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A marine corps (from French "corps de marine") is a branch of a nation's armed forces intended to be capable of mounting amphibious assaults using infantry, armour, aircraft, and watercraft. The role of a marine corps can differ between nations. Many countries, including Spain, Germany, France and Russia, describe these combatant groups as "naval infantry".

Marines are primarily a naval amphibious force, although in some nations they go far beyond this task. Operating from ships, they are trained to land on and capture a section of coast-line. However, they are also used in other roles.

Embarked marines parties serve on warships to assist with bridge watch-keeping, fire-fighting, ship security and the provision of boarding parties to board other vessels.

Marine units also operate from warships, such as landing craft and amphibious vehicle units on amphibious-support ships or aircraft squadrons on aircraft carriers.

They are also used for coastal or riverine boat patrols and security of naval bases.

In modern warfare, Marines are usually elite, highly-mobile troops, and are used in situations that do not always involve naval elements, such as general land warfare. For example, the United States Marine Corps, the largest in the world, is often used as a spearhead for major military offensives or as a stopgap when an emergency military situation breaks out, performing critical military operations until more permanent forces arrive.

Historically, Marines were part of the Navy and served on board warships. They assisted the crew in battles, boarded enemy ships, conducted small coastal raids, and protected the officers from mutiny by the crew. Eventually they became the primary landing force.

The word "Marine" means Navy in many European languages such as French, German, Dutch and Swedish.

Contents 1 Founding dates of early Marine units 2 National marine corps 2.1 Argentina 2.2 Brazil 2.3 Chile 2.4 China 2.5 Finland 2.6 France 2.7 Greece 2.8 Italy 2.9 Japan 2.10 South Korea 2.11 Indonesia 2.12 Mexico 2.13 Netherlands 2.14 Norway 2.15 Philippines 2.16 Portugal 2.17 Russia 2.18 Spain 2.19 Sweden 2.20 Republic of China (Taiwan) 2.21 Thailand 2.22 United Kingdom 2.23 United States 2.24 Venezuela 3 Historical marine corps 3.1 Germany 3.2 France 3.3 Japan 3.4 United Kingdom 4 See also 5 References

• 1537 - Infanteria de Marina (Spain)
• 1621 - Fuzileiros Navais (Portugal)
• 1622 - Troupes de marine (France)
• 1664 - Royal Marines (United Kingdom)
• 1665 - Royal Netherlands Marine Corps (Korps Mariniers)
• 1713 - La Marina Militare (Italy)
• 1775 - United States Marine Corps {Originally Continental Marines}
• 1808 - Fuzileiros Navais (Brazil)
• 1818 - Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina (Chile)

Note that some countries do not differentiate branches of their armed forces, e.g. Israeli Defense Forces or the Canadian Forces.

• The Argentine Marine Corps (Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina, IMARA) is a part of the Argentine Navy. Argentine Marines have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Navy. It is composed of a Fleet Marine Force (one Marine Battalion, plus artillery, air defence, communications, logistics, engineer and vehicle units), a Southern Marine Force (2 Marine Battalions), a River Operations Battalion, a Special Forces Unit and several Security Battalions and Companies.

• The Brazilian Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais), is subordinate to the Brazilian Navy. The Marine Corps is composed of an Operational Brigade and some Guard and Ceremonial Duty Battalions.

• The Chilean Marine Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina) is a branch of the Chilean Navy. They specialice on performing amphibious assaults, and belong to the Chilean Special Forces Unit along with the Combat Divers. The Corps is composed of four units, organized along the Chilean Territory. Each one with their own anti-aircraft guns, artillery and landing crafts.

• China's People's Liberation Army Marine Corps.

• Finnish Coastal Ranger Command (Nylands brigad) in Tammisaari is part of the Finnish Navy. This detachment is the only Swedish-speaking unit in the Finnish Defence Forces.

• The Marine Troops (Troupes de Marine) are French Army units which were formerly titled "Colonial Troops" and were army troops who wore an anchor patch and served overseas, but were the responsibility of the French Navy for administration. Nowadays, they consist of Marine Infantry (Infanterie de Marine), Marine Artillery (Artillerie de Marine), and Marine Tanks (Chars de Marine). Marine troops wear an anchor patch but belong nowadays to the French Army.
• The French Navy (Marine Nationale) includes the Naval Fusiliers (Fusiliers Marins, FUSMAR) who protect naval bases and serve on capital ships. Currently the Naval Fusiliers consists of 14 Companies of Fusiliers and a small commando battalion (Fusiliers/commandos, FUSCO). They are under the common command of the FORFUSCO.

32nd Brigade of Marines "Moravas" (32η Ταξιαρχία Πεζοναυτών Mοράβας) is a unit of naval infantry maintained by the Hellenic Army. The unit is based at Volos in Thessaly; landing craft and other nautical gear are furnished by the Hellenic Navy.

• The Italian Navy (Marina Militare) has a marine unit, the San Marco Regiment, based in Brindisi.
• The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano) has its own marine infantry unit, the Serenissima Regiment, based in Venice. Its soldiers are called Lagunari.

• The Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces, with some marine-like duties.

• Republic of Korea Marine Corps.

• Korps Marinir TNI AL Indonesia Marine Corps, component part of the Indonesia Navy Force established on 15 November 1945.

• Fusiliers Armada

• The Royal Netherlands Navy (Koninklijke Marine) naval infantry unit is the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps.

• The Royal Norwegian Navy (Den Kongelige Norske Marine) unit responsible for naval infantry and ISTAR operations (equivalent to other countries' marine corps) is the Norwegian Coastal Ranger Command (Kystjegerkommandoen).

• The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) has a strength of about 10,000 men divided into five (5) brigades. The Marine units include four (4) infantry manoeuvre brigades, composed of fifteen (15) tactical infantry battalions and one (1) heavy weapons brigade (composed of the 105 mm Howitzer, 106 mm recoilless gun, along with an amphibious vehicle (LVT) and armoured units). Two (2) of the marine battalions have specialised roles: The Force Reconnaissance (Recon) battalion is used for rapid airlift to troubled areas. This Recon battalion is also trained in shipboarding attacks. The Marine Guard battalion is deployed in urban warfare and in defence of an installation. The Philippine Marines (PMC) is also considered the shock force of the Armed Forces and is the first unit to be involved in any amphibious or seaborne clashes.

• Since 1621 the Portuguese Navy maintains a naval infantry corps, presently named Corpo de Fuzileiros. The Portuguese marine corps include 2000 men, including two naval infantry battalions, a naval police unit, a special operations unit and several support units (logistical, fire support, landing craft, etc.).

• The Russian Naval Infantry (Морская пехота).

• The Spanish Marine Infantry (Infantería de Marina), the oldest marine corps in the world, was established on February 27, 1537 by Charles V when he permanently assigned the Compañías Viejas del Mar de Nápoles (Naples Old Sea Companies) to the Escuadras de Galeras del Mediterráneo (Mediterranean Galley Squadrons).

• Sweden's Svenska amfibiekåren is the amphibious arm of the Swedish Navy.

• Taiwan's Republic of China Marine Corps.

• Royal Thai Marine Corps.

• The Royal Marines of the United Kingdom were formed in 1664 and are a part of the Royal Navy.

• The United States Marine Corps, originaly established as the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775 at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is currently the largest marine corps in the world.

• The Infantería de Marina of Venezuela is a subdivision of the National Navy form the National Armed Forces of the BRV.

During the Imperial German era, the German Seebatallione provided shipboard troops to the German Navy. These forces also served in the German colonies as regular infantry.

• The Ordinary Marine Companies (Compagnies Ordinaires de la Mer) was a French marine corps created in 1622.

• The Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces, existed from 1928 to 1945.

• The Corps of Colonial Marines was a British marine corps formed during the mid 1840s to serve in the remaining British America colonies (mainly the West Indies). The Colonial Marines were controlled by the Royal Marines as an auxiliary force. Initially recruited from freed or escaped slaves from the United States and later from local inhabitants, these units were either disbanded or absorbed by the West India Regiment.

• Space marines

• Marine forces of the world