s:

3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 518
by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 67, carrier 5, chemical tanker 61,
container 180, liquefied gas 18, passenger 10, passenger/cargo 67,
petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 24,
vehicle carrier 18
foreign-owned: 264 (Cyprus 2, Denmark 62, Finland 1, France 23,
Germany 76, Hong Kong 2, Ireland 1, Italy 5, Japan 4, NZ 1, Norway
31, South Africa 3, Spain 1, Sweden 17, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 11,
Turkey 2, UAE 9, US 12)
registered in other countries: 391 (Algeria 11, Antigua and Barbuda
9, Argentina 4, Australia 5, Bahamas 56, Barbados 9, Belize 5,
Bermuda 3, Brunei 1, Cape Verde 1, Cayman Islands 3, Cyprus 19,
Gibraltar 2, Greece 32, Hong Kong 39, India 2, Italy 7, South Korea
1, Liberia 20, Luxembourg 8, Malta 19, Marshall Islands 18,
Netherlands 2, Norway 5, Panama 59, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines 14, Sierra Leone 2, Singapore 17,
Slovakia 1, Spain 5, Sweden 2, Thailand 5, Tonga 1, US 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Dover, Felixstowe, Immingham, Liverpool, London, Southampton,
Teesport (England), Forth Ports, Hound Point (Scotland), Milford
Haven (Wales)

Military
United Kingdom

Military branches:

Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

16-33 years of age (officers 17-28) for voluntary military service
(with parental consent under 18); women serve in military services,
but are excluded from ground combat positions and some naval
postings; must be citizen of the UK, Commonwealth, or Republic of
Ireland; reservists serve a minimum of 3 years, to age 45 or 55; 16
years of age for voluntary military service by Nepalese citizens in
the Brigade of the Gurkhas; 16-34 years of age for voluntary
military service by Papua New Guinean citizens (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 14,729,500
females age 16-49: 14,125,600 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 12,121,602
females age 16-49: 11,616,582 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 400,927
female: 383,593 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues
United Kingdom

Disputes - international:

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to
reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement betw