Chapter LXV: Front Matter (65)

Kenya
recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Kingman Reef
wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of
about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Kiribati
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
very sensitive to changes in sea level

Korea, North
late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding;
occasional typhoons during the early fall

Korea, South
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;
low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Kuwait
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring
heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust
storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March
and August

Kyrgyzstan
NA

Laos
floods, droughts

Latvia
NA

Lebanon
dust storms, sandstorms

Lesotho
periodic droughts

Liberia
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
March)

Libya
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to
four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
NA

Luxembourg
NA

Macau
typhoons

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
high seismic risks

Madagascar
periodic cyclones

Malawi
NA

Malaysia
flooding, landslides, forest fires

Maldives
low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level
rise

Mali
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons;
recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Malta
NA

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
infrequent typhoons

Martinique
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average
of one major natural disaster every five years)

Mauritania
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in
March and April; periodic droughts

Mauritius
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded
by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Mayotte
cyclones during rainy season

Mexico
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Micronesia, Federated States of
typhoons (June to December)

Midway Islands
NA

Moldova
landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and
"zud", which is harsh winter conditions

Montserrat
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
(Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)

Morocco
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
earthquakes; periodic droughts

Mozambique
severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in
central and southern provinces

Namibia
prolonged periods of drought

Nauru
periodic droughts

Navassa Island
NA

Nepal
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and
famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the
summer monsoons

Netherlands
flooding

Netherlands Antilles
Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean
hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and
Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

New Caledonia
cyclones, most frequent from November to March

New Zealand
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;
volcanic activity

Nicaragua
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes

Niger
recurring droughts

Nigeria
periodic droughts; flooding

Niue
typhoons

Norfolk Island
typhoons (especially May to July)

Northern Mariana Islands
active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan;
typhoons (especially August to November)

Norway
rockslides, avalanches

Oman
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
interior; periodic droughts

Pacific Ocean
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and
earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east
Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in
August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in
the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western
Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure
icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the
northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Pakistan
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in
north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and
August)

Palau
typhoons (June to December)

Palmyra Atoll
NA

Panama
occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Papua New Guinea
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring
of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe
earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Paracel Islands
typhoons

Paraguay
local flooding in southeast (early September to June);
poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Peru
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic
activity

Philippines
astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck
by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active
volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Pitcairn Islands
typhoons (especially November to March)

Poland
flooding

Portugal
Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Puerto Rico
periodic droughts; hurricanes

Qatar
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Reunion
periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de
la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Romania
earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic
structure and climate promote landslides

Russia
permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
Russia

Rwanda
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Saint Kitts and Nevis
hurricanes (July to October)

Saint Lucia
hurricanes and volcanic activity

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
persistent fog throughout the year can be
a maritime hazard

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on
the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Samoa
occasional typhoons; active volcanism

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
frequent sand and dust storms

Senegal
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Serbia and Montenegro
destructive earthquakes

Seychelles
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;
short droughts possible

Sierra Leone
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
(December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Singapore
NA

Slovakia
NA

Slovenia
flooding and earthquakes

Solomon Islands
typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically
active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Somalia
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains
in summer; floods during rainy season

South Africa
prolonged droughts

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
the South Sandwich
Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them
difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active
volcanism

Southern Ocean
huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred
meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5
to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and
with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf
floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances;
high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially
May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and
rescue

Spain
periodic droughts

Spratly Islands
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of
numerous reefs and shoals

Sri Lanka
occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Sudan
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Suriname
NA

Svalbard
ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit
point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts
of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Swaziland
drought

Sweden
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf
of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Switzerland
avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Syria
dust storms, sandstorms

Taiwan
earthquakes and typhoons

Tajikistan
earthquakes and floods

Tanzania
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season;
drought

Thailand
land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the
depletion of the water table; droughts

Togo
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
winter; periodic droughts

Tokelau
lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Tonga
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity
on Fonuafo'ou

Trinidad and Tobago
outside usual path of hurricanes and other
tropical storms

Tromelin Island
NA

Tunisia
NA

Turkey
very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along
an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Turkmenistan
NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
frequent hurricanes

Tuvalu
severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there
were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive
to changes in sea level

Uganda
NA

Ukraine
NA

United Arab Emirates
frequent sand and dust storms

United Kingdom
winter windstorms; floods

United States
tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around
Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in
California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in
northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

Uruguay
seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and
occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine
pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains,
which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly
vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts

Uzbekistan
NA

Vanuatu
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism
causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Venezuela
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Vietnam
occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive
flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Virgin Islands
several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and
severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Wake Island
occasional typhoons

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
droughts

Western Sahara
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur
during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of
time, often severely restricting visibility

World
large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones),
natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic
eruptions)

Yemen
sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Zambia
periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Zimbabwe
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@2022 People - note

Afghanistan
large numbers of Afghan refugees create burdens on
neighboring states

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
the landing of illegal immigrants from
Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem

Cuba
illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to
depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien
smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; some 2,500 Cubans
took to the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard
interdicted about 60% of these migrants; Cubans also use
non-maritime routes to enter the US; some 1,500 Cubans arrived
overland via the southwest border and direct flights to Miami in 2002

Ghana
there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000
Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

Rwanda
Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Turks and Caicos Islands
destination and transit point for illegal
Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas,
and US

United States
data for the US are based on projections that do not
take into consideration the results of the 2000 census

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2023 Area - comparative

Afghanistan
slightly smaller than Texas

Albania
slightly smaller than Maryland

Algeria
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

American Samoa
slightly larger than Washington, DC

Andorra
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Angola
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Anguilla
about half the size of Washington, DC

Antarctica
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Antigua and Barbuda
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Arctic Ocean
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Argentina
slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Armenia
slightly smaller than Maryland

Aruba
slightly larger than Washington, DC

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
about eight times the size of The Mall
in Washington, DC

Atlantic Ocean
slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Australia
slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Austria
slightly smaller than Maine

Azerbaijan
slightly smaller than Maine

Bahamas, The
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Bahrain
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Baker Island
about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Bangladesh
slightly smaller than Iowa

Barbados
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Bassas da India
about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Belarus
slightly smaller than Kansas

Belgium
about the size of Maryland

Belize
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Benin
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Bermuda
about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Bhutan
about half the size of Indiana

Bolivia
slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Bosnia and Herzegovina
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Botswana
slightly smaller than Texas

Bouvet Island
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Brazil
slightly smaller than the US

British Indian Ocean Territory
about 0.3 times the size of
Washington, DC

British Virgin Islands
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Brunei
slightly smaller than Delaware

Bulgaria
slightly larger than Tennessee

Burkina Faso
slightly larger than Colorado

Burma
slightly smaller than Texas

Burundi
slightly smaller than Maryland

Cambodia
slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Cameroon
slightly larger than California

Canada
somewhat larger than the US

Cape Verde
slightly larger than Rhode Island

Cayman Islands
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Central African Republic
slightly smaller than Texas

Chad
slightly more than three times the size of California

Chile
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

China
slightly smaller than the US

Christmas Island
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Clipperton Island
about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
about 24 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Colombia
slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Comoros
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
slightly less than one-fourth the
size of the US

Congo, Republic of the
slightly smaller than Montana

Cook Islands
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Coral Sea Islands
NA

Costa Rica
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cote d'Ivoire
slightly larger than New Mexico

Croatia
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cuba
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Cyprus
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Czech Republic
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Denmark
slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Djibouti
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Dominica
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Dominican Republic
slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

East Timor
slightly larger than Connecticut

Ecuador
slightly smaller than Nevada

Egypt
slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

El Salvador
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Equatorial Guinea
slightly smaller than Maryland

Eritrea
slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Estonia
slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Ethiopia
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Europa Island
about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Faroe Islands
eight times the size of Washington, DC

Fiji
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Finland
slightly smaller than Montana

France
slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

French Guiana
slightly smaller than Indiana

French Polynesia
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
slightly less than 1.3 times the
size of Delaware

Gabon
slightly smaller than Colorado

Gambia, The
slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Gaza Strip
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Georgia
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Germany
slightly smaller than Montana

Ghana
slightly smaller than Oregon

Gibraltar
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Glorioso Islands
about eight times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Greece
slightly smaller than Alabama

Greenland
slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Grenada
twice the size of Washington, DC

Guadeloupe
10 times the size of Washington, DC

Guam
three times the size of Washington, DC

Guatemala
slightly smaller than Tennessee

Guernsey
about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Guinea
slightly smaller than Oregon

