
independent military branch such as the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
or the
Ukrainian Marine Corps.
The exact term "marine" is not found in many languages other than English. In French-speaking countries, two terms which could be translated as "marine", but do not translate exactly: (marine troops) and (marine riflemen) and in Portuguese (). The word ''marine'' means "navy" in many European languages such as Dutch, French, German, Italian and Norwegian. “Naval infantry” may also refer to
sailors
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. While the term ''sailor'' ...
forming both temporary and permanent infantry units, such as the British WWI-era
63rd (Royal Naval) Division (an infantry division made-up of
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
sailors and
Royal Marines
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
on a semi-permanent basis) or the Imperial Japanese
Naval Landing Forces (ad-hoc formations of
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, Potsdam Declaration, when it was dissolved followin ...
sailors temporarily pressed into service as infantry).
History

In the early days of
naval warfare
Naval warfare is combat in and on the sea, the ocean, or any other battlespace involving a major body of water such as a large lake or wide river.
The Military, armed forces branch designated for naval warfare is a navy. Naval operations can be ...
, there was little distinction between
sailor
A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. While the term ''sailor'' ...
s and
soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer.
Etymology
The wo ...
s on a
warship
A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is used for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the navy branch of the armed forces of a nation, though they have also been operated by individuals, cooperatives and corporations. As well as b ...
. The
oarsmen of
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...
and
Ancient Roman
In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...
ships had to be capable of fighting the rowers of opposing ships hand-to-hand, though
hoplites began appearing on Greek ships specifically for the boarding of enemy ships.
The
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
was the first to understand the importance of professional soldiers dedicated to melee combat onboard of ships. During the
First Punic War
The First Punic War (264–241 BC) was the first of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. For 23 years, in the longest continuous conflict and grea ...
, Roman crews remained inferior in naval experience to the
Carthaginians and could not hope to match them in naval tactics, which required great fleet maneuverability and tactical experience. The Romans therefore employed a novel weapon which changed sea warfare to their advantage — they equipped their ships with the ''
corvus'', a long pivoting plank with a beak-like spike on the underside for hooking onto enemy ships, possibly developed earlier by the
Syracusans against the
Athenian
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
s during the
Sicilian Expedition
The Sicilian Expedition was an Classical Athens, Athenian military expedition to Sicily, which took place from 415–413 BC during the Peloponnesian War between Classical Athens, Athens on one side and Sparta, Syracuse, Sicily, Syracuse and Co ...
of the
Peloponnesian War
The Second Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), often called simply the Peloponnesian War (), was an Ancient Greece, ancient Greek war fought between Classical Athens, Athens and Sparta and their respective allies for the hegemony of the Ancien ...
. Using it as a boarding bridge, Roman infantrymen were able to invade an enemy ship, transforming sea combat into a version of land combat, where the Roman
legionaries
The ancient Rome, Roman legionary (in Latin ''legionarius''; : ''legionarii'') was a citizen soldier of the Roman army. These soldiers would conquer and defend the territories of ancient Rome during the Crisis of the Roman Republic, Republic and ...
had the upper hand.
[Goldsworthy (2003), p. 38] During the early
Principate
The Principate was the form of imperial government of the Roman Empire from the beginning of the reign of Augustus in 27 BC to the end of the Crisis of the Third Century in AD 284, after which it evolved into the Dominate. The principate was ch ...
, a ship's crew, regardless of its size, was organized as a . Crewmen could sign on as naval infantry (called ), rowers/seamen, craftsmen and various other jobs, though all personnel serving in the imperial fleet were classed as ("soldiers"), regardless of their function; only when differentiation with the army was required, were the adjectives or added. The
Roman Navy's two fleet
legions,
I ''Adiutrix'' and
II ''Adiutrix'', were among the first distinct naval infantry units.
The first organized marine corps was created in Venice by the Doge
Enrico Dandolo when he created the first regiment of ten companies spread on several ships. That corps participated in the conquest of
Byzantium
Byzantium () or Byzantion () was an ancient Greek city in classical antiquity that became known as Constantinople in late antiquity and Istanbul today. The Greek name ''Byzantion'' and its Latinization ''Byzantium'' continued to be used as a n ...
(1203–1204), later officially called "Fanti da Mar" (sea infantry) in 1550., Venice also had dedicated naval expeditionary corps of naval infantry recruited primarily from
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...
from the local population called the
Oltremarini (overseas troops)
Later,
Spanish King
Carlos I assigned the naval infantry of the (
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
Sea Old Companies) to the Escuadras de Galeras del Mediterráneo (
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
Galley
A galley is a type of ship optimised for propulsion by oars. Galleys were historically used for naval warfare, warfare, Maritime transport, trade, and piracy mostly in the seas surrounding Europe. It developed in the Mediterranean world during ...
Squadrons) in 1537, progenitors of the current
Spanish Navy Marines (Infantería de Marina) corps, making them the oldest marine corps still in active service in the world.
Etymology and translations

