Military branches:
Army (Armee de Terre; includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy (Marine Nationale, includes Naval Air, Maritime Gendarmerie (Coast Guard)), Air Force (Armee de l'Air, includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie (2009)

Military service age and obligation:
17-40 years of age for male or female voluntary military service; no conscription; 12-month service obligation; women serve in noncombat military posts (2008)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 14,646,427
females age 16-49: 14,379,630 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,087,606
females age 16-49: 11,811,260 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 391,480
female: 373,334 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)