4 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m : 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Security Forces, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 575,121 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 450,640 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 16,323 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: 176 million rubles (1994); note
- conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the
prevailing exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3% to 5% (1994)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: based on the 1920 Treaty of Riga, Latvia had
claimed the Abrene/Pytalovo section of border ceded by the Latvian
Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944; disputes maritime border
with Lithuania (primary concern is oil exploration rights)

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from
Southwest Asia and cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and
Scandinavia; produces illicit amphetamines for export
______________________________________________________________________

LEBANON

Introduction

Current issues: Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its
political institutions and regaining its national sovereignty since
the end of the devastating 16-year civil war, which began in 1975.
Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation -
the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system,
particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process.
Since the end of the civil war, the Lebanese have formed five cabinets
and conducted two legislative elections. Most of the militias have
been weakened or disbanded. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has seized
vast quantities of weapons used by the militias during the war and
extended central government authority over about one-half of the
country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains most of its
weapons. Foreign forces still occupy areas of Lebanon. Israel
maintains troops in southern Lebanon and continues to support a proxy
militia, the Army of South Lebanon (ASL), along a narrow stretch of
territory contiguous to its border. The ASL's enclave encompasses this
self