4 repeaters) FM, 100 (1,297 repeaters) TV; 22
coaxial submarine cables; 2 communications satellite earth stations
operating in INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean); MARECS, INMARSAT,
and EUTELSAT systems; tropospheric links

*Spain, Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Civil Guard, National Police, Coastal Civil
Guard
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 10,299,960; fit for military service 8,341,046; reach
military age (20) annually 338,231 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $9.6 billion, 1.6% of GDP (1992)

*Spratly Islands, Geography

Location:
in the South China Sea, between Vietnam and the Philippines
Map references:
Asia, Southeast Asia
Area:
total area:
NA km2 but less than 5 km2
land area:
less than 5 km2
comparative area:
NA
note:
includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the
South China Sea
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
926 km
Maritime claims:
NA
International disputes:
all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts
of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei
established an exclusive economic zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef, but
has not publicly claimed the island
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
flat
Natural resources:
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
0% forest and woodland:
0%
other:
100%
Irrigated land:
0 km2
Environment:
subject to typhoons; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and
coral reefs
Note:
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central
South China Sea; serious navigational hazard

*Spratly Islands, People

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are scattered garrisons

*Spratly Islands, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Spratly Islands
Digraph:
PG

*Spratly Islands, Economy

Overview:
Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing; proximity to nearby oil-
and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas
deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable
estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be
developed.
Industries:
none

*Spratly Islands, Commu