The English noun ''marine'' is from the adjective ''marine'', meaning "of the sea", via
French ("of the sea") from
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
("of the sea") itself from mare ("sea"), from Proto-Indo-European ''*móri'' ("body of water, lake") (cognate with Old English ''mere'' ("sea, lake"), Dutch , German , all from Proto-Germanic ''*mari'').
The word ''marine'' was originally used for the marine-type forces of
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
; however, the word ''marine'' or ''marina'' means "navy" in many European languages, including Dutch, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Danish, and Norwegian.
Because of this, exact one-word translations for the English term "marines" do not exist in many other languages (with the notable exception of the Dutch word ). This can lead to misunderstandings when translating. Marine forces in non-English speaking countries typically have names that translate in English to ''naval infantry'' or ''coastal infantry''. In
French-speaking countries, two phrases exist which could be translated as marine, "" and ""; similar phrases exist elsewhere, e.g., in
Portuguese .
Roles
The principal role of marine troops is military operations in the
littoral zone
The littoral zone, also called litoral or nearshore, is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal ecology, the littoral zone includes the intertidal zone extending from the high water mark (which is rarely flood ...
; operating from ships, they are trained to land on and secure key points to around 85 km (about ) inland, or as far as ship borne logistics can provide.
Marine units primarily deploy from warships using
boat
A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats.
Small boats are typically used on inland waterways s ...
s,
landing craft,
hovercraft,
amphibious vehicle
An amphibious vehicle (or simply amphibian) is a vehicle that works both on land and on or under water. Amphibious vehicles include amphibious Amphibious cycle, bicycles, Amphibious ATV, ATVs, Amphibious automobile, cars, Duckboats, buses, truc ...
s or
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
s. Specialist units are also trained in
combat diving/combat swimming and parachuting.
As well as amphibious operations, marine troops are used in a variety of other, naval roles. Stationed at naval bases or forming marine detachments on board naval ships, they also conduct small scale raiding,
maritime boarding operations, security of naval vessels and bases,
riverine and coastal missions, mess duty, and field day operations.
In addition to their primary roles, they perform other tasks, including special operations and
land warfare, separate from naval operations; ceremonial duties and other miscellaneous tasks as directed by their governments.
By country
Algeria
The
Marine Fusilier Regiments are the marine infantry regiments of the
Algerian Navy and they are specialised in
amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conduc ...
.
The RFM have about 7000 soldiers in their ranks. Established in 1985.
Argentina
The
Argentine Marine Corps ( or IMARA) is a part of the
Argentine Navy. Argentine marines have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the navy, although enlisted personnel have their own parade uniform. The Argentine Marine Corps dates from 1827 when a single infantry battalion was raised. This was expanded in 1880, but seven years later, the corps was merged with the existing coast artillery, to form a Naval Artillery Regiment. A series of reorganizations followed until responsibility for coastal defense was passed to the Argentine Army in 1898. Between 1935 and 1938 the marines reappeared in the form of five battalions of Marine Infantry, serving both on board ship and in coastal defense fortifications. In 1968, the Infantería de Marina was reorganized as a separate corps within the Navy.
Australia
The marine and naval infantry designations are not applied to
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
units, although some
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
units specialise in amphibious warfare, including
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment which has provided an amphibious light infantry role from 2012.
Bahamas
The
Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) is the navy of The Bahamas. Since the Bahamas does not have an army or an air force, its navy composes the entirety of its armed forces. The RBDF Commando Squadron is a sizable force of 500 Special Marine Commandos.
Bangladesh
The Special warfare Driving and Salvage (
SWADS) is special operations force of the
Bangladesh Navy. SWADS is trained for the role of naval infantry and it consists of elite soldiers specially chosen form the national armed forces branches. They receive special training in the United States.
Bolivia
Even though Bolivia is landlocked, Bolivian politics have always aspired to regain its coastline from
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, after losing access to the Pacific coast in the
1879-1880 war with Chile. Because of that, Bolivia still maintains a naval force. The
Bolivian Naval Force includes about 2,000 naval infantry personnel and marines. These are organized into seven small battalions.
Brazil
The
Corps of Naval Fusiliers () is subordinate to the
Brazilian Navy. The marine corps is composed of an operational brigade and some guard and ceremonial duty battalions. The main unit is the brigade-sized (Amphibious Division). Officers´ ranks and titles are the same as for the rest of the Navy, although officers wear a star above the stripes, instead of the loop worn by surface officers.
Cambodia
During the 1970-75
Cambodian Civil War the
Cambodian Marine Corps were active but were effectively disbanded by the end of the
Cambodian–Vietnamese War
The Cambodian–Vietnamese War was an armed conflict between Democratic Kampuchea, controlled by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, and the Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It began in December 1978, with a Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia which to ...
. The
Royal Cambodian Navy created a force of 2,000
marines
Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included Raid (military), raiding ashor ...
in 2007 known as the 31st Naval Infantry Brigade
Canada
Canada had a history of participating in amphibious operations such as the
Normandy landings
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...
and the
Allied invasion of Sicily. Even though Canada does not have a marine corps, it has units that can carry out Marines-type operations, such as an amphibious-operations trained company of the 3rd Battalion of the
Royal 22nd Regiment,
JTF2 that specializes in
combat diving and
amphibious reconnaissance, the
Naval Tactical Operations Group that specializes in unopposed
maritime interdiction, and the
Naval Security Team that can provide
force protection
Force protection (FP) is the concept of protecting military personnel, family members, civilians, facilities, equipment and operations from threats or hazards in order to preserve operational effectiveness and contribute to mission success. It ...
for amphibious forces.
Several authors have written a number of articles in various Canadian professional military journals since 2019 proposing/discussing the creation of a Canadian Arctic amphibious capability, including the adaption of one to three Canadian Army infantry battalions to provide the required landing forces.
Chile
The
Chilean Marine Corps is a branch of the
Chilean Navy. Specialized in amphibious assaults, the corps is built around four detachments based along Chile's long coasts at Viña del Mar, Talcahuano, Punta Arenas, and Iquique. There are also a number of independent companies and platoons, for security protection at naval bases, other shore installations and the Ministry of Defense. The Viña del Mar and Talcahuano detachments contribute to the Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade (Brigada Anfibia Expedicionaria). There is as a group of Marine Infantry commandos (Grupo de Comandos IM), which together with the group of naval tactical divers (Agrupación de Buzos Tácticos) are part of the Navy's Special Operations Command (Comando de Operaciones Especiales).
China

The
People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps (PLANMC) is a service branch of the
PRC navy and is therefore under the command of the PLAN Headquarters. The PLANMC are divided into six brigades. The majority of the PLANMC's personnel is based in the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
.
Colombia
The
Colombian Marine Corps is a part of the
Colombian Navy. The modern marine corps dates from the establishment of two rifle companies in 1936. While remaining a small force, the corps saw service during the civil war between Conservatives and Liberals of 1946–58 and provided volunteers for service in the
Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
. By the 1960s it had been expanded to a battalion of marine infantry plus five independent companies.
Croatia
Croatian Navy formed naval infantry companies during the
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence) and (rarely) "War in Krajina" ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Рат у Крајини, Rat u Krajini) are used. was an armed conflict fought in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 between Croats, Croat forces loyal to the Governmen ...
(1991–5), esp. on islands (
Hvar: Zvir Company,
Korčula: Mixed Detachment etc.) and one in
Pula
Pula, also known as Pola, is the largest city in Istria County, west Croatia, and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istria, Istrian peninsula in western Croatia, wi ...
(Vanga Company, saw action in relieving
Siege of Dubrovnik and in
Operation Maslenica). As they were all dissolved during 2000s, a new naval infantry company, ~160-strong () was formed again in 2018 as a part of the Navy Flotilla and is located in
Ploče.
Cuba
The
Cuban Revolutionary Navy ( or MGR) maintains a small marine battalion called the
Desembarco de Granma.
Denmark
The
Guard Hussar Regiment ( or GHR) maintains a marine squadron (only by name) which is the Marine Squadron or 4th Training Squadron based in
Almegårds Kaserne on the Baltic island
Bornholm
Bornholm () is a List of islands of Denmark, Danish island in the Baltic Sea, to the east of the rest of Denmark, south of Sweden, northeast of Germany and north of Poland.
Strategically located, Bornholm has been fought over for centuries. I ...
. The squadron is a part of the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion and trains
conscripts.
Ecuador
The
Ecuadorian Navy maintains a
Naval Infantry Corps () headquartered in
Guayaquil
Guayaquil (), officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest city in Ecuador and also the nation's economic capital and main port. The city is the capital (political), capital of Guayas Province and the seat of Guayaquil Canton. The city is ...
. Formed on 12 November 1962, it is organised into two security battalions, one in the Amazon River area and the other on the Pacific coast. There is also a commando battalion based on the
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands () are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Eastern Pacific, located around the equator, west of the mainland of South America. They form the Galápagos Province of the Republic of Ecuador, with a population of sli ...
.
Egypt
The 111th Independent Mechanized Brigade (formerly the 130th Marine Amphibious Brigade) of the
Egyptian Army can conduct amphibious assault operations. There is also the 153rd Commando Group with three Marine Commandos Battalions (515th, 616th, 818th) controlling 12 Marine Commandos Companies.
El Salvador
The
El Salvador Navy included two 600-man Marine Infantry Battalions ( or BIM), and a 300-man Naval Commando Force. The BIMs were located at
La Unión and
Usulután. The Salvadoran Marine Corps uses green pixelated and green woodland uniforms.
Finland

