Chapter LXXIV: Section 3: , Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: 886 (2) 2162-2000, FAX (5)

Ireland
males age 17-49: 814,768
females age 17-49: 813,981 (2005 est.)

Israel
males age 17-49: 1,255,902
females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.)

Italy
males age 18-49: 10,963,513
females age 18-49: 10,452,189 (2005 est.)

Jamaica
males age 18-49: 478,761
females age 18-49: 504,541 (2005 est.)

Japan
males age 18-49: 22,234,663
females age 18-49: 21,494,947 (2005 est.)

Jordan
males age 17-49: 1,348,076
females age 17-49: 1,158,011 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
males age 18-49: 2,473,529
females age 18-49: 3,168,048 (2005 est.)

Kenya
males age 18-49: 3,963,532
females age 18-49: 3,471,926 (2005 est.)

Kiribati
males age 18-49: 14,231 (2005 est.)

Korea, North
males age 17-49: 4,810,831
females age 17-49: 4,853,270 (2005 est.)

Korea, South
males age 20-49: 10,115,817
females age 20-49: 9,721,914 (2005 est.)

Kuwait
males age 18-49: 737,292
females age 18-49: 405,207 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
males age 18-49: 871,493
females age 18-49: 1,024,568 (2005 est.)

Laos
males age 15-49: 954,816
females age 15-49: 1,006,082 (2005 est.)

Latvia
males age 19-49: 361,098
females age 19-49: 422,913 (2005 est.)

Lebanon
males age 18-49: 821,762
females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.)

Lesotho
males age 18-49: 180,797
females age 18-49: 160,681 (2005 est.)

Liberia
males age 18-49: 267,430
females age 18-49: 286,231 (2005 est.)

Libya
males age 17-49: 1,291,624
females age 17-49: 1,230,824 (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
males age 18-49: 6,250 (2005 est.)

Lithuania
males age 19-49: 590,606
females age 19-49: 676,102 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
males age 17-49: 90,279
females age 17-49: 88,638 (2005 est.)

Macau
males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.)

Macedonia
males age 18-49: 411,156
females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.)

Madagascar
males age 18-49: 2,218,662
females age 18-49: 2,408,810 (2005 est.)

Malawi
males age 18-49: 1,226,802 (2005 est.)

Malaysia
males age 18-49: 4,574,854
females age 18-49: 4,613,321 (2005 est.)

Maldives
males age 18-49: 56,687
females age 18-49: 54,454 (2005 est.)

Mali
males age 18-49: 1,244,176
females age 18-49: 1,226,226 (2005 est.)

Malta
males age 18-49: 74,525
females age 18-49: 71,333 (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
males age 18-49: 10,792 (2005 est.)

Mauritania
males age 18-49: 370,513
females age 18-49: 384,269 (2005 est.)

Mexico
males age 18-49: 19,058,337
females age 18-49: 21,966,796 (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
males age 18-49: 18,914 (2005 est.)

Moldova
males age 18-49: 693,913
females age 18-49: 911,568 (2005 est.)

Monaco
males age 18-49: 4,971 (2005 est.)

Mongolia
males age 18-49: 570,435
females age 18-49: 607,918 (2005 est.)

Montserrat
males age 18-49: 1,899 (2005 est.)

Morocco
males age 18-49: 6,484,787
females age 18-49: 6,675,729 (2005 est.)

Mozambique
males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)

Namibia
males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)

Nepal
males age 18-49: 4.193 million
females age 18-49: 3,853,102 (2005 est.)

Netherlands
males age 20-49: 2,856,691
females age 20-49: 2,786,495 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
males age 16-49: 45,273
females age 16-49: 47,166 (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
males age 18-49: 40,822 (2005 est.)

New Zealand
males age 17-49: 809,519
females age 17-49: 802,069 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
males age 17-49: 1,051,425
females age 17-49: 1,129,649 (2005 est.)

Niger
males age 18-49: 1,349,863
females age 18-49: 1,256,569 (2005 est.)

Nigeria
males age 18-49: 15,052,914
females age 18-49: 13,860,806 (2005 est.)

Norway
males age 18-49: 827,016
females age 18-49: 801,358 (2005 est.)

Oman
males age 18-49: 581,444
females age 18-49: 435,107 (2005 est.)

Pakistan
males age 16-49: 29,428,747
females age 16-49: 28,391,887 (2005 est.)

Palau
males age 18-49: 4,087 (2005 est.)

Panama
males age 18-49: 591,604 (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
males age 18-49: 902,432
females age 18-49: 894,759 (2005 est.)

Paraguay
males age 18-49: 1,109,166
females age 18-49: 1,135,046 (2005 est.)

Peru
males age 18-49: 4,938,417
females age 18-49: 5,278,511 (2005 est.)

Philippines
males age 18-49: 15,170,096
females age 18-49: 16,931,191 (2005 est.)

Poland
males age 17-49: 7,739,472
females age 17-49: 7,859,165 (2005 est.)

Portugal
males age 18-49: 1,952,819
females age 18-49: 1,977,264 (2005 est.)

Qatar
males age 18-49: 238,566
females age 18-49: 116,595 (2005 est.)

Romania
males age 20-49: 3,932,579
females age 20-49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.)

Russia
males age 18-49: 21,049,651
females age 18-49: 29,056,021 (2005 est.)

Rwanda
males age 16-49: 1,103,823
females age 16-49: 1,096,644 (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
males age 18-49: 7,119
females age 18-49: 7,645 (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
males age 18-49: 33,539 (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
males age 18-49: 25,787 (2005 est.)

Samoa
males age 18-49: 45,294 (2005 est.)

San Marino
males age 18-49: 5,107 (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
males age 18-49: 25,950
females age 18-49: 28,660 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
males age 18-49: 6,592,709
females age 18-49: 4,659,347 (2005 est.)

Senegal
males age 18-49: 1,558,175
females age 18-49: 1,642,533 (2005 est.)

Seychelles
males age 18-49: 16,122
females age 18-49: 18,777 (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
males age 18-49: 539,697 (2005 est.)

Singapore
males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)

Slovakia
males age 18-49: 1,089,645
females age 18-49: 1,093,077 (2005 est.)

Slovenia
males age 17-49: 405,593
females age 17-49: 397,167 (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
males age 18-49: 92,796 (2005 est.)

Somalia
males age 18-49: 1,022,360
females age 18-49: 1,038,697 (2005 est.)

South Africa
males age 18-49: 4,927,757
females age 18-49: 4,609,071 (2005 est.)

Spain
males age 20-49: 7,623,356
females age 20-49: 7,434,465 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
males age 18-49: 3,789,627
females age 18-49: 4,281,043 (2005 est.)

Sudan
males age 18-49: 5,427,474
females age 18-49: 5,649,566 (2005 est.)

Suriname
males age 18-49: 77,793
females age 18-49: 72,943 (2005 est.)

Swaziland
males age 18-49: 89,609 (2005 est.)

Sweden
males age 19-49: 1,493,668
females age 19-49: 1,441,257 (2005 est.)

Switzerland
males age 19-49: 1,375,889
females age 19-49: 1,342,945 (2005 est.)

Syria
males age 18-49: 3,453,888
females age 18-49: 3,421,558 (2005 est.)

Taiwan
males age 19-49: 4,749,537
females age 19-49: 4,644,607 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
males age 18-49: 1,244,941
females age 18-49: 1,297,891 (2005 est.)

Tanzania
males age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.)

Thailand
males age 21-49: 10,396,032
females age 21-49: 11,487,690 (2005 est.)

Togo
males age 18-49: 696,933
females age 18-49: 707,821 (2005 est.)

Tonga
males age 18-49: 19,840
females age 18-49: 21,342 (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
males age 18-49: 202,958
females age 18-49: 173,797 (2005 est.)

Tunisia
males age 20-49: 2,035,431
females age 20-49: 2,000,757 (2005 est.)

Turkey
males age 20-49: 13,905,901
females age 20-49: 13,335,812 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
males age 18-49: 759,978
females age 18-49: 940,179 (2005 est.)

Uganda
males age 18-49: 2,889,808
females age 18-49: 2,780,135 (2005 est.)

Ukraine
males age 18-49: 7,376,050
females age 18-49: 9,313,385 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
males age 18-49: 526,671
females age 18-49: 419,975 (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
males age 16-49: 12,046,268
females age 16-49: 11,555,893 (2005 est.)

United States
males age 18-49: 54,609,050
females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.)

Uruguay
males age 18-49: 637,445
females age 18-49: 631,046 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
males age 18-49: 4,609,621
females age 18-49: 5,383,233 (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
males age 18-49: 33,837 (2005 est.)

Venezuela
males age 18-49: 4,907,947
females age 18-49: 5,151,843 (2005 est.)

Vietnam
males age 18-49: 16,032,358
females age 18-49: 17,921,241 (2005 est.)

Yemen
males age 18-49: 2,790,705
females age 18-49: 2,792,406 (2005 est.)

Zambia
males age 18-49: 1,043,702
females age 18-49: 953,328 (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
males age 18-49: 1,304,424
females age 18-49: 1,115,096 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2026 Manpower reaching military service age annually

Afghanistan
males age 18-49: 275,362
females age 22-49: 259,935 (2005 est.)

Albania
males age 18-49: 37,407
females age 19-49: 34,587 (2005 est.)

Algeria
males age 18-49: 374,639
females age 19-49: 369,021 (2005 est.)

Andorra
males age 18-49: 369 (2005 est.)

Angola
males age 18-49: 126,694
females age 17-49: 123,586 (2005 est.)

Anguilla
males age 18-49: 120 (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
males age 18-49: 507
females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.)

Argentina
males age 18-49: 344,575
females age 18-49: 334,649 (2005 est.)

Armenia
males age 18-49: 31,774
females age 18-49: 31,182 (2005 est.)

Aruba
males age 18-49: 520 (2005 est.)

Australia
males age 18-49: 142,158
females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.)

Austria
males age 18-49: 48,967
females age 18-49: 46,633 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
males age 18-49: 82,358
females age 18-49: 78,067 (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
males age 18-49: 2,804 (2005 est.)

Bahrain
males age 18-49: 6,013
females age 18-49: 5,852 (2005 est.)

Belarus
males age 18-49: 85,202
females age 18-49: 82,037 (2005 est.)

Belgium
males age 18-49: 64,263
females age 16-49: 61,402 (2005 est.)

Belize
males age 18-49: 3,213
females age 18-49: 3,100 (2005 est.)

Benin
males age 18-49: 76,661
females: 75,068 (2005 est.)

Bermuda
males age 18-49: 408 (2005 est.)

Bhutan
males age 18-49: 23,939
females age 18-49: 21,979 (2005 est.)

Bolivia
males age 18-49: 101,101
females age 18-49: 98,671 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
males age 18-49: 32,942
females age 18-49: 31,466 (2005 est.)

Botswana
males age 18-49: 21,103
females age 18-49: 21,379 (2005 est.)

Brazil
males age 18-49: 1,785,930
females age 19-49: 1,731,648 (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
males age 18-49: 201 (2005 est.)

Brunei
males age 18-49: 3,478
females age 18-49: 3,342 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
males age 18-49: 51,023
females age 18-49: 48,651 (2005 est.)

Burma
males age 18-49: 469,841
females: 455,689 (2005 est.)

Burundi
males age 18-49: 91,331
females age 16-49: 90,685 (2005 est.)

Cambodia
males age 18-49: 175,497
females age 18-49: 172,788 (2005 est.)

Cameroon
males age 18-49: 191,619
females age 18-49: 187,082 (2005 est.)

Canada
males age 18-49: 223,821
females age 16-49: 212,900 (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
males age 18-49: 257 (2005 est.)

Chad
males age 18-49: 94,536
females age 20-49: 93,521 (2005 est.)

Chile
males age 18-49: 140,084
females age 18-49: 134,518 (2005 est.)

China
males age 18-49: 13,186,433
females age 18-49: 12,298,149 (2005 est.)

Colombia
males age 18-49: 389,735
females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
males age 18-49: 38,464
females age 18-49: 38,082 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
males age 18-49: 41,097
females age 18-49: 39,243

Cote d'Ivoire
males age 18-49: 189,354
females age 18-49: 192,600 (2005 est.)

Croatia
males age 18-49: 29,020
females age 18-49: 27,897 (2005 est.)

Cuba
males age 18-49: 91,901
females: 87,500 (2005 est.)

Cyprus
Greek Cyriot National Guard (GCNG):
males age 18-49: 6,578
females age 18-49: 6,200 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
males age 18-49: 66,583
females age 18-49: 63,363 (2005 est.)

Denmark
males age 18-49: 31,317
females age 18-49: 29,558 (2005 est.)

Dominica
males age 18-49: 602 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
males age 18-49: 91,699
females age 18-49: 87,550 (2005 est.)

East Timor
males age 18-49: 12,740
females age 18-49: 12,438 (2005 est.)

Ecuador
males age 18-49: 133,922
females age 20-49: 129,758 (2005 est.)

Egypt
males age 18-49: 802,920
females age 18-49: 764,176 (2005 est.)

El Salvador
males age 18-49: 70,286
females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.)

Eritrea
males age 18-49: 50,156
females age 18-49: 49,746 (2005 est.)

Estonia
males: 11,146
females age 18-49: 10,605 (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
males age 18-49: 803,777
females age 18-49: 801,789 (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
males age 18-49: 366 (2005 est.)

Fiji
males age 18-49: 9,266
females age 18-49: 8,916 (2005 est.)

Finland
males age 18-49: 32,040
females age 18-49: 30,519 (2005 est.)

France
males age 17-49: 389,204
females age 17-49: 372,719 (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
males age 18-49: 2,747 (2005 est.)

Gabon
males age 18-49: 15,325
females age 18-49: 15,367 (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
males age 18-49: 15,196 (2005 est.)

Georgia
males age 18-49: 38,857
females age 18-49: 38,238 (2005 est.)

Germany
males age 18-49: 497,048
females age 18-49: 470,537 (2005 est.)

Ghana
males age 18-49: 251,056
females age 18-49: 247,777 (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
males age 18-49: 187 (2005 est.)

Greece
males age 18-49: 58,399
females age 18-49: 55,571 (2005 est.)

Greenland
males age 18-49: 440 (2005 est.)

Grenada
males age 18-49: 1,274 (2005 est.)

Guatemala
males age 18-49: 134,032
females age 18-49: 130,641 (2005 est.)

Haiti
males age 18-49: 98,554
females age 18-49: 97,690 (2005 est.)

Honduras
males age 18-49: 82,105
females age 18-49: 78,971 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
males age 18-49: 40,343
females age 18-49: 38,234 (2005 est.)

Hungary
males age 18-49: 63,847
females age 18-49: 61,037 (2005 est.)

India
males age 18-49: 11,446,452
females age 16-49: 10,665,877 (2005 est.)

Indonesia
males age 18-49: 2,201,047
females age 18-49: 2,139,573 (2005 est.)

Iran
males age 18-49: 862,056
females age 18-49: 808,044 (2005 est.)

Iraq
males age 18-49: 198,518
females age 18-49: 289,879 (2005 est.)

Ireland
males age 18-49: 29,327
females age 17-49: 28,139 (2005 est.)

Israel
males age 18-49: 53,760
females: 51,293 (2005 est.)

Italy
males age 18-49: 286,344
females age 18-49: 270,099 (2005 est.)

Jamaica
males age 18-49: 27,923
females age 18-49: 27,889 (2005 est.)

Japan
males age 18-49: 683,147
females age 18-49: 650,157 (2005 est.)

Jordan
males age 18-49: 60,625
females age 17-49: 58,218 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
males age 18-49: 173,129
females age 18-49: 168,697 (2005 est.)

Kiribati
males age 18-49: 1,128 (2005 est.)

Korea, North
males age 18-49: 194,605
females age 17-49: 187,846 (2005 est.)

Korea, South
males age 18-49: 344,943
females age 20-49: 312,720 (2005 est.)

Kuwait
males age 18-49: 18,743
females age 18-49: 20,065 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
males age 18-49: 61,091
females age 18-49: 59,784 (2005 est.)

Laos
males age 18-49: 73,167
females age 15-49: 71,432 (2005 est.)

Latvia
males age 18-49: 19,137
females age 19-49: 18,505 (2005 est.)

Libya
males age 18-49: 62,034
females age 17-49: 59,533 (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.)

Lithuania
males age 18-49: 29,689
females age 19-49: 28,543 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
males age 18-49: 2,775
females age 17-49: 2,703 (2005 est.)

Macedonia
males age 18-49: 16,686
females age 18-49: 15,664 (2005 est.)

Madagascar
males age 18-49: 187,000
females age 18-49: 184,833 (2005 est.)

Malaysia
males age 18-49: 244,418
females age 18-49: 231,896 (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
males age 18-49: 726 (2005 est.)

Mexico
males age 18-49: 1,063,233
females age 18-49: 1,043,816 (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
males age 18-49: 1,305 (2005 est.)

Moldova
males age 18-49: 43,729
females age 18-49: 42,354 (2005 est.)

Monaco
males age 18-49: 148 (2005 est.)

Mongolia
males age 18-49: 34,674
females age 18-49: 34,251 (2005 est.)

Montserrat
males age 18-49: 84 (2005 est.)

Morocco
males age 18-49: 353,377
females age 18-49: 341,677 (2005 est.)

Mozambique
males age 18-49: 185,314 (2005 est.)

Nepal
males age 18-49: 308,031
females age 18-49: 286,604 (2005 est.)

Netherlands
males age 18-49: 99,934
females age 20-49: 95,818 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
males age 18-49: 1,720
females age 16-49: 1,657 (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
males age 18-49: 1,907 (2005 est.)

New Zealand
males age 18-49: 29,738
females age 17-49: 28,523 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
males age 18-49: 65,170
females age 17-49: 63,133 (2005 est.)

Niger
males age 18-49: 129,045
females age 18-49: 121,230 (2005 est.)

Nigeria
males age 18-49: 1,353,180
females age 18-49: 1,329,267 (2005 est.)

Norway
males age 18-49: 29,179
females age 18-49: 28,023 (2005 est.)

Oman
males age 18-49: 26,391
females age 18-49: 25,466 (2005 est.)

Pakistan
males age 18-49: 1,969,055
females age 16-49: 1,849,254 (2005 est.)

Palau
males age 18-49: 142 (2005 est.)

Panama
males age 18-49: 29,724

Paraguay
males age 18-49: 63,058
females age 18-49: 62,217 (2005 est.)

Peru
males age 18-49: 277,105
females age 18-49: 269,799 (2005 est.)

Philippines
males age 18-49: 907,542
females age 18-49: 878,712 (2005 est.)

Poland
males age 18-49: 275,446
females age 17-49: 265,164 (2005 est.)

Portugal
males age 18-49: 67,189
females age 18-49: 60,626 (2005 est.)

Qatar
males age 18-49: 7,851
females age 18-49: 7,040 (2005 est.)

Romania
males age 18-49: 172,093
females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.)

Russia
males age 18-49: 1,286,069
females age 18-49: 1,244,264 (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
males age 18-49: 357
females age 18-49: 347 (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
males age 18-49: 1,651 (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
males age 18-49: 1,204 (2005 est.)

Samoa
males age 18-49: 2,306 (2005 est.)

San Marino
males age 18-49: 135 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
males age 18-49: 247,334
females age 18-49: 234,500 (2005 est.)

Senegal
males age 18-49: 129,331
females age 18-49: 129,398 (2005 est.)

Slovakia
males age 18-49: 41,544
females age 18-49: 40,183 (2005 est.)

Slovenia
males age 18-49: 12,816
females age 17-49: 12,178 (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
males age 18-49: 6,033 (2005 est.)

South Africa
males age 18-49: 512,407
females age 18-49: 506,078 (2005 est.)

Spain
males age 18-49: 233,384
females age 20-49: 221,805 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
males age 18-49: 174,049
females age 18-49: 167,201 (2005 est.)

Sudan
males age 18-49: 442,915
females age 18-49: 426,320 (2005 est.)

Sweden
males age 18-49: 58,724
females age 19-49: 55,954 (2005 est.)

Switzerland
males age 18-49: 46,319
females age 19-49: 43,829 (2005 est.)

Syria
males age 18-49: 225,113
females age 18-49: 211,829 (2005 est.)

Taiwan
males age 18-49: 174,173
females age 19-49: 163,683 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
males age 18-49: 87,846
females age 18-49: 85,869 (2005 est.)

Thailand
males age 18-49: 526,276
females age 21-49: 514,396 (2005 est.)

Tonga
males ag3 18-49: 1,586
females age 18-49: 1,538 (2005 est.)

Tunisia
males age 18-49: 108,817
females age 20-49: 103,087 (2005 est.)

Turkey
males age 18-49: 679,734
females age 20-49: 659,090 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
males age 18-49: 56,532
females age 18-49: 55,413 (2005 est.)

Ukraine
males age 18-49: 382,751
females age 18-49: 365,599 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
males: 30,706
females age 18-49: 29,617 (2005 est.)

United States
males age 18-49: 2,143,873
females age 18-49: 2,036,201 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
males age 18-49: 324,722
females age 18-49: 317,062 (2005 est.)

Venezuela
males age 18-49: 252,396
females age 18-49: 237,300 (2005 est.)

Vietnam
males age 18-49: 915,572
females age 18-49: 864,161 (2005 est.)

Yemen
males age 18-49: 236,517
females age 18-49: 230,641 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@2028 Background

Afghanistan
Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and
founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between
the British and Russian empires until it won independence from
notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy
ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet
Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist
regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew
in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported
anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. Subsequently, a series of civil
wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline
Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the
country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001
terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance
military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN.
The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for
political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new
constitution and a presidential election in 2004, and National
Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became
the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The
National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005.

Akrotiri
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created
the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty
and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers -
Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the
Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the
Western Sovereign Base Area.

Albania
Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
transition has proven challenging as successive governments have
tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a
dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime
networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made
progress in its democratic development since first holding
multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International
observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the
restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid
schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party
and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime
and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size
of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition
of power, was considered an important step forward. Although
Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the
poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an
inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has
played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in
southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO
and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a
strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.

Algeria
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians
fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962.
Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front
(FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the
subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to
counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising
first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the
December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and
postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular
elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming
power. The army began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS
supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government
later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate
religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who
progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an
insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which
resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate
massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the
upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic
Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of
armed militants persist in confronting government forces and
conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army
placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a
fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide
reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face
BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic minority
Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a
shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies,
government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing -
although significantly degraded - activities of extremist militants.
Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has
yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress
Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems.

American Samoa
Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered"
by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries
in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899
treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago.
The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern
islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Andorra
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a
unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from
1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of
Urgel). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular
heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a
parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous
Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through
its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are
attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Angola
Angola is slowly rebuilding its country after the end of a
27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for
the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and
the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led
by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace
seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but
UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls.
Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people
displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in
2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on
power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold legislative elections in 2007,
but 2008 may be more realistic.

Anguilla
Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650,
Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th
century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants -
was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint
Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two
years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this
arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming
a separate British dependency.

Antarctica
Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was
not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American
commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions
began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south
of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In
order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Antigua and Barbuda
The Siboney were the first to inhabit the
islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians
populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in
1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by
the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run
the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands
became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of
Nations in 1981.

Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five
oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US
and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two
important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river,
and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Argentina
In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared
their independence from Spain. Eventually, Bolivia, Paraguay, and
Uruguay went their own way, but the area that remained became
Argentina. The country's population and culture were subsequently
heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most
particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage
of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century,
much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal
political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between
civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of
Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent
governments was followed by a military junta that took power in
1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and has persisted despite numerous
challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic
crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the
resignation of several interim presidents. The economy has since
recovered strongly since bottoming out in 2002. The government
renegotiated its public debt in 2005 and paid off its remaining
obligations to the IMF in early 2006.

Armenia
Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally
adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy,
over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During
World War I in the western portion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey
instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh
practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths.
The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in
1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was
conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain
preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over
Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to
Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan
began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after
both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not
only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan
proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their
inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution.
Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common
border because of the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and
surrounding areas.

Aruba
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired
by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by
three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by
prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The
last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.
Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a
separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in
1990.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
These uninhabited islands came under
Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years
later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine
habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier
Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.

Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the
world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the
Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal
(Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of
Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US)
are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude.

Australia
Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from
Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began
exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were
made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name
of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and
19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of
Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural
resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing
industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in
World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed
itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy.
It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the
1990s, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted
in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly
depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of
coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

Austria
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian
Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in
World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and
subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's
status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955
ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and
Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the
meaning of this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country,
Austria entered the EU Economic Monetary Union in 1999.

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim
population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained
its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its
conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave
(largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its
territory and must support some 528,000 internally displaced persons
as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the
promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum
resources remains largely unfulfilled.

Bahamas, The
Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher
Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.
British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became
a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973,
The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking
and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is
a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly
shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal
migrants into the US.

Bahrain
In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the
Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a
series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made
Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its
independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location
among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing
act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining
oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and
refining and has transformed itself into an international banking
center. King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, after coming to power in
1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations
with the Shia community and Shia political societies participated in
2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest
Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the
elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shia discontent has
resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional
low-level violence.

Baker Island
The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its
guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the
second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
of the west coast.

Bangladesh
Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of
Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to
dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947,
West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from
India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of
Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward
arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units
separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and
dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West
Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. About a third of this
extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy
season, hampering economic development.

