arrier 18 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered
here as a flag of convenience: Australia 2, Canada 1, Germany 3, Greece 8,
Hong Kong 13, Japan 47, Malaysia 19, Netherlands 14, Norway 8, Panama 3,
Singapore 12, South Korea 1, Taiwan 2, United Kingdom 7 (2002 est.)

Airports: 275 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 77 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047
m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 198 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524
to 2,437 m: 4 under 914 m: 119 (2001) 914 to 1,523 m: 74

Heliports: 2 (2001)

Military Philippines

Military branches: Army, Navy (including Coast Guard and Marine Corps),
Air Force, paramilitary units

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 21,718,304 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 15,285,248
(2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 848,181
(2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $995 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Philippines

Disputes - international: Sultanate of Sulu granted Philippines
Government power of attorney to pursue his sovereignty claim over
Malaysia's Sabah State, to which the Philippines have not fully revoked
their claim; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with
China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei

Illicit drugs: exports locally produced marijuana and hashish to East
Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for
heroin and crystal methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Puerto Rico

Introduction

Puerto Rico

Background: Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island
was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second
voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that
saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave
labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the
Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in
1917 and popularly elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952,
a constitution was enacted providing for internal self-government. In
plebiscites held in 1967, 199