$NA (continued 12)

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 top fifteen World Factbook entities ranked by size: Pacific Ocean 155.557 million sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76.762 million sq km; Indian Ocean 68.556 million sq km; Southern Ocean 20.327 million sq km; Russia 17,098,242 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14.056 million sq km; Antarctica 14 million sq km; Canada 9,984,670 sq km; United States 9,826,675 sq km; China 9,596,961 sq km; Brazil 8,514,877 sq km; Australia 7,741,220 sq km; European Union 4,324,782 sq km; India 3,287,263 sq km; Argentina 2,780,400 sq km

Yemen slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Zambia slightly larger than Texas

Zimbabwe slightly larger than Montana

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@2024

Field Listing :: Military service age and obligation

This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation. Country

Military service age and obligation(years of age)

Afghanistan 22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year term (2005)

Albania 19 years of age (2004)

Algeria 19-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months civil projects) (2006)

Angola 22-24 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years; Angolan citizenship required (2009)

Antigua and Barbuda 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Argentina 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service (18-21 requires parental permission); no conscription (2001)

Armenia 18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Australia 17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2008)

Austria 18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for male or female voluntary service; service obligation 6 months of training, followed by an 8-year reserve obligation (2009)

Azerbaijan men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; length of military service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)

Bahamas, The 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Bahrain 17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)

Bangladesh 16 years of age for voluntary military service; 17 years of age for officers (both with parental consent); conscription legally possible in emergency, but has never been implemented (2008)

Barbados 18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger requires parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Belarus 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Belgium 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended (2008)

Belize 18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2008)

Benin 21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)

Bermuda 18-30 years of age for voluntary or compulsory enlistment in the Bermuda Regiment; males must register at age 18; term of service is 38 months (2009)

Bhutan 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Bolivia 18-49 years of age for 12-month compulsory military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides exemption from further military service (2009)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2006; 4-month service obligation (2009)

Botswana 18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001)

Brazil 21-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 9 to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2001)

Brunei 18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service; non-Malays are ineligible to serve (2007)

Bulgaria 18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription ended January 2008; Air Forces and Naval Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006 (2008)

Burkina Faso 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in supporting roles (2009)

Burma 18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes; forced conscription of children, although officially prohibited, reportedly continues (2007)

Burundi military service is voluntary; the armed forces law of 31 December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the government had previously specified that each recruit would need to have a primary school leaving certificate (2009)

Cambodia conscription law of October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to register for military service; 18-month service obligation (2006)

Cameroon 18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; the government makes periodic calls for volunteers (2009)

Canada 17 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for reserve and military college applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2008)

Cape Verde 18 years of age (est.) for selective compulsory military service; 14-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Central African Republic 18 years of age for selective military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2009)

Chad 20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004)

Chile 18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service, although the right to compulsory recruitment is retained; service obligation - 12 months for Army, 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2008)

China 18-22 years of age for selective compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2009)

Colombia 18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18-45 years of age for voluntary military service (2009)

Congo, Republic of the 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women allowed to serve (2007)

Cote d'Ivoire 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service (2008)

Croatia 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service; 6-month conscript service obligation; full conversion to voluntary military service by 2010 (2006)

Cuba 17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation; both sexes subject to military service (2006)

Cyprus Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; women may volunteer for a 3-year term; length of normal service is 25 months (2009)

Czech Republic 18-28 years of age for voluntary and 19-28 for compulsory military service (2008)

Denmark 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service; women eligible to volunteer for military service (2004)

Djibouti 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2008)

Dominican Republic 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Ecuador 20 years of age for selective conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2008)

Egypt 18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation 12-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation (2008)

El Salvador 18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation - 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2009)

Equatorial Guinea 18 years of age (est.) for compulsory military service; women hold only administrative positions in the Coast Guard (2009)

Eritrea 18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service; 16-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Estonia obligation for compulsory service ages 16-60, with conscription "likely" ages 18-27; service requirement 8-11 months (2009)

Ethiopia 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; theoretically, no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct call-ups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2008)

Fiji 18 years of age for voluntary military service; reserve obligation to age 45 (2006)

Finland 18 years of age for male voluntary and compulsory - and female voluntary - national military and nonmilitary service; service obligation 6-12 months; mandatory retirement at age 60 (2008)

France 17-40 years of age for male or female voluntary military service; no conscription; 12-month service obligation; women serve in noncombat military posts (2008)

Gabon 20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2007)

Gambia, The 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Georgia 18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)

Germany 18 years of age (conscripts serve a 9-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004)

Ghana 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Greece 19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 1 year for all services; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2008)

Guatemala all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; conscript service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months; women can serve as officers (2008)

Guinea 18-25 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (2009)

Guinea-Bissau 18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age or younger with parental consent, for voluntary service (2009)

Guyana 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Honduras 18 years of age for voluntary 2 to 3-year military service (2004)

Hungary 18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 6-month service obligation (2008)

India 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women officers allowed in noncombat roles only (2008)

Indonesia 18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2008)

Iran 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation - 18 months; women exempt from military service (2008)

Iraq 18-49 years of age for voluntary military service (2008)

Ireland 17-25 years of age for male or female voluntary military service (17-27 years of age for the Naval Service); enlistees 16 years of age can be recruited for apprentice specialist positions; maximum obligation 12 years; 17-35 years of age for the Reserve Defense Forces; EU citizenship or 5-year residence in Ireland required (2008)

Israel 18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for enlisted men, 21 months for enlisted women, 48 months for officers; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), 24 (women) (2008)

Italy 18-27 year of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2005; women may serve in any military branch; 10-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 45 (Army and Air Force) or 39 (Navy) (2006)

Jamaica 18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Japan 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Jordan 17 years of age for voluntary military service; male conscription at age 18 - suspended in 1999 - resurrected in July 2007 in order to provide youth training necessary for job market needs; all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions in the Royal Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps (2009)

Kazakhstan 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)

Kenya 18 years of age (est.) for voluntary service, with a 9-year obligation (2007)

Korea, North 17 years of age (2004)

Korea, South 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved (to be reduced to 18 months beginning 2016); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers (2008)

Kuwait 18-30 years of age for compulsory and 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women age 18-30 may be subject to compulsory military service; conscription suspended in 2001 (2009)

Kyrgyzstan 18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Laos 15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Latvia 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; conscription abolished January 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2009)

Lebanon 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007)

Lesotho 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Liberia 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Libya 17 years of age (2004)

Lithuania 19-26 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for volunteers; 12-month conscript service obligation; male registration required at age 16 (2009)

Luxembourg 17-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions; no conscription; Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2008)

Macedonia 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007)

Madagascar 18-25 years of age for male-only compulsory military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (either military or equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military experience) (2008)

Malawi 18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service (2007)

Malaysia 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Maldives 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Mali 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2008)

Malta 17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Mauritania 18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air Force and Navy is voluntary (2006)

Mexico 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and Air Force service is all voluntary; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2007)

Moldova 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation (2009)

Mongolia 18-25 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months in land or air defense forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5 percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed overseas for military operations (2006)

Montenegro compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Morocco 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Mozambique 19-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation (2009)

Namibia 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Nepal 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)

Netherlands 20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Netherlands Antilles 16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription (2004)

New Zealand 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2008)

Nicaragua 17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2008)

Niger 17-21 years of age for selective compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2009)

Nigeria 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Norway 18-44 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 12-month service obligation, in practice shortened to 8 to 9 months; although all males between ages of 18 and 44 are liable for service, in practice they are seldom called to duty after age 30; reserve obligation to age 35-60; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard, who serve 6-month duty tours (2009)

Oman 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Pakistan 17-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2009)

Papua New Guinea 16 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Paraguay 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2007)

Peru 18-30 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (2008)

Philippines 18-25 years of age (officers 21-29) for compulsory and voluntary military service; applicants must be single male or female Philippine citizens (2007)

Poland 18-28 years of age for male voluntary or compulsory military service; service obligation shortened from 12 to 9 months in 2005; conscription is to end in 2012; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004, women are only allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers; reserve obligation to age 50 (2009)

Portugal 18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties; reserve obligation to age 35 (2007)

Qatar 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Romania 18-35 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription officially ended October 2006; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service, with subsequent successive contracts for 3-year terms until age 36 (2009)

Russia 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; service obligation - 1 year; reserve obligation to age 50; as of July 2008, a draft military strategy called for the draft to continue up to the year 2030 (2009)

Rwanda 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Saint Kitts and Nevis 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

San Marino 16-55 for voluntary service in Voluntary Military Force (2006)

Sao Tome and Principe 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Saudi Arabia 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Senegal 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Serbia 19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; under a state of war or impending war, conscription can begin at age 16; conscription is to be abolished in 2010; 6-month service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 60 for men and 50 for women (2007)

Seychelles 18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Sierra Leone 17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Singapore 18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)

Slovakia 17-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006; women are eligible to serve (2007)

Slovenia 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2007)

South Africa 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation (2007)

Spain 20 years of age (2004)

Sri Lanka 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 5-year service obligation (2007)

Sudan 18-33 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 12-24 month service obligation (2009)

Suriname 18 years of age (est.); recruitment is voluntary, with personnel drawn almost exclusively from the Creole community (2007)

Swaziland 18-30 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Sweden 18-47 years of age for male compulsory or voluntary military service; conscript service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12 months (Air Force); after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age 47; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2009)

Switzerland 19 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2008)

Syria 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004)

Taiwan 19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation 14 months (reducing to 1 year in 2009); women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense has announced plans to implement an incremental voluntary enlistment system beginning 2010, with 10% fewer conscripts each year thereafter, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform alternative service or go through 3-4 months of military training (2009)

Tajikistan 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Tanzania 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Thailand 21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Timor-Leste 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Togo 18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Tonga 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Trinidad and Tobago 18 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Tunisia 20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 1-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Turkey 20 years of age (2004)

Turkmenistan 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Uganda 18-26 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; 18-30 years of age for professionals; 9-year service obligation; the government has stated that recruitment below 18 years of age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"; Ugandan citizenship and secondary education required (2009)

Ukraine 18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

United Arab Emirates 18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for officers and women; no conscription (2008)

United Kingdom 16-33 years of age (officers 17-28) for voluntary military service (with parental consent under 18); women serve in military services, but are excluded from ground combat positions and some naval postings; must be citizen of the UK, Commonwealth, or Republic of Ireland; reservists serve a minimum of 3 years, to age 45 or 55; 16 years of age for voluntary military service by Nepalese citizens in the Brigade of the Gurkhas; 16-34 years of age for voluntary military service by Papua New Guinean citizens (2008)

United States 18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); service obligation 8 years, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines) (2008)

Uruguay 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; enlistment is voluntary in peacetime, but the government has the authority to conscript in emergencies (2007)

Uzbekistan 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-year conscript service obligation; moving toward a professional military, but conscription will continue; the military cannot accommodate everyone who wishes to enlist, and competition for entrance into the military is similar to the competition for admission to universities (2007)

Venezuela 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 30-month conscript service obligation; all citizens 18-50 years old are obligated to register for military service (2008)

Vietnam 18 years of age (male) for compulsory military service; females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (3 to 4 years in the navy); 18-45 years of age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self Defense Forces (2006)

Yemen voluntary military service program authorized in 2001; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Zambia 18-27 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); Zambian citizenship required; mandatory HIV testing on enlistment; no conscription (2009)

Zimbabwe 18-24 years of age for compulsory military service; women are eligible to serve (2007)

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@2025

Field Listing :: Manpower fit for military service

This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for a country (defined as being ages 16-49) and who are not otherwise disqualified for health reasons; accounts for the health situation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve. Country

Manpower fit for military service

Afghanistan males age 16-49: 4,371,193 females age 16-49: 4,072,945 (2009 est.)

Albania males age 16-49: 800,665 females age 16-49: 768,536 (2009 est.)

Algeria males age 16-49: 8,317,473 females age 16-49: 8,367,005 (2009 est.)

American Samoa males age 16-49: 13,875 females age 16-49: 13,517 (2009 est.)

Andorra males age 16-49: 18,617 females age 16-49: 17,613 (2009 est.)

Angola males age 16-49: 1,467,833 females age 16-49: 1,411,468 (2009 est.)

Anguilla males age 16-49: 2,955 females age 16-49: 3,308 (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda males age 16-49: 17,271 females age 16-49: 19,586 (2009 est.)

Argentina males age 16-49: 8,264,853 females age 16-49: 8,268,498 (2009 est.)

Armenia males age 16-49: 642,734 females age 16-49: 729,047 (2009 est.)

Aruba males age 16-49: 20,287 females age 16-49: 21,232 (2009 est.)

Australia males age 16-49: 4,341,591 females age 16-49: 4,179,659 (2009 est.)

