aved: NA km
unpaved: NA km; note - Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the
city (1988 est.)

Ports and harbors: Gan, Male

Merchant marine:
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 69,599 GRT/105,599 DWT
ships by type: cargo 17, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea
passenger 1 (1999 est.)

Airports: 5 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1999 est.)

@Maldives:Military

Military branches: National Security Service (paramilitary police
force)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 68,940 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 38,402 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

@Maldives:Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

______________________________________________________________________

MALI

@Mali:Introduction

Background: The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of
France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after
only a few months, the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by
dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional
government, and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential
election was held. Since his reelection in 1997, President KONARE has
continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight
corruption. In 1999 he indicated he would not run for a third term.

@Mali:Geography

Location: Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates: 17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 1.24 million sq km
land: 1.22 million sq km
water: 20,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858
km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal
419 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy,
humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand;
savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources