Slovenia slightly smaller than New Jersey

Solomon Islands slightly smaller than Maryland

Somalia slightly smaller than Texas

South Africa slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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

Southern Ocean slightly more than twice the size of the US

Spain slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Spratly Islands NA

Sri Lanka slightly larger than West Virginia

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

Suriname slightly larger than Georgia

Svalbard slightly smaller than West Virginia

Swaziland slightly smaller than New Jersey

Sweden slightly larger than California

Switzerland slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Syria slightly larger than North Dakota

Taiwan slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Tajikistan slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Tanzania slightly larger than twice the size of California

Thailand slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Togo slightly smaller than West Virginia

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

Tonga four times the size of Washington, DC

Trinidad and Tobago slightly smaller than Delaware

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

Tunisia slightly larger than Georgia

Turkey slightly larger than Texas

Turkmenistan slightly larger than California

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

Tuvalu 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Uganda slightly smaller than Oregon

Ukraine slightly smaller than Texas

United Arab Emirates slightly smaller than Maine

United Kingdom slightly smaller than Oregon

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

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges Baker Island: about two and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Howland Island: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Johnston Atoll: about four and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Kingman Reef: a little more than one and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Midway Islands: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Uruguay slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Uzbekistan slightly larger than California

Vanuatu slightly larger than Connecticut

Venezuela slightly more than twice the size of California

Vietnam slightly larger than New Mexico

Virgin Islands twice the size of Washington, DC

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

Wallis and Futuna 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

West Bank slightly smaller than Delaware

Western Sahara about the size of Colorado

World land area about 16 times the size of the US

Yemen slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Zambia slightly larger than Texas

Zimbabwe slightly larger than Montana

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@2024 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 17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - two years plus time for training (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda 18 years of age (est.); no conscript military service (2001)

Argentina 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Armenia 18 to 27 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Australia 16 years of age for voluntary service; women allowed to serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2001)

Austria 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory military service obligation will be reduced from eight months to six (2005)

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 (2001)

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

Bangladesh 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2005)

Barbados 18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

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

Belgium 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise approx. 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001)

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 (2001)

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 (2004)

Bhutan 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Bolivia 18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; one estimate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18, with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty - 12 months (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 18 years of age for compulsory military service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18 and 55; service obligation is four months (July 2004)

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 - nine 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.) (2004)

Bulgaria 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 9 months; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription into the Army to end as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air Defense Forces and Naval Forces will become fully professional by end of 2006 (2006)

Burkina Faso 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Burma 18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes (2004)

Burundi 16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Cambodia conscription law made effective in October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to register for military service; service obligation is 18 months (2006)

Cameroon 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (1999)

Canada 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise approximately 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001)

Central African Republic 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is two years (2005)

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

Chile all male citizens 18-45 are obligated to perform military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force (2004)

China 18-22 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-22 years of age for women who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2006)

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

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18-45 years of age for military service

Congo, Republic of the 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Costa Rica 18 years of age (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Croatia 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with six-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service (December 2004)

Cuba 17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service (2004)

Cyprus 18 years of age (2004)

Czech Republic 18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; on-going transformation of military service into a fully professional, all-volunteer force no longer dependent on conscription began in January 2004 and is scheduled to be completed by 2007 (2005)

Denmark 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from four 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 (est.); no conscription (2001)

Dominican Republic 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

East Timor 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Ecuador 20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2004)

Egypt 18 years of age for conscript military service; three-year service obligation (2001)

El Salvador 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Equatorial Guinea 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Eritrea 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)

Estonia compulsory military service for men between 19 and 28; conscription lasts 11 months for junior NCOs and reserve platoon leaders; reserve officers and designated specialists have a different conscript service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men up to 2010 and, unlike Latvia and Lithuania, has no plan to transition to a contract armed forces; 17 years of age for volunteers; reserve commitment up to the age of 60 (2006)

Ethiopia 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

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

Finland 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (October 2004)

France 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in the 1990s; women serve in non-combat military posts (2001)

Gabon 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Gambia, The 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

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 nine-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004)

Ghana 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service (2001)

Greece 18 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 - 12 months for the Army, Air Force; 15 months for Navy; women are eligible for military service (2005)

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 (2005)

Guinea 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Guinea-Bissau 18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Haiti 18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force (2001)

Honduras 18 years of age for voluntary two-three year military service (2004)

Hong Kong 18 years of age (2004)

Hungary 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004 (2004)

India 16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Indonesia 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - two years (2002)

Iran 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Iraq all volunteer force; the Iraqi Government is creating a new professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend Iraq from external threats and the current insurgency (2006)

Ireland 17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

Israel 17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for men, 21 months for women (2004)

Italy voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2005 (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; conscription at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are required to register; women not subject to conscription, but can volunteer to serve in non-combat military positions (2004)

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

Kenya 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Korea, North 17 years of age (2004)

Korea, South 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since 1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps (2005)

Kuwait 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 1 month annual training to age 40; women have served in police forces since 1999 (2001)

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

Laos 15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Latvia 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; plans are to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004)

Lebanon 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Lesotho 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Liberia 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Libya 17 years of age (2004)

Lithuania 19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Luxembourg a 1967 law made the Army an all-volunteer force; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2004)

Macedonia conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of conscript duty is six months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Madagascar 18-50 years of age; conscript service obligation - 18 months (either military or equivalent civil service) (2004)

Malawi 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

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

Maldives 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

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

Malta 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Mauritania 18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - two years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air Force and Navy is voluntary (April 2005)

Mexico 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment (2004)

Moldova 18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation - 12 months (2004)

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)

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

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

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 (2001)

Nicaragua 17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Niger 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Nigeria 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2006)

Norway 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

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

Pakistan 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006)

Papua New Guinea 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Paraguay 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2004)

Peru 18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)

Philippines 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Poland 17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; in 2005, Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; 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 (2004)

Portugal 18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service was ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties (2005)

Qatar 18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals (2005)

Romania all military inductees (including women) are volunteers who contract for an initial five-year term of service; subsequent voluntary service contracts are for successive three-year terms until the age of 36; minimum age for voluntary military service is 18 (2006)

Russia Russia has adopted a mixed conscript-contract force; 18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; length of compulsory military service is two years; plans call for reduction in mandatory service to 18 months in 2007 and to one year by 2008; 30% of Russian army personnel were contract servicemen at the end of 2005; planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts; as of November 2006, the Armed Forces had more than 60 units manned with contract personnel totalling over 78,000 contract privates and sergeants; 88 Ministry of Defense units have been designated as permanent readiness units and are expected to become all-volunteer by end 2007; these include most air force, naval, and nuclear arms units, as well as all airborne and naval infantry units, most motorized rifle brigades, and all special forces detachments (2006)

Rwanda 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

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 - two years (2004)

Serbia peacetime service obligation begins at age 17 and lasts until age 60 for men and 50 for women; under a state of war or impending war, the obligation can begin at age 16 and be extended beyond 60 (2006)

Seychelles 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Sierra Leone 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Singapore 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24 months beginning December 2004 (2004)

Slovakia complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force went into effect at the beginning of 2006 after 140 years of mandatory army service; volunteers include women, with minimum age of 17 years (2005)

Slovenia 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2004)

Somalia 18 years of age (est.) (2001)

South Africa 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long history of military service in noncombat roles, dating back to World War I (2004)

Spain 20 years of age (2004)

Sri Lanka 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Sudan 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - three years (August 2004)

Suriname 18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Swaziland 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; both sexes are eligible for military service (2005)

Sweden 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until age of 47 (2004)

Switzerland the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve for at least 260 days in the armed forces; 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22 years; women are accepted on a voluntary basis but are not drafted (2005)

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 military service; service obligation 16 months (to be shortened to 12 months in 2008); women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles (2005)

Tajikistan 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Tanzania 15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school; conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Thailand 21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obligation - two years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Togo 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Tonga 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Tunisia 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Turkey 20 years of age (2004)

Turkmenistan 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - two years (2004)

Uganda 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; the government has stated that recruitment below that age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"

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.); no conscription (2001)

United Kingdom 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women serve in military services, but are excluded from ground combat positions and some naval postings (2004)

United States 18 years of age; 17 years of age with written parental consent (2006)

Uruguay 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Uzbekistan 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Venezuela 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Vietnam 18 years of age (male) for compulsory military service; females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (3-4 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 in May 2001, Yemen's National Defense Council abolished compulsory military service and authorized a voluntary program for military service (2004)

Zambia 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Zimbabwe 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@2025 Manpower fit for military service

Afghanistan males age 22-49: 2,662,946 females age 22-49: 2,508,574 (2005 est.)

Albania males age 19-49: 668,526 females age 19-49: 648,334 (2005 est.)

Algeria males age 19-49: 6,590,079 females age 19-49: 6,711,285 (2005 est.)

Andorra males age 18-49: 14,721 (2005 est.)

Angola males age 17-49: 1,282,195 females age 17-49: 1,256,390 (2005 est.)

Anguilla males age 18-49: 2,986 (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda males age 18-49: 14,859 females age 18-49: 14,947 (2005 est.)

Argentina males age 18-49: 7,316,038 females age 18-49: 7,442,589 (2005 est.)

Armenia males age 18-49: 551,938 females age 18-49: 656,493 (2005 est.)

Aruba males age 18-49: 13,219 (2005 est.)

Australia males age 16-49: 4,092,717 females age 16-49: 3,983,447 (2005 est.)

Austria males age 18-49: 1,550,441 females age 18-49: 1,515,365 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan males age 18-49: 1,314,955 females age 18-49: 1,676,408 (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The males age 18-49: 44,309 (2005 est.)

Bahrain males age 18-49: 161,372 females age 18-49: 125,488 (2005 est.)

Bangladesh males age 18-49: 26,841,255 (2005 est.)

Barbados males age 18-49: 54,510 females age 18-49: 54,889 (2005 est.)

Belarus males age 18-49: 1,657,984 females age 18-49: 2,102,793 (2005 est.)

Belgium males age 16-49: 1,998,003 females age 16-49: 1,940,918 (2005 est.)

Belize males age 18-49: 44,238 females age 18-49: 43,633 (2005 est.)

Benin males age 21-49: 749,774 females age 21-49: 751,329 (2005 est.)

Bermuda males age 18-49: 12,165 (2005 est.)

Bhutan males age 18-49: 314,975 females age 18-49: 296,833 (2005 est.)

Bolivia males age 18-49: 1,311,414 females age 18-49: 1,502,177 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina males age 18-49: 910,539 females age 18-49: 881,446 (2005 est.)

Botswana males age 18-49: 136,322 females age 18-49: 136,315 (2005 est.)

Brazil males age 19-49: 33,119,098 females age 19-49: 38,079,722 (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands males age 18-49: 5,295 (2005 est.)

Brunei males age 18-49: 85,045 females age 18-49: 77,436 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria males age 18-49: 1,302,037 females age 18-49: 1,365,126 (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso males age 18-49: 1,530,324 (2005 est.)

Burma males age 18-49: 7,946,701 females age 18-49: 8,543,705 (2005 est.)

Burundi males age 16-49: 955,616 females age 16-49: 932,767 (2005 est.)

Cambodia males age 18-49: 1,955,141 females age 18-49: 2,048,611 (2005 est.)

Cameroon males age 18-49: 1,946,767 females age 18-49: 1,834,600 (2005 est.)

Canada males age 16-49: 6,740,490 females age 16-49: 6,580,868 (2005 est.)

Cape Verde males age 18-49: 65,614 females age 18-49: 73,662 (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands males age 18-49: 8,600 (2005 est.)

Central African Republic males age 18-49: 416,091 females age 18-49: 383,056 (2005 est.)

Chad males age 20-49: 794,988 females age 20-49: 849,500 (2005 est.)

Chile males age 18-49: 3,123,281 females age 18-49: 3,128,277 (2005 est.)

China males age 18-49: 281,240,272 females age 18-49: 269,025,517 (2005 est.)

Colombia males age 18-49: 6,986,228 females age 18-49: 8,794,465 (2005 est.)

Comoros males age 18-49: 98,792 females age 18-49: 106,415 (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 18-49: 6,464,223 (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the males age 18-49: 406,016 females age 18-49: 394,745 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica males age 18-49: 829,874 females age 18-49: 809,343 (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire males age 18-49: 1,973,265 females age 18-49: 1,911,777 (2005 est.)

Croatia males age 18-49: 725,914 females age 18-49: 823,611 (2005 est.)

Cuba males age 17-49: 2,441,927 females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.)

Cyprus Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG): males age 18-49: 150,750 females age 18-49: 144,344 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic males age 18-49: 1,996,631 females age 18-49: 1,923,508 (2005 est.)

Denmark males age 18-49: 955,168 females age 18-49: 935,643 (2005 est.)

Djibouti males age 18-49: 46,020 females age 18-49: 42,181 (2005 est.)

Dominica males age 18-49: 15,136 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic males age 18-49: 1,671,493 females age 18-49: 1,536,257 (2005 est.)

East Timor males age 18-49: 179,422 females age 18-49: 184,533 (2005 est.)

Ecuador males age 20-49: 2,338,428 females age 20-49: 2,380,327 (2005 est.)

Egypt males age 18-49: 15,540,234 females age 18-49: 14,939,378 (2005 est.)

El Salvador males age 18-49: 960,315 females age 18-49: 1,310,466 (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea males age 18-49: 56,462 females age 18-49: 59,260 (2005 est.)

Eritrea males age 18-49: 555,553 females age 18-49: 562,426 (2005)

Estonia males age 18-49: 200,382 (in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were determined to be unfit; main obstacles to conscription were psychiatric and behavioral) females age 18-49: 250,351 (2005 est.)

Ethiopia males age 18-49: 8,072,755 females age 18-49: 7,902,660 (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands males age 18-49: 8,852 (2005 est.)

Fiji males age 18-49: 163,960 females age 18-49: 178,714 (2005 est.)

Finland males age 18-49: 913,617 females age 18-49: 875,689 (2005 est.)

France males age 17-49: 11,262,661 females age 17-49: 11,079,472 (2005 est.)

French Polynesia males age 18-49: 55,305 (2005 est.)

Gabon males age 18-49: 159,198 females age 18-49: 156,122 (2005 est.)

Gambia, The males age 18-49: 183,057 females age 18-49: 194,551 (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip males age 18-49: 221,530 (2005 est.)

Georgia males age 18-49: 827,281 females age 18-49: 903,791 (2005 est.)

Germany males age 18-49: 15,258,931 females age 18-49: 14,443,412 (2005 est.)

Ghana males age 18-49: 3,011,081 females age 18-49: 2,991,551 (2005 est.)

