ng, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Merchant marine: total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
35,361 GRT/51,096 DWT

ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, combination
ore/oil 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2 (2000
est.)

Airports: 492 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 20

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 472

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 57

under 914 m: 402 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2000 est.)

Papua New Guinea Military

Military branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Ground,
Naval, and Air Forces, and Special Forces Unit)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,306,159 (2001
est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49:
723,012 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $42 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY98)

Papua New Guinea Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

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@Paracel Islands

Paracel Islands Introduction Top of Page

Background: This archipelago is surrounded by productive fishing
grounds and potentially large oil reserves. In 1932, French
Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on
Prattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor Vietnam.
China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops
captured a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands.
However, the islands are still claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

Paracel Islands Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the
South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to
the northern Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 16 30 N, 112 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: NA sq km

land: NA sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: NA

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 518 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: tropical

Terrain: mostly low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 0%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (