The 24 countries with the longest mandatory military service in the world

Based on the information provided, here are key points about military conscription in various countries:

• North Korea has the longest official conscription period at 5 to 13 years. It serves as a method of control in authoritarian regimes.

• Myanmar enacted conscription in 2024 after a 2021 coup to bolster its forces amid civil unrest and battlefield losses.

• Singapore requires 24 months of service for men aged 18-21, with some serving in police or civil defense instead of the military.

• South Sudan has been criticized for recruiting child soldiers, with conscription lasting 12-24 months for those age 18 and up.

• Niger's ruling junta approved general mobilization and conscription after a 2023 coup to fight armed groups.

• Senegal has selective conscription but enlistment is largely voluntary. Conscripts serve 24 months.

• Singapore, Myanmar, North Korea and South Sudan have mandatory service for both men and women in some cases.

• Countries like Singapore rely heavily on conscripts - over half of their forces are conscripts.

• In authoritarian states, conscription helps control the population by keeping weapons out of civilians' hands

Read the full article at Business Insider

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