Gibraltar males age 18-49: 4,893 (2005 est.)

Greece males age 18-49: 2,018,557 females age 18-49: 2,000,650 (2005 est.)

Greenland males age 18-49: 10,199 (2005 est.)

Grenada males age 18-49: 17,483 (2005 est.)

Guatemala males age 18-49: 1,911,412 females age 18-49: 2,070,806 (2005 est.)

Guinea males age 18-49: 1,034,006 females age 18-49: 1,032,885 (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau males age 18-49: 152,681 females age 18-49: 161,033 (2005 est.)

Guyana males age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.)

Haiti males age 18-49: 948,320 females age 18-49: 931,972 (2005 est.)

Honduras males age 18-49: 1,100,991 females age 18-49: 1,121,649 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong males age 18-49: 1,403,088 females age 18-49: 1,527,278 (2005 est.)

Hungary males age 18-49: 1,780,513 females age 18-49: 1,864,580 (2005 est.)

Iceland males age 18-49: 56,777 (2005 est.)

India males age 16-49: 219,471,999 females age 16-49: 209,917,553 (2005 est.)

Indonesia males age 18-49: 48,687,234 females age 18-49: 50,252,911 (2005 est.)

Iran males age 18-49: 15,665,725 females age 18-49: 15,005,597 (2005 est.)

Iraq males age 18-49: 4,930,074 females age 18-49: 4,771,105 (2005 est.)

Ireland males age 17-49: 814,768 females age 17-49: 813,981 (2005 est.)

Israel males age 17-49: 1,255,902 females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.)

Italy males age 18-49: 10,963,513 females age 18-49: 10,452,189 (2005 est.)

Jamaica males age 18-49: 478,761 females age 18-49: 504,541 (2005 est.)

Japan males age 18-49: 22,234,663 females age 18-49: 21,494,947 (2005 est.)

Jordan males age 17-49: 1,348,076 females age 17-49: 1,158,011 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan males age 18-49: 2,473,529 females age 18-49: 3,168,048 (2005 est.)

Kenya males age 18-49: 3,963,532 females age 18-49: 3,471,926 (2005 est.)

Kiribati males age 18-49: 14,231 (2005 est.)

Korea, North males age 17-49: 4,810,831 females age 17-49: 4,853,270 (2005 est.)

Korea, South males age 20-49: 10,115,817 females age 20-49: 9,721,914 (2005 est.)

Kuwait males age 18-49: 737,292 females age 18-49: 405,207 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan males age 18-49: 871,493 females age 18-49: 1,024,568 (2005 est.)

Laos males age 15-49: 954,816 females age 15-49: 1,006,082 (2005 est.)

Latvia males age 19-49: 361,098 females age 19-49: 422,913 (2005 est.)

Lebanon males age 18-49: 821,762 females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.)

Lesotho males age 18-49: 180,797 females age 18-49: 160,681 (2005 est.)

Liberia males age 18-49: 267,430 females age 18-49: 286,231 (2005 est.)

Libya males age 17-49: 1,291,624 females age 17-49: 1,230,824 (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein males age 18-49: 6,250 (2005 est.)

Lithuania males age 19-49: 590,606 females age 19-49: 676,102 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg males age 17-49: 90,279 females age 17-49: 88,638 (2005 est.)

Macau males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.)

Macedonia males age 18-49: 411,156 females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.)

Madagascar males age 18-49: 2,218,662 females age 18-49: 2,408,810 (2005 est.)

Malawi males age 18-49: 1,226,802 (2005 est.)

Malaysia males age 18-49: 4,574,854 females age 18-49: 4,613,321 (2005 est.)

Maldives males age 18-49: 56,687 females age 18-49: 54,454 (2005 est.)

Mali males age 18-49: 1,244,176 females age 18-49: 1,226,226 (2005 est.)

Malta males age 18-49: 74,525 females age 18-49: 71,333 (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands males age 18-49: 10,792 (2005 est.)

Mauritania males age 18-49: 370,513 females age 18-49: 384,269 (2005 est.)

Mexico males age 18-49: 19,058,337 females age 18-49: 21,966,796 (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of males age 18-49: 18,914 (2005 est.)

Moldova males age 18-49: 693,913 females age 18-49: 911,568 (2005 est.)

Monaco males age 18-49: 4,971 (2005 est.)

Mongolia males age 18-49: 570,435 females age 18-49: 607,918 (2005 est.)

Montserrat males age 18-49: 1,899 (2005 est.)

Morocco males age 18-49: 6,484,787 females age 18-49: 6,675,729 (2005 est.)

Mozambique males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)

Namibia males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)

Nepal males age 18-49: 4.193 million females age 18-49: 3,853,102 (2005 est.)

Netherlands males age 20-49: 2,856,691 females age 20-49: 2,786,495 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles males age 16-49: 45,273 females age 16-49: 47,166 (2005 est.)

New Caledonia males age 18-49: 40,822 (2005 est.)

New Zealand males age 17-49: 809,519 females age 17-49: 802,069 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua males age 17-49: 1,051,425 females age 17-49: 1,129,649 (2005 est.)

Niger males age 18-49: 1,349,863 females age 18-49: 1,256,569 (2005 est.)

Nigeria males age 18-49: 15,052,914 females age 18-49: 13,860,806 (2005 est.)

Norway males age 18-49: 827,016 females age 18-49: 801,358 (2005 est.)

Oman males age 18-49: 581,444 females age 18-49: 435,107 (2005 est.)

Pakistan males age 16-49: 29,428,747 females age 16-49: 28,391,887 (2005 est.)

Palau males age 18-49: 4,087 (2005 est.)

Panama males age 18-49: 591,604 (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea males age 18-49: 902,432 females age 18-49: 894,759 (2005 est.)

Paraguay males age 18-49: 1,109,166 females age 18-49: 1,135,046 (2005 est.)

Peru males age 18-49: 4,938,417 females age 18-49: 5,278,511 (2005 est.)

Philippines males age 18-49: 15,170,096 females age 18-49: 16,931,191 (2005 est.)

Poland males age 17-49: 7,739,472 females age 17-49: 7,859,165 (2005 est.)

Portugal males age 18-49: 1,952,819 females age 18-49: 1,977,264 (2005 est.)

Qatar males age 18-49: 238,566 females age 18-49: 116,595 (2005 est.)

Romania males age 20-49: 3,932,579 females age 20-49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.)

Russia males age 18-49: 21,049,651 females age 18-49: 29,056,021 (2005 est.)

Rwanda males age 16-49: 1,103,823 females age 16-49: 1,096,644 (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis males age 18-49: 7,119 females age 18-49: 7,645 (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia males age 18-49: 33,539 (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines males age 18-49: 25,787 (2005 est.)

Samoa males age 18-49: 45,294 (2005 est.)

San Marino males age 18-49: 5,107 (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe males age 18-49: 25,950 females age 18-49: 28,660 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia males age 18-49: 6,592,709 females age 18-49: 4,659,347 (2005 est.)

Senegal males age 18-49: 1,558,175 females age 18-49: 1,642,533 (2005 est.)

Seychelles males age 18-49: 16,122 females age 18-49: 18,777 (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone males age 18-49: 539,697 (2005 est.)

Singapore males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)

Slovakia males age 18-49: 1,089,645 females age 18-49: 1,093,077 (2005 est.)

Slovenia males age 17-49: 405,593 females age 17-49: 397,167 (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands males age 18-49: 92,796 (2005 est.)

Somalia males age 18-49: 1,022,360 females age 18-49: 1,038,697 (2005 est.)

South Africa males age 18-49: 4,927,757 females age 18-49: 4,609,071 (2005 est.)

Spain males age 20-49: 7,623,356 females age 20-49: 7,434,465 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka males age 18-49: 3,789,627 females age 18-49: 4,281,043 (2005 est.)

Sudan males age 18-49: 5,427,474 females age 18-49: 5,649,566 (2005 est.)

Suriname males age 18-49: 77,793 females age 18-49: 72,943 (2005 est.)

Swaziland males age 18-49: 89,609 (2005 est.)

Sweden males age 19-49: 1,493,668 females age 19-49: 1,441,257 (2005 est.)

Switzerland males age 19-49: 1,375,889 females age 19-49: 1,342,945 (2005 est.)

Syria males age 18-49: 3,453,888 females age 18-49: 3,421,558 (2005 est.)

Taiwan males age 19-49: 4,749,537 females age 19-49: 4,644,607 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan males age 18-49: 1,244,941 females age 18-49: 1,297,891 (2005 est.)

Tanzania males age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.)

Thailand males age 21-49: 10,396,032 females age 21-49: 11,487,690 (2005 est.)

Togo males age 18-49: 696,933 females age 18-49: 707,821 (2005 est.)

Tonga males age 18-49: 19,840 females age 18-49: 21,342 (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago males age 18-49: 202,958 females age 18-49: 173,797 (2005 est.)

Tunisia males age 20-49: 2,035,431 females age 20-49: 2,000,757 (2005 est.)

Turkey males age 20-49: 13,905,901 females age 20-49: 13,335,812 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan males age 18-49: 759,978 females age 18-49: 940,179 (2005 est.)

Uganda males age 18-49: 2,889,808 females age 18-49: 2,780,135 (2005 est.)

Ukraine males age 18-49: 7,376,050 females age 18-49: 9,313,385 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates males age 18-49: 526,671 females age 18-49: 419,975 (2005 est.)

United Kingdom males age 16-49: 12,046,268 females age 16-49: 11,555,893 (2005 est.)

United States males age 18-49: 54,609,050 females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.)

Uruguay males age 18-49: 637,445 females age 18-49: 631,046 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan males age 18-49: 4,609,621 females age 18-49: 5,383,233 (2005 est.)

Vanuatu males age 18-49: 33,837 (2005 est.)

Venezuela males age 18-49: 4,907,947 females age 18-49: 5,151,843 (2005 est.)

