itary

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Territorial Defense Forces, Civil Defense Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,484,567 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,134,751 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 45,605 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $332 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.7% (FY99)

@Slovakia:Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: ongoing Gabcikovo Dam dispute with Hungary;
agreement with Czech Republic signed 24 November 1998 resolves issues
of redistribution of former Czechoslovak federal property - approval
by both parliaments is expected in 2000

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound
for Western Europe

______________________________________________________________________

SLOVENIA COUNTRY FLAG OF SLOVENIA

______________________________________________________________________

SOLOMON ISLANDS

@Solomon Islands:Introduction

Background: The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands
in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred
on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and
independence two years later. Current issues include government
deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.

@Solomon Islands:Geography

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east
of Papua New Guinea

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 28,450 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km
water: 910 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 5,313 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead,
zinc, nickel

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 88%
other: 9% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons, but the