over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 152 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,289,462 GRT/1,671,649 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 13, cargo 68, chemical tanker
3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,
petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 4,
specialized tanker 3
foreign-owned: 143 (Belgium 4, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 60,
Netherlands 54, Norway 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 9, UK 3, US 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (Netherlands 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:
no regular military forces; National Guard, Police Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription
(2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 54,200
females age 16-49: 56,868 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 45,273
females age 16-49: 47,166 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,720
females age 16-49: 1,657 (2005 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 8 February, 2007

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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 ended in the 1998
Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer
an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New
Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as
three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New
Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

Geography New Caledonia

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

Geographic coor