Vietnam males age 18-49: 16,032,358 females age 18-49: 17,921,241 (2005 est.)

Yemen males age 18-49: 2,790,705 females age 18-49: 2,792,406 (2005 est.)

Zambia males age 18-49: 1,043,702 females age 18-49: 953,328 (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe males age 18-49: 1,304,424 females age 18-49: 1,115,096 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@2026 Manpower reaching military service age annually

Afghanistan males age 18-49: 275,362 females age 22-49: 259,935 (2005 est.)

Albania males age 18-49: 37,407 females age 19-49: 34,587 (2005 est.)

Algeria males age 18-49: 374,639 females age 19-49: 369,021 (2005 est.)

Andorra males age 18-49: 369 (2005 est.)

Angola males age 18-49: 126,694 females age 17-49: 123,586 (2005 est.)

Anguilla males age 18-49: 120 (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda males age 18-49: 507 females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.)

Argentina males age 18-49: 344,575 females age 18-49: 334,649 (2005 est.)

Armenia males age 18-49: 31,774 females age 18-49: 31,182 (2005 est.)

Aruba males age 18-49: 520 (2005 est.)

Australia males age 18-49: 142,158 females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.)

Austria males age 18-49: 48,967 females age 18-49: 46,633 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan males age 18-49: 82,358 females age 18-49: 78,067 (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The males age 18-49: 2,804 (2005 est.)

Bahrain males age 18-49: 6,013 females age 18-49: 5,852 (2005 est.)

Belarus males age 18-49: 85,202 females age 18-49: 82,037 (2005 est.)

Belgium males age 18-49: 64,263 females age 16-49: 61,402 (2005 est.)

Belize males age 18-49: 3,213 females age 18-49: 3,100 (2005 est.)

Benin males age 18-49: 76,661 females: 75,068 (2005 est.)

Bermuda males age 18-49: 408 (2005 est.)

Bhutan males age 18-49: 23,939 females age 18-49: 21,979 (2005 est.)

Bolivia males age 18-49: 101,101 females age 18-49: 98,671 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina males age 18-49: 32,942 females age 18-49: 31,466 (2005 est.)

Botswana males age 18-49: 21,103 females age 18-49: 21,379 (2005 est.)

Brazil males age 18-49: 1,785,930 females age 19-49: 1,731,648 (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands males age 18-49: 201 (2005 est.)

Brunei males age 18-49: 3,478 females age 18-49: 3,342 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria males age 18-49: 51,023 females age 18-49: 48,651 (2005 est.)

Burma males age 18-49: 469,841 females: 455,689 (2005 est.)

Burundi males age 18-49: 91,331 females age 16-49: 90,685 (2005 est.)

Cambodia males age 18-49: 175,497 females age 18-49: 172,788 (2005 est.)

Cameroon males age 18-49: 191,619 females age 18-49: 187,082 (2005 est.)

Canada males age 18-49: 223,821 females age 16-49: 212,900 (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands males age 18-49: 257 (2005 est.)

Chad males age 18-49: 94,536 females age 20-49: 93,521 (2005 est.)

Chile males age 18-49: 140,084 females age 18-49: 134,518 (2005 est.)

China males age 18-49: 13,186,433 females age 18-49: 12,298,149 (2005 est.)

Colombia males age 18-49: 389,735 females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the males age 18-49: 38,464 females age 18-49: 38,082 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica males age 18-49: 41,097 females age 18-49: 39,243

Cote d'Ivoire males age 18-49: 189,354 females age 18-49: 192,600 (2005 est.)

Croatia males age 18-49: 29,020 females age 18-49: 27,897 (2005 est.)

Cuba males age 18-49: 91,901 females: 87,500 (2005 est.)

Cyprus Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG): males age 18-49: 6,578 females age 18-49: 6,200 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic males age 18-49: 66,583 females age 18-49: 63,363 (2005 est.)

Denmark males age 18-49: 31,317 females age 18-49: 29,558 (2005 est.)

Dominica males age 18-49: 602 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic males age 18-49: 91,699 females age 18-49: 87,550 (2005 est.)

East Timor males age 18-49: 12,740 females age 18-49: 12,438 (2005 est.)

Ecuador males age 18-49: 133,922 females age 20-49: 129,758 (2005 est.)

Egypt males age 18-49: 802,920 females age 18-49: 764,176 (2005 est.)

El Salvador males age 18-49: 70,286 females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.)

Eritrea males age 18-49: 50,156 females age 18-49: 49,746 (2005 est.)

Estonia males: 11,146 females age 18-49: 10,605 (2005 est.)

Ethiopia males age 18-49: 803,777 females age 18-49: 801,789 (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands males age 18-49: 366 (2005 est.)

Fiji males age 18-49: 9,266 females age 18-49: 8,916 (2005 est.)

Finland males age 18-49: 32,040 females age 18-49: 30,519 (2005 est.)

France males age 17-49: 389,204 females age 17-49: 372,719 (2005 est.)

French Polynesia males age 18-49: 2,747 (2005 est.)

Gabon males age 18-49: 15,325 females age 18-49: 15,367 (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip males age 18-49: 15,196 (2005 est.)

Georgia males age 18-49: 38,857 females age 18-49: 38,238 (2005 est.)

Germany males age 18-49: 497,048 females age 18-49: 470,537 (2005 est.)

Ghana males age 18-49: 251,056 females age 18-49: 247,777 (2005 est.)

Gibraltar males age 18-49: 187 (2005 est.)

Greece males age 18-49: 58,399 females age 18-49: 55,571 (2005 est.)

Greenland males age 18-49: 440 (2005 est.)

Grenada males age 18-49: 1,274 (2005 est.)

Guatemala males age 18-49: 134,032 females age 18-49: 130,641 (2005 est.)

Haiti males age 18-49: 98,554 females age 18-49: 97,690 (2005 est.)

Honduras males age 18-49: 82,105 females age 18-49: 78,971 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong males age 18-49: 40,343 females age 18-49: 38,234 (2005 est.)

Hungary males age 18-49: 63,847 females age 18-49: 61,037 (2005 est.)

India males age 18-49: 11,446,452 females age 16-49: 10,665,877 (2005 est.)

Indonesia males age 18-49: 2,201,047 females age 18-49: 2,139,573 (2005 est.)

Iran males age 18-49: 862,056 females age 18-49: 808,044 (2005 est.)

Iraq males age 18-49: 198,518 females age 18-49: 289,879 (2005 est.)

Ireland males age 18-49: 29,327 females age 17-49: 28,139 (2005 est.)

Israel males age 18-49: 53,760 females: 51,293 (2005 est.)

Italy males age 18-49: 286,344 females age 18-49: 270,099 (2005 est.)

Jamaica males age 18-49: 27,923 females age 18-49: 27,889 (2005 est.)

Japan males age 18-49: 683,147 females age 18-49: 650,157 (2005 est.)

Jordan males age 18-49: 60,625 females age 17-49: 58,218 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan males age 18-49: 173,129 females age 18-49: 168,697 (2005 est.)

Kiribati males age 18-49: 1,128 (2005 est.)

Korea, North males age 18-49: 194,605 females age 17-49: 187,846 (2005 est.)

Korea, South males age 18-49: 344,943 females age 20-49: 312,720 (2005 est.)

Kuwait males age 18-49: 18,743 females age 18-49: 20,065 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan males age 18-49: 61,091 females age 18-49: 59,784 (2005 est.)

Laos males age 18-49: 73,167 females age 15-49: 71,432 (2005 est.)

Latvia males age 18-49: 19,137 females age 19-49: 18,505 (2005 est.)

Libya males age 18-49: 62,034 females age 17-49: 59,533 (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.)

Lithuania males age 18-49: 29,689 females age 19-49: 28,543 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg males age 18-49: 2,775 females age 17-49: 2,703 (2005 est.)

Macedonia males age 18-49: 16,686 females age 18-49: 15,664 (2005 est.)

Madagascar males age 18-49: 187,000 females age 18-49: 184,833 (2005 est.)

Malaysia males age 18-49: 244,418 females age 18-49: 231,896 (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands males age 18-49: 726 (2005 est.)

Mexico males age 18-49: 1,063,233 females age 18-49: 1,043,816 (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of males age 18-49: 1,305 (2005 est.)

Moldova males age 18-49: 43,729 females age 18-49: 42,354 (2005 est.)

Monaco males age 18-49: 148 (2005 est.)

Mongolia males age 18-49: 34,674 females age 18-49: 34,251 (2005 est.)

Montserrat males age 18-49: 84 (2005 est.)

Morocco males age 18-49: 353,377 females age 18-49: 341,677 (2005 est.)

Mozambique males age 18-49: 185,314 (2005 est.)

Nepal males age 18-49: 308,031 females age 18-49: 286,604 (2005 est.)

Netherlands males age 18-49: 99,934 females age 20-49: 95,818 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles males age 18-49: 1,720 females age 16-49: 1,657 (2005 est.)

New Caledonia males age 18-49: 1,907 (2005 est.)

New Zealand males age 18-49: 29,738 females age 17-49: 28,523 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua males age 18-49: 65,170 females age 17-49: 63,133 (2005 est.)

Niger males age 18-49: 129,045 females age 18-49: 121,230 (2005 est.)

Nigeria males age 18-49: 1,353,180 females age 18-49: 1,329,267 (2005 est.)

Norway males age 18-49: 29,179 females age 18-49: 28,023 (2005 est.)

Oman males age 18-49: 26,391 females age 18-49: 25,466 (2005 est.)

Pakistan males age 18-49: 1,969,055 females age 16-49: 1,849,254 (2005 est.)

Palau males age 18-49: 142 (2005 est.)

Panama males age 18-49: 29,724

Paraguay males age 18-49: 63,058 females age 18-49: 62,217 (2005 est.)

Peru males age 18-49: 277,105 females age 18-49: 269,799 (2005 est.)

Philippines males age 18-49: 907,542 females age 18-49: 878,712 (2005 est.)

Poland males age 18-49: 275,446 females age 17-49: 265,164 (2005 est.)

Portugal males age 18-49: 67,189 females age 18-49: 60,626 (2005 est.)

Qatar males age 18-49: 7,851 females age 18-49: 7,040 (2005 est.)

Romania males age 18-49: 172,093 females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.)

Russia males age 18-49: 1,286,069 females age 18-49: 1,244,264 (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis males age 18-49: 357 females age 18-49: 347 (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia males age 18-49: 1,651 (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines males age 18-49: 1,204 (2005 est.)

Samoa males age 18-49: 2,306 (2005 est.)

San Marino males age 18-49: 135 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia males age 18-49: 247,334 females age 18-49: 234,500 (2005 est.)

Senegal males age 18-49: 129,331 females age 18-49: 129,398 (2005 est.)

Slovakia males age 18-49: 41,544 females age 18-49: 40,183 (2005 est.)

Slovenia males age 18-49: 12,816 females age 17-49: 12,178 (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands males age 18-49: 6,033 (2005 est.)

South Africa males age 18-49: 512,407 females age 18-49: 506,078 (2005 est.)

Spain males age 18-49: 233,384 females age 20-49: 221,805 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka males age 18-49: 174,049 females age 18-49: 167,201 (2005 est.)

Sudan males age 18-49: 442,915 females age 18-49: 426,320 (2005 est.)

Sweden males age 18-49: 58,724 females age 19-49: 55,954 (2005 est.)

Switzerland males age 18-49: 46,319 females age 19-49: 43,829 (2005 est.)

Syria males age 18-49: 225,113 females age 18-49: 211,829 (2005 est.)

Taiwan males age 18-49: 174,173 females age 19-49: 163,683 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan males age 18-49: 87,846 females age 18-49: 85,869 (2005 est.)

Thailand males age 18-49: 526,276 females age 21-49: 514,396 (2005 est.)

Tonga males ag3 18-49: 1,586 females age 18-49: 1,538 (2005 est.)

Tunisia males age 18-49: 108,817 females age 20-49: 103,087 (2005 est.)

Turkey males age 18-49: 679,734 females age 20-49: 659,090 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan males age 18-49: 56,532 females age 18-49: 55,413 (2005 est.)

Ukraine males age 18-49: 382,751 females age 18-49: 365,599 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates males: 30,706 females age 18-49: 29,617 (2005 est.)

United States males age 18-49: 2,143,873 females age 18-49: 2,036,201 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan males age 18-49: 324,722 females age 18-49: 317,062 (2005 est.)

Venezuela males age 18-49: 252,396 females age 18-49: 237,300 (2005 est.)

Vietnam males age 18-49: 915,572 females age 18-49: 864,161 (2005 est.)

Yemen males age 18-49: 236,517 females age 18-49: 230,641 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007



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@2028 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. Subsequently, a series of 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, 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 and a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005.

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 Between 1990 and 1992 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. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. 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. Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.

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 crack down 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 the ethnic minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing - although significantly degraded - activities of extremist militants. 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 slowly 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 UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls. 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. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold legislative elections in 2007, but 2008 may be more realistic.

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

Antarctica Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands. Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific research on the continent. A number of countries have set up year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, but 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. Eventually, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their own way, but the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were subsequently 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 authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, 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. The economy has since recovered strongly since bottoming out in 2002. The government renegotiated its public debt in 2005 and paid off its remaining obligations to the IMF in early 2006.

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 Muslim Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian occupation 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, is now a marine reserve.

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south 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 pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, 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 Monetary Union in 1999.

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan - a nation with a 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 enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 528,000 internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled.

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

Bahrain In 1782, 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 and 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.

Baker Island The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.

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. 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.

Bassas da India This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the administration of an Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

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, Alexandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue.

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. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increasing urban crime.

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.

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 some 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. A referendum date has yet to be named.

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 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 plans to phase out its mission beginning in 2007.

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, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Brazil Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 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 remains a pressing problem.

British Indian Ocean Territory Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were 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. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.

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 the developing world.

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.

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. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling 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, where she remains virtually incommunicado. In February 2006, the junta extended her detention for another year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed.

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. Over 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. Cambodia 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 remaining 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.

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 an ethnic oligarchy headed by 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, but 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.

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 sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits.

Chile Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians inhabited central and southern Chile; the latter were not completely subjugated by Spain until the early 1880s. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern lands. A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime 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 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, his 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. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they 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.

Colombia Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups - both heavily funded by the drug trade - escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence. Paramilitary groups challenge the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade. Most paramilitary members have demobilized since 2002 in an ongoing peace process, although their commitment to ceasing illicit activity is unclear. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

Comoros Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May 2002.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several subsequent sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003; with Joseph KABILA as president and joined by four vice presidents representing the former government, former rebel groups, and the political opposition. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006.