Army

{{otheruses}}
{{expert-portal|Military history}}
[[Image:Weltkarte der Armeeformen.png|thumb|300px|Map of the world of the army forms 
<dl>
<dt>'''Colour key:'''</dt>
<dd>
<ul>
<li>'''Green''': No armed forces</li>
<li>'''Blue''': Fully voluntary/professional army </li>
<li>'''Orange''': [[Conscription]], but abolition of conscription decided upon (<to 3 years) </li>
<li>'''Red''': Conscription (in some cases limited) </li>
<li>'''Grey''': No information</li>
</ul>
</dd>
</dl>]]
An '''army''' (from [[Latin]] ''armata'' "act of arming" via [[Old French]] ''armée''), in the broadest sense, is the land-based [[armed forces]] of a nation. It may also include other branches of the [[military]] such as an [[air force]]. Within a national military force, the word '''Army''' may also mean a [[field army]], which is an operational [[formation (military)|formation]], usually made up of one or more [[corps]].

In several countries the army is officially called the '''Land Army''' to differentiate it from an [[air force]] called the Air Army, notably France. In such countries, the word "army" on its own retains its connotation of a land force in common usage. The current largest army in the world by number of active troops is the [[People's Liberation Army]] with 2,250,000 active troops and 800,000 reserve personnel.

==Field Army==
A Field Army is composed of a headquarters, army [[troops]], a variable number of [[corps]], and a variable number of [[Division (military)|divisions]]. A battle is influenced at the Field Army level by transferring divisions and reinforcements from one corps to another to increase the pressure on the enemy at a critical point. Armies are controlled by a General or Lieutienant General.

== Formations ==
[[Image:PLA soldiers.jpg|thumb|[[People's Liberation Army]] in dress uniform, currently the biggest army in the world, in number of people.]]
[[Image:Army Nato.png|thumb|Standard symbol for a numbered Army, the X'es are not substituting the army's number.]]
A particular army can be named or numbered to distinguish it from military land forces in general. For example, the [[First United States Army]] and the [[Army of Northern Virginia]]. In the [[British Army]] it is normal to spell out the ordinal number of an army (e.g. First Army), whereas lower formations use figures (e.g. 1st Division).

Armies (as well as [[army group]]s and [[Theater (military)|theater]]s) are large formations which vary significantly between armed forces in size, composition, and scope of responsibility.

In the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Red Army]] and the [[VVS|Soviet Air Force]], "Armies" were actually [[corps]]-sized formations, subordinate to an [[Army Group]]-sized "[[Front (Soviet Army)|front]]" in wartime. In peacetime, a [[Army (Soviet Army)|Soviet army]] was usually subordinate to a [[military district]].

For the hierarchy of land forcedom organizations, see [[military organization]].

== See also ==
* [[Military unit]]
* [[War]]
* [[Military history]]
* [[Paramilitary]]
* [[Militia]]
* [[Mercenary]]
* [[List of armies]]
* [[List of armies by country]]
* [[List of armies by number]]
* [[List of countries by size of armed forces]]
* [[List of countries by number of active troops]]
* [[List of countries by number of total troops]]
{{military-stub}}
{{army units}}
[[Category:Field armies| ]]
[[Category:Armies| ]]

[[ca:Exèrcit]]
[[cs:Armáda]]
[[cy:Byddin]]
[[da:Hær]]
[[pdc:Armee]]
[[de:Heer]]
[[el:Στρατός]]
[[es:Ejército]]
[[fr:Armée de terre]]
[[gl:Exército]]
[[ko:육군]]
[[io:Armeo]]
[[id:Angkatan darat]]
[[it:Armata]]
[[he:צבא]]
[[ka:სახმელეთო ჯარები]]
[[la:Exercitus]]
[[hu:Hadsereg]]
[[nl:Landmacht (algemeen)]]
[[ja:陸軍]]
[[no:Armé]]
[[pl:Armia]]
[[pt:Exército]]
[[ro:Armata terestră]]
[[qu:Awqaq suyu]]
[[ru:Армия]]
[[sq:Ushtria]]
[[simple:Army]]
[[sl:Vojska]]
[[sv:Armé]]
[[th:กองทัพบก]]
[[vi:Lục quân]]
[[tr:Ordu (askeriye)]]
[[uk:Армія]]
[[zh:陆军]]