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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 10,212,456 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,986,228 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 389,735 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Colombia

Disputes - international:
Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against
Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islands
near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics,
guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its
neighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis with
over 300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly into
neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government and FARC;
drug wars) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's
leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450
hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium
between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential
production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the world's
largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of
about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority of
cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of
heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
exchange

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Comoros

Introduction Comoros

Background:
Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since
gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of
Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros.