t (2001)

Japan
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Jordan
17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are
required to register (2004)

Kazakhstan
18 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers
NA (2004 est.)

Kenya
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Korea, North
17 years of age (2004 est.)

Korea, South
20-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the
military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military
service (2004)

Kuwait
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service
(2001)

Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Laos
15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Latvia
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)

Lebanon
18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Lesotho
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Liberia
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Libya
17 years of age (2004 est.)

Lithuania
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service,
conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for
volunteers (2004)

Luxembourg
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions
(2001)

Macedonia
18 years of age for voluntary military service, tour of
conscript duty is 6 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service
(2004)

Madagascar
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 18
months (2004)

Malawi
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Malaysia
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Maldives
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Mali
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Malta
18 years of age for voluntary military servi