Austria males age 16-49: 1,607,456 females age 16-49: 1,576,335 (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan males age 16-49: 1,727,464 females age 16-49: 1,944,260 (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The males age 16-49: 50,764 females age 16-49: 51,690 (2009 est.)

Bahrain males age 16-49: 171,004 females age 16-49: 144,555 (2009 est.)

Bangladesh males age 16-49: 24,946,041 females age 16-49: 31,409,069 (2009 est.)

Barbados males age 16-49: 58,596 females age 16-49: 58,866 (2009 est.)

Belarus males age 16-49: 1,720,049 females age 16-49: 2,069,898 (2009 est.)

Belgium males age 16-49: 1,962,409 females age 16-49: 1,905,178 (2009 est.)

Belize males age 16-49: 56,135 females age 16-49: 54,732 (2009 est.)

Benin males age 16-49: 1,279,053 females age 16-49: 1,292,438 (2009 est.)

Bermuda males age 16-49: 12,496 females age 16-49: 12,486 (2009 est.)

Bhutan males age 16-49: 150,210 females age 16-49: 135,991 (2009 est.)

Bolivia males age 16-49: 1,666,697 females age 16-49: 1,906,396 (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina males age 16-49: 991,953 females age 16-49: 959,226 (2009 est.)

Botswana males age 16-49: 341,190 females age 16-49: 315,588 (2009 est.)

Brazil males age 16-49: 38,043,555 females age 16-49: 44,267,520 (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands males age 16-49: 5,979 females age 16-49: 5,738 (2009 est.)

Brunei males age 16-49: 92,543 females age 16-49: 95,301 (2009 est.)

Bulgaria males age 16-49: 1,351,312 females age 16-49: 1,381,017 (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso males age 16-49: 2,197,557 females age 16-49: 2,191,978 (2009 est.)

Burma males age 16-49: 9,146,312 females age 16-49: 9,520,852 (2009 est.)

Burundi males age 16-49: 1,124,072 females age 16-49: 1,102,729 (2009 est.)

Cambodia males age 16-49: 2,673,383 females age 16-49: 2,763,256 (2009 est.)

Cameroon males age 16-49: 2,645,601 females age 16-49: 2,574,948 (2009 est.)

Canada males age 16-49: 6,647,513 females age 16-49: 6,413,748 (2009 est.)

Cape Verde males age 16-49: 84,967 females age 16-49: 90,154 (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands males age 16-49: 9,735 females age 16-49: 10,145 (2009 est.)

Central African Republic males age 16-49: 552,907 females age 16-49: 512,611 (2009 est.)

Chad males age 16-49: 1,103,006 females age 16-49: 1,315,620 (2009 est.)

Chile males age 16-49: 3,573,165 females age 16-49: 3,523,649 (2009 est.)

China males age 16-49: 314,459,083 females age 16-49: 296,763,134 (2009 est.)

Colombia males age 16-49: 8,212,944 females age 16-49: 10,045,435 (2009 est.)

Comoros males age 16-49: 125,747 females age 16-49: 135,707 (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 16-49: 8,925,355 females age 16-49: 9,047,356 (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the males age 16-49: 538,202 females age 16-49: 527,649 (2009 est.)

Cook Islands males age 16-49: 2,334 females age 16-49: 2,286 (2009 est.)

Costa Rica males age 16-49: 971,224 females age 16-49: 936,978 (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire males age 16-49: 3,122,106 females age 16-49: 2,936,391 (2009 est.)

Croatia males age 16-49: 770,798 females age 16-49: 849,957 (2009 est.)

Cuba males age 16-49: 2,532,495 females age 16-49: 2,468,631 (2009 est.)

Cyprus Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): males age 16-49: 165,615 females age 16-49: 159,362 (2009 est.)

Czech Republic males age 16-49: 2,095,038 females age 16-49: 2,011,531 (2009 est.)

Denmark males age 16-49: 1,013,223 females age 16-49: 998,837 (2009 est.)

Djibouti males age 16-49: 55,173 females age 16-49: 52,825 (2009 est.)

Dominica males age 16-49: 15,821 females age 16-49: 15,291 (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic males age 16-49: 2,056,774 females age 16-49: 1,921,836 (2009 est.)

Ecuador males age 16-49: 2,708,470 females age 16-49: 3,165,489 (2009 est.)

Egypt males age 16-49: 18,490,522 females age 16-49: 17,719,905 (2009 est.)

El Salvador males age 16-49: 1,201,290 females age 16-49: 1,547,278 (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea males age 16-49: 105,468 females age 16-49: 107,919 (2009 est.)

Eritrea males age 16-49: 834,018 females age 16-49: 887,495 (2009 est.)

Estonia males age 16-49: 216,483 females age 16-49: 260,408 (2009 est.)

Ethiopia males age 16-49: 11,078,847 females age 16-49: 12,017,073 (2009 est.)

Faroe Islands males age 16-49: 9,759 females age 16-49: 8,311 (2009 est.)

Fiji males age 16-49: 192,363 females age 16-49: 204,410 (2009 est.)

Finland males age 16-49: 962,479 females age 16-49: 920,297 (2009 est.)

France males age 16-49: 12,087,606 females age 16-49: 11,811,260 (2009 est.)

French Polynesia males age 16-49: 65,408 females age 16-49: 64,421 (2009 est.)

Gabon males age 16-49: 195,519 females age 16-49: 190,519 (2009 est.)

Gambia, The males age 16-49: 238,454 females age 16-49: 253,680 (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip males age 16-49: 312,003 females age 16-49: 297,380 (2009 est.)

Georgia males age 16-49: 908,282 females age 16-49: 959,290 (2009 est.)

Germany males age 16-49: 15,747,493 females age 16-49: 14,899,416 (2009 est.)

Ghana males age 16-49: 3,849,113 females age 16-49: 3,840,083 (2009 est.)

Gibraltar males age 16-49: 5,234 females age 16-49: 5,242 (2009 est.)

Greece males age 16-49: 2,067,878 females age 16-49: 2,050,289 (2009 est.)

Greenland males age 16-49: 10,809 females age 16-49: 11,437 (2009 est.)

Grenada males age 16-49: 20,483 females age 16-49: 20,923 (2009 est.)

Guam males age 16-49: 37,563 females age 16-49: 36,083 (2009 est.)

Guatemala males age 16-49: 2,401,297 females age 16-49: 2,725,572 (2009 est.)

Guernsey males age 16-49: 12,447 females age 16-49: 12,566 (2009 est.)

Guinea males age 16-49: 1,396,278 females age 16-49: 1,435,387 (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau males age 16-49: 194,110 females age 16-49: 200,660 (2009 est.)

