defense is the responsibility of the UK
Christmas Island
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Clipperton Island
defense is the responsibility of France
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
defense is the responsibility of Australia;
the territory has a five-person police force
Cook Islands
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Coral Sea Islands
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Cuba
the collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the Cuban Army of its
major economic and logistic support, and had a significant impact on
equipment numbers and serviceability; the army remains well trained
and professional in nature; while the lack of replacement parts for
its existing equipment and the current severe shortage of fuel have
increasingly affected operational capabilities, Cuba remains able to
offer considerable resistance to any regional power (2008)
Dhekelia
includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station
connected by a roadway
European Union
the five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by
France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has deployed
troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assumed
command of the ISAF in Afghanistan in August 2004; Eurocorps
directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the
Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR in Bosnia and
Herzegovina; in November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally
committed to creating 13 1,500-man battle groups by the end of 2007,
to respond to international crises on a rotating basis; 22 of the
EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply troops; France, Italy, and the
UK formed the first of three battle groups in 2005; Norway, Sweden,
Estonia, and Finland established the Nordic Battle Group effective 1
January 2008; nine other groups are to be formed; a rapid-reaction
naval EU Maritime Task Group was stood up in March 2007 (2007)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
defense is the responsibility of
the UK
Faroe Islands
defense is the responsibility of Denmark
French Polynesia
defense is the responsibility of France
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
defense is the responsibility of
France
Georgia
a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in
the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia
Gibraltar
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal
Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces
in 1992
Greenland
defense is the responsibility of Denmark
Guam
defense is the responsibility of the US
Guernsey
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
defense is the responsibility of
Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols
Holy See (Vatican City)
defense is the responsibility of Italy;
ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss
Guard
Hong Kong
defense is the responsibility of China
Iceland
Iceland has no standing military force; under a 1951
bilateral agreement - still valid - its defense was provided by the
US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik;
however, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn as of
October 2006; although wartime defense of Iceland remains a NATO
commitment, in April 2007, Iceland and Norway signed a bilateral
agreement providing for Norwegian aerial surveillance and defense of
Icelandic airspace (2008)
Isle of Man
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Jan Mayen
defense is the responsibility of Norway
Jersey
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Kiribati
Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance
is provided by Australia and NZ
Laos
serving one of the world's least developed countries, the Lao
People's Armed Forces (LPAF) is small, poorly funded, and
ineffectively resourced; its mission focus is border and internal
security, primarily in countering ethnic Hmong insurgent groups;
together with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the
government, the Lao People's Army (LPA) is the third pillar of state
machinery, and as such is expected to suppress political and civil
unrest and similar national emergencies, but the LPA also has
upgraded skills to respond to avian influenza outbreaks; there is no
perceived external threat to the state and the LPA maintains strong
ties with the neighboring Vietnamese military (2008)
Lesotho
Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent
sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice,
external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of
the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public
Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the
defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's
cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities
and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a
small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a
planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous
resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF
(2008)
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein has no military forces, but is
interested in European security policy and is an active member of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
Macau
defense is the responsibility of China
Maldives
the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small
size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent
external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the
Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive
economic zone (2008)
Marshall Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US
Mayotte
defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent
of French forces is stationed on the island
Micronesia, Federated States of
defense is the responsibility of the
US
Monaco
defense is the responsibility of France
Montenegro
Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully
professional armed forces
Montserrat
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Nauru
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal
agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia
Navassa Island
defense is the responsibility of the US
Netherlands Antilles
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands
New Caledonia
defense is the responsibility of France
Niue
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Norfolk Island
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Northern Mariana Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US
Palau
defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of
Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is
granted access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed
any military forces there (2008)
Panama
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary
establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external
aggression"
Paracel Islands
occupied by China
Pitcairn Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Puerto Rico
defense is the responsibility of the US
Saint Barthelemy
defense is the responsibility of France
Saint Helena
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Saint Martin
defense is the responsibility of France
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
defense is the responsibility of France
Samoa
Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship
San Marino
defense is the responsibility of Italy
Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force
with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly
ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered
simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or
replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay, working
conditions, and alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers have
been problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups;
these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at
improving the army and its focus on realistic security concerns;
command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of
Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)
South Africa
with the end of apartheid and the establishment of
majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and
ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National
Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was
considered complete
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
defense is the
responsibility of the UK
Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Svalbard
Svalbard is a territory of Norway, demilitarized by treaty
on 9 February 1920
Tokelau
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Turkey
a "National Security Policy Document" adopted in October 2005
increases the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security,
augmenting the General Directorate of Security and Gendarmerie
General Command (Jandarma); the TSK leadership continues to play a
key role in politics and considers itself guardian of Turkey's
secular state; in April 2007, it warned the ruling party about any
pro-Islamic appointments; despite on-going negotiations on EU
accession since October 2005, progress has been limited in
establishing required civilian supremacy over the military; primary
domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition
in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (the
Kurdish problem), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed
establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region; an overhaul of the
Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force
2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained
forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable
of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing
international peacekeeping responsibilities, and took charge of a
NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) command in
Afghanistan in April 2007; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval
power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond
Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO,
multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of
territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the
Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept"
in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile
defense system; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern
deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and
establishing a sustainable command and control system (2008)
Turks and Caicos Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
defense is the
responsibility of the US
Virgin Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US
Wake Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; the US Air
Force is responsible for overall administration and operation of the
island; the launch support facility is administered by the US
Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
Wallis and Futuna
defense is the responsibility of France
Yemen
a Coast Guard was established in 2002
This page was last updated on 18 December 2008
======================================================================
@2138 Communications - note
Afghanistan
Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as
well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul (2005)
Bouvet Island
automatic meteorological station
Coral Sea Islands
there are automatic weather stations on many of
the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
one or more meteorological
stations on each possession; note - meteorological station on
Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) is important for forecasting cyclones
Saint Helena
South Africa maintains a meteorological station on
Gough Island
This page was last updated on 18 December 2008
======================================================================
@2140 Government - note
French Polynesia
under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has
acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and
justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and
defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are
fashioned after those of the French prime minister
Malawi
no party has a majority in the fractured legislature
New Zealand
while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native
flightless bird, represents New Zealand
Solomon Islands
by the end of 2007, the Regional Assistance Mission
to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of police and
troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - had
been scaled back to 303 police officers, 197 civilian technical
advisers, and 72 military advisers from 15 countries across the
region
Somalia
although an interim government was created in 2004, other
regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control
various regions of the country, including the self-declared Republic
of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia and the semi-autonomous State
of Puntland in northeastern Somalia
This page was last updated on 18 December 2008
======================================================================
@2142 Country name
Afghanistan
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
Akrotiri
conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri
Albania
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Algeria
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of
Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Sha'biyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir
American Samoa
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS
Andorra
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
local short form: Andorra
Angola
conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola
local long form: Republica de Angola
local short form: Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola
Anguilla
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla
Antarctica
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
conventional long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina
local short form: Argentina
Armenia
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
conventional short form: Armenia
local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
local short form: Hayastan
former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic
Aruba
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional long form: Territory of
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Australia
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia
Austria
conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
local short form: Oesterreich
Azerbaijan
conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form: Azarbaycan
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
Bahamas, The
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas
Bahrain
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
Bangladesh
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh
local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh
local short form: Banladesh
former: East Bengal, East Pakistan
Barbados
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados
Belarus
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
local short form: Byelarus'
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Belgium
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
local short form: Belgique/Belgie
Belize
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras
Benin
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey
Bermuda
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
former: Somers Islands
Bhutan
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan
local long form: Druk Gyalkhap
local short form: Druk Yul
Bolivia
conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia
conventional short form: Bolivia
local long form: Republica de Bolivia
local short form: Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina
local long form: none
local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina
former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
local long form: Republic of Botswana
local short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland
Bouvet Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island
Brazil
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
local short form: Brasil
British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional long form: British
Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT
British Virgin Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI
Brunei
conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei
local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
local short form: Brunei
Bulgaria
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria
local long form: Republika Balgariya
local short form: Balgariya
Burkina Faso
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
local long form: none
local short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta
Burma
conventional long form: Union of Burma
conventional short form: Burma
local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
Myanmar)
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw
Burundi
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form: Burundi
local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi
local short form: Burundi
former: Urundi
Cambodia
conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic
pronunciation)
local short form: Kampuchea
former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of
Kampuchea, State of Cambodia
Cameroon
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon
local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon
former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of
Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon
Canada
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
Cape Verde
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
Cayman Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
conventional long form: Central African
Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
local short form: none
former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR
Chad
conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad
local short form: Tchad/Tshad
Chile
conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile
local long form: Republica de Chile
local short form: Chile
China
conventional long form: People's Republic of China
conventional short form: China
local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
local short form: Zhongguo
abbreviation: PRC
Christmas Island
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas
Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island
Clipperton Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Clipperton Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Clipperton
former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos
(Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia
local short form: Colombia
Comoros
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Union des Comores
local short form: Comores
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
conventional long form: Democratic
Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,
Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
abbreviation: DRC
Congo, Republic of the
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
local long form: Republique du Congo
local short form: none
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Cook Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
former: Harvey Islands
Coral Sea Islands
conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands
Costa Rica
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica