ts - with unpaved runways: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: Heliports: 2
(2001)

Military Burma

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 12,211,144 note:
both sexes liable for military service (2002 est.) females age 15-49:
12,223,069

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 6,502,013
females age 15-49: 6,491,732 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 486,432
females: 470,667 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $39 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY97/98)

Transnational Issues Burma

Disputes - international: despite renewed border committee talks,
significant differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment
and the handling of ethnic guerrilla rebels, refugees, smuggling, and
drug trafficking in cross-border region; Burmese attempts to construct a
dam on border stream with Bangladesh in 2001 prompted an armed response
halting construction; Burmese Muslim migration into Bangladesh strains
Bangladesh's meager resources

Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of illicit opium, surpassing
Afghanistan (potential production in 2001 - 865 metric tons, down 21%
due to drought, and to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002
- 105,000 hectares, a 3% decline from 2000); surrender of drug warlord
KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major
counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to take
on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against
money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major
source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Benin

Introduction

Benin

Background: Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the
name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a
socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.

Geography Benin

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Nigeria and Togo

Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 112,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km land: 110,620 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller