diff --git a/africa/ag.json b/africa/ag.json index 56746ac0..1bb16674 100644 --- a/africa/ag.json +++ b/africa/ag.json @@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ "note": "etymology: name derives from the Arabic \"al-Jazair\" meaning \"the islands\" and refers to the four islands formerly off the coast but joined to the mainland since 1525" }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen" + "text": "58 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Beni Abbes, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djanet, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Meghaier, El Meniaa, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, In Guezzam, In Salah, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Ouled Djellal, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Timimoun, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen, Touggourt" }, "Independence": { "text": "5 July 1962 (from France)" diff --git a/africa/ao.json b/africa/ao.json index 156da216..52701f45 100644 --- a/africa/ao.json +++ b/africa/ao.json @@ -1183,7 +1183,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "37,434 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,274 (Guinea), 6,357 (Cote d'Ivoire), 5,725 (Mauritania)  (2021)" + "text": "37,430 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,274 (Guinea), 6,357 (Cote d'Ivoire), 5,725 (Mauritania)  (2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/by.json b/africa/by.json index 074add8b..3b64ee18 100644 --- a/africa/by.json +++ b/africa/by.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Burundi is a small country in Central-East Africa bordered by Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Lake Tanganyika. Created in the 17th century, a Burundi Kingdom was preserved under German colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th century, and then by Belgium after World War I. Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi, but the monarchy was overthrown in 1966 and a republic established. Political violence and non-democratic transfers of power have marked much of its history; Burundi's first democratically elected president, a Hutu, was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office. The internationally brokered Arusha Agreement, signed in 2000, and subsequent ceasefire agreements with armed movements ended the 1993-2005 civil war. Burundi’s second democratic elections were held in 2005. Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president in 2005 and 2010, and again in a controversial election in 2015. Burundi continues to face many economic and political challenges." + "text": "

Established in the 1600s, the Burundi Kingdom has had borders similar to those of modern Burundi since the 1800s. Burundi’s two major ethnic groups, the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi, share a common language and culture and largely lived in peaceful cohabitation under Tutsi monarchs in pre-colonial Burundi. Regional, class, and clan distinctions contributed to social status in the Burundi Kingdom, yielding a complex class structure. German colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and Belgian rule after World War I preserved Burundi’s monarchy. Seeking to simplify administration, Belgian colonial officials reduced the number of chiefdoms and eliminated most Hutu chiefs from positions of power. In 1961, the Burundian Tutsi king’s oldest son, Louis Rwagasore was murdered by a competing political faction shortly before he was set to become prime minister, triggering increased political competition that contributed to later instability. Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi.

Revolution in neighboring Rwanda stoked ethnic polarization as the Tutsi increasingly feared violence and loss of political power. A failed Hutu-led coup in 1965 triggered a purge of Hutu officials and set the stage for Tutsi officers to overthrow the monarchy in 1966 and establish a Tutsi-dominated republic. A Hutu rebellion in 1972 that resulted in the death of several thousand Tutsi civilians sparked a brutal crackdown on Hutu civilians by the Tutsi-led military, which ultimately killed 100,000-200,000 people. International pressure led to a new constitution in 1992 and democratic elections in June 1993. Burundi's first democratically elected president, Hutu Melchior NDADAYE, was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office by Tutsi military officers fearing Hutu domination, sparking a civil war. His successor, Cyprien NTARYAMIRA, died when the Rwandan president’s plane he was traveling on was shot down in April 1994, which triggered the Rwandan genocide and further entrenched ethnic conflict in Burundi. The internationally brokered Arusha Agreement, signed in 2000, and subsequent ceasefire agreements with armed movements ended the 1993-2005 civil war. Burundi’s second democratic elections were held in 2005, resulting in the election of Pierre NKURUNZIZA as president. He was reelected in 2010 and again in 2015 after a controversial court decision allowed him to circumvent a term limit. President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE - from NKURUNZIZA’s ruling party - was elected in 2020.

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -1120,11 +1120,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "750 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 5,400 Somalia (AMISOM) (Feb 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; the armed forces law of 31 December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the government claimed that no one younger than 18 was being recruited (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "in addition to its foreign deployments, the FDN is focused on internal security missions, particularly against rebel groups opposed to the regime such as National Forces of Liberation (FNL), the Resistance for the Rule of Law-Tabara (aka RED Tabara), and Popular Forces of Burundi (FPB or FOREBU); the groups are based in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and have carried out sporadic attacks in Burundi (2020)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; the armed forces law of 31 December 2004 did not specify a minimum age for enlistment, but the government claimed that no one younger than 18 was being recruited (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/cd.json b/africa/cd.json index eac3adbe..babb6670 100644 --- a/africa/cd.json +++ b/africa/cd.json @@ -1130,11 +1130,11 @@ "text": "1,800 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021)", "note": "note(s): Chad is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; Chad has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; Chad hosts the headquarters of Operation Barkhane in N’Djamena

Chad has committed approximately 1,000-1,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically; in 2019, Chad sent more than 1,000 troops to Nigeria’s Borno State to fight BH as part of the MNJTF mission" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "20 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service, with a 3-year service obligation; 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a parent or guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age 21 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the ANT is chiefly focused on counterinsurgency/counter-terrorist operations against Boko Haram (BH) and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) in the Lake Chad Basin area (primarily the Lac Province) and countering the terrorist threat in the Sahel; in 2020, it conducted a large military operation against BH in the Lake Chad region; that same year, Chad sent troops to the tri-border area with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to combat ISWA militants (it also contributes a large force to the UN MINUSCA mission in Mali); the ANT  has frequently conducted counter-insurgency operations (COIN) against internal anti-government militias and armed dissident groups" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "20 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service, with a 3-year service obligation; 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a parent or guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age 21 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1149,7 +1149,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "372,722 (Sudan), 119,804 (Central African Republic), 16,634 (Nigeria) (2021)" + "text": "373,080 (Sudan), 121,036 (Central African Republic), 16,895 (Nigeria) (2021), 7,956 (Cameroon)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "401,511 (majority are in the east) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/cg.json b/africa/cg.json index b86c0c23..b9253f7f 100644 --- a/africa/cg.json +++ b/africa/cg.json @@ -1156,9 +1156,8 @@ "text": "Banana" }, "river or lake port(s)": { - "text": "Boma, Bumba, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka (Congo)" - }, - "note": "Kindu (Lualaba)\nBukavu, Goma (Lake Kivu)\nKalemie (Lake Tanganyika)" + "text": "Boma, Bumba, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka (Congo); Kindu (Lualaba); Bukavu, Goma (Lake Kivu); Kalemie (Lake Tanganyika)" + } } }, "Military and Security": { @@ -1189,11 +1188,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FARDC is equipped mostly with a mix of second-hand Russian and Soviet-era weapons acquired from former Warsaw Pact nations; most equipment was acquired between 1970 and 2000; since 2010, Ukraine is the largest supplier of arms to the FARDC (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "

the modern FARDC was created out of the armed factions of the two Congo wars of 1996-1997 and 1998-2003; as part of the peace accords that ended the last war, the largest rebel groups were incorporated into the FARDC; many armed groups (at least 70 and by some recent estimates more than 100), however, continue to fight; as of late 2020, the FARDC was actively engaged in combat operations against numerous armed groups inside the country, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, although violence also continues in Maniema, Kasai, Kasai Central, and Tanganyika provinces; the military is widely assessed as being unable to provide adequate security throughout the country due to insufficient training, poor morale and leadership, ill-discipline and corruption, low equipment readiness, a fractious ethnic makeup, and the sheer size of the country and diversity of armed rebel groups

MONUSCO, the United Nations peacekeeping and stabilization force in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has operated in the central and eastern parts of the country since 1999; as of August 2021, MONUSCO comprised around 17,500 personnel, including about 14,500 military troops and 600 police; MONUSCO includes a Force Intervention Brigade (FIB; 3 infantry battalions), the first ever UN peacekeeping force specifically tasked to carry out targeted offensive operations to neutralize and disarm groups considered a threat to state authority and civilian security" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1208,7 +1207,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "213,329 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers), 206,346 (Central African Republic), 55,819 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 42,725 (Burundi) (2021)" + "text": "213,133 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers), 206,346 (Central African Republic), 55,819 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 42,725 (Burundi) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "5.268 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2020)" diff --git a/africa/cm.json b/africa/cm.json index 9fd2abb2..b7bc537d 100644 --- a/africa/cm.json +++ b/africa/cm.json @@ -1199,14 +1199,14 @@ "text": "750 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Jan 2021)", "note": "note: Cameroon has committed approximately 2,000-2,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations occur occasionally" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; high school graduation required; service obligation 4 years; periodic government calls for volunteers (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "tthe International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the FAC is largely focused on the threat from the terror group Boko Haram along its frontiers with Nigeria and Chad (Far North region) and an insurgency from armed Anglophone separatist groups in the North-West and South-West regions (as of Feb 2021, this internal conflict has left an estimated 3,000 civilians dead and over 700,000 people displaced since fighting started in 2016); in addition, the FAC often deploys units to the border region with the Central African Republic to counter intrusions from armed militias and bandits" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; high school graduation required; service obligation 4 years; periodic government calls for volunteers (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1221,10 +1221,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "328,258 (Central African Republic), 118,409 (Nigeria) (2021)" + "text": "331,287 (Central African Republic), 118,693 (Nigeria) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "1,032,942 (2021) (includes far north, northwest, and southwest)" + "text": "1,052,591 (2021) (includes far north, northwest, and southwest)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/ct.json b/africa/ct.json index 955970f0..4998d6ab 100644 --- a/africa/ct.json +++ b/africa/ct.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The region was the site of much slave trading activity in the centuries before becoming a French protectorate in the late 19th century, and then was heavily economically exploited in the early part of the 20th century. Upon independence in 1960, the French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 but lasted only a decade. In March 2003, President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. Several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency and the following month established a National Transitional Council (CNT). In January 2014, the CNT elected Catherine SAMBA-PANZA as interim president. Elections completed in March 2016 installed independent candidate Faustin-Archange TOUADERA as president; he continues to work towards peace between the government and armed groups, and is developing a disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation program to reintegrate the armed groups into society. Nonetheless, as of early 2020 widespread violence continued, and the government in Bangui remains unable to extend control outside the capital. Peace agreements signed in 2017 and 2019 between the government and the main armed factions have had little effect.  As of late 2020 armed groups continued to operate openly and control large swaths - as much 80% by some estimates - of the country's territory." + "text": "

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a perennially weak state that sits at the crossroads of ethnic and linguistic groups in the center of the African continent. Among the last areas of sub-Saharan Africa to be drawn into the world economy, its introduction into trade networks around the early 1700s fostered significant competition among its population. The local population sought to benefit from the lucrative Atlantic, trans-Saharan, and Indian Ocean trade in enslaved people and ivory. Slave raids aided by representatives from the local populations fostered animosity between ethnic groups that remains today. The territory was established as a French colony named Ubangui-Shari in 1903, and France modeled its administration of the colony after the Belgian Congo, subcontracting control of the territory to private companies that collected rubber and ivory. Although France banned the domestic slave trade in CAR in the 1910s, the private companies continued to exploit the population through forced labor. The colony of Ubangi-Shari gained independence from France as the Central African Republic in August 1960, but the death of independence leader Barthelemy BOGANDA six months prior led to an immediate struggle for power.

CAR’s political history has since been marred by a series of coups, the first of which brought Jean-Bedel BOKASSA to power in 1966. BOKASSA’s regime was characterized by widespread corruption and an intolerance of opposition, which manifested in the disappearances of many who challenged BOKASSA’s rule. In an effort to prolong his mandate, he named himself emperor in 1976 and changed the country’s name to the Central African Empire. His regime’s economic mismanagement culminated in widespread student protests in early 1979 that were violently suppressed by security forces. BOKASSA, rumored to have participated in the killing of some young students after the protests, fell out of favor with the international community and was overthrown in a French-backed coup in 1979. After BOKASSA’s departure, the country’s name once again became the Central African Republic.

CAR’s fifth coup in March 2013 unseated President Francois BOZIZE after a mainly Muslim rebel coalition named the Seleka seized the capital and forced BOZIZE, who himself had taken power in a coup in 2003, to flee the country. Widespread abuses by the Seleka spurred the formation of mainly Christian self-defense groups that called themselves the anti-Balaka, which have also committed human rights abuses against Muslim populations in retaliation. Since the rise of the self-defense groups, conflict in CAR has become increasingly ethnoreligious-based, although focused on identity as opposed to religious ideology. Elections organized by a transitional government in early 2016 installed independent candidate Faustin-Archange TOUADERA as president; he was reelected in December 2020. A peace agreement signed in February 2019 between the government and the main armed factions has had little effect, and armed groups remain in control of large swaths of the country's territory.

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -1114,11 +1114,11 @@ "text": "the FACA is lightly and poorly armed with mostly outdated weapons; since 2010, it has received small amounts of second-hand equipment from China, Russia, and Ukraine (2020)", "note": "note: since 2013, CAR has been under a UNSC arms embargo; the embargo bans all supplies of arms and related materiel to the country except to the CAR security forces if approved in advance by the relevant UN Sanctions Committee" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for military service; no conscription (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the FACA is currently assessed as unable to provide adequate internal security for the country; the military was dissolved following the 2013 rebel seizure of the government and has struggled to rebuild in the years of instability since; France, Russia, the UN, and the European Union are providing various levels of security assistance

the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has operated in the country since 2014; its peacekeeping mission includes providing security, protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, disarming and demobilizing armed groups, and supporting the country’s fragile transitional government; in November 2019, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the MINUSCA peacekeeping mission another year; as of January 2021, MINUSCA had nearly 15,000 total personnel, including about 11,000 troops and 2,000 police

the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM-RCA) has operated in the country since 2016; the EUTM-RCA contributes to the restructuring of the country's military and defense sector through advice, training, and educational programs" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for military service; no conscription (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/dj.json b/africa/dj.json index 48564437..ac19a7b9 100644 --- a/africa/dj.json +++ b/africa/dj.json @@ -1105,11 +1105,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "960 Somalia (AMISOM) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2020)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Center (PRC) received zero incidents of piracy and armed robbery in 2020 for the Horn of Africa; while there were no recorded incidents, the IMB PRC warns that Somalia pirates continue to possess the capacity to carry out attacks in the Somali basin and wider Indian Ocean; in particular, the report warns that, \"Masters and crew must remain vigilant and cautious when transiting these waters.\"; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, contributed to the drop in incidents; the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2022; naval units from China, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the US, and other countries also operate in conjunction with EU forces; China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/eg.json b/africa/eg.json index 5139c23a..6326c854 100644 --- a/africa/eg.json +++ b/africa/eg.json @@ -1191,11 +1191,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "1,000 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,050 Mali (MINUSMA); 150 Sudan (UNAMID) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation - 18-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; voluntary enlistment possible from age 15 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "

since 2011, the Egyptian Armed Forces, police, and other security forces have been actively engaged in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations in the North Sinai governorate against several militant groups, particularly the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Sinai Province; as of early 2020, Egypt reportedly had over 40,000 troops plus thousands of police and other security personnel deployed to the Sinai for internal security duties

the military has a large stake in the civilian economy, including running banks, businesses, and shipping lines, producing consumer and industrial goods, importing commodities, and building and managing infrastructure projects, such as bridges, roads, hospitals, and housing

the Multinational Force & Observers (MFO) has operated in the Sinai since 1982 as a peacekeeping and monitoring force to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace; the MFO is an independent international organization, created by agreement between Egypt and Israel; as of 2021, it was composed of about 1,150 troops from 13 countries" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation - 18-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; voluntary enlistment possible from age 15 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/ek.json b/africa/ek.json index e8d0f548..1828f99a 100644 --- a/africa/ek.json +++ b/africa/ek.json @@ -1091,11 +1091,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FAGE is armed with mostly older (typically Soviet-era) and second-hand weapons systems; in recent years,it has sought to modernize its naval inventory; Ukraine is the leading provider of equipment since 2010, followed by Israel (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for selective compulsory military service, although conscription is rare in practice; 2-year service obligation; women hold only administrative positions in the Navy (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for selective compulsory military service, although conscription is rare in practice; 2-year service obligation; women hold only administrative positions in the Navy (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/et.json b/africa/et.json index 1abe8a1a..8f1c0599 100644 --- a/africa/et.json +++ b/africa/et.json @@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador FISTUM Arega Gebrekidan (since 9 April 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador FITSUM Arega Gebrekidan (since 9 April 2019)" }, "chancery": { "text": "3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008" @@ -1184,11 +1184,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "estimated 10,000 Somalia (4,500 for AMISOM); 800 Sudan (UNAMID); 3,200 Sudan (UNISFA); 2,100 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct callups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "each of the nine states has a regional and/or a \"special\" paramilitary security forces that report to regional civilian authorities; local militias operate across the country in loose and varying coordination with these regional security and police forces, the Ethiopian Federal Police (EFP), and the Ethiopian military; the EFP reports to the Ministry of Peace, which was created in October of 2018

 

" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; no compulsory military service, but the military can conduct callups when necessary and compliance is compulsory (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1203,7 +1203,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "374,680 (South Sudan), 212,236 (Somalia), 172,768 (Eritrea), 45,648 (Sudan) (2021)" + "text": "374,680 (South Sudan), 212,236 (Somalia), 146,771 (Eritrea), 45,924 (Sudan) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "1,990,168 (includes conflict- and climate-induced IDPs, excluding unverified estimates from the Amhara region; border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000; ethnic clashes; and ongoing fighting between the Ethiopian military and separatist rebel groups in the Somali and Oromia regions; natural disasters; intercommunal violence; most IDPs live in Sumale state) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/gb.json b/africa/gb.json index 51dfcf76..04e0954d 100644 --- a/africa/gb.json +++ b/africa/gb.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "

Following, independence from France in 1960, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-ruling heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in December 2002 and the presidential election in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more stable African countries.

President Ali BONGO Ondimba’s controversial August 2016 reelection sparked unprecedented opposition protests that resulted in the burning of the parliament building. The election was contested by the opposition after fraudulent results were flagged by international election observers. Gabon’s Constitutional Court reviewed the election results but ruled in favor of President BONGO, upholding his win and extending his mandate to 2023.

" + "text": "

Gabon, a sparsely populated country known for its dense rainforests and vast petroleum reserves, is one of the most prosperous and stable countries in central Africa. Approximately 40 ethnic groups are represented, the largest of which is the Fang, a group that covers the northern third of Gabon and expands north into Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. From about the early 1300s, various kingdoms emerged in and surrounding present-day Gabon, including the Kingdoms of Loango and Orungu. Because most early Bantu languages spoken in these kingdoms did not have a written form, historical traditions were passed on orally, resulting in much of Gabon's early history being lost over time. Portuguese traders who arrived in the mid-1400s gave the area its name of Gabon. At that time, indigenous trade networks began to engage with European traders, exchanging goods such as ivory and wood. For a century beginning in the 1760s, trade came to focus mostly on enslaved people. While many groups in Gabon participated in the slave trade, the Fang were a notable exception. As the slave trade declined in the late 1800s, France colonized the country and directed a widespread extraction of Gabonese resources. Anti-colonial rhetoric by Gabon’s educated elites increased significantly in the early 1900s, but no widespread rebellion materialized. French decolonization following World War II led to the country’s independence in 1960.

Within a year of independence, the government changed from a parliamentary to a presidential system, and Leon M’BA won the first presidential election in 1961. El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest ruling heads of state in history - was M’BA’s vice president and assumed the presidency after M’BA’s death in 1967. BONGO went on to dominate the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). In 1968, he declared Gabon a single-party state and created the Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG), which remains the predominant party in Gabonese politics today. In the early 1990s, he reintroduced a multiparty system under a new constitution after he was confronted with growing political opposition. He was reelected by wide margins in 1995, 1998, 2002, and 2005 against a divided opposition and amidst allegations of fraud. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power. President Ali BONGO Ondimba was reelected in 2016 in a close election against a united opposition. Gabon’s Constitutional Court reviewed the contested election results and ruled in his favor.

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -1150,14 +1150,14 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "450 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "20 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2021)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”" }, "Military - note": { "text": "members of the Gabonese Defense Forces attempted a failed coup in January 2019" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "20 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2021)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/gh.json b/africa/gh.json index 6079a2b9..a599db84 100644 --- a/africa/gh.json +++ b/africa/gh.json @@ -1168,11 +1168,11 @@ "text": "150 Mali (MINUSMA); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 850 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Jan 2021)", "note": "note: Ghana has pledged to maintain about 1,000 military personnel in readiness for UN peacekeeping missions" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”

" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { @@ -1181,7 +1181,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "6,398 (Cote d'Ivoire) (flight from 2010 post-election fighting) (2021)" + "text": "6,425 (Cote d'Ivoire) (flight from 2010 post-election fighting) (2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/iv.json b/africa/iv.json index e6ddb168..2505df3b 100644 --- a/africa/iv.json +++ b/africa/iv.json @@ -1183,14 +1183,14 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "800 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the military has mutinied several times since the late 1990s, most recently in 2017, and has had a large role in the country’s political turmoil; currently, the FACI is focused on internal security and the growing threat posed by Islamic militants associated with the al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group operating across the border in Burkina Faso; AQIM militants conducted significant attacks in the country in 2016 and 2020; Côte d’Ivoire since 2016 has stepped up border security and completed building a joint counter-terrorism training center with France near Abidjan in 2020

the UN maintained a 9,000-strong peacekeeping force in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) from 2004 until 2017" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/ke.json b/africa/ke.json index 4f71b14e..e007c716 100644 --- a/africa/ke.json +++ b/africa/ke.json @@ -1210,14 +1210,14 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "3,650 Somalia (AMISOM) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "no conscription; 18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary service (under 18 with parental consent; upper limit 30 years of age for specialists, tradesmen, or women with a diploma; 39 years of age for chaplains/imams), with a 9-year obligation (7 years for Kenyan Navy) and subsequent 3-year re-enlistments; applicants must be Kenyan citizens (2020)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports that shipping in territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean remain at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Kenya Coast Guard Service (established 2018) is under the Ministry of Interior, but led by a military officer and comprised of personnel from the military, as well as the National Police Service, intelligence services, and other government agencies (2020)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "no conscription; 18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary service (under 18 with parental consent; upper limit 30 years of age for specialists, tradesmen, or women with a diploma; 39 years of age for chaplains/imams), with a 9-year obligation (7 years for Kenyan Navy) and subsequent 3-year re-enlistments; applicants must be Kenyan citizens (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1232,7 +1232,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "269,870 (Somalia), 133,320 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 30,081 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 20,560 (Ethiopia), 7,081 (Burundi) (2021)" + "text": "269,870 (Somalia), 133,320 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 30,081 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 20,579 (Ethiopia), 7,108 (Burundi) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "190,000 (election-related violence, intercommunal violence, resource conflicts, al-Shabaab attacks in 2017 and 2018) (2020)" diff --git a/africa/li.json b/africa/li.json index 1ea0bc3c..dad92bf6 100644 --- a/africa/li.json +++ b/africa/li.json @@ -1146,7 +1146,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "8,194 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2021)" + "text": "8,067 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2021)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/lt.json b/africa/lt.json index 12420f73..54a83764 100644 --- a/africa/lt.json +++ b/africa/lt.json @@ -1091,11 +1091,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the LDF has a small inventory of older equipment from a variety of countries; the only reported delivery to the LDF since 2007 was two second-hand helicopters from France in 2017 and 2019 (2019 est.)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women can serve as commissioned officers (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Lesotho's declared policy for its military is the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women can serve as commissioned officers (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/ly.json b/africa/ly.json index 9599d205..84bf2014 100644 --- a/africa/ly.json +++ b/africa/ly.json @@ -1062,7 +1062,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "15,971 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 14,412 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "16,429 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 14,433 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "245,483 (conflict between pro-QADHAFI and anti-QADHAFI forces in 2011; post-QADHAFI tribal clashes 2014) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/mi.json b/africa/mi.json index 74f91218..1bba07ca 100644 --- a/africa/mi.json +++ b/africa/mi.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "From the late 15th to the 18th centuries, a prosperous Kingdom of Maravi - from which the name Malawi derives - extended its reach into what are now areas of Zambia and Mozambique. British missionary and trading activity increased in the area around Lake Malawi in the second half of the 19th century. In 1889, a British Central African Protectorate was established, which was renamed Nyasaland in 1907, and which became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA, the country held multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Bakili MULUZI became the first freely elected president of Malawi when he won the presidency in 1994; he won re-election in 1999. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in 2009. He oversaw some economic improvement in his first term, but was accused of economic mismanagement and poor governance in his second term. He died abruptly in 2012 and was succeeded by vice president, Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party. MUTHARIKA's brother, Peter MUTHARIKA, defeated BANDA in the 2014 election. Peter MUTHARIKA was reelected in a disputed 2019 election that resulted in countrywide protests. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi." + "text": "

Malawi shares its name with the Chewa word for flames and is linked to the Maravi people from whom the Chewa language originated. The Maravi settled in what is now Malawi around 1400 during one of the later waves of Bantu migration across central and southern Africa. Several of Malawi’s ethnic groups trace their origins to different Maravi lineages. A powerful Maravi kingdom, established around 1500, reached its zenith around 1700, when it controlled what is now southern and central Malawi as well as portions of neighboring Mozambique and Zambia before beginning to decline because of destabilization from the escalating global trade in enslaved people. In the early 1800s, widespread conflict in southern Africa displaced various ethnic Ngoni groups, some of which moved into Malawi and further undermined the Maravi. Members of the Yao ethnic group - which had long traded with Malawi from Mozambique - introduced Islam and began to settle in Malawi in significant numbers the mid-1800s; in the late 1800s, members of the Lomwe ethnic group also moved into southern Malawi from Mozambique. British missionary and trading activity increased in the area around Lake Nyasa in the mid-1800s, and Britain declared a protectorate, called British Central Africa, over what is now Malawi in 1891 and eliminated various political entities that sought to retain their autonomy over the subsequent decade. The British renamed the territory Nyasaland in 1907 and it was part of the colonial Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland - including present-day Zambia and Zimbabwe - from 1953 to 1963 before gaining independence as Malawi in 1964.

Hastings Kamuzu BANDA served as prime minister at independence and, when the country became a republic in 1966, he became president. He later instituted one-party rule under his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and was declared president for life. After three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Bakili MULUZI of the United Democratic Front party became the first freely elected president of Malawi when he defeated BANDA at the polls in 1994; he won reelection in 1999. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA was elected in 2004 and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party, in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in 2009. He died abruptly in 2012 and was succeeded by Vice President Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party. MUTHARIKA's brother, Peter MUTHARIKA, defeated BANDA in the election in 2014. Peter MUTHARIKA was reelected in a disputed election in 2019 that resulted in countrywide protests. The courts ordered a new the election, and in 2020 Lazarus CHAKWERA of the MCP was elected president after defeating MUTHARIKA as head of a coalition of opposition parties. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -1158,7 +1158,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "31,409 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 11,241 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,939 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "31,409 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 11,873 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,314 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" } } } diff --git a/africa/ml.json b/africa/ml.json index 4aa2cda8..842e9a28 100644 --- a/africa/ml.json +++ b/africa/ml.json @@ -1139,11 +1139,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FAMa's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years it has received limited quantities of mostly second-hand armaments from more than 15 countries (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service (men and women); 2-year conscript service obligation (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "prior to the coups in August 2020 and May 2021, the Malian military had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960; two attempts failed (1976 and 1978), while three succeeded in overturning civilian rule (1968, 1991, and 2012); the military collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants; it has been since rebuilt, but continues to have limited capabilities and is heavily reliant on external assistance

since 2017, the FAMa, along with other government security and paramilitary forces, has conducted multiple major operations against militants in the eastern, central, and northern parts of the country; up to 4,000 troops reportedly have been deployed; the stated objectives for the most recent operation (Operation Maliko in early 2020) was to end terrorist activity and restore government authority in seven of the country’s 10 regions, including Mopti, Ségou, Gao, Kidal, Ménaka, Taoudénit, and Timbuktu

Mali is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane 

the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has operated in the country since 2013; the Mission's responsibilities include providing security, rebuilding Malian security forces, supporting national political dialogue, and assisting in the reestablishment of Malian government authority; as of June 2021, MINUSMA had around 15,000 military and police personnel deployed; in June 2021, MINUSMA's mission was extended until the end of June 2022

the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM-M) also has operated in the country since 2013; the EUTM-M provides advice and training to the Malian Armed Forces and military assistance to the G5 Sahel Joint Force; as of March 2021, the mission included almost 700 personnel from 25 European countries" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service (men and women); 2-year conscript service obligation (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1158,10 +1158,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "16,938 (Niger), 15,176 (Mauritania), 12,890 (Burkina Faso) (2021)" + "text": "16,938 (Niger), 15,043 (Mauritania), 12,913 (Burkina Faso) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "372,266 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2021)" + "text": "287,490 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/mo.json b/africa/mo.json index 44d25082..67aafb8c 100644 --- a/africa/mo.json +++ b/africa/mo.json @@ -1174,13 +1174,13 @@ }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { - "text": "Ad Dakhla, Casablanca, Jorf Lasfar, Laayoune (El Aaiun), Mohammedia, Safi, Tangier" + "text": "Ad Dakhla, Agadir, Casablanca, Jorf Lasfar, Laayoune (El Aaiun), Mohammedia, Safi, Tangier" }, "container port(s) (TEUs)": { "text": "Tangier (4,801,713) (2019)" }, "LNG terminal(s) (import)": { - "text": "Jorf Lasfar" + "text": "Jorf Lasfar (planned)" } } }, diff --git a/africa/mp.json b/africa/mp.json index 7ee825ae..d6a2f9ae 100644 --- a/africa/mp.json +++ b/africa/mp.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, the uninhabited island of Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch - who named it in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU - in the 17th century. The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. Independence from the UK was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Mauritius claims the French island of Tromelin and the British Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory)." + "text": "

Although known to Arab and European sailors since at least the early 1500s, the island of Mauritius was uninhabited until 1638 when the Dutch established a settlement named in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU. Their presence led to the rapid disappearance of the flightless dodo bird that has since become one of the most well-known examples of extinction in modern times. The Dutch abandoned their financially distressed settlement in 1710, although a number of formerly enslaved people remained. In 1722, the French established what would become a highly profitable settlement focused on sugar cane plantations that were reliant on the labor of enslaved people brought to Mauritius from other parts of Africa. In the 1790s, the island had a brief period of autonomous rule when plantation owners rejected French control because of laws ending slavery that were temporarily in effect during the French Revolution. Britain captured the Island in 1810 as part of the Napoleonic Wars, but kept most of the French administrative structure which remains to this day in the form of the country’s legal codes and widespread use of French Creole language. The abolition of slavery in 1835 - later than most other British colonies - led to increased reliance on contracted laborers from the Indian subcontinent to work on plantations. Today their descendants form the majority of the population. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later an air station, playing a role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as for the collection of signals intelligence.

Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968 as a Parliamentary Republic and has remained a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record. The country also attracted considerable foreign investment and now has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Mauritius’ often fractious coalition politics has been dominated by two prominent families each of which has had father-son pairs who have been prime minister over multiple, often nonconsecutive, terms. Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (1968-76) was Mauritius’ first prime minister and he was succeeded by Anerood Jugnauth (1982-95, 2000-03, 2014-17); his son Navin Ramgoolam (1995-2000, 2005-14); and Paul Raymond Berenger (2003-05). In 2017, Pravind Jugnauth became prime minister after his father stepped down short of completing his term, and he was elected in his own right in 2019. Mauritius claims the French island of Tromelin and the British Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory). Since 2017, Mauritius has secured favorable UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions and an International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion relating to its sovereignty dispute with the UK.

" } }, "Geography": { diff --git a/africa/mr.json b/africa/mr.json index e80d9d86..98c28c2d 100644 --- a/africa/mr.json +++ b/africa/mr.json @@ -1168,11 +1168,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "450 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "since a spate of terrorist attacks in the 2000s, including a 2008 attack on a military base in the country’s north that resulted in the deaths of 12 soldiers, the Mauritanian Government has increased the defense budget and military equipment acquisitions, enhanced military training, heightened security cooperation with its neighbors and the international community, and built up the military’s special operations and civil-military affairs forces

Mauritania is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane (2020)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1186,7 +1186,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "26,001 (Sahrawis) (2019); 70,377 (Mali) (2021)" + "text": "26,001 (Sahrawis) (2019); 70,912 (Mali) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/mz.json b/africa/mz.json index 2b96f7a8..ee0e399b 100644 --- a/africa/mz.json +++ b/africa/mz.json @@ -1188,11 +1188,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FADM's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although since 2010 it has received limited quantities of more modern equipment from a variety of countries, mostly as aid/donations (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "registration for military service is mandatory for all males and females at 18 years of age; 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation; women may serve as officers or enlisted (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Government of Mozambique is facing a growing insurgency driven by militants with ties to the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS-Mozambique, which was declared a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department in March 2021) in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, an area known for rich liquid natural gas deposits; insurgent attacks in the province began in 2017 and as of mid-2021, the fighting had left an estimated 2,500 dead and approximately 700,000 displaced; the FADM is widely assessed as lacking the training, equipment, and overall capabilities to address the insurgency" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "registration for military service is mandatory for all males and females at 18 years of age; 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation; women may serve as officers or enlisted (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "10,383 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,887 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "10,383 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,948 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "668,000 (violence between the government and an opposition group, violence associated with extremists groups in 2018, political violence 2019) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/ng.json b/africa/ng.json index 56fba73b..c5c3f2bd 100644 --- a/africa/ng.json +++ b/africa/ng.json @@ -1156,11 +1156,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "870 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "has conscription, although it is reportedly not always enforced; 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of late 2020, the FAN was conducting counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against Islamic militants on two fronts; in the Diffa region, the Nigeria-based Boko Haram terrorist group has conducted dozens of attacks on security forces, army bases, and civilians; on Niger’s western border with Mali, the Islamic State-West Africa (ISWA) has conducted numerous attacks on security personnel; a series of ISWA attacks on FAN forces near the Malian border in December of 2019 and January of 2020 resulted in the deaths of more than 170 soldiers; terrorist attacks continued throughout 2020 and into 2021

Niger is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Chad; it has committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane

Niger also has about 1,000 troops committed to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "has conscription, although it is reportedly not always enforced; 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1175,10 +1175,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "182,730 (Nigeria), 61,156 (Mali) (2021)" + "text": "186,957 (Nigeria), 61,348 (Mali) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "300,320 (includes the regions of Diffa, Tillaberi, and Tahoua; unknown how many of the 11,000 people displaced by clashes between government forces and the Tuareg militant group, Niger Movement for Justice, in 2007 are still displaced; inter-communal violence; Boko Haram attacks in southern Niger, 2015) (2021)" + "text": "291,061 (includes the regions of Diffa, Tillaberi, and Tahoua; unknown how many of the 11,000 people displaced by clashes between government forces and the Tuareg militant group, Niger Movement for Justice, in 2007 are still displaced; inter-communal violence; Boko Haram attacks in southern Niger, 2015) (2021)" } } } diff --git a/africa/ni.json b/africa/ni.json index 4bfdea9b..fc6985c7 100644 --- a/africa/ni.json +++ b/africa/ni.json @@ -1205,14 +1205,14 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "200 Ghana (ECOMIG); MNJTF (1 brigade or approximately 3,000 troops committed; note - the national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”

" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Nigerian Armed Forces are used primarily for internal security operations; in the northeast, the military is conducting counterinsurgency/counter-terrorist operations against the Boko Haram (BH) and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) terrorist groups, where it has deployed as many as 70,000 troops at times and jihadist-related violence has killed an estimated 35,000 people, mostly civilians, since 2009 (as of Dec 2020); in the northwest, it faces threats from criminal gangs, bandits, and militants associated with ongoing farmer-herder violence, as well as BH and ISWA terrorists; the military also focuses on the Niger Delta region to protect the oil industry against militants and criminal activity, although the levels of violence there have decreased in recent years; in May 2021, a contingent of military troops and police were deployed to eastern Nigeria to quell renewed agitation for a state of Biafra (Biafra seceded from Nigeria in the late 1960s, sparking a civil war that caused more than 1 million deaths)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1227,10 +1227,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "67,456 (Cameroon) (2021)" + "text": "67,459 (Cameroon) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "2,880,168 (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2021)" + "text": "2,887,107 (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/rw.json b/africa/rw.json index eb862779..292cfb43 100644 --- a/africa/rw.json +++ b/africa/rw.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "A Rwandan kingdom dominated the region from the mid-18th century onward, with the Tutsi rulers conquering others militarily, centralizing power, and increasingly enacting anti-Hutu policies. German colonial rule began in 1898, but Belgian forces captured Rwanda in 1916 during World War I. Both European nations ruled through the kings and pursued a pro-Tutsi policy. In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in a state-orchestrated genocide, in which Rwandans killed approximately 800,000 of their fellow citizens, including approximately three-quarters of the Tutsi population. The genocide ended later that same year when the predominantly Tutsi RPF, operating out of Uganda and northern Rwanda, defeated the national army and Hutu militias, and established an RPF-led government of national unity. Rwanda held its first local elections in 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in 2003. Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in late 2009. President Paul KAGAME won the presidential election in August 2017 after changing the constitution in 2016 to allow him to run for a third term." + "text": "

Rwanda - a small and centralized country dominated by rugged hills and fertile volcanic soil - has exerted disproportionate influence over the African Great Lakes region for centuries. A Rwandan kingdom increasingly dominated the region from the mid-18th century onward, with the Tutsi monarchs gradually extending the power of the royal court into peripheral areas and expanding their borders through military conquest. While the current ethnic labels Hutu and Tutsi predate colonial rule, their flexibility and importance have varied significantly over time. The majority Hutu and minority Tutsi have long shared a common language and culture, and intermarriage was not rare. The Rwandan royal court centered on the Tutsi king (mwami), who relied on an extensive hierarchy of political, cultural, and economic relationships that intertwined Rwanda’s ethnic and social groups. Social categories became more rigid during the reign of RWABUGIRI (1860-1895), who focused on aggressive expansion and solidifying Rwanda’s bureaucratic structures. German colonial rule began in 1898, but Belgian forces captured Rwanda in 1916 during World War I. Both European nations quickly realized the benefits of ruling through the already centralized Rwandan kingdom. Colonial rule reinforced existing trends toward autocratic and exclusionary rule, leading to the elimination of traditional positions of authority for Hutus and a calcification of ethnic identities. Belgian administrators significantly increased requirements for communal labor and instituted harsh taxes, increasing frustration and inequality. Changing political attitudes in Belgium contributed to colonial and Catholic officials shifting their support from Tutsi to Hutu leaders in the years leading up to independence.

Newly mobilized political parties and simmering resentment of minority rule exploded in 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, when Hutus overthrew the Tutsi king. Thousands of Tutsis were killed over the next several years, and some 150,000 were driven into exile in neighboring countries. Army Chief of Staff Juvenal HABYARIMANA seized power in a coup in 1973 and ruled Rwanda as a single-party state for two decades. HABYARIMANA increasingly discriminated against Tutsi and extremist Hutu factions that gained prominence after multiple parties were introduced in the early 1990s. The children of Tutsi exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and began a civil war in 1990. The civil war exacerbated ethnic tensions and culminated in the shooting down of HABYARIMANA’s private jet in April 1994. The event sparked a state-orchestrated genocide in which Rwandans killed approximately 800,000 of their fellow citizens, including approximately three-quarters of the Tutsi population. The genocide ended later that same year when the predominantly Tutsi RPF, operating out of Uganda and northern Rwanda, defeated the national army and Hutu militias and established an RPF-led government of national unity. Rwanda held its first local elections in 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in 2003, formalizing President Paul KAGAME’s de facto role as head of government. KAGAME won reelection in 2010, and again in 2017 after changing the constitution to allow him to run for a third term.

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "74,836 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 47,911 (Burundi) (2021)" + "text": "74,836 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 47,653 (Burundi) (2021)" } } } diff --git a/africa/sg.json b/africa/sg.json index 5dfae9ff..65e24c93 100644 --- a/africa/sg.json +++ b/africa/sg.json @@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "14,195 (Mauritania) (2021)" + "text": "14,196 (Mauritania) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "8,400 (2020)" diff --git a/africa/su.json b/africa/su.json index 5c865dd9..891dd0e2 100644 --- a/africa/su.json +++ b/africa/su.json @@ -1174,11 +1174,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "est. 1,000-3,000 Libya; est. 1,000-2,000 Yemen (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-33 years of age for male and female compulsory or voluntary military service; 1-2 year service obligation (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "

in October 2020, after almost a year of negotiations, Sudan’s transitional government and a broad alliance of armed rebel groups known as the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) signed a peace agreement; the SRF rebels had operated in Darfur, South Kordofan, and the Blue Nile provinces; under the agreement, SRF fighters are to be slowly incorporated into joint units with government security forces over a period of 39 months; however, two rebel groups – the Darfur-based Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), which controls territory in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile provinces, are not part of the agreement; in March 2021, the Sudanese Government and the SPLM-N agreed to re-start peace talks

the Sudanese military and security forces reportedly control over 200 commercial companies, including businesses involved in gold mining, rubber production, agriculture, and meat exports

United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA had about 3,800 personnel deployed as of July 2021

in addition, the United Nations African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) operated in the war-torn Darfur region since 2007 until its mission was completed in mid-2021; UNAMID was a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force with the mission of bringing stability to Darfur, including protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and promoting mediation efforts, while peace talks on a final settlement continued; in July 2021, UNAMID entered a year-long liquidation phase in which it will maintain a guard unit consisting of about 360 police to protect UN personnel, facilities, and assets inside the El Fasher Logistics Base; Sudanese joint security forces will continue to be deployed outside the base and assist the remaining UN contingent with securing its perimeter; note - the October 2020 peace agreement provided for the establishment of a joint security force comprised of 12,000 members tasked with securing the Darfur region in the place of UNAMID; in June 2021, Sudan's transitional government announced it would increase the size of this force to 20,000 and expand its mission scope to include the capital and other parts of the country suffering from violence; the force would include the SAF, RSF, police, intelligence, and representatives from armed groups involved in peace negotiations" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-33 years of age for male and female compulsory or voluntary military service; 1-2 year service obligation (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { @@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "776,427 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 125,115 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 93,494 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers), 67,550 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 27,350 (Central African Republic) (2021)" + "text": "784,860 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 125,671 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 93,489 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers), 69,533 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 27,356 (Central African Republic) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "2,276,000 (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in Darfur region; government and rebel fighting along South Sudan border; inter-tribal clashes) (2020)" diff --git a/africa/to.json b/africa/to.json index e6340dd1..4657f566 100644 --- a/africa/to.json +++ b/africa/to.json @@ -1165,11 +1165,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "925 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for military service; 2-year service obligation; the military is an all-volunteer force (2021)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for military service; 2-year service obligation; the military is an all-volunteer force (2021)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/tp.json b/africa/tp.json index e2c87f12..eddb3c26 100644 --- a/africa/tp.json +++ b/africa/tp.json @@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Evaristo CARVALHO (since 3 September 2016)" + "text": "President Evaristo CARVALHO (since 3 September 2016)

note - President Evaristo Carvalho, whose term expires on 3 September  (ahead of the postponed presidential runoff on 5 September), announced he will remain in office until the inauguration of the new president, scheduled for 29 September." }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Jorge Bom JESUS (since 3 December 2018)" @@ -556,10 +556,10 @@ "text": "Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 July 2016 and 7 August 2016 (next to be held in July 2021); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president" + "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 18 July 2021 and runoff on 5 September 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1%; note - first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and CARVALHO was declared the winner" + "text": "
2021 - In the 5 September runoff, Carlos Vila NOVA elected president; percent of the vote - Carlos Vila NOVA (IDA) 57.5%, Guilherme Posser DA COSTA (MLSTP-SDP) 42.5%

2016 - Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1%; note - first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and CARVALHO was declared the winner" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1069,11 +1069,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FASTP is lightly and poorly armed (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/tz.json b/africa/tz.json index 49a35d5c..31072b92 100644 --- a/africa/tz.json +++ b/africa/tz.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "

Mainland Tanzania fell under German rule during the late 19th century as part of German East Africa. After World War I, Britain governed the mainland as Tanganyika; the Zanzibar Archipelago remained a separate colonial jurisdiction. Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964. In 1995, the country held its first democratic elections since the 1970s. Zanzibar maintains semi-autonomy and participates in national elections; popular political opposition on the isles led to four contentious elections since 1995, in which the ruling party claimed victory despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.

" + "text": "

Tanzania contains some of Africa’s most iconic national parks and famous archeological sites, and its diverse cultural heritage reflects the multiple ethnolinguistic groups that live in the country. Its long history of integration into trade networks spanning the Indian Ocean and the African interior led to the development of Swahili as a common language in much of east Africa and the introduction of Islam into the region. A number of independent coastal and island trading posts in what is now Tanzania came under Portuguese control after 1498 when they began to take control of much of the coast and Indian Ocean trade. By 1700, the Sultanate of Oman had become the dominant power in the region after ousting the Portuguese who were also facing a series of local uprisings. During the following hundred years, Zanzibar - an archipelago off the coast of Tanzania - became a hub of Indian Ocean trade, with Arab and Indian traders establishing and consolidating trade routes with communities in mainland Tanzania that contributed to the expansion of the slave trade. Zanzibar briefly become the capital of the Sultanate of Oman before it split into separate Omani and Zanzibar Sultanates in 1856. Beginning in the mid-1800s, European explorers, traders, and Christian missionaries became more active in the region. The Germans eventually established control over mainland Tanzania - which they called Tanganyika - and the British established control over Zanzibar. Tanganyika later came under British administration after the German defeat in World War I.

Tanganyika gained independence from Great Britain in 1961, and Zanzibar followed in 1963 as a constitutional monarchy. In Tanganyika, Julius NYERERE, a charismatic and idealistic socialist, established a one-party political system that centralized power and encouraged national self-reliance and rural development. In 1964, a popular uprising overthrew the Sultan in Zanzibar and either killed or expelled many of the Arabs and Indians who had dominated the isles for more than 200 years. Later that year, Tanganyika and Zanzibar combined to form the United Republic of Tanzania, but Zanzibar retained considerable autonomy. Their two ruling parties combined to form the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in 1977. NYERERE handed over power to Ali Hassan MWINYI in 1985 and remained CCM chair until 1990. Tanzania held its first multi-party elections in 1995, but CCM candidates have continued to dominate politics. Political opposition in Zanzibar has led to four contentious elections since 1995, in which the ruling party claimed victory despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. In 2001, 35 people in Zanzibar died when soldiers fired on protestors following the 2000 election. John MAGUFULI won the 2015 presidential election and the CCM won a two-thirds majority in Parliament. He was reelected in 2020 and the CCM increased its majority in an election that was also critiqued by observers. MAGUFULI died in March 2021 while in office and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, Samia Suluhu HASSAN.

