atic telephone system
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1 pay)

Televisions: 69,350 (1993 est.)

Defense
-------

Branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and
Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 71,667
males fit for military service: 49,726 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

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

@Bassas da India
---------------

(possession of France)

Map
---

Location: 21 30 S, 39 50 E -- Southern Africa, islands in the
southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from
Madagascar to Mozambique

Flag
----

Description: the flag of France is used

Geography
---------

Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique
Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 39 50 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 0.2 sq km
land area: 0.2 sq km
comparative area: about one-third the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 35.2 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: claimed by Madagascar

Climate: tropical

Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 meters high
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources: none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (all rock)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under water
during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic
cyclones
international agreements: NA

People
------

Population: uninhabited

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bassas da India

Data code: BS

Type of government: French possession administered by a
Commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Capital: none; administered by France from Reunion

Independence: none (possession of France)

Flag: the flag of France is used