Guinea-Bissau
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Guyana
slightly smaller than Idaho

Haiti
slightly smaller than Maryland

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
slightly more than two times the
size of Washington, DC

Holy See (Vatican City)
about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Honduras
slightly larger than Tennessee

Hong Kong
six times the size of Washington, DC

Howland Island
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Hungary
slightly smaller than Indiana

Iceland
slightly smaller than Kentucky

India
slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Indian Ocean
about 5.5 times the size of the US

Indonesia
slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Iran
slightly larger than Alaska

Iraq
slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Ireland
slightly larger than West Virginia

Israel
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Italy
slightly larger than Arizona

Jamaica
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Jan Mayen
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Japan
slightly smaller than California

Jarvis Island
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Jersey
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Johnston Atoll
about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Jordan
slightly smaller than Indiana

Juan de Nova Island
about seven times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Kazakhstan
slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Kenya
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Kingman Reef
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Kiribati
four times the size of Washington, DC

Korea, North
slightly smaller than Mississippi

Korea, South
slightly larger than Indiana

Kuwait
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Kyrgyzstan
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Laos
slightly larger than Utah

Latvia
slightly larger than West Virginia

Lebanon
about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Lesotho
slightly smaller than Maryland

Liberia
slightly larger than Tennessee

Libya
slightly larger than Alaska

Liechtenstein
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Lithuania
slightly larger than West Virginia

Luxembourg
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Macau
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
slightly larger than
Vermont

Madagascar
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Malawi
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Malaysia
slightly larger than New Mexico

Maldives
about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Mali
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Malta
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Man, Isle of
slightly more than three times the size of Washington,
DC

Marshall Islands
about the size of Washington, DC

Martinique
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Mauritania
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Mauritius
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Mayotte
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Mexico
slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Micronesia, Federated States of
four times the size of Washington,
DC (land area only)

Midway Islands
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Moldova
slightly larger than Maryland

Monaco
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Mongolia
slightly smaller than Alaska

Montserrat
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Morocco
slightly larger than California

Mozambique
slightly less than twice the size of California

Namibia
slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Nauru
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Navassa Island
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Nepal
slightly larger than Arkansas

Netherlands
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Netherlands Antilles
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

New Caledonia
slightly smaller than New Jersey

New Zealand
about the size of Colorado

Nicaragua
slightly smaller than the state of New York

Niger
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Nigeria
slightly more than twice the size of California

Niue
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norfolk Island
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Northern Mariana Islands
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norway
slightly larger than New Mexico

Oman
slightly smaller than Kansas

Pacific Ocean
about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of
the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Pakistan
slightly less than twice the size of California

Palau
slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Palmyra Atoll
about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Panama
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Papua New Guinea
slightly larger than California

Paracel Islands
NA

Paraguay
slightly smaller than California

Peru
slightly smaller than Alaska

Philippines
slightly larger than Arizona

Pitcairn Islands
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Poland
slightly smaller than New Mexico

Portugal
slightly smaller than Indiana

Puerto Rico
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Qatar
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Reunion
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Romania
slightly smaller than Oregon

Russia
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Rwanda
slightly smaller than Maryland

Saint Helena
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Saint Kitts and Nevis
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Lucia
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
twice the size of Washington, DC

Samoa
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

San Marino
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Sao Tome and Principe
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Saudi Arabia
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Senegal
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Serbia and Montenegro
slightly smaller than Kentucky

Seychelles
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Sierra Leone
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Singapore
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Slovakia
about twice the size of New Hampshire

Slovenia
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Solomon Islands
slightly smaller than Maryland

Somalia
slightly smaller than Texas

South Africa
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
slightly larger than
Rhode Island

Southern Ocean
slightly more than twice the size of the US

Spain
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Spratly Islands
NA

Sri Lanka
slightly larger than West Virginia

Sudan
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Suriname
slightly larger than Georgia

Svalbard
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Swaziland
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Sweden
slightly larger than California

Switzerland
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Syria
slightly larger than North Dakota

Taiwan
slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Tajikistan
slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Tanzania
slightly larger than twice the size of California

Thailand
slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Togo
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Tokelau
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Tonga
four times the size of Washington, DC

Trinidad and Tobago
slightly smaller than Delaware

Tromelin Island
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Tunisia
slightly larger than Georgia

