r 1, refrigerated cargo 1,
short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: North Korea 1

Airports:
5 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Maldives

Military branches:
National Security Service: comprising Security Branch (ground
forces), Air Element; Coast Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 81,221 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 45,142 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$43.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
8.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Maldives

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Mali

Introduction Mali

Background:
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in
1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few
months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Geography Mali

Location:
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1.24 million sq km
water: 20,000 sq km
land: 1.22 million sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
Senegal 419 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid,
and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sa