of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,908,604 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 1,442,870 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 45,276 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

Military-note: defense is the responsibility of China

@Hong Kong:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: none

Illicit drugs: a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade; transshipment
and money-laundering center; increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse

______________________________________________________________________

HOWLAND ISLAND

(territory of the US)

@Howland Island:Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half
of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates: 0 48 N, 176 38 W

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 1.6 sq km
land: 1.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 6.4 km

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

Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain: low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a
narrow fringing reef; depressed central area

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 95%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard

Environment-current issues: no natural fresh water resources

Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography-note: almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines,
and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and
marine wildlife; feral cats

@Howland Island:People

Population: uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and
educators

@Howland