The Finnish
Nyland Brigade () in
Ekenäs is the home of the
Finnish Coastal Jaegers — the (in Swedish) / (in Finnish). The Brigade is part of the
Finnish Navy
The Finnish Navy ( , ) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS", short for "Finnish Navy ship", but ...
, and the only Swedish-speaking unit within the
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) (; ) are the military of Finland. The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army, the Finnish Navy, and the Finnish Air Force. In wartime, the Finnish Border Guard becomes part of the Finnish Defence For ...
.
France
The (Naval Fusiliers) and (Naval Commandos) are naval personnel. The protect vessels and installations, provide the navy with military training, augment boarding-landing parties and support operations of the Commandos Marine. The (Naval Commandos) are a seven company Commando formation whose roots can be traced to the Second World War. The Commandos Marine have evolved to be broadly comparable to the British Special Boat Service, with whom they exchange officers.
("Marine Troops"), are a branch of the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
, renamed from the
Troupes Coloniales who served in France's overseas territories to maintain or expand French interests. The modern Troupes de Marine have units permanently based in Africa, in addition they man bases in the French Overseas Territories. They now provide the ground combat elements of French amphibious task forces and are specifically trained for that purpose.
The
9th Marine Brigade (9e Brigade Légère Blindée de Marine (9 BLBMa)) is twinned with the
3 Commando Brigade of the
Royal Marines
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
,
organising the exchange of officers and sharing training and exercises.
Germany
The
Sea Battalion () is a land formation of the
German Navy
The German Navy (, ) is part of the unified (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the ''Bundesmarine'' (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when ''Deutsche Marine'' (German Navy) became the official ...
. It was formed in Eckernförde on 1 April 2014, succeeding the Naval Protection Force.
Greece
The Greek
32nd Marine Brigade "Moravas" and the Amphibious Raider Squadrons (known as MAK) of the
13th Special Operations Command are amphibious infantry and maritime operations units maintained by the
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army (, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the army, land force of Greece. The term Names of the Greeks, '' Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the largest of the three branches ...
and supported by the
Hellenic Navy. The brigade traces its origin to 1919 as the 32nd Infantry Regiment but was only in 1967 when it was reorganised and designated as a naval infantry unit under the banner of the 32nd Marines Regiment.
Honduras
The
Honduran Navy established at least one 600-man marine infantry battalion ( or BIM) in 1982.
India

The
Indian Army has amphibious units under the Jodhpur-based corps. The
Marine Commando Force (MARCOS) is the special operation forces of
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy (IN) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Navy, maritime and Amphibious warfare, amphibious branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff (India), Chief ...
.
Indonesia

In
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
, the main
amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conduc ...
force and
naval infantry of the
Indonesian National Armed Forces
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (; abbreviated as TNI) are the military forces of the Republic of Indonesia. It consists of the Indonesian Army, Army (''TNI-AD''), Indonesian Navy, Navy (''TNI-AL''), and Indonesian Air Force, Air Force ('' ...
is the
Indonesian Marine Corps of the
Indonesian Navy. The Marine commandant reports to the
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy.
Iran
Since the
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
in 1979, the number of marines in the
Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) has expanded to 2,600 personnel, in two marine brigades, each composed of three battalions. Their mission is to provide security throughout the
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea () is a region of sea in the northern Indian Ocean, bounded on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, Gulf of Aden and Guardafui Channel, on the northwest by Gulf of Oman and Iran, on the north by Pakistan, on the east by India, and ...
and free waters, as well as securing routes for Iranian ships in the
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden (; ) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channel, the Socotra Archipelago, Puntland in Somalia and Somaliland to the south. ...
.
The
Navy
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
of the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khom ...
(IRGCN) maintains several units that may perform marine-type functions. It also has a Takavar naval commando battalion, called
Sepah Navy Special Force (SNSF). They are tasked with providing security in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
and
Strait of Hormuz, as well as conducting anti-piracy missions to assist Iranian ships.
Iraq
The
Iraqi Navy is a small force with 1,500 sailors and 800 marines designed to protect the shoreline and inland waterways from insurgent infiltration. The navy will have coastal patrol squadrons, assault boat squadrons and a marine battalion.
The force will consist of 2,000 to 2,500 sailors by 2010.
Israel
Upon its revival in the 1980s the
Givati Brigade was intended to serve as the amphibious infantry brigade of the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
, but this was not put into effect. Currently the 35th
Paratroopers Brigade is the only brigade that has amphibious abilities as part of its Depth Warfare arsenal together with parachuting and air assault.
Italy
The
San Marco Marine Brigade is the marine infantry unit of the Italian Navy (). It traces its roots back to 1550 with the formation of in the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...
.
The
Serenissima Regiment is the amphibious infantry unit of the
Italian Army (). Its soldiers are called and they are the Italian Army Marines.
Japan
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade – Japanese marines tasked with offensive amphibious assault to retake islands.
The unit was first formed in 2018 and was the first unit of its kind created since the
demilitarisation of Japan after
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 ...
.
North Korea
The
Korean People's Army
The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) encompasses the combined military forces of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The KPA consists of five branches: the Korean People's Army Ground Force, Ground Force, the Ko ...
's
Light Infantry Training Guidance Bureau has two or more amphibious light infantry/sniper brigades. These brigades are believed deployed to
Wonsan
Wonsan (), previously known as Wonsanjin (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwon Province (North Korea), Kangwon Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...
on the east coast and
Namp'o and
Tasa-ri on the west coast. In organization and manpower, they are reduced versions of the regular light infantry brigades with a total strength of approximately 5,000 men organized into ten battalions. Each battalion has about 400 men organized into five companies each. Some amphibious brigade personnel are trained as
frogmen.
South Korea
The
Republic of Korea Marine Corps is the marine corps of
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
. It was founded as a reconnaissance force just prior to the start of the
Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
. The ROKMC has seen action in several major conflicts. Though theoretically it is under the direction of the
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the highest-ranking officer of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an Admiral (United States), admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the United States Secretary ...
for all practical purposes it operates as an independent branch of the military.
Lebanon
Lebanon maintains an elite but very small in number "
Navy Commando" regiment. Trained internationally and armed with mostly American and French made equipment and weaponry.
Maldives
The
Maldives National Defence Force
Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF; ) is the military, national military responsible for defending the national security, security and sovereignty of the Maldives. It is primarily responsible per the Constitution of the Maldives, constitut ...
maintains a frontline ground combat force known as the
MNDF Marine Corps
The MNDF Marine Corps are frontline ground combat force of the Maldives National Defence Force
Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF; ) is the military, national military responsible for defending the national security, security and sovere ...
. It is divided into Marine Deployment Units (MDUs) which acts as the force projection element MNDF. The MNDF Marine Corps, as a naval unit, works closely with the coast guard of the country.
Mexico
The
Mexican Naval Infantry (
Spanish: ) of the
Mexican Navy is responsible for port security, protection of the ten-kilometer coastal fringe, and patrolling major waterways. Tracing their origins in 1821, the marines have light arms, heavy weapons and armored amphibious vehicles. The Navy ceded most of its riverine responsibilities to the
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
, reducing the size of the marine force, and deploying them back aboard ships where they play a vital role in drug interdiction and boarding of suspect vessels in territorial waters.
Morocco
The Royal Moroccan Marines are a naval infantry force subordinated to the
Royal Moroccan Navy trained in landing missions and sabotage. The force is between 1,500 and 2,000 troops strong, organized in three battalion-strength units. Among its roles are guarding the southern coast against infiltration by
Polisario Front
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Río de Oro (Spanish language, Spanish: ; ), better known by its acronym Polisario Front, is a Sahrawi nationalism, Sahrawi nationalist liberation movement seeking to end the occupatio ...
guerrillas.
Myanmar
The
Myanmar Navy
The Myanmar Navy (; ) is the naval warfare branch of the Tatmadaw, the armed forces of Myanmar. With 19,000 active personnel, the navy operates more than 227 vessels. Prior to 1988, the navy was small, and its role in counterinsurgency, counte ...
raised a naval infantry battalion of 800 men in 1964, followed by a second battalion in 1967. Two more battalions may have also been raised. They were deployed mainly to the Arakan and Tenasserim areas, and to the Irrawaddy delta, to assist in counter-insurgency operations, but also performed other security duties.
Namibia
Namibian Marine Corps is a battalion-sized infantry unit of the
Namibian Navy under the command of a naval captain. Its officers and men are part of the navy and use naval ranks, though insignia is adopted from the
Brazilian Marine Corps
The Brazilian Marine Corps (, CFN; or 'Corps of Naval Riflemen') is the Brazilian Navy's naval infantry component. It relies on the fleet and Brazilian Naval Aviation, Naval Aviation and fields its own artillery, amphibious and land armor, COMA ...
. The corps is primarily made up of a Rapid Reaction Unit, an Operation Dive team, an operational boat team, and a
Special Operations
Special operations or special ops are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment." Special operations ma ...
Commando
A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines.
Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...
Unit.
Netherlands
The
Netherlands Marine Corps () is naval infantry unit of the
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Royal Netherlands Navy (, ) is the Navy, maritime service branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. It traces its history to 8 January 1488, making it the List of navies, third-oldest navy in the world.
During the 17th and early 18th centurie ...
, founded in 1665 as an infantry branch of the
Dutch States Navy. They saw their first amphibious action in 1667 during the
raid on the Medway. The unit's motto is Qua Patet Orbis ("As Far as the World Extends"). Today, it is a brigade approximately 2300 marines strong, consisting of two marine infantry battalions (plus one infantry company which is stationed in
Aruba
Aruba, officially the Country of Aruba, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the southern Caribbean Sea north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná Peninsula, Paraguaná and northwest of Curaçao. In 19 ...
), one amphibious combat support battalion and one logistical battalion. Dutch Marines train in all possible geographical and climate conditions for their role. Enlisted marine recruit training lasts 33 weeks, and marine officers train up to 18 months (including naval academy time). It has its own Special Forces branch known as
Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces (NLMARSOF).
Norway
The Coastal Ranger Command ( or KJK) of the
Norwegian Navy is an amphibious infantry unit trained to operate in littoral combat theatres, as naval infantry and coastal artillery. There is also an SBS type naval commando unit, the or MJK. However, with the KJK being a much younger unit than the MJK, the MJK is not under the KJK but rather than the Norwegian Special Operations Command (NORSOCOM) &
Royal Norwegian Navy.
Pakistan
The
Pakistan Marines division of the
Pakistan Navy was re-established on April 14, 1990, with about 3,600 men. The marines are based at
PNS Qasim naval base.
Paraguay
The
Paraguayan Marine Corps () is a battalion-sized organization consisting of four company-sized brigades. In limited cadre form, the marine corps dates from the late 19th century, although it only achieved significant existence when the three-battalion sized was created in the final stages of the
Chaco War of 1932–1935.
Peru
The
Peruvian Naval Infantry () consists of around 3,000 naval infantrymen and includes an amphibious brigade of three battalions and local security units with two transport ships, four tank landing ships, and about forty
Chaimite armored personnel carriers. They have seen action in Peru's
civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
with the
Shining Path.
Since 1982, IMAP detachments have been deployed, under army command, in counter-insurgency operations.
Philippines

The
Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) () is the marine corps of the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. It is a naval infantry force under the command of the
Philippine Navy. PMC primarily conducts amphibious and expeditionary warfare, as well as special operation missions. It has a strength of about 9,500 men organized into three maneuver brigades, a Combat Service and Support Brigade (CSSB), and independent units such as the
Marine Special Operations Group (MARSOG) and the Marine Security and Escort Group (MSEG). Formed on November 7, 1950, the
Philippine Marine Corps is considered the first and foremost unit to be involved in any amphibious or seaborne clashes.
Poland
The
Polish Navy maintains several naval infantry units responsible for port and coastal security. The
Polish Army
The Land Forces () are the Army, land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 110,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military histor ...
maintains the
7th Coastal Defense Brigade, which bears traditions of the disbanded
7th Coastal Defence Division (the Blue Berets), therefore it is sometimes referred to as the Marines of Poland. there are no plans by the Polish Army to create an active marine unit. Therefore, the 7th Brigade carries out only limited-scale exercises of amphibious assaults.
Portugal

The third-oldest marine corps in the world was founded as the in 1618. The
Portuguese Navy still maintains this Elite Naval Infantry, which is currently known as the . The Corpo de Fuzileiros, meaning literally "Corps of Fusiliers”, is the Elite Infantry and Special Forces unit of the Portuguese Navy.
Romania
The 307th Marine Infantry Regiment () is the
light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
/
reconnaissance
In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...
unit of the
Romanian Naval Forces, subordinated to the
Romanian Danube Flotilla since 2015. It is located in
Babadag,
Tulcea County
Tulcea County () is a county (județ) of Romania, in the historical region Dobruja, with the capital city at Tulcea. It includes in its northeast corner the large and thinly-populated estuary of the Danube.
Demographics
In 2021, Tulcea Coun ...
, and was formed on 29 November 1971 as the 307th Marine Infantry Battalion for the defence of the
Danube Delta
The Danube Delta (, ; , ) is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. Occurring where the Danube, Danube River empties into the Black Sea, most of the Danube Delta lies in Romania ...
and Romanian
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
shore.
Russia
The
Russian Naval Infantry () are the amphibious forces of the
Russian Armed Forces
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military of Russia. They are organized into three service branches—the Russian Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Russian Navy, Navy, and Russi ...
. The
Russian Navy
The Russian Navy is the Navy, naval arm of the Russian Armed Forces. It has existed in various forms since 1696. Its present iteration was formed in January 1992 when it succeeded the Navy of the Commonwealth of Independent States (which had i ...
also has the
Russian commando frogmen, an elite unit for underwater reconnaissance and special operations.
Saudi Arabia
The
Royal Saudi Navy maintains two, 1,500-man marine brigades consisting of three battalions each. The brigades are assigned to the Western Fleet headquartered in Jeddah and the Eastern Fleet headquartered in Jubail.
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
has not had a dedicated marine branch of its military since the
apartheid
Apartheid ( , especially South African English: , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...
era. A close analogue would be the
South African Navy's
Maritime Reaction Squadron, a marine-type unit of four companies. Members are marines and use naval ranks. They are trained in infantry combat up to company sized operations. They are also used for crowd control and conduct peacekeeping operations. During peacekeeping operations they are meant to augment an army infantry battalion. Their role is very similar to the now disbanded
South African Marine Corps from the apartheid era. The of the
South African Special Forces provides South Africa its seaward Special Forces capability.
Spain

The
Spanish Navy Marines () are the oldest existing marine force in the world, as they were established on February 27, 1537, by
Charles I when he permanently assigned the (Naples Sea Old Companies) to the (Mediterranean Galley Squadrons). Their red trouser stripes mark the as part of the Royal Household Corps and were given by
Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
to the marines in reward for their fierce defence of the
Castillo del Morro of
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.[Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...](_bl ...<br></span></div>, <div class=)
, in 1762.
Sri Lanka

The
Sri Lanka Navy
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) (; ) is the navy, naval arm of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is classed as the country's most vital defence force due to its island geography. It is responsible for the maritime defence of the Sri Lankan nation and its ...
established its
Sri Lanka Marine Corps in November 2016, and the first group of members were assisted in training by the
11th Marine Expeditionary Unit of the United States Marine Corps. The unit became functional after the first group of members consisting of 6 officers and 158 sailors graduated from training on 27 February 2017.
Sweden
The
Swedish Amphibious Corps () is an arm of the
Swedish Navy. The corps consists of two regiments each comprising one amphibious battalion, tasked with reconnaissance, amphibious assaults, and combat on, over, and under the surface of the sea.
Syria
The
Fouj Al-Mughawayr Al-Bahir ( meaning "Marines Regiment") is a unit based in
Latakia Governorate
Latakia Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat al-Lādhiqīyah''), also transliterated as Ladhakia, is one of the 14 Governorates of Syria, governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay Province to the no ...
. It has participated in operations in the
Syrian Civil War.
Taiwan
Officially the ''Republic of China'' but referred to colloquially as ''
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
'', the state's military has a naval infantry force known by the English name the
Republic of China Marine Corps
, image = File:Republic of China Marine Corp (ROCMC) Logo.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Emblem of the Republic of China Marine Corps with the map of ROC claimed lands of m ...
which was established in 1914 in
mainland China
"Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...
following the
1911 Revolution
The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC). The revolution was the culmination of a decade ...
and is the amphibious branch of the
Republic of China Navy. It fled with the other
ROC forces to Formosa following the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
's defeat in the
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led Nationalist government, government of the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Armed conflict continued intermitt ...
. They are responsible for amphibious combat, counter-landing, reinforcement of
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
and surrounding islands (such as
Kinmen
Kinmen, alternatively known as Quemoy, is a group of islands governed as a county by the Republic of China (Taiwan), only east from the city of Xiamen in Fujian, located at the southeastern coast of the People's Republic of China, from wh ...
,
Wuchiu,
Matsu Islands,
Pratas Island, etc.), and defense of Naval facilities. It also functions as a rapid reaction force (special service company) and a strategic reserve.
Thailand
Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) is the
naval infantry subbranch of the
Royal Thai Navy
The Royal Thai Navy (Abbreviation, Abrv: RTN, ทร.; , ) is the Navy, naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known as the father of the Royal N ...
. The Royal Thai Marine Corps was founded in 1932, when the first battalion was formed with the assistance of the United States Marine Corps. It was expanded to a regiment in 1940 and was in action against communist guerrillas throughout the 1950s and 1960s. During the 1960s, the United States Marine Corps assisted in its expansion into a brigade. The Royal Thai Marine Corps saw action on the Malaysian border in the 1970s and has now been increased to four brigades.
Tonga
The Royal Tongan Marines is a sub-unit of the
Tongan Maritime Force, which itself is a branch of the
Tonga Defence Services. It is a single battalion-sized group composed of a Headquarters Company and three Light Infantry Companies.
Turkey
The
Amphibious Marine Infantry Brigade Command is the marine force of the Turkish Naval Forces and consists of 4,500 men based in Foça near İzmir.
Ukraine
The
Ukrainian Marine Corps was founded in 1993 from a unit of the former Soviet Naval Infantry. It served as a coastal defense force of the
Ukrainian Navy until 23 May 2023 when it was elevated into a service branch of the
Armed Forces of Ukraine. The branch is based in
Mykolaiv
Mykolaiv ( ), also known as Nikolaev ( ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and a hromada (municipality) in southern Ukraine. Mykolaiv is the Administrative centre, administrative center of Mykolaiv Raion (Raions of Ukraine, district) and Myk ...
.
United Kingdom

The
Royal Marines
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
(RM) were formed in 1664 and are part of
HM Naval Service. They include an amphibious brigade (which includes commando-trained units and individual personnel from the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force), a naval security unit responsible for guarding the UK's naval nuclear weapons and other security duties, a landing craft and boat-training group which is also a parent unit for three landing craft units deployed on amphibious warfare ships; and a naval musical branch. The RM has close international ties with allied marine forces, particularly the United States Marine Corps and the Netherlands Marine Corps/Korps Mariniers. "Marine" is also used as a rank in the Royal Marines, being equivalent to an army
private. The
Royal Marines Reserve (RMR) is the volunteer reserve force used to augment the regular Royal Marines in times of war or national crisis.
United States
The
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
(USMC) is currently the only marine
combined-arms force in the world. Created in 1775, it was originally intended only to guard naval vessels during the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. The USMC is a component part of the
US Department of the Navy in the military command structure, with its own representative on the
Joint Chiefs of Staff. The corps’ major functions include the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and land operations essential to a naval campaign, providing detachments and organizations for service on armed vessels of the Navy and security detachments for the protection of naval property at naval stations and bases, and such other duties since the president may direct and develop those phases of amphibious operations that pertain to the tactics, technique, and equipment used by landing forces. It also has other missions, including providing personnel as security guards at US diplomatic missions, and providing helicopter transportation for the President of the United States aboard
Marine One. The
United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps.
Uruguay
The
Uruguayan Marine Corps ( or FUSNA) is a battalion-sized organization. However, given its small size, it is not a separate corps within the Navy, but regular naval officers are posted to the Marines as to any other Navy unit.
Venezuela
The
Venezuelan Marine Corps () is a subdivision of the
Venezuelan Navy. Headquartered in Meseta de Mamo, Vargas, the estimated numerical strength of this unit is approximately 8,000 men and women. Its mission is to "enlist and direct its units in order to form the disembarking force and/or support of amphibious or special operations; executing naval safeguarding and environmental policing, as well as actively participating in the national development".
Vietnam
The
Vietnam People's Navy maintains a
naval infantry force (; 海軍打步). It traces its roots during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
following the model of the
Đặc công sappers but with
amphibious capabilities. It first saw action as an official naval infantry force during the
Cambodian–Vietnamese War
The Cambodian–Vietnamese War was an armed conflict between Democratic Kampuchea, controlled by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, and the Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It began in December 1978, with a Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia which to ...
when it ousted the
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihano ...
from power. It once stood at eleven brigades each of several battalions. Currently the Vietnam People's Navy maintains two naval infantry brigades.
Historical marine forces
Ancient Greece
The ancient Greek states did not possess specialized marine infantry; instead, they used
hoplites and archers as an onboard contingent ().
Ancient Rome
The
Roman Navy used regular infantry as marines. Naval personnel were trained for raiding and also provided the troops for at least two
legions (
I ''Adiutrix'' and
II ''Adiutrix'') for service on land. The various provincial fleets were usually provided with marines from the adjacent legions.
Australia
Several of the
Colonial navies of Australia raised volunteer naval infantry and naval militia brigades in the second half of the 19th century. Following the
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia (which also governed what is now the Northern Territory), and Wester ...
they were combined into the Commonwealth Naval Militia. With the formation of the
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy, naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (Australia), Chief of Navy (CN) Vice admiral (Australia), Vice Admiral Mark Hammond (admiral), Ma ...
in 1911 they were renamed the Royal Australian Naval Brigade. At its peak in 1915 it numbered 2,817 officers and men. The Naval Brigade was disbanded in 1920 and volunteers were absorbed into the
Royal Australian Naval Reserve.
Austrian/Austro-Hungarian Empire
Though overshadowed by its Prussian counterpart, the
Marinier-Korps, as well as naval powers like the British, the French, the Spanish, and the Italians, Austria-Hungary maintained a small regiment of naval infantrymen dating back to Venetian times alongside the then Austrian Imperial Navy's “Corps of Sailors” (). However, in 1868, as part of his naval reforms, then Commander
Wilhelm von Tegetthoff abolished the Naval Infantry Regiment and the Naval Artillery Corps in favor of an enlarged and all-encompassing as by that point, no marines had served aboard a ship for 10 years, and so from that point on, sailors not serving on active warships received infantry drills and took up naval infantry duties.
Byzantine Empire
For several centuries, the
Byzantine navy
The Byzantine navy was the Navy, naval force of the Byzantine Empire. Like the state it served, it was a direct continuation from its Roman navy, Roman predecessor, but played a far greater role in the defence and survival of the state than its ...
used the descendants of the
Mardaites, who were settled in southern
Anatolia
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
and
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
, as marines and rowers for its ships. Emperor
Basil I
Basil I, nicknamed "the Macedonian" (; 811 – 29 August 886), was List of Byzantine emperors, Byzantine emperor from 867 to 886. Born to a peasant family in Macedonia (theme), Macedonia, he rose to prominence in the imperial court after gainin ...
also established a separate marine regiment, 4,000 strong, for the central Imperial Fleet based at
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
. These were professional troops, and were counted among the elite .
In the 1260s, when emperor
Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus (; 1224 – 11 December 1282) reigned as Byzantine emperor from 1261 until his death in 1282, and previously as the co-emperor of the Empire of Nicaea from 1259 to 1261. Michael VIII was the founder of th ...
rebuilt the navy, he recruited the (settlers from
Laconia
Laconia or Lakonia (, , ) is a historical and Administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece located on the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti (municipality), Sparta. The word ...
) and the (men of mixed Greek-
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
descent) as special marine troops. Despite the progressive decline and virtual disappearance of the navy, they remained active until the late
Palaiologan period.
Sangkum era Kingdom of Cambodia/Khmer Republic
The
Cambodian Marine Corps, or Corps de Fusiliers-Marins Khmères (CFMK), was founded in 1960 was initially the naval infantry unit of the
1st Kingdom of Cambodia of 1953–1970 under the
Royal Khmer Navy of the
Royal Khmer Armed Forces (FARK). After
Lon Nol’s
coup of 1970, FARK was reorganised to be
Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK) and the naval infantry came under the jurisdiction of the
Khmer National Navy (MNK).
The naval infantry took part in the
Cambodian Civil War against the
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihano ...
but was dissolved along with the rest of the
Khmer National Armed Forces when the
Khmer Republic were defeated and capitulated to the
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihano ...
.
Qing China
The
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...
‘s
Beiyang Fleet of the
Imperial Chinese Navy maintained a small naval infantry force which at its height reached the size of 300 marines.
The marines distinguished themselves visually by their red uniforms as opposed to the regular
Beiyang Fleet’s Navy personnels who wear their white dress uniforms for the summer & autumn, and blue dress uniform for the winter & spring.
On top of their role as Naval Infantrymen, the
Beiyang Fleet marines also took on the fleet's
firefighting
Firefighting is a profession aimed at controlling and extinguishing fire. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter or fireman. Firefighters typically undergo a high degree of technical training. This involves structural fir ...
&
military policing duties.
The marines saw action at the end of the year following the official end of the
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 189417 April 1895), or the First China–Japan War, was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon, Korea. In Chinese it is commonly known as th ...
when they attempted to retake Nanbang Fort (南幫炮台) from Japanese forces after it was attacked on Christmas Day of 1895 by an attacking force of 30,000 Japanese with 6,000 Chinese defending the fort; which subsequently fell to Japanese forces on December 29, 1895. Being greatly outnumbered and lacking heavy weapons, the marines failed to dislodge the Japanese from the fort.
Manchukuo
Following the
1911 Revolution
The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC). The revolution was the culmination of a decade ...
and the collapse of the
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...
's rule over China followed by its puppeting by the
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...
resulting from
Japan's 1931-1932 invasion of Manchuria as part of Japan's imperial expansion into China, the Japanese carved out the state of
Manchukuo
Manchukuo, officially known as the State of Manchuria prior to 1934 and the Empire of Great Manchuria thereafter, was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China that existed from 1932 until its dissolution in 1945. It was ostens ...
from the former territories of
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical region in northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day northeast China and parts of the modern-day Russian Far East south of the Uda (Khabarovsk Krai), Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges. The exact ...
for former Emperor of Qing China;
Puyi, to rule over as a puppet Emperor of
Manchukuo
Manchukuo, officially known as the State of Manchuria prior to 1934 and the Empire of Great Manchuria thereafter, was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China that existed from 1932 until its dissolution in 1945. It was ostens ...
to Japan.
As a result of the surrender of naval assets in the region (then under the jurisdiction of the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
) under the command of Captain Yin Zuqian (尹祚乾) at
Harbin
Harbin, ; zh, , s=哈尔滨, t=哈爾濱, p=Hā'ěrbīn; IPA: . is the capital of Heilongjiang, China. It is the largest city of Heilongjiang, as well as being the city with the second-largest urban area, urban population (after Shenyang, Lia ...
as a result of
the invasion, the ships Captain Yin surrendered (which at the time consisted of five river
gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.
History Pre-steam ...
s) eventually became the foundation of the
Manchukuo Imperial Navy.
The
Manchukuo Imperial Navy maintained a naval infantry force of 300 marines. The
Manchukuo Marines (滿洲國海軍陸戰隊) were modeled after the naval infantry force of the former
Beiyang Fleet's Marines.
Denmark-Norway
(The Marine Regiment) was the naval infantry of the
Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy. Leading up to the
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway (Danish language, Danish and Norwegian language, Norwegian: ) is a term for the 16th-to-19th-century multi-national and multi-lingual real unionFeldbæk 1998:11 consisting of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Norway (includ ...
union in 1814, the unit moved to Rendsburg and changed its name to Bornholm Infantry Regiment in 1741 and fell under the jurisdiction of the
Royal Danish Army becoming a regular infantry unit. The Bornholm Infantry Regiment continued to exist until its disbandment in 2000.
Dutch Republic
The corps was founded on 10 December 1665 during the
Second Anglo-Dutch War
The Second Anglo-Dutch War, began on 4 March 1665, and concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Breda (1667), Treaty of Breda on 31 July 1667. It was one in a series of Anglo-Dutch Wars, naval wars between Kingdom of England, England and the D ...
by the unofficial leader of the republic,
Johan de Witt, and Admiral
Michiel de Ruyter as the Regiment de Marine. Its leader was
Willem Joseph Baron van Ghent. The Dutch had successfully used ordinary soldiers in ships at sea in the
First Anglo-Dutch War
The First Anglo-Dutch War, or First Dutch War, was a naval conflict between the Commonwealth of England and the Dutch Republic. Largely caused by disputes over trade, it began with English attacks on Dutch merchant shipping, but expanded to vast ...
. It was the fifth European marine unit formed, being preceded by the Spanish Marines (1537), the Portuguese Marines (1610), the French Marines (1622) and the English Royal Marines (1664). Like Britain, the Netherlands has had several periods when its Marines were disbanded. The Netherlands itself was under French occupation or control from 1810 until 1813. A new marine unit was raised on 20 March 1801 during the time of the
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic (; ) was the Succession of states, successor state to the Dutch Republic, Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on 19 January 1795 after the Batavian Revolution and ended on 5 June 1806, with the acce ...
and on 14 August 1806 the was raised under King Louis Bonaparte. The modern dates from 1814, receiving its current name in 1817.
The battle honors on the ' colors are:
Raid on the Medway (1667), Kijkduin (1673), Sennefe (1674), Spain, Dogger Bank (1781), West Indies, Algiers (1816), Atjeh, Bali, Rotterdam (1940), Java Sea (1942), Java and Madoera (1947–1948), New Guinea (1962) and Cambodia (1992–1993).
Estonia
The , was a short-lived infantry
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...
of the
Estonian Navy. The battalion was created in 1919 from the crews of the Estonian surface warships and was based in
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...
. The unit was mainly used on the
Southern Front during the
Estonian War of Independence. The unit was operational from March to June in 1919.
France

The
Troupes de marine were founded in 1622 (as ) as land forces under the control of the
Secretary of State of the Navy, notably for operations in
French Canada. The were transformed in
line infantry
Line infantry was the type of infantry that formed the bulk of most European land armies from the mid-17th century to the mid-19th century. Maurice of Nassau and Gustavus Adolphus are generally regarded as its pioneers, while Henri de la Tour d ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation.
In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
s by
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
, but became once more marine forces in 1822 (for the artillery) and 1831 (for the infantry). These were in the 19th century the main overseas and colonial forces of the French military. In 1900 they were put under the orders of the
War Ministry and took the name of (Colonial Forces). In 1958 the designation of was changed to (Overseas Forces) but in 1961 it reverted to the original . Throughout these changes in title, these troops continued to be part of the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
.
Gran Colombia
The Federation of
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia (, "Great Colombia"), also known as Greater Colombia and officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish language, Spanish: ''República de Colombia''), was a state that encompassed much of northern South America and parts of Central ...
Marines were formed in 1822 and were disbanded in 1829, Personnel were mostly from Venezuela.
Germany
*
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
: During the German Imperial era, three ‘sea battalions’ or based at
Kiel
Kiel ( ; ) is the capital and most populous city in the northern Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein. With a population of around 250,000, it is Germany's largest city on the Baltic Sea. It is located on the Kieler Förde inlet of the Ba ...
,
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven (, ''Wilhelm's Harbour''; Northern Low Saxon: ''Willemshaven'') is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea, and has a population of 76,089. Wilhelmsha ...
and
Tsingtao were maintained. These units served intermittently as colonial intervention forces. The at the imperial navy's east Asian station at Tsingtao was the only all-German unit with permanent status in a protectorate/colony. The battalion fought at the
Siege of Tsingtao.
*
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
: The , was a naval infantry of in the
Second World War
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 ...
.
*
East Germany
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
: The
East German army's Nr29. Regiment ("Ernst Moritz Arndt") was a Motorized Rifle Regiment intended for amphibious operations in the Baltic Sea; while the : Combat swimmer units were intended for support of amphibious operations and for raiding.
Iran
*At the time of the
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
in 1979, the
Imperial Iranian Navy had three battalions of marines.
Iraq
*The old
Ba'athist-era
Iraqi Navy maintained several marine companies.
*The
Iraqi Republican Guard maintained a Marine Brigade as part of its
8th As Saiqa Special Forces Division. The brigade was equipped with Brazilian-made
Engesa EE-11 Urutu wheeled
armored personnel carriers.
Fascist Italy
The
Blackshirt militia
A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
maintained an independent ''Marine Group'' with four MVSN battalions (24th, 25th, 50th and 60th).
The
Decima Flottiglia MAS was an Italian flotilla, with commando frogman unit, of the
Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy).
The
3rd Marine Infantry Division "San Marco" was an Italian division raised by Mussolini's
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic (, ; RSI; , ), known prior to December 1943 as the National Republican State of Italy (; SNRI), but more popularly known as the Republic of Salò (, ), was a List of World War II puppet states#Germany, German puppe ...
.
Imperial Japan
During the feudal period, the Japanese used Ashigaru soldiers or regular Yumi archers as soldiers to protect ships from pirates. In 1873, a short-lived marine corps was added to the newly created
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, Potsdam Declaration, when it was dissolved followin ...
(IJN), using Britain's Royal Marines as a model. Considered unsuitable in its original form, the force was disbanded in 1878. The
IJN’s land forces maintained several combat units:
*
Special Naval Landing Forces were the
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...
's professional marine corps.
*
Naval Landing Forces were ad-hoc formations of IJN naval personnel formed into
naval infantry units for duties ashore.
*The IJN also maintained the Guard Forces () and Defense Units (), both of whom also received
amphibious assault and beach defence training. However, their performance was poor or average when they were used as assault troops.
*The
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
's 3,500 man Sea-Landing Brigades (1st to 4th) were used to conduct amphibious assaults on an island, but afterwards they stayed to garrison that island.
Ottoman Empire

The role of
Ottoman naval infantry originated in
Orhan
Orhan Ghazi (; , also spelled Orkhan; died 1362) was the second sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1323/4 to 1362. He was born in Söğüt, as the son of Osman I.
In the early stages of his reign, Orhan focused his energies on conquering mos ...
's conquest of the Karasi
Beylik and the capture of its fleet. From then on,
Janissaries and
Azaps were sometimes deployed as marines during the 14th Century. The Deniz azaps were used during the 16th Century; while troops called
Levend (
Bahriyeli) were raised on and off over the centuries – over 50,000 of them by the late 18th century. The last raised units were the (
corsair captains militia) recruited from among the North
African Arabs and indigenous
Berbers
Berbers, or the Berber peoples, also known as Amazigh or Imazighen, are a diverse grouping of distinct ethnic groups indigenous to North Africa who predate the arrival of Arab migrations to the Maghreb, Arabs in the Maghreb. Their main connec ...
. Ottoman marines were part of the
Ottoman navy.
Portuguese Empire
Portugal raised numerous companies of Special Marines () and African Special Marines (), both at home and in the African colonies of
Portuguese Guinea,
Portuguese Angola and
Portuguese Mozambique, for service in Africa during the
Portuguese Colonial Wars. The African Special Marines were all-black units.
Russian Empire
Following the establishment of the Imperial Russian Navy in 1696 under
Peter the Great
Peter I (, ;
– ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
, as part of his naval force expansion, Naval Infantry of the Russian Empire (морской пехоты Российской Империи) was formed on November 16, 1705, by using several regiments of marine equipage troops that fought as much on land as they served in ship detachments. One battalion was formed within the Guard, and served on the Imperial family's ships. The Imperial Russia's Naval Infantry have seen action in the
Great Northern War
In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
during the
Battle of Gangut, took part in the capture of
Izmail fortress in the
Russo-Turkish Wars
The Russo-Turkish wars ( ), or the Russo-Ottoman wars (), began in 1568 and continued intermittently until 1918. They consisted of twelve conflicts in total, making them one of the longest series of wars in the history of Europe. All but four of ...
, distinguished itself by defeating the
Napoleonic Army in the
Battle of Borodino,
Battle of Kulm, and the
Siege of Danzig as well as taking part in the
amphibious operations in Naples during the
Napoleonic War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Napoleonic Wars
, partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
, image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg
, caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
. The Naval Infantry also saw action in the
Siege of Sevastopol during the
Crimean War
The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...
, and took part in the
defense of Port Arthur during
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...
. Its final campaign in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
saw them deployed to the Baltic Sea to defend against the German attacks as well as the Caspian Sea for operations against the Ottoman Empire. During the
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...
the Imperial Russian Naval Infantry was fractured as the men were divided and ended up joining both sides of the conflict. Naval Infantrymen who joined either the
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...
(such as the Baltic Fleet Naval Infantry) or joined the
Whites distinguished themselves in battle for their respective sides. Following victory of the
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...
, surrendering White Naval Infantrymen were either shot on the spot, or were tortured before being executed. Those who sided with the
Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...
were absorbed under the banner of the
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...
and formed the backbone of the new Soviet Naval Infantry. Some of these Soviet Naval Infantrymen, particularly members of the Baltic Fleet Naval Infantry who aligned with the Bolsheviks during the civil war would later take part in the
1921 mutiny against the Soviet government on the Kronstadt island fortress shortly following its winding down.
Soviet Union