Guyana males age 16-49: 150,307 females age 16-49: 144,622 (2009 est.)

Haiti males age 16-49: 1,518,840 females age 16-49: 1,530,043 (2009 est.)

Honduras males age 16-49: 1,397,938 females age 16-49: 1,402,398 (2009 est.)

Hong Kong males age 16-49: 1,421,406 females age 16-49: 1,543,443 (2009 est.)

Hungary males age 16-49: 1,887,755 females age 16-49: 1,934,019 (2009 est.)

Iceland males age 16-49: 62,576 females age 16-49: 61,159 (2009 est.)

India males age 16-49: 237,042,868 females age 16-49: 243,276,310 (2009 est.)

Indonesia males age 16-49: 52,997,922 females age 16-49: 52,503,046 (2009 est.)

Iran males age 16-49: 17,658,573 females age 16-49: 17,148,290 (2009 est.)

Iraq males age 16-49: 6,203,425 females age 16-49: 6,065,009 (2009 est.)

Ireland males age 16-49: 857,162 females age 16-49: 854,416 (2009 est.)

Isle of Man males age 16-49: 14,691 females age 16-49: 14,338 (2009 est.)

Israel males age 16-49: 1,474,966 females age 16-49: 1,404,712 (2009 est.)

Italy males age 16-49: 11,197,487 females age 16-49: 10,574,250 (2009 est.)

Jamaica males age 16-49: 573,520 females age 16-49: 586,426 (2009 est.)

Japan males age 16-49: 22,757,136 females age 16-49: 21,920,703 (2009 est.)

Jersey males age 16-49: 16,920 females age 16-49: 16,826 (2009 est.)

Jordan males age 16-49: 1,593,919 females age 16-49: 1,382,097 (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan males age 16-49: 2,888,931 females age 16-49: 3,550,014 (2009 est.)

Kenya males age 16-49: 5,935,480 females age 16-49: 5,662,755 (2009 est.)

Kiribati males age 16-49: 18,129 females age 16-49: 20,643 (2009 est.)

Korea, North males age 16-49: 4,104,964 females age 16-49: 4,492,374 (2009 est.)

Korea, South males age 16-49: 10,991,263 females age 16-49: 10,356,604 (2009 est.)

Kosovo males age 16-49: 428,685 females age 16-49: 388,848 (2009 est.)

Kuwait males age 16-49: 935,525 females age 16-49: 519,854 (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan males age 16-49: 1,083,777 females age 16-49: 1,229,406 (2009 est.)

Laos males age 16-49: 1,023,205 females age 16-49: 1,085,197 (2009 est.)

Latvia males age 16-49: 410,374 females age 16-49: 463,144 (2009 est.)

Lebanon males age 16-49: 948,765 females age 16-49: 954,663 (2009 est.)

Lesotho males age 16-49: 267,083 females age 16-49: 240,868 (2009 est.)

Liberia males age 16-49: 387,417 females age 16-49: 382,334 (2009 est.)

Libya males age 16-49: 1,466,578 females age 16-49: 1,409,684 (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein males age 16-49: 6,584 females age 16-49: 6,801 (2009 est.)

Lithuania males age 16-49: 677,689 females age 16-49: 743,468 (2009 est.)

Luxembourg males age 16-49: 95,840 females age 16-49: 94,641 (2009 est.)

Macau males age 16-49: 122,962 females age 16-49: 148,809 (2009 est.)

Macedonia males age 16-49: 444,247 females age 16-49: 427,556 (2009 est.)

Madagascar males age 16-49: 3,150,043 females age 16-49: 3,404,988 (2009 est.)

Malawi males age 16-49: 1,732,621 females age 16-49: 1,562,107 (2009 est.)

Malaysia males age 16-49: 5,493,946 females age 16-49: 5,409,524 (2009 est.)

Maldives males age 16-49: 138,746 females age 16-49: 82,247 (2009 est.)

Mali males age 16-49: 1,649,772 females age 16-49: 1,579,601 (2009 est.)

Malta males age 16-49: 80,186 females age 16-49: 76,426 (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands males age 16-49: 13,041 females age 16-49: 13,199 (2009 est.)

Mauritania males age 16-49: 450,289 females age 16-49: 544,598 (2009 est.)

Mauritius males age 16-49: 277,690 females age 16-49: 282,211 (2009 est.)

Mayotte males age 16-49: 35,849 females age 16-49: 34,456 (2009 est.)

Mexico males age 16-49: 22,541,654 females age 16-49: 25,149,027 (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of males age 16-49: 21,845 females age 16-49: 23,401 (2009 est.)

Moldova males age 16-49: 877,665 females age 16-49: 987,356 (2009 est.)

Monaco males age 16-49: 5,495 females age 16-49: 5,406 (2009 est.)

Mongolia males age 16-49: 706,774 females age 16-49: 740,550 (2009 est.)

Montenegro males age 16-49: 154,029 females age 16-49: 136,847 (2009 est.)

Montserrat males age 16-49: 1,126 females age 16-49: 1,226 (2009 est.)

Morocco males age 16-49: 7,779,589 females age 16-49: 7,881,024 (2009 est.)

Mozambique males age 16-49: 2,366,897 females age 16-49: 2,209,764 (2009 est.)

Namibia males age 16-49: 329,614 females age 16-49: 294,490 (2009 est.)

Nauru males age 16-49: 2,592 females age 16-49: 2,966 (2009 est.)

Nepal males age 16-49: 4,886,103 females age 16-49: 5,525,764 (2009 est.)

Netherlands males age 16-49: 3,224,790 females age 16-49: 3,143,096 (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles males age 16-49: 46,461 females age 16-49: 47,325 (2009 est.)

New Caledonia males age 16-49: 48,288 females age 16-49: 48,959 (2009 est.)

New Zealand males age 16-49: 837,553 females age 16-49: 825,981 (2009 est.)

Nicaragua males age 16-49: 1,277,878 females age 16-49: 1,339,413 (2009 est.)

Niger males age 16-49: 2,019,553 females age 16-49: 2,046,906 (2009 est.)

Nigeria males age 16-49: 19,763,535 females age 16-49: 18,850,650 (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands males age 16-49: 19,209 females age 16-49: 33,074 (2009 est.)

Norway males age 16-49: 888,219 females age 16-49: 863,255 (2009 est.)

Oman males age 16-49: 675,454 females age 16-49: 563,890 (2009 est.)

Pakistan males age 16-49: 33,690,322 females age 16-49: 32,602,910 (2009 est.)

