tzerland 226, Syria 18, Taiwan
308, Thailand 9, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 42, UAE 105, UK 37,
Ukraine 8, US 94, Venezuela 14, Vietnam 4, Yemen 3)
registered in other countries: 1 (Venezuela 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Military Panama

Military branches:
an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but
there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes
the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and
National Air Service)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 751,065 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 591,604 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 29,724

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$150 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2005 est.)

Military - note:
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the
temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of
"external aggression"

Transnational Issues Panama

Disputes - international:
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within
the remote border region with Panama

Illicit drugs:
major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering
center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is
especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center;
negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial
transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major
problem

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Papua New Guinea

Introduction Papua New Guinea

Background:
The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in
the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south)
in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which
occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to
administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A
nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bouga