This list of highest military decorations is an index to articles that describe the highest military decoration awarded by each country in the world.
Note that some countries do not have separate civilian and military awards systems, and as such some countries' highest military awards may also be civilian awards.
| Country | Image | Name | data-sort-type="date" | Date first awarded! | data-sort-type="number" | Number awarded! | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Cross to the Heroic Valour in Combat | 18 | Last awarded in 1982 | ||||
| Armenia | National Hero of Armenia | 28 July 1994 | 27 | The highest title in Armenia is National Hero of Armenia, which is awarded alongside an Order of Fatherland and may also be conferred on members of the military. | |||
| Order of the Combat Cross | Established 22 April 1994 | Awarded for absolute courage, selflessness and skill in defending the Fatherland. It is divided into First and Second degrees. | |||||
| Australia | The Victoria Cross for Australia | 16 January 2009[1] | 5 | Replaced The Victoria Cross | |||
| Austria | The Military Merit Decoration | ||||||
| Azerbaijan | National Hero of Azerbaijan | 7 June 1992 | Highest national title of Azerbaijan, conferred alongside the Qizil Ulduz ("Gold Star") Medal. Awarded for outstanding services of national importance to Azerbaijan in defence and strengthening of the state system and creation of important national values. | ||||
| Shah Ismail Order | Established 6 December 1993 | Highest military award of Azerbaijan | |||||
| Bangladesh | 15 December 1973 | 7 | |||||
| Belarus | Hero of Belarus | 21 November 1996 | 13 | Highest title that can be awarded to a citizen of Belarus. Can be conferred for military or civilian service. | |||
| Order of Military Glory | Established 13 April 1995 | The highest order of Belarus is the Order of the Fatherland which may also be awarded for military service. There is also a separate Medal for Bravery. | |||||
| Belgium | 22 December 1873 | ||||||
| Botswana | Conduct Valour Cross (CVC) | Established 1979 | |||||
| Brazil | 1934 | 820 | |||||
| Bulgaria | Established 1 January 1880 | ||||||
| Canada | Established 2 February 1993 | 0 | Replaced the Victoria Cross | ||||
| China | Order of August First | 12 June 2017 | 10 | ||||
| Colombia | Order of San Mateo | ||||||
| Croatia | Order of Duke Domagoj | 1995 | 566 551 | Established in 1995, this is Croatia's highest award for bravery and the 8th highest national medal. | |||
| Cuba | Hero of the Republic of Cuba | 1980 | This honorary title is the highest decoration awarded by the Republic of Cuba, conferred for civilian and military merit in productive labour, defence of the interests of the working class, and contributions to proletarian internationalism. | ||||
| Order Camilo Cienfuegos | Established 1979 | Awarded to members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba, and to the military of "friendly countries". | |||||
| Czech Republic | Established 1990 | Created by the Parliament of the Czechoslovak Federative Republic in 1990, and awarded once before its re-authorization by the Czech Republic in 1992. May also be awarded to civilians. | |||||
| Denmark | The Valour Cross | 18 November 2011[2] | 1 | ||||
| Egypt | Order of the Sinai Star | Established 1972 | 200 | ||||
| Estonia | 24 February 1919 | 3,156 | None has been awarded since 1925 | ||||
| Finland | 22 July 1941 | 197 191 | Still active de jure, although none awarded since 1945. Last living recipient died November 2020. | ||||
| France | 15 July 1804 | Conferred in five classes for military or civilian merit. | |||||
| Germany | 6 July 2009 | 28 | |||||
| Georgia | Order of National Hero | Established 24 June 2004 | Highest national order of Georgia, awarded alongside the title of National Hero. It is conferred on both civilians and military personnel. The St. George's Victory Order was established in the same year and is awarded for contributions to victorious battles and general significant victories for Georgia. Before 2004 the Order of David IV the Builder was the highest military and civilian order. | ||||