Turkey
slightly larger than Texas

Turkmenistan
slightly larger than California

Turks and Caicos Islands
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Tuvalu
0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Uganda
slightly smaller than Oregon

Ukraine
slightly smaller than Texas

United Arab Emirates
slightly smaller than Maine

United Kingdom
slightly smaller than Oregon

United States
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the
size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly
larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a
half times the size of Western Europe

Uruguay
slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Uzbekistan
slightly larger than California

Vanuatu
slightly larger than Connecticut

Venezuela
slightly more than twice the size of California

Vietnam
slightly larger than New Mexico

Virgin Islands
twice the size of Washington, DC

Wake Island
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Wallis and Futuna
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

West Bank
slightly smaller than Delaware

Western Sahara
about the size of Colorado

World
land area about 16 times the size of the US

Yemen
slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Zambia
slightly larger than Texas

Zimbabwe
slightly larger than Montana

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2024 Military manpower - military age (years of age)

Afghanistan
22 years of age (2003 est.)

Albania
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Algeria
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Angola
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Argentina
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Armenia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Australia
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Austria
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Bahrain
15 years of age (2003 est.)

Belarus
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Belgium
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Belize
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Benin
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Bhutan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Bolivia
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Botswana
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Brazil
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Brunei
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Burma
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Burundi
16 years of age (2003 est.)

Cambodia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Cameroon
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Canada
16 years of age (2003 est.)

Chad
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Chile
19 years of age (2003 est.)

China
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Colombia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Croatia
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Cuba
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Cyprus
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Denmark
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
18 years of age (2003 est.)

East Timor
18-21 years of age (2003 est.)

Ecuador
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Egypt
20 years of age (2003 est.)

El Salvador
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Estonia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Fiji
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Finland
18 years of age (2003 est.)

France
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Gabon
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Georgia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Germany
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Ghana
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Greece
21 years of age (2003 est.)

Guatemala
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Haiti
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Honduras
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Hungary
18 years of age (2003 est.)

India
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Indonesia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Iran
21 years of age (2003 est.)

Iraq
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Ireland
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Israel
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Italy
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Jamaica
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Japan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Jordan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Korea, North
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Korea, South
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Kuwait
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Laos
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Latvia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Libya
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Lithuania
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
19 years of age (2003
est.)

Madagascar
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Malaysia
21 years of age (2003 est.)

Mexico
18 years of age
note: starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for
military service (2003 est.)

Moldova
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Mongolia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Morocco
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Nepal
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Netherlands
20 years of age (note - age 17 for cadets and
midshipmen) (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
20 years of age (2003 est.)

New Zealand
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Niger
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Nigeria
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Norway
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Oman
14 years of age (2003 est.)

Pakistan
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Paraguay
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Peru
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Philippines
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Poland
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Portugal
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Qatar
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Reunion
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Romania
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Russia
18 years of age (2003)

Saudi Arabia
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Senegal
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Slovakia
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Slovenia
19 years of age (2003 est.)

South Africa
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Spain
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Sudan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Sweden
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Switzerland
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Syria
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Taiwan
19 years of age (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Thailand
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Tunisia
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Turkey
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Ukraine
18 years of age (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
18 years of age (2003 est.)

United States
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Venezuela
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Vietnam
17 years of age (2003 est.)

Yemen
14 years of age (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2025 Military manpower - fit for military service

Afghanistan
males age 15-49: 3,837,646 (2003 est.)

Albania
males age 15-49: 742,837 (2003 est.)

Algeria
males age 15-49: 5,646,418 (2003 est.)

Angola
males age 15-49: 1,290,884 (2003 est.)

Argentina
males age 15-49: 7,942,837 (2003 est.)

Armenia
males age 15-49: 727,770 (2003 est.)

Australia
males age 15-49: 4,339,011 (2003 est.)

Austria
males age 15-49: 1,725,123 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
males age 15-49: 1,727,340 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
males age 15-49: 121,739 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
males age 15-49: 22,807,339 (2003 est.)

Barbados
males age 15-49: 53,282 (2003 est.)

Belarus
males age 15-49: 2,158,875 (2003 est.)

Belgium
males age 15-49: 2,059,131 (2003 est.)

Belize
males age 15-49: 39,337 (2003 est.)

