er 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:
National Guard, Police Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
16 years of age for military recruitment; no conscription (July
2002)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 55,536 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 31,025 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,660 (2004 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and
Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background:
Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the
19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It
served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for
independence during the 1980s and early 1990s has dissipated.

Geography New Caledonia

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 19,060 sq km
water: 485 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,254 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:
coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources:
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use:
arable land: 0.38%
permanent crops: 0.33%
other: 99.29% (2001)

Irrigated land:
160 sq km (1991)

Natural hazards:
cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in
the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous
small, sparsely populated