tside of Japan
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on east and
west coasts
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa),
Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia,
Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 23, shortwave 0

Radios: 8.62 million

Television broadcast stations: 15 (repeaters 13)

Televisions: 6.66 million (1993 est.)

Defense
-------

Branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol
and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
Forces

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 6,278,159
males fit for military service: 4,849,057
males reach military age (19) annually: 204,313 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $11.5 billion,
3.6% of GDP (FY96/97)

======================================================================

@Tajikistan
----------

Tajikistan has experienced three changes of government since it
gained independence in September 1991. The current president,
Emomali RAHMONOV, was elected in November 1994, yet has been in
power since 1992. The country is suffering through its third year of
a civil conflict, with no clear end in sight. Underlying the
conflict are deeply rooted regional and clan-based animosities that
pit a government consisting of people primarily from the Kulob
(Kulyab), Khujand (Leninabad), and Hisor (Hissar) regions against a
secular and Islamic-led opposition from the Gharm, Gorno-Badakhshan,
and Qurghonteppa (Kurgan-Tyube) regions. Government and opposition
representatives have held periodic rounds of UN-mediated peace talks
and agreed in September 1994 to a cease-fire which has been
periodically extended. Russian-led peacekeeping troops are deployed
throughout the country, and Russian-commanded border guards are
stationed along the Tajik-Afghan border.

Map
---

Location: 39 00 N, 71 00 E -- Central Asia, west of China

Flag
----

Description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe
of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven five-pointed
gold stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Geography
---------

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

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