Barbados
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the
British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on
the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy
remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production
through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social
and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete
independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and
manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Bassas da India
This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs
and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was
placed under the administration of an Administrateur Superieur of
the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

Belarus
After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR,
Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer
political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former
Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state
union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his
election in July 1994 as the country's first president, Alexandr
LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian
means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press,
peaceful assembly, and religion continue.

Belgium
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it
was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country
prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically
advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions
between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the
French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to
constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition
and autonomy.

Belize
Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their
decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and
Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it
formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial
disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of
Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation
until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current
concerns include high unemployment, growing involvement in the South
American drug trade, and increasing urban crime.

Benin
Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West
African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became
a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960,
as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended
in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the
establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles.
A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later,
free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006
and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI BONI, a political outsider and
independent.

Bermuda
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism
continues to be important to the island's economy, although
international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has
developed into a highly successful offshore financial center.
Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly
defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the
issue.

Bhutan
In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu,
under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for
ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a
monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed
whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal
affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs.
This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years
later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan
annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country
received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and
foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in
Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the
government's draft constitution - which would introduce major
democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for
its approval. A referendum date has yet to be named.

Bolivia
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,
broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history
has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups.
Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have
faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and
illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected
Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the
widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule
in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's
traditional political class and empower the nation's poor majority.
However, since taking office, his controversial strategies have
exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian
populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communities of
the eastern lowlands.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of
independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a
referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported
by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed
resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and
joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994,
Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from
three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in
Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that
brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final
agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace
Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries
and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged
with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also
recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities
roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and
Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The
Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most
government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR)
was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian
aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international
peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to
implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR
was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR)
whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union
peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their
mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country.
EUFOR plans to phase out its mission beginning in 2007.

Botswana
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of
HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Bouvet Island
This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely
covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered
in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named.
No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In
1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied
the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the
adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since
1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the
island.

Brazil
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil
became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far
the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil
overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the
governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime
peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to
pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its
interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool,
it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional
leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing
problem.

British Indian Ocean Territory
Established as a territory of the UK
in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained
independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the
six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The
largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a
joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are
uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the
islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the
Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court
ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded
them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of
Diego Garcia.

British Virgin Islands
First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib
Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and
then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the
British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were
granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger
and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is
the legal currency.

Brunei
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th
and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
developing world.

Bulgaria
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the
local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of
Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having
fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within
the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in
1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its
first multiparty election since World War II and began the
contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a
market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption,
and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.

Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved
independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the
1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early
1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987
military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's
high population density and limited natural resources result in poor
economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest
in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of
several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find
employment in neighboring countries.

Burma
Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886)
and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered
as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was
attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and
later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections
in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National
League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling
junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize
recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to
1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently
transferred to house arrest, where she remains virtually
incommunicado. In February 2006, the junta extended her detention
for another year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote
democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or
jailed.

Burundi
Burundi's first democratically elected president was
assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office,
triggering widespread ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi
factions. Over 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that
spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians
were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring
countries. An internationally brokered power-sharing agreement
between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003
paved the way for a transition process that led to an integrated
defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a
majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by
President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered
ceasefire with the country's last rebel group in September of 2006
but still faces many challenges.

Cambodia
Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers,
descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of
Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th
centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam)
weakened the empire ushering in a long period of decline. The king
placed the country under French protection in 1863. Cambodia became
part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in
World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953.
In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge
forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At
least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships,
or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A
December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the
countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off
almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated
democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected
by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore
some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional
fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second
round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another
coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining
elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the
remaining Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored
tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were
relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between
contending political parties before a coalition government was
formed.

Cameroon
The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon
merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally
enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of
agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry.
Despite a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power
remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy headed by
President Paul BIYA.

Canada
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada
became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of
meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and
education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in
predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its
diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the
environment.

Cape Verde
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by
the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a
trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the
British during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by
Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within
the Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved
in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.

Central African Republic
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari
became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After
three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments
- civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade.
President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by
unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by
General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government.
Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups
and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the
municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and
May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The
government still does not fully control the countryside, where
pockets of lawlessness persist.

Chad
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured
three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before
a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed
presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke
out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several
peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new
rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks
into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority.
In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully
removing constitutional term limits.