6 km (pleasure craft only) (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 29
by type: cargo 25, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 2 (US 2)
registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1,
Cyprus 3, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands 10,
Slovakia 1, UK 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Cork, Dublin, Shannon Foynes

Military
Ireland

Military branches:

Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval
Service and Air Corps (Aer-Chor na h-Eireann)) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

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

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,024,635
females age 16-49: 1,024,276 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 854,982
females age 16-49: 852,592 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 28,610
female: 27,095 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues
Ireland

Disputes - international:

Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to
the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs;
increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor
transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western
Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money
laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies
involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Isle of Man

Introduction
Isle of Man

Background:

Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century
when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown
in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx
Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency but is
not part of the UK. However, the UK