Palau males age 16-49: 5,177 females age 16-49: 3,936 (2009 est.)

Panama males age 16-49: 705,160 females age 16-49: 710,521 (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea males age 16-49: 1,110,175 females age 16-49: 1,127,758 (2009 est.)

Paraguay males age 16-49: 1,363,746 females age 16-49: 1,390,799 (2009 est.)

Peru males age 16-49: 5,920,716 females age 16-49: 6,359,803 (2009 est.)

Philippines males age 16-49: 19,169,298 females age 16-49: 20,636,853 (2009 est.)

Poland males age 16-49: 7,898,892 females age 16-49: 7,888,035 (2009 est.)

Portugal males age 16-49: 2,103,558 females age 16-49: 2,049,032 (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico males age 16-49: 699,784 females age 16-49: 790,482 (2009 est.)

Qatar males age 16-49: 318,388 females age 16-49: 136,841 (2009 est.)

Romania males age 16-49: 4,542,720 females age 16-49: 4,604,484 (2009 est.)

Russia males age 16-49: 21,098,306 females age 16-49: 27,968,883 (2009 est.)

Rwanda males age 16-49: 1,452,768 females age 16-49: 1,456,207 (2009 est.)

Saint Barthelemy males age 16-49: 1,594 females age 16-49: 1,340 (2009 est.)

Saint Helena males age 16-49: 1,586 females age 16-49: 1,600 (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis males age 16-49: 8,159 females age 16-49: 8,517 (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia males age 16-49: 32,094 females age 16-49: 36,110 (2009 est.)

Saint Martin males age 16-49: 6,336 females age 16-49: 6,925 (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon males age 16-49: 1,427 females age 16-49: 1,406 (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines males age 16-49: 22,975 females age 16-49: 22,250 (2009 est.)

Samoa males age 16-49: 43,169 females age 16-49: 40,957 (2009 est.)

San Marino males age 16-49: 5,343 females age 16-49: 6,048 (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe males age 16-49: 35,216 females age 16-49: 38,329 (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia males age 16-49: 7,486,622 females age 16-49: 5,652,819 (2009 est.)

Senegal males age 16-49: 2,038,508 females age 16-49: 2,207,510 (2009 est.)

Serbia males age 16-49: 1,415,007 females age 16-49: 1,379,541 (2009 est.)

Seychelles males age 16-49: 19,702 females age 16-49: 19,780 (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone males age 16-49: 692,469 females age 16-49: 762,239 (2009 est.)

Singapore males age 16-49: 1,033,961 females age 16-49: 1,104,952 (2009 est.)

Slovakia males age 16-49: 1,165,470 females age 16-49: 1,152,941 (2009 est.)

Slovenia males age 16-49: 402,484 females age 16-49: 390,559 (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands males age 16-49: 121,368 females age 16-49: 122,821 (2009 est.)

Somalia males age 16-49: 1,301,026 females age 16-49: 1,351,649 (2009 est.)

South Africa males age 16-49: 7,641,557 females age 16-49: 6,518,793 (2009 est.)

Spain males age 16-49: 8,139,020 females age 16-49: 7,899,157 (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka males age 16-49: 4,498,667 females age 16-49: 4,693,895 (2009 est.)

Sudan males age 16-49: 5,836,971 females age 16-49: 5,942,043 (2009 est.)

Suriname males age 16-49: 107,367 females age 16-49: 111,000 (2009 est.)

Swaziland males age 16-49: 124,132 females age 16-49: 118,570 (2009 est.)

Sweden males age 16-49: 1,705,746 females age 16-49: 1,645,070 (2009 est.)

Switzerland males age 16-49: 1,510,259 females age 16-49: 1,475,993 (2009 est.)

Syria males age 16-49: 4,360,934 females age 16-49: 4,344,895 (2009 est.)

Taiwan males age 16-49: 5,106,730 females age 16-49: 5,008,563 (2009 est.)

Tajikistan males age 16-49: 1,428,218 females age 16-49: 1,603,779 (2009 est.)

Tanzania males age 16-49: 5,473,552 females age 16-49: 5,493,188 (2009 est.)

Thailand males age 16-49: 13,086,106 females age 16-49: 14,126,398 (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste males age 16-49: 230,534 females age 16-49: 238,610 (2009 est.)

Togo males age 16-49: 929,395 females age 16-49: 943,967 (2009 est.)

Tonga males age 16-49: 26,471 females age 16-49: 27,715 (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago males age 16-49: 276,224 females age 16-49: 271,677 (2009 est.)

Tunisia males age 16-49: 2,569,403 females age 16-49: 2,489,651 (2009 est.)

Turkey males age 16-49: 17,223,506 females age 16-49: 16,995,299 (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan males age 16-49: 1,024,884 females age 16-49: 1,147,714 (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands males age 16-49: 4,937 females age 16-49: 4,648 (2009 est.)

Tuvalu males age 16-49: 2,462 females age 16-49: 2,631 (2009 est.)

Uganda males age 16-49: 3,996,597 females age 16-49: 3,899,717 (2009 est.)

Ukraine males age 16-49: 7,056,742 females age 16-49: 9,234,591 (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates males age 16-49: 2,081,491 females age 16-49: 788,632 (2009 est.)

United Kingdom males age 16-49: 12,123,900 females age 16-49: 11,616,769 (2009 est.)

United States males age 16-49: 59,764,677 females age 16-49: 59,437,663 (2009 est.)

Uruguay males age 16-49: 708,545 females age 16-49: 693,622 (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan males age 16-49: 6,340,446 females age 16-49: 6,559,769 (2009 est.)

Vanuatu males age 16-49: 41,533 females age 16-49: 42,837 (2009 est.)

Venezuela males age 16-49: 5,391,582 females age 16-49: 5,873,563 (2009 est.)

Vietnam males age 16-49: 19,190,676 females age 16-49: 20,768,508 (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands males age 16-49: 17,820 females age 16-49: 21,193 (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna males age 16-49: 3,273 females age 16-49: 3,297 (2009 est.)

West Bank males age 16-49: 545,653 females age 16-49: 515,102 (2009 est.)

Western Sahara males age 16-49: 52,267 females age 16-49: 59,221 (2009 est.)

Yemen males age 16-49: 3,733,704 females age 16-49: 3,773,626 (2009 est.)

Zambia males age 16-49: 1,364,173 females age 16-49: 1,245,220 (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe males age 16-49: 1,198,727 females age 16-49: 1,436,232 (2009 est.)

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

@2026

Field Listing :: Manpower reaching militarily significant age

annually

This entry gives the number of males and females entering the military manpower pool (i.e., reaching age 16) in any given year and is a measure of the availability of military-age young adults. Country

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

Afghanistan male: 382,720 female: 361,733 (2009 est.)

Albania male: 34,778 female: 31,673 (2009 est.)

Algeria male: 375,852 female: 362,158 (2009 est.)

American Samoa male: 820 female: 802 (2009 est.)

Andorra male: 402 female: 373 (2009 est.)

Angola male: 146,738 female: 143,478 (2009 est.)

Anguilla male: 107 female: 106 (2009 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda male: 744 female: 743 (2009 est.)

Argentina male: 341,590 female: 326,342 (2009 est.)

Armenia male: 27,293 female: 25,574 (2009 est.)

Aruba male: 722 female: 711 (2009 est.)

Australia male: 144,959 female: 137,333 (2009 est.)

Austria male: 50,540 female: 48,042 (2009 est.)

Azerbaijan male: 90,416 female: 85,344 (2009 est.)

Bahamas, The male: 2,992 female: 3,003 (2009 est.)

Bahrain male: 6,612 female: 6,499 (2009 est.)

Bangladesh male: 1,538,865 female: 1,666,670 (2009 est.)

Barbados male: 2,015 female: 2,007 (2009 est.)

Belarus male: 60,009 female: 56,834 (2009 est.)

Belgium male: 62,722 female: 59,969 (2009 est.)

Belize male: 3,632 female: 3,500 (2009 est.)

Benin male: 101,549 female: 97,856 (2009 est.)

Bermuda male: 426 female: 413 (2009 est.)

Bhutan male: 7,668 female: 7,379 (2009 est.)

Bolivia male: 108,304 female: 104,882 (2009 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina male: 27,368 female: 25,644 (2009 est.)

Botswana male: 23,420 female: 22,904 (2009 est.)

Brazil male: 1,690,031 female: 1,630,851 (2009 est.)

British Virgin Islands male: 178 female: 173 (2009 est.)

Brunei male: 3,460 female: 3,399 (2009 est.)

Bulgaria male: 38,263 female: 36,374 (2009 est.)

Burkina Faso male: 182,540 female: 180,051 (2009 est.)

Burma male: 426,110 female: 417,674 (2009 est.)

Burundi male: 101,402 female: 101,897 (2009 est.)

Cambodia male: 177,881 female: 175,332 (2009 est.)

Cameroon male: 213,027 female: 208,642 (2009 est.)

Canada male: 223,238 female: 210,797 (2009 est.)

Cape Verde male: 5,471 female: 5,349 (2009 est.)

Cayman Islands male: 334 female: 345 (2009 est.)

Central African Republic male: 55,484 female: 55,168 (2009 est.)

Chad male: 121,080 female: 121,585 (2009 est.)

Chile male: 145,766 female: 139,648 (2009 est.)

China male: 10,621,373 female: 9,533,880 (2009 est.)

Colombia male: 446,432 female: 437,164 (2009 est.)

Comoros male: 8,203 female: 8,188 (2009 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the male: 814,199 female: 811,238 (2009 est.)

Congo, Republic of the male: 46,976 female: 46,490 (2009 est.)

Cook Islands male: 148 female: 125 (2009 est.)

Costa Rica male: 40,698 female: 38,808 (2009 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire male: 236,159 female: 232,617 (2009 est.)

Croatia male: 27,620 female: 26,154 (2009 est.)

Cuba male: 75,969 female: 72,253 (2009 est.)

Cyprus male: 6,241 female: 5,979 (2009 est.)

Czech Republic male: 60,150 female: 57,157 (2009 est.)

Denmark male: 37,231 female: 35,306 (2009 est.)

Djibouti male: 5,778 female: 5,771 (2009 est.)

Dominica male: 776 female: 731 (2009 est.)

Dominican Republic male: 97,766 female: 93,922 (2009 est.)

Ecuador male: 148,010 female: 143,291 (2009 est.)

Egypt male: 831,157 female: 792,330 (2009 est.)

El Salvador male: 77,473 female: 74,655 (2009 est.)

Equatorial Guinea male: 6,983 female: 6,726 (2009 est.)

Eritrea male: 62,265 female: 62,328 (2009 est.)

Estonia male: 7,583 female: 7,111 (2009 est.)

Ethiopia male: 908,384 female: 916,354 (2009 est.)

Faroe Islands male: 386 female: 375 (2009 est.)

Fiji male: 9,107 female: 8,755 (2009 est.)

Finland male: 33,784 female: 32,621 (2009 est.)

France male: 391,480 female: 373,334 (2009 est.)

French Polynesia male: 2,665 female: 2,552 (2009 est.)

Gabon male: 16,933 female: 16,942 (2009 est.)

Gambia, The male: 20,238 female: 20,167 (2009 est.)

Gaza Strip male: 19,147 female: 18,200 (2009 est.)

Georgia male: 32,355 female: 30,809 (2009 est.)

Germany male: 431,508 female: 409,111 (2009 est.)

Ghana male: 272,954 female: 266,186 (2009 est.)

Gibraltar male: 186 female: 179 (2009 est.)

Greece male: 53,401 female: 50,084 (2009 est.)

Greenland male: 532 female: 491 (2009 est.)

Grenada male: 982 female: 937 (2009 est.)

Guam male: 1,677 female: 1,581 (2009 est.)

Guatemala male: 165,910 female: 163,760 (2009 est.)

Guernsey male: 362 female: 351 (2009 est.)

Guinea male: 110,281 female: 107,879 (2009 est.)

Guinea-Bissau male: 16,957 female: 17,172 (2009 est.)

Guyana male: 6,625 female: 6,365 (2009 est.)

Haiti male: 108,444 female: 106,243 (2009 est.)

Honduras male: 92,638 female: 88,993 (2009 est.)

Hong Kong male: 42,330 female: 38,797 (2009 est.)

Hungary male: 60,248 female: 57,280 (2009 est.)

Iceland male: 2,369 female: 2,349 (2009 est.)

India male: 11.795 million female: 10,820,590 (2009 est.)

Indonesia male: 2,197,323 female: 2,126,412 (2009 est.)

Iran male: 700,213 female: 664,846 (2009 est.)

Iraq male: 313,500 female: 304,923 (2009 est.)

Ireland male: 28,072 female: 26,400 (2009 est.)

Isle of Man male: 466 female: 446 (2009 est.)

Israel male: 61,223 female: 58,219 (2009 est.)

Italy male: 287,845 female: 270,384 (2009 est.)

Jamaica male: 31,833 female: 31,257 (2009 est.)

Japan male: 621,254 female: 589,270 (2009 est.)

Jersey male: 586 female: 541 (2009 est.)

Jordan male: 69,830 female: 67,292 (2009 est.)

Kazakhstan male: 139,262 female: 133,047 (2009 est.)

Kenya male: 412,656 female: 408,657 (2009 est.)

Kiribati male: 1,264 female: 1,242 (2009 est.)

Korea, North male: 191,759 female: 184,641 (2009 est.)

Korea, South male: 371,728 female: 322,605 (2009 est.)

Kuwait male: 18,122 female: 18,865 (2009 est.)

Kyrgyzstan male: 57,659 female: 55,557 (2009 est.)

Laos male: 75,310 female: 74,498 (2009 est.)

Latvia male: 12,901 female: 12,497 (2009 est.)

Lebanon male: 33,018 female: 31,800 (2009 est.)

Lesotho male: 26,039 female: 25,964 (2009 est.)

Liberia male: 34,059 female: 33,281 (2009 est.)

Libya male: 60,710 female: 58,219 (2009 est.)

Liechtenstein male: 199 female: 222 (2009 est.)

Lithuania male: 23,556 female: 22,404 (2009 est.)

Luxembourg male: 3,170 female: 2,995 (2009 est.)

Macau male: 4,578 female: 4,052 (2009 est.)

Macedonia male: 14,596 female: 13,881 (2009 est.)

Madagascar male: 236,500 female: 235,994 (2009 est.)

Malawi male: 174,044 female: 173,828 (2009 est.)

Malaysia male: 266,267 female: 252,543 (2009 est.)

Maldives male: 4,576 female: 3,942 (2009 est.)

Mali male: 147,846 female: 140,543 (2009 est.)

Malta male: 2,695 female: 2,533 (2009 est.)

Marshall Islands male: 540 female: 521 (2009 est.)

Mauritania male: 34,546 female: 35,272 (2009 est.)

Mauritius male: 10,901 female: 10,796 (2009 est.)

Mayotte male: 2,517 female: 2,511 (2009 est.)

Mexico male: 1,109,981 female: 1,072,094 (2009 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of male: 1,273 female: 1,212 (2009 est.)

Moldova male: 31,633 female: 30,214 (2009 est.)

Monaco male: 190 female: 182 (2009 est.)

Mongolia male: 28,251 female: 27,344 (2009 est.)

Montenegro male: 3,945 female: 3,907 (2009 est.)

Montserrat male: 36 female: 33 (2009 est.)

Morocco male: 356,014 female: 343,520 (2009 est.)

Mozambique male: 263,994 female: 265,058 (2009 est.)

Namibia male: 25,857 female: 25,505 (2009 est.)

Nauru male: 179 female: 174 (2009 est.)

Nepal male: 365,567 female: 352,643 (2009 est.)

Netherlands male: 105,194 female: 100,341 (2009 est.)

Netherlands Antilles male: 1,920 female: 1,827 (2009 est.)

New Caledonia male: 2,160 female: 2,087 (2009 est.)

New Zealand male: 31,461 female: 29,809 (2009 est.)

Nicaragua male: 72,366 female: 70,118 (2009 est.)

Niger male: 170,060 female: 163,996 (2009 est.)

Nigeria male: 1,697,030 female: 1,618,561 (2009 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands male: 570 female: 587 (2009 est.)

Norway male: 31,980 female: 30,543 (2009 est.)

Oman male: 35,647 female: 34,407 (2009 est.)

Pakistan male: 2,089,936 female: 1,964,090 (2009 est.)

Palau male: 207 female: 214 (2009 est.)

Panama male: 31,089 female: 29,939 (2009 est.)

Papua New Guinea male: 64,636 female: 62,803 (2009 est.)

Paraguay male: 73,660 female: 72,046 (2009 est.)

Peru male: 310,575 female: 300,838 (2009 est.)

Philippines male: 1,023,431 female: 986,434 (2009 est.)

Poland male: 246,667 female: 235,698 (2009 est.)

Portugal male: 64,047 female: 57,630 (2009 est.)

Puerto Rico male: 30,422 female: 29,396 (2009 est.)

Qatar male: 6,337 female: 5,059 (2009 est.)

Romania male: 124,356 female: 118,430 (2009 est.)

Russia male: 741,692 female: 706,081 (2009 est.)

Rwanda male: 106,741 female: 106,935 (2009 est.)

Saint Barthelemy male: 21 female: 20 (2009 est.)

Saint Helena male: 47 female: 45 (2009 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis male: 376 female: 362 (2009 est.)

Saint Lucia male: 1,607 female: 1,511 (2009 est.)

Saint Martin male: 177 female: 162 (2009 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon male: 61 female: 57 (2009 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines male: 1,020 female: 1,009 (2009 est.)

Samoa male: 2,597 female: 2,477 (2009 est.)

San Marino male: 161 female: 160 (2009 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe male: 2,534 female: 2,485 (2009 est.)

Saudi Arabia male: 278,179 female: 267,905 (2009 est.)

Senegal male: 154,249 female: 153,679 (2009 est.)

Serbia male: 44,601 female: 41,845 (2009 est.)

Seychelles male: 714 female: 685 (2009 est.)

Sierra Leone male: 71,524 female: 75,491 (2009 est.)

Singapore male: 27,715 female: 26,290 (2009 est.)

Slovakia male: 36,552 female: 34,783 (2009 est.)

Slovenia male: 10,192 female: 9,717 (2009 est.)

Solomon Islands male: 7,091 female: 6,837 (2009 est.)

Somalia male: 93,763 female: 93,738 (2009 est.)

South Africa male: 511,616 female: 510,540 (2009 est.)

Spain male: 199,124 female: 187,224 (2009 est.)

Sri Lanka male: 173,256 female: 167,645 (2009 est.)

Sudan male: 498,376 female: 479,005 (2009 est.)

Suriname male: 4,251 female: 4,265 (2009 est.)

Swaziland male: 15,985 female: 15,754 (2009 est.)

Sweden male: 62,262 female: 59,340 (2009 est.)

Switzerland male: 48,076 female: 44,049 (2009 est.)

Syria male: 213,513 female: 201,055 (2009 est.)

Taiwan male: 165,738 female: 154,123 (2009 est.)

Tajikistan male: 80,819 female: 78,460 (2009 est.)

Tanzania male: 487,742 female: 489,462 (2009 est.)

