o 6, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 11
countries among which are: Greece 15, US 5, UK 5, Cyprus 2, Denmark
2, Norway 3 (1998 est.)

Airports: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF)

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

Illicit drugs: vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug
transshipment

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

@Central African Republic
------------------------

Introduction

Background: In 1996, the country experienced three mutinies by
dissident elements of the armed forces, which demanded back pay as
well as political and military reforms. Subsequent violence between
the government and rebel military groups over pay issues, living
conditions, and lack of opposition party representation in the
government, destroyed many businesses in the capital, reduced tax
revenues, and exacerbated the government's problems in meeting
expenses. African peacekeepers restored order in 1997; in April 1998
the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA)
assumed responsibility for peacekeeping operations.

Geography

Location: Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the
Congo

Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 622,980 sq km
land: 622,980 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
1,165 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain: vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered
hills in northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources: diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil

Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 75