This article is a list of various nations' armed forces ranking designations. Comparisons are made between the different systems used by nations to categorize the hierarchy of an armed force compared to another. Several of these lists mention NATO reference codes. These are the NATO rank reference codes, used for easy comparison among NATO countries. Links to comparison charts can be found below.
Military ranks of Albania
Algeria military ranks
Military ranks of Angola
Military ranks of Argentina
Argentine Army officer rank insignia; Argentine Army enlisted rank insignia
Australian Defence Force ranks
Royal Australian Navy ranks and uniforms
Australian Army officer rank insignia; Australian Army other ranks insignia
Ranks of the RAAF
Ranks of the Austrian Bundesheer
Military ranks of Bahrain
Ranks of Bangladesh Army
Ranks and insignia of Bangladesh Navy
Bangladesh Air Force rank insignia
Military ranks of Belarus
Belgian military ranks
Military ranks of Bhutan
Military ranks of Bolivia
Military ranks and insignia of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Military ranks of Botswana
Brazilian military ranks
Military ranks of Bulgaria
Forças Armadas de Cabinda
Canadian Armed Forces ranks and insignia
Army ranks and insignia of Chile
Naval ranks and insignia of Chile
Air Force ranks and insignia of Chile
Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force
Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Navy
Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Air Force
Ranks of the People's Armed Police
Military ranks of the Colombian Armed Forces
Military ranks of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Military ranks of Republic of the Congo
Croatian military ranks
Cuban military ranks
Czech military ranks
Danish Army ranks
Danish Navy ranks
Danish Air Force ranks
Egyptian Air Force ranks
Egyptian Army ranks
Egyptian Navy ranks
Military ranks of Ecuador
Military ranks of Estonia
Military ranks of Ethiopia
Finnish military ranks
French Army ranks
French Navy ranks
French Air Force ranks
French Gendarmerie ranks
Military ranks of the Armed Forces of Gabon
Georgian
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Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a military hierarchy. It incorporates the principles of exercising power and authority into the military chain of command—the succession of commanders superior to subordinates through which command is exercised. The military chain of command constructs an important component for organized collective action.
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer (NCO), or a warrant officer. However, absent contextual qualification, the term typically refers only to a force's commissioned officers, the more senior members who derive their authority from a commission from the head of state. The proportion of officers varies greatly.
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel. The term general is used in two ways: as the generic title for all grades of general officer and as a specific rank. It originates in the 16th century, as a shortening of captain general, which rank was taken from Middle French capitaine général.