Thailand male: 532,977 female: 510,737 (2009 est.)

Timor-Leste male: 12,887 female: 12,529 (2009 est.)

Togo male: 70,775 female: 70,051 (2009 est.)

Tonga male: 1,458 female: 1,403 (2009 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago male: 9,183 female: 8,662 (2009 est.)

Tunisia male: 100,478 female: 94,055 (2009 est.)

Turkey male: 692,592 female: 663,689 (2009 est.)

Turkmenistan male: 57,021 female: 56,064 (2009 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands male: 226 female: 218 (2009 est.)

Tuvalu male: 125 female: 121 (2009 est.)

Uganda male: 399,134 female: 395,505 (2009 est.)

Ukraine male: 269,311 female: 257,656 (2009 est.)

United Arab Emirates male: 26,659 female: 23,793 (2009 est.)

United Kingdom male: 393,892 female: 376,351 (2009 est.)

United States male: 2,196,124 female: 2,085,085 (2009 est.)

Uruguay male: 27,452 female: 26,479 (2009 est.)

Uzbekistan male: 313,131 female: 310,442 (2009 est.)

Vanuatu male: 2,368 female: 2,272 (2009 est.)

Venezuela male: 276,051 female: 274,162 (2009 est.)

Vietnam male: 893,726 female: 834,279 (2009 est.)

Virgin Islands male: 831 female: 873 (2009 est.)

Wallis and Futuna male: 175 female: 164 (2009 est.)

West Bank male: 30,233 female: 28,745 (2009 est.)

Western Sahara male: 4,796 female: 4,679 (2009 est.)

Yemen male: 273,624 female: 263,402 (2009 est.)

Zambia male: 149,567 female: 148,889 (2009 est.)

Zimbabwe male: 149,592 female: 149,717 (2009 est.)

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@2028

Field Listing :: Background

This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends. Country

Background

Afghanistan Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. Despite gains toward building a stable central government, a resurgent Taliban and continuing provincial instability - particularly in the south and the east - remain serious challenges for the Afghan Government.

Akrotiri By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area.

Albania Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997; however, there have been claims of electoral fraud in every one of Albania's post-communist elections. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges to reduce crime and corruption, promote economic growth, and decrease the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and is a potential candidate for EU accession. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure.

Algeria After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing activities of extremist militants. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in 2006 merged with al-Qaida to form al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which since has launched an ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings - including high-profile, mass-casualty suicide attacks targeted against the Algerian government and Western interests. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems.

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 French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, 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 Angola is rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but fighting picked up again by 1996. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. President DOS SANTOS held legislative elections in September 2008, and announced plans to hold presidential elections in 2009.

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 a range of year-round and seasonal stations, camps, and refuges to support scientific research in Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, but not all countries recognize 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 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 In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the resignation of several interim presidents.

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. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with 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, ethnic 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. Turkey closed the common border with Armenia because of the Armenian separatists' control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.

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, became a marine reserve in 2000.

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 latitude.

Australia Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990s, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include climate-change issues such as the depletion of the ozone layer and more frequent droughts, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

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. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. In January 2009, Austria assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it 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 region (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 600,000 internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced in recent years, the promise of widespread wealth from development of Azerbaijan's energy sector remains largely unfulfilled.

Bahamas, The Lucayan 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 Europe, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.

Bahrain In 1783, the al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shia discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.

Bangladesh Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. A military-backed, emergency caretaker regime suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. In contrast to the strikes and violent street rallies that had marked Bangladeshi politics in previous years, the parliamentary elections finally held in late December 2008 were mostly peaceful. Sheikh HASINA Wajed was reappointed prime minister. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

Barbados The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Belarus After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion remain in place.

Belgium Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Belize Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Guatemala and Belize are gearing up for a simultaneous referendum to determine if this dispute will go before the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include an unsustainable foreign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS.

Benin Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.

Bermuda Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue.

Bhutan In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of over 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008.

Bolivia Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor, indigenous majority. However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of the eastern lowlands.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. EUFOR's mission changed from peacekeeping to civil policing in October 2007, with its presence reduced from nearly 7,000 to less than 2,500 troops.

Botswana Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Bouvet Island This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Norway designated Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters a nature reserve. Since 1977, it has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Brazil Following more than three centuries under Portuguese rule, Brazil peacefully gained its independence in 1822, maintaining a monarchical system of government until the abolition of slavery in 1888 and the subsequent proclamation of a republic by the military in 1889. Brazilian coffee exporters politically dominated the country until populist leader Getulio VARGAS rose to power in 1930. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil underwent more than half a century of populist and military government until 1985, when the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution and crime remain pressing problems.

British Indian Ocean Territory Formerly administered as part of the British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was established as an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. A number of the islands of the territory were later transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Between 1967 and 1973, former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius, but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund by the British Government as compensation for the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits against the British Government seeking further compensation and the right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British court rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the 2004 BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in the UK, ruled in favor of the British Government by overturning the lower court rulings and finding no right of return on the part of the Chagossians.

British Virgin Islands First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.

Brunei The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.

Bulgaria The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries. In January 2008, Burkina Faso assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.

Burma Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In September 1988, the military deposed NE WIN and established a new ruling junta. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently transferred to house arrest. After the ruling junta in August 2007 unexpectedly increased fuel prices, tens of thousands of Burmese marched in protest, led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks. In late September 2007, the government brutally suppressed the protests, killing at least 13 people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. Since then, the regime has continued to raid homes and monasteries and arrest persons suspected of participating in the pro-democracy protests. The junta appointed Labor Minister AUNG KYI in October 2007 as liaison to AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who remains under house arrest and virtually incommunicado with her party and supporters. Burma in early May 2008 was struck by Cyclone Nargis which official estimates claimed left over 80,000 dead and 50,000 injured. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990, setting the stage for the 2010 parliamentary elections.

Burundi Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges.

Cambodia Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, and there was little in the way of pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful.

Cameroon The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.

Canada A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.

Cape Verde The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.

Central African Republic The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. Unrest in neighboring nations, Chad, Sudan, and the DRC, continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well.

Chad Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which has sporadically flared up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005, new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and made probing attacks into eastern Chad, despite signing peace agreements in December 2006 and October 2007. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits and won another controversial election in 2006. Sporadic rebel campaigns continued throughout 2006 and 2007, and the capital experienced a significant rebel threat in early 2008.

Chile Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while the indigenous Mapuche inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Mapuche Indians were completely subjugated. After a series of elected governments, a three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

China For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, MAO's successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Christmas Island Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Clipperton Island This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.