Benin
males age 15-49: 805,603
females age 15-49: 809,961 (2003 est.)

Bhutan
males age 15-49: 283,493 (2003 est.)

Bolivia
males age 15-49: 1,380,883 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
males age 15-49: 897,856 (2003 est.)

Botswana
males age 15-49: 201,402 (2003 est.)

Brazil
males age 15-49: 34,347,078 (2003 est.)

Brunei
males age 15-49: 63,966 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
males age 15-49: 1,551,485 (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
males age 15-49: 1,506,944 (2003 est.)

Burma
males age 15-49: 6,566,122
females age 15-49: 6,553,458 (2003 est.)

Burundi
males age 15-49: 723,516 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
males age 15-49: 1,829,535 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
males age 15-49: 1,928,285 (2003 est.)

Canada
males age 15-49: 7,158,016 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
males age 15-49: 53,842 (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
males age 15-49: 449,466 (2003 est.)

Chad
males age 15-49: 1,015,982 (2003 est.)

Chile
males age 15-49: 3,070,140 (2003 est.)

China
males age 15-49: 206 million (2003 est.)

Colombia
males age 15-49: 7,403,433 (2003 est.)

Comoros
males age 15-49: 89,090 (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
males age 15-49: 6,267,752 (2003
est.)

Congo, Republic of the
males age 15-49: 381,556 (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
males age 15-49: 722,043 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
males age 15-49: 2,110,276 (2003 est.)

Croatia
males age 15-49: 856,946 (2003 est.)

Cuba
males age 15-49: 1,923,967
females age 15-49: 1,875,412 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
males age 15-49: 138,336 (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
males age 15-49: 2,002,202 (2003 est.)

Denmark
males age 15-49: 1,094,611 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
males age 15-49: 63,459 (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
males age 15-49: 1,453,705 (2003 est.)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
males age 15-49: 2,395,178 (2003 est.)

Egypt
males age 15-49: 12,867,160 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
males age 15-49: 973,884 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
males age 15-49: 59,110 (2003 est.)

Estonia
males age 15-49: 283,278 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
males age 15-49: 8,040,381 (2003 est.)

Fiji
males age 15-49: 129,432 (2003 est.)

Finland
males age 15-49: 1,016,693 (2003 est.)

France
males age 15-49: 12,079,413 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
males age 15-49: 33,345 (2003 est.)

Gabon
males age 15-49: 158,226 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
males age 15-49: 170,904 (2003 est.)

Georgia
males age 15-49: 1,028,913 (2003 est.)

Germany
males age 15-49: 17,399,936 (2003 est.)

Ghana
males age 15-49: 2,911,474 (2003 est.)

Greece
males age 15-49: 2,026,409 (2003 est.)

Guatemala
males age 15-49: 2,167,270 (2003 est.)

Guinea
males age 15-49: 1,038,428 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
males age 15-49: 181,318 (2003 est.)

Guyana
males age 15-49: 156,174 (2003 est.)

Haiti
males age 15-49: 944,474 (2003 est.)

Honduras
males age 15-49: 948,957 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
males age 15-49: 1,524,903 (2003 est.)

Hungary
males age 15-49: 2,026,912 (2003 est.)

Iceland
males age 15-49: 62,552 (2003 est.)

India
males age 15-49: 169 million (2003 est.)

Indonesia
males age 15-49: 38,290,550 (2003 est.)

Iran
males age 15-49: 12,094,551 (2003 est.)

Iraq
males age 15-49: 3,541,467 (2003 est.)

Ireland
males age 15-49: 821,378 (2003 est.)

Israel
males age 15-49: 1,279,277
females age 15-49: 1,237,926 (2003 est.)

Italy
males age 15-49: 12,349,356 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
males age 15-49: 528,689 (2003 est.)

Japan
males age 15-49: 25,405,779 (2003 est.)

Jordan
males age 15-49: 1,113,787 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
males age 15-49: 3,658,815 (2003 est.)

Kenya
males age 15-49: 5,017,501 (2003 est.)

Korea, North
males age 15-49: 3,654,223 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
males age 15-49: 8,994,941 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
males age 15-49: 508,399 (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
males age 15-49: 1,026,063 (2003 est.)

Laos
males age 15-49: 759,499 (2003 est.)

Latvia
males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
males age 15-49: 630,657 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
males age 15-49: 250,560 (2003 est.)

Liberia
males age 15-49: 396,725 (2003 est.)

Libya
males age 15-49: 914,649 (2003 est.)

Lithuania
males age 15-49: 735,536 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
males age 15-49: 93,994 (2003 est.)

Macau
males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
males age 15-49: 446,726
(2003 est.)

Madagascar
males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)

Malawi
males age 15-49: 1,347,248 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
males age 15-49: 3,672,517 (2003 est.)

Maldives
males age 15-49: 43,386 (2003 est.)

Mali
males age 15-49: 1,400,711 (2003 est.)

Malta
males age 15-49: 79,080 (2003 est.)

Mauritania
males age 15-49: 322,288 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.)

Mexico
males age 15-49: 20,123,970 (2003 est.)

Moldova
males age 15-49: 936,629 (2003 est.)

Mongolia
males age 15-49: 516,502 (2003 est.)

Morocco
males age 15-49: 5,411,846 (2003 est.)

Mozambique
males age 15-49: 2,373,444 (2003 est.)

Namibia
males age 15-49: 274,015 (2003 est.)

Nauru
males age 15-49: 1,762 (2003 est.)

Nepal
males age 15-49: 3,467,511 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
males age 15-49: 3,536,586 (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
males age 15-49: 30,840 (2003 est.)

New Zealand
males age 15-49: 859,505 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
males age 15-49: 825,906 (2003 est.)

Niger
males age 15-49: 1,288,396 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
males age 15-49: 18,259,696 (2003 est.)

Norway
males age 15-49: 910,628 (2003 est.)

Oman
males age 15-49: 438,326 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
males age 15-49: 23,328,575 (2003 est.)

Panama
males age 15-49: 544,967 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
males age 15-49: 757,421 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
males age 15-49: 1,056,437 (2003 est.)

Peru
males age 15-49: 5,045,619 (2003 est.)

Philippines
males age 15-49: 15,428,043 (2003 est.)

Poland
males age 15-49: 8,077,706 (2003 est.)

Portugal
males age 15-49: 2,017,678 (2003 est.)

Qatar
males age 15-49: 168,416 (2003 est.)

Reunion
males age 15-49: 101,116 (2003 est.)

Romania
males age 15-49: 4,974,240 (2003 est.)

Russia
males age 15-49: 24 million (2003 est.)

Rwanda
males age 15-49: 982,909 (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
males age 15-49: 19,443 (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
males age 15-49: 3,431,281 (2003 est.)

Senegal
males age 15-49: 1,256,973 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
males age 15-49: 2,077,660 (2003 est.)

Seychelles
males age 15-49: 11,639 (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
males age 15-49: 596,617 (2003 est.)

Singapore
males age 15-49: 1,012,498 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
males age 15-49: 1,135,612 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
males age 15-49: 413,453 (2003 est.)

Somalia
males age 15-49: 1,072,689 (2003 est.)

South Africa
males age 15-49: 7,211,075 (2003 est.)

Spain
males age 15-49: 8,391,612 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
males age 15-49: 4,172,921 (2003 est.)

Sudan
males age 15-49: 5,558,462 (2003 est.)

Suriname
males age 15-49: 72,039 (2003 est.)

Swaziland
males age 15-49: 165,005 (2003 est.)

Sweden
males age 15-49: 1,800,376 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
males age 15-49: 1,552,728 (2003 est.)

Syria
males age 15-49: 2,629,148 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
males age 15-49: 5,019,268 (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
males age 15-49: 1,397,188 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
males age 15-49: 4,911,235 (2003 est.)

Thailand
males age 15-49: 10,724,565 (2003 est.)

Togo
males age 15-49: 666,132 (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
males age 15-49: 233,488 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
males age 15-49: 1,629,241 (2003 est.)

Turkey
males age 15-49: 11,801,267 (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
males age 15-49: 1,005,686 (2003 est.)

Uganda
males age 15-49: 2,974,259 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
males age 15-49: 9,597,172 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
males age 15-49: 416,963 (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
males age 15-49: 12,353,942 (2003 est.)

United States
NA

Uruguay
males age 15-49: 672,030 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
males age 15-49: 5,635,099 (2003 est.)

Venezuela
males age 15-49: 4,870,751 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
males age 15-49: 14,366,732 (2003 est.)

Yemen
males age 15-49: 2,493,612 (2003 est.)

Zambia
males age 15-49: 1,279,846 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
males age 15-49: 2,003,572 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2026 Military manpower - reaching military age annually

Afghanistan
males: 275,223 (2003 est.)

Albania
males: 36,985 (2003 est.)

Algeria
males: 412,545 (2003 est.)

Angola
males: 109,752 (2003 est.)

Argentina
males: 331,011 (2003 est.)

Armenia
males: 37,209 (2003 est.)

Australia
males: 142,377 (2003 est.)

Austria
males: 49,090 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
males: 82,925 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
males: 6,126 (2003 est.)

Belarus
males: 86,654 (2003 est.)

Belgium
males: 60,921 (2003 est.)

Belize
males: 3,046 (2003 est.)

Benin
males: 75,021
females: 78,998 (2003 est.)

Bhutan
males: 22,755 (2003 est.)

Bolivia
males: 96,003 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
males: 29,861 (2003 est.)

Botswana
males: 20,476 (2003 est.)

Brazil
males: 1,744,148 (2003 est.)

Brunei
males: 3,277 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
males: 54,107 (2003 est.)

Burma
males: 453,420
females: 455,422 (2003 est.)

Burundi
males: 79,462 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
males: 165,395 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
males: 179,586 (2003 est.)

Canada
males: 216,488 (2003 est.)

Chad
males: 86,953 (2003 est.)

Chile
males: 131,324 (2003 est.)

China
males: 10,973,761 (2003 est.)

Colombia
males: 392,468 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
males: 31,644 (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
males: 41,453 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
males: 198,115 (2003 est.)

Croatia
males: 30,096 (2003 est.)

Cuba
males: 81,095
females: 87,780 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
males: 6,638 (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
males: 67,777 (2003 est.)

Denmark
males: 28,198 (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
males: 89,073 (2003 est.)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
males: 137,433 (2003 est.)

Egypt
males: 743,305 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
males: 69,534 (2003 est.)

Estonia
males: 11,123 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
males: 714,165 (2003 est.)

Fiji
males: 9,359 (2003 est.)

Finland
males: 31,926 (2003 est.)

France
males: 392,824 (2003 est.)

Gabon
males: 12,853 (2003 est.)

Georgia
males: 43,359 (2003 est.)

Germany
males: 472,946 (2003 est.)

Ghana
males: 239,742 (2003 est.)

Greece
males: 74,650 (2003 est.)

Guatemala
males: 151,294 (2003 est.)

Haiti
males: 94,349 (2003 est.)

Honduras
males: 74,895 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
males: 47,477 (2003 est.)

Hungary
males: 64,305 (2003 est.)

India
males: 11,035,174 (2003 est.)

Indonesia
males: 2,213,727 (2003 est.)

Iran
males: 870,711 (2003 est.)

Iraq
males: 292,930 (2003 est.)

Ireland
males: 31,437 (2003 est.)

Israel
males: 51,080
females: 53,496 (2003 est.)

Italy
males: 291,529 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
males: 27,398 (2003 est.)

Japan
males: 725,281 (2003 est.)

Jordan
males: 58,840 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
males: 174,111 (2003 est.)

Korea, North
males: 180,875 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
males: 345,331 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
males: 18,885 (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
males: 54,445 (2003 est.)

Laos
males: 67,260 (2003 est.)

Latvia
males: 19,477 (2003 est.)

Libya
males: 61,511 (2003 est.)

Lithuania
males: 29,420 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
males: 2,636 (2003 est.)

Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
males: 17,909 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
males: 163,864 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
males: 218,216 (2003 est.)

Mexico
males: 1,093,752 (2003 est.)

Moldova
males: 44,084 (2003 est.)

Mongolia
males: 32,529 (2003 est.)

Morocco
males: 351,671 (2003 est.)

Nepal
males: 303,222 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
males: 94,034
note: Netherlands has an all-volunteer, 74,100 force in 2001 (2003
est.)

Netherlands Antilles
males: 1,643 (2003 est.)

New Zealand
males: 26,803 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
males: 59,903 (2003 est.)

Niger
males: 119,367 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
males: 1,418,099 (2003 est.)

Norway
males: 27,249 (2003 est.)

Oman
males: 29,485 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
males: 1,767,502 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
males: 61,706 (2003 est.)

Peru
males: 281,717 (2003 est.)

Philippines
males: 846,994 (2003 est.)

Poland
males: 343,500 (2003 est.)

Portugal
males: 67,816 (2003 est.)

Qatar
males: 7,192 (2003 est.)

Reunion
males: 6,795 (2003 est.)

Romania
males: 157,840 (2003 est.)

Russia
males: 1.243 million (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
males: 253,685 (2003 est.)

Senegal
males: 116,688 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
males: 81,547 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
males: 44,287 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
males: 13,704 (2003 est.)

South Africa
males: 471,578 (2003 est.)

Spain
males: 255,826 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
males: 186,691 (2003 est.)

Sudan
males: 429,334 (2003 est.)

Sweden
males: 52,692 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
males: 42,761 (2003 est.)

Syria
males: 210,941 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
males: 189,967 (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
males: 82,490 (2003 est.)

Thailand
males: 520,472 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
males: 106,513 (2003 est.)

Turkey
males: 679,882 (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
males: 53,825 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
males: 389,499 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
males: 26,636 (2003 est.)

United States
males: 2,116,002 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
males: 310,915 (2003 est.)

Venezuela
males: 249,319 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
males: 871,036 (2003 est.)

Yemen
males: 249,292 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

======================================================================

@2028 Background

Afghanistan
Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and
civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to
withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied
and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting
subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving
rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban.
Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political
force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture
most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds
primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in
support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist
attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders
from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany,
and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government
structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as
Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001.
The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002,
and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional
Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to
adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide
elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year
anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally
violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out
remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from
enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land
mines.

Albania
Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to
deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure,
widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents.
International observers judged legislative elections in 2001 to be
acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified
serious deficiencies that should be addressed through reforms in the
Albanian electoral code.

Algeria
After a century of rule by France, Algeria became
independent in 1962. The surprising first round success of the
fundamentalist FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) party in the December
1991 balloting caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS,
and postpone the subsequent elections. The fundamentalist response
has resulted in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the
secular state apparatus, which nonetheless has allowed elections
featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties. The
FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January
2000 and many armed militants of other groups surrendered under an
amnesty program designed to promote national reconciliation.
Nevertheless, small numbers of armed militants persist in
confronting government forces and carrying out isolated attacks on
villages and other types of terrorist attacks. Other concerns
include Berber unrest, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of
housing, and the need to diversify the petroleum-based economy.

American Samoa
Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered"
by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries
in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899
treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago.
The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern
islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Andorra
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a
unique co-principality, ruled by the French chief of state and the
Spanish bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified
with the titular heads of state retained, but the government
transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and
impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity
since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants
(legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its
lack of income taxes.

Angola
Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from
Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided
for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government
and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April
of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering
hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives
may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century. The
death of insurgent leader Jonas SAVIMBI in 2002 and a subsequent
cease-fire with UNITA may bode well for the country.

Anguilla
Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650,
Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th
century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants -
was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint
Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two
years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this
arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming
a separate British dependency.

Antarctica
Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was
not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American
commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions
began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south
of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
territorial claims, but no other country recognizes these claims. In
order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Antigua and Barbuda
The Siboney were the first to inhabit the
islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib
Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second
voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were
succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery,
established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished
in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British
Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five
oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US
and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two
important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river,
and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Argentina
Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina
experienced periods of internal political conflict between
conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military
factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist
authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was
followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy
returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored
Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.

Armenia
Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally
adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy,
over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was
incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian
leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow.
Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the
struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from
the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold,
Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a
significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both
sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress
toward a peaceful resolution.

Aruba
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired
by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by
three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by
prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The
last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.
Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a
separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in
1990.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
These uninhabited islands came under
Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years
later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine
habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier
Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.

Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the
world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the
Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal
(Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of
Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US)
are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Australia
Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in
1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to
rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to
make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and
II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of
the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas,
especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change
Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British
monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999.

Austria
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian
Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in
World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and
subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's
status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955
ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part
of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question
since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the
European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the
European Monetary Union in 1999.

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim
population - regained its independence after the collapse of the
Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet
to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan
has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 800,000 refugees
and internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict.
Corruption is ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from
Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely
unfulfilled.

Bahamas, The
Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher
Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.
British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became
a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973,
The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking
and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is
a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly
shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal
migrants into the US.