ll network of canals in Line Islands)

Ports and harbors: Banaba, Betio, English Harbor, Kanton

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,291
GRT/1,295 DWT

ships by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 21 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 5 (2000 est.)

Kiribati Military

Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (carries
out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police
posts are on all islands)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Military - note: Kiribati does not have military forces; defense
assistance is provided by Australia and NZ

Kiribati Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

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@Korea, North

Korea, North Introduction

Background: Following World War II, Korea was split into a northern,
communist half and a southern, Western-oriented half. KIM Chong-il
has ruled North Korea since his father and the country's founder,
president KIM Il-song, died in 1994. After decades of mismanagement,
the North relies heavily on international food aid to feed its
population, while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army
of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development and
research into nuclear and chemical weapons are of major concern to
the international community.

Korea, North Geography

Location: Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
South Korea

Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 120,540 sq km

land: 120,410 sq km

water: 130 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km

border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline: 2,495 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 NM

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

note: military boundary line 50 NM in the Sea of Japan and the
exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate: temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain: mostly hills and mountains sep