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -1180,14 +1180,14 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "450 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 775 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 330 Sudan (UNAMID) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; 6-year commitment (2-year contracts afterwards); selective conscription for 2 years of public service (2021)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the International Maritime Bureau reports that shipping in territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean remain at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships

" }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of late 2020, the TPDF had deployed additional troops to its border with Mozambique to prevent a spillover of the growing violence in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; 6-year commitment (2-year contracts afterwards); selective conscription for 2 years of public service (2021)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "133,029 (Burundi), 79,002 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2021)" + "text": "127,435 (Burundi), 79,002 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/ug.json b/africa/ug.json index 7c009119..815fc98e 100644 --- a/africa/ug.json +++ b/africa/ug.json @@ -1167,11 +1167,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "6,200 Somalia (AMISOM); 620 Somalia (UNSOM); 250 Equatorial Guinea (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military duty (must be single, no children); 9-year service obligation (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "

the UPDF, which is constitutionally granted seats in parliament, is widely viewed as a key constituency for MUSEVENI; it has been used by MUSEVENI and the NRM to break up rallies, raid opposition offices, and surveil rival candidates; during the 2020 election cycle, senior UPDF officer said that the military would not obey a non-NRM political leader

the UPDF has conducted operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo against a Congo-based Ugandan rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department in March 2021 as the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC; see the Terrorist Group Appendix); beginning in 2012, the UPDF also led regional efforts to pursue the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a small, violent group of Ugandan origin that conducted widespread attacks against civilians in much of Central Africa; the UPDF withdrew from the mission in 2017 after declaring that the LRA no longer posed a security threat

Uganda intervened in the South Sudan civil war in 2013-2016 and UPDF forces have clashed with South Sudanese forces along the border as recently as 2020

" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military duty (must be single, no children); 9-year service obligation (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1186,7 +1186,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "924,835 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 432,390 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 51,039 (Burundi), 47,581 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 17,750 (Rwanda), 17,658 (Eritrea) (2021)" + "text": "925,499 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 432,390 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 51,115 (Burundi), 47,525 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 19,010 (Rwanda), 17,522 (Eritrea) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/uv.json b/africa/uv.json index 8782b705..178571b2 100644 --- a/africa/uv.json +++ b/africa/uv.json @@ -1151,11 +1151,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "1,075 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women may serve in supporting roles (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "since at least 2016, the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso have been actively engaged in combat operations with terrorist groups linked to al-Qa'ida and ISIS; military operations have occurred in the Centre‐Est, Centre‐Nord, Est, Nord, and Sahel administrative regions

Burkina Faso is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries (2021)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women may serve in supporting roles (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "21,601 (Mali) (2021)" + "text": "22,334 (Mali) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "

1,218,754 (2021)

" diff --git a/africa/za.json b/africa/za.json index d68d77c6..450093d6 100644 --- a/africa/za.json +++ b/africa/za.json @@ -541,15 +541,15 @@ "text": "last held on 12 August 2021 (next to be held 2026)" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by party - UPND 53.9%, PF 38.1%, PNUP 0.6%, independent 7.4%; seats by party - UPND 82, PF 61, PNUP 1, independent 11; composition - men 135, women 20, percent of women 13.5%

note: 155 seats were filled with one seat left vacant; the election for Kaumbwe Constituency has yet to conducted." + "text": "percent of vote by party - UPND 53.9%, PF 38.1%, PNUP 0.6%, independent 7.4%; seats by party - UPND 82, PF 61, PNUP 1, independent 11; composition - men 135, women 20, percent of women 13.5%

note - 155 seats were filled with one seat left vacant; the election for Kaumbwe Constituency is scheduled for 21 October 2021." } }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021) note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" + "text": "President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" }, "head of government": { - "text": "President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021) note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" + "text": "President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021) " }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly" @@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 12 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026)" }, "election results": { - "text": "2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote-Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%,Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8%

2016: Edgar LUNGU re-elected president; percent of vote- Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%" + "text": "
2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote -Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%, Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8%

2016: Edgar LUNGU re-elected president; percent of vote -
Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "61,570 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,964 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "61,570 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,615 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/antarctica/ay.json b/antarctica/ay.json index 2be1088e..053c804a 100644 --- a/antarctica/ay.json +++ b/antarctica/ay.json @@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ "mean elevation": { "text": "2,300 m" }, - "note": "note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the Denman Galcier; at its surface is the deepest ice yet discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater" + "note": "note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the Denman Glacier; at its surface is the deepest ice yet discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater" }, "Natural resources": { "text": "iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small noncommercial quantities; mineral exploitation except for scientific research is banned by the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty; krill, icefish, toothfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries, which are managed through the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Living Marine Resources (CCAMLR)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/aq.json b/australia-oceania/aq.json index c6c4dfbf..651ad991 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/aq.json +++ b/australia-oceania/aq.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was not reached by European explorers until the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year." + "text": "

Tutuila was settled by 1000 B.C. and the island served as a refuge for exiled chiefs and defeated warriors from the other Samoan islands. The Manu’a Islands developed its own traditional chiefdom that maintained its autonomy by controlling oceanic trade. In 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob ROGGEVEEN was the first European to sail through the Manu’a Islands, and he was followed by French explorer Louis Antoine DE BOUGAINVILLE in 1768. Whalers and missionaries arrived in American Samoa in the 1830s, but American and European traders tended to favor the port in Apia - now in independent Samoa - over the smaller and less-developed Pago Pago on Tutuila. In the mid-1800s, a dispute arose in Samoa over control of the Samoan archipelago, with different chiefs gaining support from Germany, the UK, and the US. In 1872, the high chief of Tutuila offered the US exclusive rights to Pago Pago in return for US protection, but the US rejected this offer. As fighting resumed, the US agreed to the chief’s request in 1878 and set up a coaling station at Pago Pago. In 1899, with continued disputes over succession, Germany and the US agreed to divide the Samoan islands, while the UK withdrew its claims in exchange for parts of the Solomon Islands. Local chiefs on Tutuila formally ceded their land to the US in 1900, followed by the chief of Manu’a in 1904. The territory was officially named “American Samoa” in 1911.

The US administered the territory through the Department of the Navy, and in 1918, the naval governor instituted strict quarantine rules to prevent the spread of the Spanish flu, allowing American Samoa to avoid the deadly infection that ravaged the then-New Zealand administered territory of Samoa. In 1949, there was an attempt to organize the territory, granting it formal self-government, but local chiefs helped defeat the measure in the US Congress. Administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1951, and in 1967, American Samoa adopted a constitution that provides significant protections for traditional Samoan land tenure rules, language, and culture. In 1977, after four attempts, voters approved a measure to directly elect their governor. Nevertheless, American Samoa officially remains an unorganized territory and people born in American Samoa are US nationals instead of US citizens, a status many American Samoans prefer.

 

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ "water": { "text": "0 sq km" }, - "note": "note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island" + "note": "note: includes Rose Atoll and Swains Island" }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly larger than Washington, DC" @@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ "text": "tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)" + "text": "five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Atoll, Swains Island)" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { diff --git a/australia-oceania/as.json b/australia-oceania/as.json index 6e18b6b1..003e354e 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/as.json +++ b/australia-oceania/as.json @@ -1093,7 +1093,7 @@ }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { - "text": "Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, Gladstone, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Adelaide, Port Kembla, Sydney" + "text": "
Indian Ocean: Adelaide, Darwin, Fremantle, Geelong, Melbourne
Pacific Ocean: Brisbane, Cairns, Gladstone, Hobart, Newcastle, Port Port Kembla, Sydney" }, "container port(s) (TEUs)": { "text": "Melbourne (2,967,315), Sydney (2,572,714) (2019)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/cq.json b/australia-oceania/cq.json index 5c8af033..97b9bc2b 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/cq.json +++ b/australia-oceania/cq.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978." + "text": "

The Northern Mariana Islands were settled by Austronesian people around 1500 B.C. These people became the indigenous Chamorro and were influenced by later migrations, including of Micronesians in the first century A.D., and island Southeast Asians around 900. Spanish explorer Ferdinand MAGELLAN sailed through the Mariana Islands in 1521 and Spain claimed them in 1565. Spain formally colonized the Mariana Islands in 1668 and administered the archipelago from Guam. Spain’s brutal repression of Chamorro, along with new diseases and intermittent warfare, reduced the indigenous population by about 90% in the 1700s. With a similar dynamic occurring on Guam, Spain forced Chamorro from the Northern Mariana Islands to resettle on Guam and prevented them from returning to their home islands. By the time the Northern Mariana Islands’ Chamorro returned, many other Micronesians, including Chuukese and Yapese, had already settled on their islands.

In 1898, Spain ceded Guam to the US following the Spanish-American War but sold the Northern Mariana Islands to Germany under the German-Spanish Treaty of 1899. Germany administered the territory from German New Guinea but took a hands-off approach to day-to-day life. Following World War I, Japan administered the islands under a League of Nations mandate. Japan focused on sugar production and brought in thousands of Japanese laborers, who quickly outnumbered the Chamorro on the islands. During World War II, Japan invaded Guam from the Northern Mariana Islands and used Marianan Chamorro as translators with Guamanian Chamorro, creating friction between the two Chamorro communities that continues to this day. The US captured the Northern Mariana Islands in 1944 after the Battle of Saipan and administered them post-World War II as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI).

On four occasions in the 1950s and 1960s, voters opted for integration with Guam, although Guam rejected it in 1969. In 1978, the Northern Mariana Islands was granted self-government separate from the rest of the TTPI and in 1986, islanders were granted US citizenship and the territory came under US sovereignty as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). In 2009, the CNMI became the final US territory to elect a nonvoting delegate to the US Congress.

" } }, "Geography": { diff --git a/australia-oceania/gq.json b/australia-oceania/gq.json index 5cfa9c9b..64f42f56 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/gq.json +++ b/australia-oceania/gq.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Spain ceded Guam to the US in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installations on the island are some of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific; they also constitute the island’s most important source of income and economic stability." + "text": "

Guam was settled by Austronesian people around 1500 B.C. These people became the indigenous Chamorro and were influenced by later migrations, including the Micronesians in the first millennium A.D., and island Southeast Asians around 900. Society was stratified with higher classes living along the coast and lower classes living inland. Spanish explorer Ferdinand MAGELLAN was the first European to see Guam in 1521 and Spain claimed the island in 1565 as it served as a refueling stop for ships between Mexico and the Philippines. Spain formally colonized Guam in 1668. Spain’s brutal repression of Chamorro, along with new diseases and intermittent warfare, reduced the indigenous population from more than 100,000 to less than 5,000 by the 1700s. Spain tried to repopulate the island by forcing people from nearby islands to settle on Guam and preventing them from escaping.

Guam became a hub for whalers and traders in the western Pacific in the early 1800s. During the 1898 Spanish-American War, the US Navy occupied Guam and set up a military administration. The US Navy opposed local control of government despite repeated petitions by Chamorro. Japan invaded Guam in 1941 and instituted a repressive regime. During the US recapture of Guam in 1944, the island’s two largest villages were destroyed. After World War II, political pressure from local Chamorro leaders led to Guam being established as an unincorporated organized territory in 1950 with US citizenship granted to all Chamorro. In a referendum in 1982, more than 75% of voters chose closer relations with the US over independence, although no change in status was made because of disagreements on the future right of Chamorro self-determination. The US military holds about 29% of Guam’s land and stations several thousand troops on the island. The installations are some of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific; they also constitute the island’s most important source of income and economic stability.

