t 2004, the new European Defense Agency,
tasked with promoting cooperative European defense capabilities,
began operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers
formally committed to creating thirteen 1,500-man "battle groups" by
the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating
basis. Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply
troops. France, Italy, and the UK are to form the first three battle
groups in 2005, with Spain to follow. In May 2005, Norway, Sweden,
and Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups, possibly
to include Estonian forces. The remaining groups are to be formed by
2007. (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
defense is the responsibility of
the UK

Faroe Islands
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

French Polynesia
defense is the responsibility of France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
defense is the responsibility of
France

Georgia
a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in
the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Gibraltar
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British
regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the
Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Glorioso Islands
defense is the responsibility of France

Greenland
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Guam
defense is the responsibility of the US

Guernsey
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
defense is the responsibility of
Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Holy See (Vatican City)
defense is the responsibility of Italy;
ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss
Guard

Hong Kong
defense is the responsibility of China

Howland Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard

Iceland
under a 1951 bilateral agreement, Iceland's defense was
provided by a US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered
in Keflavik; in October 2006, all US military forces in Iceland were
withdrawn; nonetheless, the US and Iceland signed a Joint
Understanding to strengthen their bilateral defense relationship,
including regular security consultations, military communications in
the event of national emergencies, annual bilateral exercises o