Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 24
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Latvia

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard
(Zemessardze)

Military service age and obligation:
19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service
obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; Latvia plans
to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional
force by 2007 (August 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 19-49: 517,713 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 19-49: 361,098 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 19,137 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Latvia

Disputes - international:
the Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and
unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of
ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement
to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second
World War and other issues; the Latvian parliament has not ratified
its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to
concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms
part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the strict
Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable
to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent
enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
offshore companies and the gaming industry; organized crime
(including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and
prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Lebanon

Introduction Lebanon

Background:
Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15-year civil
war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national
reconciliat