| Vakhtang Gorgasali Order (1st Class) | Established 1992 | The highest purely military decoration of Georgia. It is divided into three degrees. The Military Courage Medal is awarded for heroic and daring actions while carrying out military duties. | |||||
| Greece | Medal for Gallantry | The Medal for Gallantry formally replaced the Cross of Valour as the top military award in 1974, but it has never been conferred. | |||||
| Cross of Valour | 1913 | ||||||
| Hungary | 1764-1918, 1938–1946, 2011- | ||||||
| India | Param Vir Chakra | 3 November 1947 | 21 | Highest wartime military decoration. | |||
| Ashoka Chakra | 1952 | 86 | Highest peacetime military decoration. | ||||
| Iran | Established 1856, renamed 1925 | Revived in 2019 when Major General Qasem Soleimani received the decoration, the first time it had been awarded since 1979.[3] | |||||
| Ireland | Military Medal for Gallantry | Established 1944 | |||||
| Israel | 19 January 1948 | 40[4] | Replacement for the Hero of Israel. None has been awarded since 1975. | ||||
| Italy | 21 May 1793 | ||||||
| Latvia | Order of Viesturs | Established 11 August 1938, discontinued 1940, re-established 2004 | Established in 1938 but discontinued after the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940. It was re-established in 2004. It is also awarded to civilians, in which case the ribbon is without swords. | ||||
| Lithuania | Order of the Cross of Vytis | Established 30 July 1919, discontinued 1940, re-established 15 January 1991 | Presidential award conferred for heroic defence of Lithuania's freedom and independence. It was established in 1919 but discontinued after the Soviet occupation of Lithuania in 1940, until it was re-established upon independence in 1991. It is also awarded to civilians. | ||||
| Luxembourg | Military Medal | 3 August 1945[5] | |||||
| Malaysia | Grand Knight of Valour | Established 29 July 1960 | 30 | The Grand Knight of Valour (Malay: Darjah Kebesaran Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa)[6] [7] [8] is the highest federal award which can be presented in Malaysia. It was created on 29 July 1960 and was gazetted on 11 August 1960. The award is the highest ranking in the list of the Malaysian Federal Ranking of Awards, and is ranked higher than the Order of the Royal Family of Malaysia (D.K.M.) awarded to Malaysian Royalty. | |||
| Mexico | |||||||
| Mongolia | Order of Sukhbaatar | Established 16 May 1941 | |||||
| Morocco | Order of Ouissam Alaouite | Established 11 January 1913 | |||||
| Myanmar | Aung San Thiriya, 1st Class | 1948 | 6 | ||||
| Namibia | Namibian Cross for Bravery: Gold | The Order of the Mukorob is also presented by the President of Namibia for meritorious military service. | |||||
| Netherlands | Military William Order | 30 April 1815 | 5,875 | ||||
| New Zealand | The Victoria Cross for New Zealand | 26 July 2007[9] | 1 | Replaced The Victoria Cross. | |||
| North Korea | Hero of the Republic | Established 30 June 1950 | 6116 | Honorific title, originally created as Hero of the Korean People's Republic. Awarded for extreme heroic exploits during war. The recipient is also awarded with the Order of the National Flag 1st Class, which was the highest order until the Order of Kim Il-sung was created in 1972. | |||
| Soldier's Medal of Honour (first class) | Established 1 July 1950 | Awarded for acts of individual gallantry in combat.[10] [11] | |||||
| Norway | The War Cross with Sword | 28 November 1941 | 285 | A new sword is awarded each time a person, who already has the War Cross, distinguishes him- or herself in battle.[12] | |||
| Pakistan | Nishan-e-Haider (Left) Hilal-e-Kashmir (Right) | 16 March 1957 | 11 | On 30 November 1995, the Government of Pakistan initiated the gazette notification to declare its Hilal-e-Kashmir equivalent to Nishan-e-Haider.All awards have been made posthumously. | |||
| Peru | Established 8 October 1821, discontinued 1825, re-established 1921 | Also the highest civilian award of Peru. | |||||
| Philippines | 15 November 1935 | 41 | |||||
| Poland | Order of Virtuti Militari | 22 June 1792 | Conferred in five classes. A wartime-only award. | ||||
| Portugal | 1459 | The Order of the Tower and Sword, as awarded by the Portuguese government today, comes in six classes | |||||
| Romania | Instated 26 September 1916 Disbanded 1948 Reinstated 23 July 2000 | 2,184 | None has been awarded since 1944. | ||||
| Russia | Honorific title for service to the Russian state and nation, usually connected with a heroic feat of valor; precedes all other Russian military and civil orders and medals. | ||||||
| 26 November 1769 (O. S.), revived on 20 March 1992 | Highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. | ||||||
| Senegal | Established 1 February 1968 | ||||||
| Serbia | Established 1 January 1904 | Originated in the Kingdom of Serbia and later awarded by the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It continued to be awarded by the Yugoslav government-in-exile but was suppressed by the communist government of Yugoslavia, during which time the Order of Freedom was the highest military decoration. It was reinstated by the Republic of Serbia in 2010 as a military and civilian decoration, and also continues to be awarded as a dynastic order by the former royal family. | |||||
| Singapore | Established 24 July 1970 | Singapore's highest national honour, awarded only to members of the Armed Forces, Police Force, and Civil Defence Force. Recipients are entitled to the post-nominal letters BT. | |||||
| Somalia | 12 February 1961 | Highest distinction award for military gallantry of Somalia. | |||||
| South Africa | Established 2003 | Introduced to replace the Honoris Crux Gold. The bilingual title is in Sesotho and English. | |||||
| South Korea | |||||||
| Spain | Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand | 1 January 1812 | 336 | ||||
| Sri Lanka | 1991 | 31 | Established in 1981. Recipients can use the post-nominal letters PWV. | ||||
| Sweden | Order of the Sword | 1748 | Dormant between 1975 and February 2023, when it was re-introduced. During this time the Medal of Merit was the highest decoration awarded for action during combat. | ||||
| Switzerland | Swiss law has prohibited citizens from accepting honours and titles since 1848; however, the Swiss military maintains a system of awards. Length of service decorations precede the exceptional service ribbon in the order of wear. | ||||||
| Taiwan (Republic of China) | Order of National Glory | Established 8 November 1937 | |||||
| Tanzania | Medal for Bravery | ||||||
| Thailand | Order of Rama | Established 22 July 1918 | Conferred in six classes for military merit. | ||||
| Turkey | 1967 | ||||||
| Uganda | 2004 | 2 | Awarded only twice; first to Muammar Gaddafi in 2004, and posthumously to Julius Nyerere in 2007. | ||||
| Ukraine | 26 November 1998 | 692 | Highest national title that can be conferred by the President of Ukraine, granted to recipients of the civilian Order of the State and the military Order of the Gold Star | ||||
| Highest military order of Ukraine, awarded alongside the honorary title Hero of Ukraine. | |||||||
| United Kingdom | 26 June 1857[13] | 1357 1354 | |||||
| 18 May 1725 | Second highest national order of the United Kingdom. It is conferred on both civilians and military personnel, with different insignia (Military illustrated). | ||||||
| United States | Medal of Honor | 26 March 1863 | 3468[14] 3449 | Different types from each of the branches of the US military. In the image, from left to right: The Army, the Coast Guard/Navy/Marine Corps, and the Air Force. | |||
| Uruguay | Established 1991 | Introduced to replace the Order of Military Merit of the Companions of Artigas, which was discontinued in 1985. | |||||
| Vietnam | Hero of the People's Armed Forces | Established 1955 | State Honourable Title awarded for outstanding achievements in combat, combat service, preservation of security, social order and safety, loyalty to the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam and possession of revolutionary virtues and qualities. | ||||
| 15 May 1947 | Highest military Order, awarded to individuals who have recorded outstanding and brave exploits in combat, combat service, training, force building, consolidation of the all-people defense and people's security, or have sacrificed their lives heroically, setting bright examples in the whole country. | ||||||
| Zimbabwe | The Gold Cross of Zimbabwe | Established October 1980 | 3 | Replaced the Grand Cross of Valour |