15 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third
River (565 km) are principal waterways (2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 14
by type: cargo 10, petroleum tanker 4 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr

Military
Iraq

Military branches:

Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Army (includes Iraqi Special Operations
Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former Iraqi Coastal
Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air Corps) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18-49 years of age for voluntary military service (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 7,086,200
females age 16-49: 6,808,954 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,019,795
females age 16-49: 5,878,905 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 302,926
female: 294,747 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

8.6% of GDP (2006)

Transnational Issues
Iraq

Disputes - international:

coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and
cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled
the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and
Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey;
Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction
disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf;
Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in
Iraq

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 10,000-15,000 (Palestinian
Territories); 11,773 (Iran); 16,832 (Turkey)
IDPs: 2.4 million (ongoing US-led war and ethno-sectarian violence)
(2007)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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

@Ireland

Introduction
Ireland

Background:

Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions
by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended
when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions
began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of
Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh
repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off
several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
(Ulster) counties remained part