nvenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries:
Belgium owns 9 ships, Germany 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 5 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal
Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force

Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-47: 53,285 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 29,888 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 1,457 (1999 est.)

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transshipment point for
South American drugs bound for the US and Europe

======================================================================

@New Caledonia
-------------

Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 19,060 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km
water: 485 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,254 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese,
silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 12%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 49% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons most frequent from November to March

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

People

Population: 197,361 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29% (male 29,610; female 28,485)
15-64 years: 65% (male 64,552; female 63,229)
65 years and over: 6% (male 5,443; female 6,042) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.59% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 20.68 births/1,000