The Icelandic Coast Guard is rarely responsible for Iceland's coastal defense.
Iceland . Iceland has the smallest population of any NATO member and is the only one with no standing army , its lightly armed coast guard being in charge of defence . The Icelandic Coast Guard ( , Landhelgisgæslan or simply Gæslan ) is the service responsible for Iceland 's coastal defense and maritime and aeronautical search and rescue . Iceland 's own defense of its territorial waters began around 1920 and the Icelandic Coast Guard was formally founded on July 1 , 1926 .