The Soviet Navy had a number of small battalion-sized naval infantry and coastal defence units that mostly served in the ports and bases before the Second World War. During the war, and building on the visuals of the mutinied sailors of Petrograd in 1917, the
Stavka ordered formation of naval infantry brigades from surplus ship crew or shore duty sailors. 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 ...
, members of the Soviet Naval Infantry took part in the
1921 mutiny against the Soviet government by the
Baltic Fleet garrison on
the Kronstadt island fort on the back end of the
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...
. The mutiny was quickly put down by Soviet forces with retaliation against the rebels by the Soviet government resulting in their eventual execution.
South Africa
The
South Africa Marine Corps was set up as a subbranch of the
South African Navy in 1979, with the primary purpose of protecting harbours. The Marines were disbanded in 1989, following a major restructuring of the Navy at the end of the
South African Border War.
Spain
The oldest naval infantry. Created 27 February 1537 as Tercio de Armada by Carlos I (Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor 1519–1556). Miguel de Cervantes, famous writer, was a member of naval infantry at Lepanto Battle. Squadron General and Captain
Diego Fernández de Medrano stood out in the front line during the
conquest of Terceira Island in 1583. Medrano's
galleys allowed for marine infantry to be used for the first time in order to occupy beaches and land.
United Arab Emirates
In 2011, the UAE Marine Battalion was merged in the
United Arab Emirates Presidential Guard.
United Kingdom
* The
Royal Marines
The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
date from the establishment of a Maritime Regiment of Foot in 1664. The ''Marine Regiments for Sea'' were formed in 1702 but by 1713 they had been disbanded or taken into the army as regiments of foot. In 1755, a permanent corps of marine companies was established for direct service under the Admiralty, and this force has an unbroken descent to the Royal Marines of today.
* The
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
has since its beginning formed naval landing parties of seamen for action ashore, this being later formalised into the
Naval Brigades. These brigades would often dismount guns from their parent vessels for use ashore, these guns often being the only artillery available. The most famous example of this form of land service was provided by the guns accompanying the forces
relieving Ladysmith.
* The
Corps of Colonial Marines
The Corps of Colonial Marines were two different Royal Marines, Royal Marine units raised from former Black people, black slavery, slaves for service in the Americas at the behest of Alexander Cochrane. The units were created at two separate ...
was raised from former American slaves as auxiliary units of the Royal Marines for service in the Americas: Two of these units were raised and subsequently disbanded. The first was a small unit which existed from 1808 to 12 October 1810, the second was more substantial and existed from May 1814 to 20 August 1816.
* The Royal Naval Division was part of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
in the First World War. In 1914, the shortage of ground forces for the Western Front (World War I), Western Front led to the creation of the Division, composed of two brigades of sailors and a brigade formed by the Royal Marines. The Division was part of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
but for command purposes was integrated into the army's command structure. The sailors were initially disappointing as infantry, but eventually developed into one of the better divisions. The Division participated in the defence of the Belgian city of Antwerp in late 1914, and then served with heavy casualties at the Battle of Gallipoli. At different times the Division included various army units. The division ceased to exist after the end of the First World War.
* Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet, Gooch's Marines, the 61st Foot, raised in the American colonies for the War of Jenkins' Ear in 1739. This was a 3,000 man American regiment of the British Army that served alongside Royal Marines, British Marines. Among its officers was Lawrence Washington (1718-1752), Lawrence Washington, half-brother of George Washington. It was disbanded as a regiment in 1742 and the remaining independent companies were merged with another regiment in 1746.
United States
* American Colonial Marines were State Marines raised for the various state navies that came into existence shortly before the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War.
* The Continental Marines were the marine force of the Thirteen Colonies, American Colonies during
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. The corps was formed by the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775, and was disbanded in 1783. The Continental Marines' first and only Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, Commandant was Captain (land and air), Captain Samuel Nicholas.
* Hillet Marine River Regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War, this regiment consisted of 10 rifle companies, a Cavalry Battalion of 5 companies, and an artillery battalion of three batteries, all of whom operated from Mississippi River gunboats as part of the Mississippi River Squadron.
* The Republic of Texas Marine Corps – Although a marine corps was suggested in the "Act and Decree Establishing a Navy," passed on November 25, 1835, it was not until acting governor James W. Robinson strongly urged the swift formation of such an organization in his message to the General Council on January 14, 1836, that steps were actually taken to commission officers of marines and recruit enlisted personnel. Before the end of the Republic of Texas and annexation to the United States, more than 350 men served with the Texas Marine Corps, and at least eighteen officers were commissioned to command them. The Texas Marine Corps served under the direction of the Navy Department of the Republic, and the duties of the corps were specifically ordained in fifteen articles passed by the Texas Congress on December 13, 1836. Marines served under their own officers aboard ship and ashore but were subject to the orders of the senior naval officer present. The uniform of the Texas Marine came from discontinued USMC stocks, changing only the buttons and cap devices to those of Texas configuration.
* The Confederate States Marine Corps, Confederate Marines were a branch of the Confederate States Navy and was established by the Confederate Congress on 16 March 1861; they were mainly (80%) defectors from the US Marines.
Nguyễn clan of southern Đại Việt
The Nguyễn lords (ancestors of the Nguyễn dynasty) of southern Đại Việt maintained a small naval infantry or marine force. Each marine was referred to as a thủy binh (水兵) or ''water soldier''.
South Vietnam

Vietnamese dynasties had a long tradition of utilizing marines. This tradition went back no later than the Annam (Chinese province), Annam Protectorate of Tang dynasty when the governors built boats and trained marines to fight off pirates and invaders. The successive Vietnamese dynasties made full use of their marines' superiority at river and sea to launch successful campaigns against their northward and southward neighbors alike.
The forerunner of the Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps (VNMC) was established by Ngo Dinh Diem, then prime minister of what was then the State of Vietnam on October 13, 1954. It draws its roots as the naval infantry unit of the Republic of Vietnam Navy under the Vietnamese National Army, which after French decolonisation, would become the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces. The VNMC became defunct on 1 May 1975 after the fall of Saigon.
Yugoslavia (SFRY)
The Yugoslav Naval Infantry, 12th Naval Infantry Brigade () of the SFR Yugoslav Navy, Yugoslavian Navy of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia consisted of 900 to 2,000 men in three battalions. A multi-ethnic unit, the brigade was broken up during the Breakup of Yugoslavia, dissolution of the Yugoslav federation and saw little action.
See also
*List of marines and naval infantry forces
*Combat diver
*Air force infantry
*Navy
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marines (military)
Marines,
Types of military forces
Lists of military units and formations