Table 17: Relative lengths of military and alternative service

Relative Lengths of Military and Alternative Service
State   Alternative Service Introduced Date of changes in duration Military Service (months) Alternative Service (months) Alternative as % of military
Albania 2003   12 12 100
Armenia 2004   24 42 175
      36 (u) 150
Austria pre 1990   8 8 100
  1991 8 10 125
  1994 8 11 138
  1996 8 12 150
Bosnia-Herzegovina:   until 1991:   see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic
Federation   1992 12 24 (u) 200
1996   12 ? ?
  2002 6 ? ?
  2004 4 6 150
  2006   suspended  
Republika Srpska   1992 18 24 (u) 133
1996   9 12 133
  2001 6 10 167
  2004 4 10 250
  2006   suspended  
Brazil     12 12 (u) 100
Bulgaria   1998   9 13.5 150
graduates     6 9 150
Croatia   until 1991:   see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic
  1992 10 15 150
  2001 6 8 133
Cyprus 1992   26 42 162
Czechoslovakia (until 1992) 1990   18 27 150
  from 1993:   see Czech Republic,  Slovakia
Czech Republic   until 1992:   see Czechoslovakia
  1993 12 18 150
  2004   suspended  
Denmark pre 1990   9 9 100
Estonia 1994   8 16 minimum 200
Finland pre 1990   8 16 200
  1993 6 13 217
France pre 1990   12 24 200
  1992 10 20 200
  2002   suspended  
Georgia 1998   18 36 200
Germany pre 1990 1995 10 13 130
  2003 9 10 111
  2004 9 9 100
Greece 1997 - 2002 1997   18 36 200
    12 28 233
    6 20 333
    3 15 500
reductions based on family circumstances 2003-   2003 12 30 250
    12 23 192
    9 17 189
    6 11 183
    3 5 167
Hungary 1989   18 28 156
  1990 12 22 183
  1997 9 18 200
  2002 6 11 183
  2005   suspended  
Italy pre 1990   12 18 150
  1997 10 10 100
  2005   suspended  
Kyrgystan   2002   18 24 133
graduates     12 18 150
Latvia 2002   12 24 200
Lithuania 1996   12 18 150
Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic)   until 1991: see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic
2001   9 14 156
  2003 6 10 167
Moldova 1991   18 24 133
  2002 12 24 200
Mongolia   2002 12 24 200
Norway pre 1990   12 16 133
    9 13 144
Poland   1988   24 36 150
  1990 18 36 200
  1991 18 24 133
  1999 12 18 150
  2004 10 18 180
graduates     3 6 200
Portugal pre 1990 1994 4 7 175
  2005   suspended  
Romania 1996   12 24 200
  2003 8 12 150
Russian Federation   2004   24 42 175
graduates     12 21 175
Serbia-Montenegro   until 1991:   see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic
  1992 12 24 (u) 200
2003   9 13 144
Slovakia   until 1992:   see Czechoslovakia
  1993 12 18 150
  1995 12 24 200
  2000 9 18 200
  2004 6 9 150
Slovenia   until 1991:   see Yugoslav Slovak Federal Republic
  1992 7 7 100
  2005   suspended  
Spain 1984 1991 9 13 144
  2002   suspended  
Sweden pre 1990   7.5 7.5 100
Switzerland 1996   8.5 13 153
Taiwan 2000   22 24 109
Ukraine 1999   18 27 150
Uzbekistan   1992   18 24 133
graduates     12 18 150
  2002 12 24 200
    9 18 200
Yugoslavian Socialist Federal Republic (until 1991) 1989   12 24 (u) 200
  from 1992:  see separate entries

Notes: Durations in bold are those believed to apply at the beginning of 2006.

Durations in italics relate to shorter periods of service for specific groups

5.4 How does the duration of alternative service compare with that of military service?
5.4 How does the duration of alternative service compare with that of military service?
5.5 Remuneration and other terms of service