" } }, "Geography": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json index 1d968dd3..3d992fb0 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json @@ -976,11 +976,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the ABDF's equipment inventory is limited to small arms, light weapons, and soft-skin vehicles; the Coast Guard maintains ex-US patrol vessels and some smaller boats (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for both males and females; no conscription (2021)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "member of the Regional Security System (RSS), an international agreement for the defense and security of the eastern Caribbean region" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for both males and females; no conscription (2021)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json index 5e340625..035ad55d 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json @@ -1128,11 +1128,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Cuban military inventory is comprised of ageing Russian and Soviet-era equipment; the last recorded arms delivery to Cuba was by Russia in 2004 (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation for males, optional for females (2017)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the FAR has a large role in the Cuban economy through several military owned and operated conglomerates, including such sectors as banking, hotels, industry, retail, and tourism" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation for males, optional for females (2017)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json index b1709794..2640398c 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json @@ -1170,11 +1170,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military is lightly armed with an inventory consisting mostly of older US equipment with limited quantities of material from other countries; since 2010, Brazil and Israel are the leading suppliers of armaments to the Dominican Republic (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17-21 years of age for voluntary military service; recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens; women may volunteer (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the military's primary focuses are countering illegal immigration and refugees along its 350km-long border with Haiti and interdicting air and maritime narcotics trafficking, as well as disaster relief" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "17-21 years of age for voluntary military service; recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens; women may volunteer (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json index 2bb942c9..cf3fd378 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json @@ -1161,11 +1161,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "170 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2012)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "in recent years, about half of the Army was reportedly deployed on internal security duties to support the National Police with combating gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border security (2021)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2012)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/uc.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/uc.json index b08effd0..59b82743 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/uc.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/uc.json @@ -823,11 +823,11 @@ "Military and security forces": { "text": "no regular military forces; Curaçao Militia (CURMIL) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "no conscription (2010)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) provides maritime security" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "no conscription (2010)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/central-asia/kg.json b/central-asia/kg.json index 094a44a9..b53396fe 100644 --- a/central-asia/kg.json +++ b/central-asia/kg.json @@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ "text": "the Kyrgyz Armed Forces have approximately 12,000 active duty troops (8,500 Land Forces; 2,500 Air Force/Air Defense; 1,000 National Guard) (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Kyrgyz Armed Forces' inventory is comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; Kyrgyzstan relies on donations of military equipment, which come mostly from Russia under a 2013 agreement between Bishkek and Moscow (2020)" + "text": "the Kyrgyz Armed Forces' inventory is comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; Kyrgyzstan relies on donations of military equipment, which come mostly from Russia under a 2013 agreement between Bishkek and Moscow (2021)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "contributes forces to CSTO's Rapid Reaction Force (2021)" diff --git a/central-asia/rs.json b/central-asia/rs.json index ae69f478..0eec512d 100644 --- a/central-asia/rs.json +++ b/central-asia/rs.json @@ -1168,19 +1168,19 @@ }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { - "text": "Kaliningrad, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk, Primorsk, Vostochnyy" + "text": "
Arctic Ocean: Arkhangelsk, Murmansk
Baltic Sea: Kaliningrad, Primorsk, Saint Petersburg
Black Sea: Novorossiysk
Pacific Ocean: Nakhodka, Vladivostok, Vostochnyy" }, "oil terminal(s)": { - "text": "Kavkaz oil terminal" + "text": "Kavkaz oil terminal, Primorsk" }, "container port(s) (TEUs)": { "text": "Saint Petersburg (2,221,724) (2019)" }, "LNG terminal(s) (export)": { - "text": "Sakhalin Island" + "text": "Sabetta, Sakhalin Island" }, "river port(s)": { - "text": "Saint Petersburg (Neva River)" + "text": "Astrakhan, Kazan (Volga River); Rostov-on-Don (Don River); Saint Petersburg (Neva River)" } } }, @@ -1212,12 +1212,12 @@ "text": "the Russian Federation's military and paramilitary services are equipped with domestically-produced weapons systems, although since 2010 Russia has imported limited amounts of military hardware from several countries, including Czechia, France, Israel, Italy, Turkey, and Ukraine; the Russian defense industry is capable of designing, developing, and producing a full range of advanced air, land, missile, and naval systems; Russia is the world's second largest exporter of military hardware (2020)" }, "Military deployments": { - "text": "est. 3,000-5,000 Armenia; est. 1,500 Belarus; est. 7,000-10,000 Georgia; est. 100-200 Central African Republic; est. 500 Kyrgyzstan; est. 1,500 Moldova; est. 3,000-5,000 Syria; est. 5,000-7,000 Tajikistan; est. 25,000-30,000 Ukraine (includes Crimea) (2020)", - "note": "note(s): since November 2020, Russia has deployed about 2,000 peacekeeping troops to the area in and around Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a truce agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan; fighting erupted between the two countries over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September of 2020

as of the Fall of 2020, a Russian Government-backed private military company was assessed to have about 2,000 personnel in Libya supporting Libyan National Army forces; in addition, there were approximately 2,000 Russian-backed Syrian fighters in Libya

Russia contributes approximately 8,000 personnel to CSTO's Rapid Reaction Force" + "text": "est. 3,000-5,000 Armenia; est. 1,500 Belarus; est. 7,000-10,000 Georgia; est. 100-200 Central African Republic; est. 500 Kyrgyzstan; est. 1,500-2,000 Moldova (Trannistria); est. 3,000-5,000 Syria; est. 5,000-7,000 Tajikistan; est. 25,000-30,000 Ukraine (including Crimea) (2020)", + "note": "note(s): since November 2020, Russia has deployed about 2,000 peacekeeping troops to the area in and around Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a truce agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan; fighting erupted between the two countries over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September of 2020

as of late 2020, a Russian Government-backed private military company was assessed to have about 2,000 personnel in Libya supporting Libyan National Army forces; 

Russia is a leader of CSTO contributes approximately 8,000 personnel to its Rapid Reaction Force" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; one-year service obligation (Russia offers the option of serving on a two-year contract instead of completing a one-year conscription period); reserve obligation for non-officers to age 50; enrollment in military schools from the age of 16, cadets classified as members of the armed forces (2019)", - "note": "note: in April of 2019, the Russian government pledged its intent to end conscription" + "note": "note: in April of 2019, the Russian Government pledged its intent to end conscription as part of a decade-long effort to shift from a large, conscript-based military to a smaller, more professional force" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/central-asia/ti.json b/central-asia/ti.json index 159bf1b7..548bb752 100644 --- a/central-asia/ti.json +++ b/central-asia/ti.json @@ -1121,7 +1121,7 @@ "text": "contributes troops to CSTO's Rapid Reaction Force (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; 12-18 month conscript service obligation (2019)" + "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service for men; 24 month conscript service obligation; in August 2021, the Tajik Government began allowing men to pay the equivalent of $2,200 in order to avoid conscription (2021)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/central-asia/tx.json b/central-asia/tx.json index a6e8666c..8cc868e6 100644 --- a/central-asia/tx.json +++ b/central-asia/tx.json @@ -1072,13 +1072,13 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "information varies; estimated 35,000 active troops (est. 30,000 National Army; 1,000 Navy; 4,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2020)" + "text": "information varies; estimated 30,000 active troops (est. 25,000 National Army; 1,000 Navy; 4,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2020)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory for Turkmenistan's military is comprised almost entirely of older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems, although in recent years, Turkmenistan has opened itself up to equipment from other countries; since 2010, China, Russia, and Turkey are the leading arms suppliers to Turkmenistan (2020)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory male military service; 2-year conscript service obligation; 20 years of age for voluntary service; males may enroll in military schools from age 15 (2019)" + "text": "18-30 years of age for compulsory male military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2.5 years for the Navy); 20 years of age for voluntary service; males may enroll in military schools from age 15 (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json index caa63046..68854753 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json @@ -1185,11 +1185,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Burmese military inventory is comprised mostly of older Chinese and Russian/Soviet-era equipment with a smaller mix of more modern acquisitions; since 2010, China and Russia are the leading suppliers of military hardware; Burma has a limited defense industry, including a growing shipbuilding capability (2020)" }, + "Military - note": { + "text": "since the country's founding, the armed forces have been heavily involved in domestic politics and ran the country for five decades following a military coup in 1962; the military controls three key security ministries (Defense, Border, and Home Affairs), one of two vice presidential appointments, 25% of the parliamentary seats, and has a proxy political party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)

the military owns and operates two business conglomerates that have over 100 subsidiaries and have close ties to other companies; the business activities of these conglomerates include banking and insurance, hotels, tourism, jade and ruby mining, timber, construction, real estate, and the production of palm oil, sugar, soap, cement, beverages, drinking water, coal, and gas; some of the companies supply goods and services to the military, such as food, clothing, insurance, and cellphone service; the military also runs manages a film industry, publishing houses, and television stations

the military's primary operational focus is internal security, particularly counterinsurgency operations against ethnic-based insurgent groups; these operations have resulted in numerous civilian casualties, human rights abuses, and internal displacement

 

" + }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-35 years of age (men) and 18-27 years of age (women) for voluntary military service; no conscription (a 2010 law reintroducing conscription has not yet entered into force); 2-year service obligation; male (ages 18-45) and female (ages 18-35) professionals (including doctors, engineers, mechanics) serve up to 3 years; service terms may be stretched to 5 years in an officially declared emergency (2019)" - }, - "Military - note": { - "text": "since the country's founding, the armed forces have been heavily involved in domestic politics and ran the country for five decades following a military coup in 1962; the military controls three key security ministries (Defense, Border, and Home Affairs), one of two vice presidential appointments, 25% of the parliamentary seats, and has a proxy political party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)

the military owns and operates two business conglomerates that have over 100 subsidiaries and have close ties to other companies; the business activities of these conglomerates include banking and insurance, hotels, tourism, jade and ruby mining, timber, construction, real estate, and the production of palm oil, sugar, soap, cement, beverages, drinking water, coal, and gas; some of the companies supply goods and services to the military, such as food, clothing, insurance, and cellphone service; the military also runs manages a film industry, publishing houses, and television stations

the military's primary operational focus is internal security, particularly counterinsurgency operations against ethnic-based insurgent groups; these operations have resulted in numerous civilian casualties, human rights abuses, and internal displacement

there are approximately 20 ethnic-based armed groups operating in Burma with strengths of a few hundred up to more than 20,000 estimated fighters; they are estimated to control about one-third of the country’s territory, primarily in the border regions; key groups include the United Wa State Army, the Karen National Union, the Kachin Independence Army, the Arakan Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army; in 2015, the Burmese Government signed a Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with eight mostly small armed groups, including the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front, Arakan Liberation Party, Chin National Front, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, Karen National Liberation Army-Peace Council, Karen National Union, Pa-O National Liberation Organization, and Shan State Army-South; seven other groups did not sign the NCA, but have signed bi-lateral ceasefires with the Burmese Government, including the National Democratic Alliance Army, Shan State Army, New Mon State Army, Karenni Army, National Socialist Council of Nagaland–Khaplang, and the United Wa State Army, which is assessed to be the largest and most capable group, with more than 20,000 fighters; others, such as the Arakan Army (Chin, Kachin, Rakhine, Shan states; the Arakan Army entered into ceasefire negotiations with the Burmese Government in November 2020), Kachin Independence Army (Kachin state), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (Shan state), Shanni Nationalities Army (Kachin state), and Taang National Liberation Army (Shan state) continue to engage in active insurgent operations against the Burmese Government; since March 2021, the Karen National Union has resumed fighting with the Burmese military

in addition, Burma has a large number (estimates run into the thousands) of armed militias which take many different forms and vary in allegiances and size; most are pro-government and associated with the Tatmadaw; some are integrated within the Tatmadaw’s command structure as Border Guard Forces (BGF); BGF are organized as 325-man battalions that include a mix of militia forces, ethnic armed groups, and government soldiers; they are armed, supplied, and paid by the Tatmadaw; other pro-government militias are not integrated within the Tatmadaw command structure, but receive direction from the military and are recognized as government militias; the amount of support they receive from the Tatmadaw varies depending on local security conditions; a third type of pro-government militias are small community-based militias that are armed, coordinated, and trained by local Tatmadaw units and activated as needed; anti-government militias are typically associated with ethnic-based armed organizations

" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json index 97b35e35..3e958f61 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json @@ -1201,14 +1201,14 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,025 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 1,250 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary military service, with selective conscription authorized; 2-year service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; the number of attacks increased slightly from 25 incidents in 2019 to 26 in 2020 due to aggressive maritime patrolling by regional authorities; vessels continue to be boarded while anchored or berthed at Indonesian ports with two crew taken hostage and two threatened in 2020; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Indonesian military and police forces are engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Papua against the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the Free Papua Organization, which has been fighting a low-level insurgency since the 1960s when Indonesia annexed the former Dutch colony; since 2019, there has been an increase in militant activity in Papua and a larger Indonesian military presence; Papua was formally incorporated into Indonesia in 1969

in addition, the Indonesian military has been assisting police in countering the Mujahideen Indonesia Timur (MIT; aka East Indonesia Mujahideen), a local Islamic State (ISIS)-affiliated terrorist group

Indonesia is not a formal claimant in the South China Sea, although some of its waters lie within China's “nine-dash line” maritime claims, resulting in some stand offs in recent years; since 2016, the Indonesian military has bolstered its presence on Great Natuna Island (aka Pulau Natuna Besar), the main island of the Middle Natuna Archipelago, which is part of the Riau Islands province, and held military exercises in surrounding waters" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary military service, with selective conscription authorized; 2-year service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json index c0e032de..cc1777ec 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json @@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { - "text": "12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait" + "text": "12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and the Korea and Tsushima Straits" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "24 nm" @@ -509,13 +509,13 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019); note - succeeds his father who abdicated on 30 April 2019 " + "text": "Emperor NARUHITO (since 1 May 2019); note - succeeds his father who abdicated on 30 April 2019" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Yoshihide SUGA (since 16 September 2020 ); Deputy Prime Minister Taro ASO (since 26 December 2012) " + "text": "Prime Minister Yoshihide SUGA (since 16 September 2020 ); Deputy Prime Minister Taro ASO (since 26 December 2012); note - Prime Minister SUGA announced his resignation on 3 September 2021 pending a party leadership vote scheduled for 29 September 2021" }, "cabinet": { - "text": "Cabinet appointed by the prime minister " + "text": "Cabinet appointed by the prime minister" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "the monarchy is hereditary; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json index 388a9840..b324b01f 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json @@ -1193,11 +1193,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "825 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (March 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent and proof of age); mandatory retirement age 60; women serve in the Malaysian Armed Forces; no conscription (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; the Singapore Straits saw 23 attacks against commercial vessels in 2020, vessels were boarded in 22 of the 23 incidents, one crew was injured, another taken hostage and two threatened during these incidents

" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent and proof of age); mandatory retirement age 60; women serve in the Malaysian Armed Forces; no conscription (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json index b96196a4..dc68de3b 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives. Since 2001, Bougainville has experienced autonomy; a referendum asking the population if they would like independence or greater self rule occurred in November 2019, with almost 98% of voters choosing independence." + "text": "

Papua New Guinea (PNG) was first settled between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago. PNG’s harsh geography consisting of mountains, jungles, and numerous river valleys, kept many of the arriving groups isolated, giving rise to PNG’s incredible ethnic and linguistic diversity. Agriculture was independently developed by some of these groups. Around 500 B.C., Austronesian voyagers settled along the coast. Spanish and Portuguese explorers periodically visited the island starting in the 1500s but none made it into the country’s interior. American and British whaling ships frequented the islands off the coast of New Guinea in the mid-1800s. In 1884, Germany declared a protectorate - and eventually a colony - over the northern part of what would become PNG and named it German New Guinea; days later the UK followed suit on the southern part and nearby islands and called it Papua. Most of their focus was on the coastal regions, leaving the highlands largely unexplored.

The UK put its colony under Australian administration in 1902 and formalized the act in 1906. At the outbreak of World War I, Australia occupied German New Guinea and continued to rule it after the war as a League of Nations Mandate. The discovery of gold along the Bulolo River in the 1920s, led prospectors to venture into the highlands, where they found about 1 million people living in isolated communities. Japan invaded New Guinea in 1941 and reached Papua the following year. Allied victories during the New Guinea campaign pushed out the Japanese, and after the end of the war, Australia combined the two territories into one administration. Sir Michael SOMARE won elections in 1972 on the promise of achieving independence, which was realized in 1975.

A secessionist movement in Bougainville, an island well endowed in copper and gold resources, reignited in 1988 with debates about land use, profits, and an influx of outsiders at the Panguna Copper Mine. Following elections in 1992, the PNG government took a hardline stance against Bougainville rebels and the resulting civil war led to about 20,000 deaths. In 1997, the PNG government hired mercenaries to support its troops in Bougainville, sparking an army mutiny and forcing the prime minister to resign. PNG and Bougainville signed a truce in 1997 and a peace agreement in 2001, which granted Bougainville - including some nearby islands - autonomy. An internationally-monitored nonbinding referendum asking Bougainvilleans to chose independence or greater self rule occurred in November 2019, with 98% of voters opting for independence.

" } }, "Geography": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json index 6ceba0b2..bcf9eced 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json @@ -1195,14 +1195,14 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the AFP is equipped with a mix of imported weapons systems, particularly second-hand equipment from the US; since 2014, its top weapons suppliers are Indonesia, South Korea, and the US (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-23 years of age (officers 21-29) for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; an emerging threat area lies in the Celebes and Sulu Seas between the Philippines and Malaysia where three ships were attacked in 2020; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen

" }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of late 2020, the AFP's primary operational focus was on internal security duties, particularly in the south, where several insurgent and terrorist groups operated and up to 60% of the armed forces were deployed; additional combat operations were being conducted against the Communist Peoples Party/New People’s Army, which is active mostly on Luzon, the Visayas, and areas of Mindanao

the Philippines National Police (PNP) also has an active role in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations alongside the AFP, particularly the Special Action Force, a PNP commando unit that specializes in counter-terrorism operations" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-23 years of age (officers 21-29) for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/al.json b/europe/al.json index 11681e19..ff163c59 100644 --- a/europe/al.json +++ b/europe/al.json @@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "General Staff, Land Forces Command, Navy Force Command (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces Command, Support Command, Training and Doctrination Command (2021)" + "text": "Republic of Albania Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë (FARSH)): Land Forces, Navy Forces (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces (2021)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2020": { @@ -1105,11 +1105,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Albanian military was previously equipped with mostly Soviet-era weapons that were sold or destroyed; its inventory now includes a mix of mostly donated and second-hand European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of equipment from France, Germany, and the US (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age in case of general/partial compulsory mobilization; conscription abolished 2010 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Albania officially became a member of NATO in 2009" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age in case of general/partial compulsory mobilization; conscription abolished 2010 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/au.json b/europe/au.json index feda90b7..0754894d 100644 --- a/europe/au.json +++ b/europe/au.json @@ -1125,7 +1125,7 @@ "text": "the Austrian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons systems from European countries and the US; since 2010, Germany and Italy are the leading suppliers of armaments to Austria; the Austrian defense industry produces a range of equipment and partners with other countries (2020)" }, "Military deployments": { - "text": "300 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 320 Kosovo (NATO); 180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (March 2021)" + "text": "290 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 340 Kosovo (NATO); 180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Sep 2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "registration requirement at age 17, the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service (6 months), or optionally, alternative civil/community service (9 months); males 18 to 50 years old in the militia or inactive reserve are subject to compulsory service; in a January 2012 referendum, a majority of Austrians voted in favor of retaining the system of compulsory military service (with the option of alternative/non-military service) instead of switching to a professional army system (2015)" diff --git a/europe/be.json b/europe/be.json index 9692ad42..34b504cc 100644 --- a/europe/be.json +++ b/europe/be.json @@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Naval Component, Air Component, Medical Service (2021)" + "text": "Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Service (2021)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2020": { @@ -1135,19 +1135,19 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Belgian Armed Forces have approximately 26,000 active duty personnel (11,000 Land Component; 1,500 Navy; 5,000 Air Force; 1,500 Medical Service; 7,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2020)" + "text": "the Belgian Armed Forces have approximately 26,000 active duty personnel (11,000 Land Component; 1,500 Marine Component; 5,000 Air Force Component; 1,500 Medical Service; 7,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2020)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Belgian Armed Forces have a mix of weapons systems from European countries, Israel, and the US; since 2010, France, Germany, and Switzerland are the leading suppliers of armaments; Belgium has an export-focused defense industry that focuses on components and subcontracting (2020)" }, "Military deployments": { - "text": "125 France (contributing member of EuroCorps); 100 Mali (EUTM/MINUSMA); est. 260 Baltic States (NATO) (2020)" - }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1995 (2019)" + "text": "125 France (contributing member of EuroCorps); 100 Mali (EUTM/MINUSMA); est. 260 Baltic States (NATO) (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Belgium is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949

in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1995 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/bk.json b/europe/bk.json index 15816658..ff4405f3 100644 --- a/europe/bk.json +++ b/europe/bk.json @@ -1158,7 +1158,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "66 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 82,052 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" + "note": "note: 81,541 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/europe/bu.json b/europe/bu.json index 828852b4..dbc1962e 100644 --- a/europe/bu.json +++ b/europe/bu.json @@ -1152,11 +1152,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Bulgarian Armed Forces inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured limited amounts of more modern weapons systems from Western countries, including France, Italy, Norway, and the US (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in 2007; service obligation 6-9 months (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Bulgaria officially became a member of NATO in 2004" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in 2007; service obligation 6-9 months (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "1,141 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 61,920 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-July 2021); Bulgaria is predominantly a transit country" + "note": "note: 63,543 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021); Bulgaria is predominantly a transit country" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; vulnerable to money laundering because of corruption, organized crime; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions" diff --git a/europe/cy.json b/europe/cy.json index 9a644f91..0eca8034 100644 --- a/europe/cy.json +++ b/europe/cy.json @@ -1150,11 +1150,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Cypriot National Guard is a mix of Soviet-era and some more modern weapons systems; since 2010, it has received equipment from France, Israel, Italy, Oman, and Russia (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "Cypriot National Guard (CNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; 12-month service obligation (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNICYP) was set up in 1964 to prevent further fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island and bring about a return to normal conditions; as of March 2020, the UNICYP mission consisted of about 830 personnel (2020)" + "text": "the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was set up in 1964 to prevent further fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island and bring about a return to normal conditions; the UNFICYP mission had about 1,000 personnel, including some 800 military troops as of July 2021" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "Cypriot National Guard (CNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; 14-month service obligation (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1177,7 +1177,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "56 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 24,053 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-July 2021)" + "note": "note: 24,651 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak" diff --git a/europe/da.json b/europe/da.json index 1a557847..a33c5e6e 100644 --- a/europe/da.json +++ b/europe/da.json @@ -1143,11 +1143,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "140 Middle East/Iraq (NATO/Operation Inherent Resolve) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months depending on specialization; former conscripts are assigned to mobilization units; women eligible to volunteer for military service; in addition to full time employment, the Danish Military offers reserve contracts in all three branches (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Denmark is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949

in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months depending on specialization; former conscripts are assigned to mobilization units; women eligible to volunteer for military service; in addition to full time employment, the Danish Military offers reserve contracts in all three branches (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/ee.json b/europe/ee.json index ca695255..a84ea477 100644 --- a/europe/ee.json +++ b/europe/ee.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Preliminary statement": { - "text": "

The evolution of what is today the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe; on a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples. But for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is unique.

Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN or Mercosur, and it has certain attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, currency (for some members), and law-making abilities, as well as diplomatic representation and a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with external partners.

Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a separate entity in The World Factbook. However, because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after the regular country entries.

" + "text": "

The evolution of what is today the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe; on a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples. But for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is unique.

Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN or Mercosur, and it has certain attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, currency (for some members), and law-making abilities, as well as diplomatic representation and a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with external partners.

Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a separate entity in The World Factbook.

" }, "Background": { "text": "

Following the two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century, a number of far-sighted European leaders in the late 1940s sought a response to the overwhelming desire for peace and reconciliation on the continent. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed pooling the production of coal and steel in Western Europe and setting up an organization for that purpose that would bring France and the Federal Republic of Germany together and would be open to other countries as well. The following year, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members - Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands - signed the Treaty of Paris.

The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other elements of the countries' economies. In 1957, envisioning an \"ever closer union,\" the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the body known today as the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and have been held every five years since.

In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU), at the time standing alongside the EC. In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU/EC, raising the membership total to 15.

A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all EU member states except Denmark, Sweden, and the UK. In 2002, citizens of those 12 countries began using euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007 and Croatia in 2013, but the UK withdrew in 2020. Current membership stands at 27. (Seven of the new countries - Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia - have now adopted the euro, bringing total euro-zone membership to 19.)

In an effort to ensure that the EU could function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (concluded in 2000; entered into force in 2003) set forth rules to streamline the size and procedures of EU institutions. An effort to establish a \"Constitution for Europe,\" growing out of a Convention held in 2002-2003, foundered when it was rejected in referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005. A subsequent effort in 2007 incorporated many of the features of the rejected draft Constitutional Treaty while also making a number of substantive and symbolic changes. The new treaty, referred to as the Treaty of Lisbon, sought to amend existing treaties rather than replace them. The treaty was approved at the EU intergovernmental conference of the then 27 member states held in Lisbon in December 2007, after which the process of national ratifications began. In October 2009, an Irish referendum approved the Lisbon Treaty (overturning a previous rejection) and cleared the way for an ultimate unanimous endorsement. Poland and the Czech Republic ratified soon after. The Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009 and the EU officially replaced and succeeded the EC. The Treaty's provisions are part of the basic consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) now governing what remains a very specific integration project.

UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU; the formal exit took place on 31 January 2020. The EU and UK have negotiated and ratified a Withdrawal Agreement that includes a status quo transition period through December 2020, which can be extended if both sides agree.

" diff --git a/europe/en.json b/europe/en.json index 74abbb55..abc78d9a 100644 --- a/europe/en.json +++ b/europe/en.json @@ -1160,11 +1160,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "approximately 100 Mali (Operation Barkhane/MINUSMA/EUTM) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service, conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; NCOs, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Estonia officially became a member of NATO in 2004" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service, conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; NCOs, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/ez.json b/europe/ez.json index dc63d0b9..35ad0d6a 100644 --- a/europe/ez.json +++ b/europe/ez.json @@ -1130,11 +1130,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Czech military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern equipment, mostly of European origin; since 2010, the leading suppliers of military equipment to Czechia are Austria and Spain (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished 2004 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Czechia joined NATO in 1999; Czechia, Hungary, and Poland were invited to begin accession talks at NATO's Madrid Summit in 1997, and in March 1999 they became the first former members of the Warsaw Pact to join the Alliance" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished 2004 (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/fr.json b/europe/fr.json index ac662a43..13dd4c7a 100644 --- a/europe/fr.json +++ b/europe/fr.json @@ -544,19 +544,19 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017) " + "text": "President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Jean CASTEX (since 3 July 2020) " + "text": "Prime Minister Jean CASTEX (since 3 July 2020)" }, "cabinet": { - "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister " + "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 April with a runoff on 7 May 2017 (next to be held in April 2022); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "Emmanuel MACRON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (EM) 24.%, Marine LE PEN (FN) 21.3%, Francois FILLON (LR) 20.%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (FI) 19.6%, Benoit HAMON (PS) 6.4%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 66.1%, LE PEN 33.9%" + "text": "
2017: Emmanuel MACRON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (EM) 24.%, Marine LE PEN (FN) 21.3%, Francois FILLON (LR) 20.%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (FI) 19.6%, Benoit HAMON (PS) 6.4%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 66.1%, LE PEN 33.9%

2012: Francois HOLLANDE elected president; percent of vote in first round - Francois HOLLANDE (PS) 28.6%, Nicolas SARKOZY (UMP) 27.2%, Marine LE PEN (FN) 17.9%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (PG) 11.1%, Francois BAYROU (moDem) 9.1%, other 6.1%; percent of vote in second round - HOLLANDE 51.6%, SARKOZY 48.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { - "text": "Brest, Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Marseille, Nantes," + "text": "
Atlantic Ocean: Brest, Calais, Dunkerque, Le Havre, Nantes
Mediterranean Sea: Marseille" }, "container port(s) (TEUs)": { "text": "Le Havre (2,822,910) (2019)" @@ -1152,12 +1152,11 @@ "text": "Fos Cavaou, Fos Tonkin, Montoir de Bretagne" }, "river port(s)": { - "text": "Paris, Rouen (Seine)" + "text": "Bordeaux (Garronne); Nantes - Saint Nazaire (Loire); Paris, Rouen (Seine); Strasbourg (Rhine)" }, "cruise/ferry port(s)": { "text": "Calais, Cherbourg, Le Havre" - }, - "note": "Strasbourg (Rhine) Bordeaux (Garronne)" + } }, "Transportation - note": { "text": "begun in 1988 and completed in 1994, the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed the Chunnel) is a 50.5-km (31.4-mi) rail tunnel beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover that runs from Folkestone, Kent, England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais in northern France; it is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe" @@ -1194,11 +1193,11 @@ "text": "5,100 Burkina Faso/Chad/Mali/Niger (Operation Barkhane, Task Force Takuba; note - in July 2021, France announced that it would withdraw about 2,000 personnel from this force by the beginning of 2022); approximately 300 Central African Republic; 900 Cote D'Ivoire; 1,400 Djibouti; 300 Baltics (NATO); 2,000 French Guyana; 900 French Polynesia; 1,000 French West Indies; 350 Gabon; est. 500 Middle East (Iraq/Jordan/Syria); 950 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,400-1,500 New Caledonia; 1,700 Reunion Island; 350 Senegal; 650 United Arab Emirates (2020-2021)", "note": "note - France has been a contributing member of the EuroCorps since 1992" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 2001); 1-year service obligation; women serve in noncombat posts (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "France was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty), which created NATO in 1949; in 1966, President Charles DE GAULLE decided to withdraw France from NATO’s integrated military structure, reflecting his desire for greater military independence, particularly vis-à-vis the US, and the refusal to integrate France’s nuclear deterrent or accept any form of control over its armed forces; it did, however, sign agreements with NATO setting out procedures in the event of Soviet aggression; beginning with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, France distanced itself from the 1966 decision and has regularly contributed troops to NATO’s military operations, being one of the largest troop-contributing states; in 2009 it officially announced its decision to fully participate in NATO structures" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 2001); 1-year service obligation; women serve in noncombat posts (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/gm.json b/europe/gm.json index ae53795a..018b9b7c 100644 --- a/europe/gm.json +++ b/europe/gm.json @@ -1119,7 +1119,7 @@ }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { - "text": "Baltic Sea - Kiel, Rostock
North Sea - Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Emden, Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven" + "text": "
Baltic Sea: Kiel, Rostock
North Sea: Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Emden, Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven" }, "oil terminal(s)": { "text": "Brunsbuttel Canal terminals" @@ -1166,11 +1166,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "approximately 500 Middle East (NATO/Counter-ISIS campaign); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 500 Lithuania (NATO); 800 Mali (MINUSMA/EUTM); note - Germany is a contributing member of the EuroCorps (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription ended July 2011; service obligation 8-23 months or 12 years; women have been eligible for voluntary service in all military branches and positions since 2001 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Federal Republic of Germany joined NATO in May 1955; with the reunification of Germany in October 1990, the states of the former German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany in its membership of NATO" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "17-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription ended July 2011; service obligation 8-23 months or 12 years; women have been eligible for voluntary service in all military branches and positions since 2001 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/gr.json b/europe/gr.json index c8493d90..24c3f49f 100644 --- a/europe/gr.json +++ b/europe/gr.json @@ -1162,11 +1162,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "approximately 1,000 Cyprus; 110 Kosovo (NATO); 150 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 18 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation is 1 year for the Army and 9 months for the Air Force and Navy; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Greece joined NATO in 1952" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 18 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation is 1 year for the Army and 9 months for the Air Force and Navy; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1186,7 +1186,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "5,557 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 1,209,645 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021); as of the end of December 2020, an estimated 119,700 migrants and refugees were stranded in Greece since 2015-16" + "note": "note: 1,210,208 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-September 2021); as of the end of December 2020, an estimated 119,700 migrants and refugees were stranded in Greece since 2015-16" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime" diff --git a/europe/hr.json b/europe/hr.json index d32757f4..00182a4e 100644 --- a/europe/hr.json +++ b/europe/hr.json @@ -1144,7 +1144,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH) consists of five major commands directly subordinate to a General Staff: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM, includes Coast Guard), Air Force and Air Defense Command (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo I Protuzracna Obrana), Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2021)" + "text": "Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH): Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM, includes Coast Guard), Air Force and Air Defense Forces; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2021)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2020": { @@ -1169,11 +1169,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Croatian Armed Forces consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years, it has acquired a limited number of more modern weapon systems from some Western suppliers, including Finland, Germany, and the US (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Croatia officially became a member of NATO in 2009" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { @@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "2,900 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 727,610 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2021); flows slowed considerably in 2017; Croatia is predominantly a transit country and hosts about 340 asylum seekers as of the end of June 2018" + "note": "note: 729,392 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021); flows slowed considerably in 2017; Croatia is predominantly a transit country and hosts about 340 asylum seekers as of the end of June 2018" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "primarily a transit country along the Balkan route for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe and other illicit drugs and chemical precursors to and from Western Europe; no significant domestic production of illicit drugs" diff --git a/europe/hu.json b/europe/hu.json index 60d4d94d..ebc9c2ef 100644 --- a/europe/hu.json +++ b/europe/hu.json @@ -1162,11 +1162,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "160 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 150 Iraq (counter-ISIS coalition); 430 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 2005); 6-month service obligation (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Hungary joined NATO in 1999; Czechia, Hungary, and Poland were invited to begin accession talks at NATO's Madrid Summit in 1997 and in March 1999 they became the first former members of the Warsaw Pact to join the Alliance" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 2005); 6-month service obligation (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/it.json b/europe/it.json index 0a6646b1..319eb4e8 100644 --- a/europe/it.json +++ b/europe/it.json @@ -1182,11 +1182,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "120 Djibouti; 1,100 Middle East/Iraq/Kuwait (NATO, counter-ISIS campaign, European Assistance Mission Iraq); 630 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); 200 Latvia (NATO); 1,200 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 400 Libya; 290 Niger; 150 Somalia (EUTM) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in any military branch; Italian citizenship required; 1-year service obligation; conscription abolished 2004 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Italy is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in any military branch; Italian citizenship required; 1-year service obligation; conscription abolished 2004 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "3,000 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 560,848 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" + "note": "note: 564,472 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-September 2021)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling" diff --git a/europe/kv.json b/europe/kv.json index ecce7ca3..ab1c4ae5 100644 --- a/europe/kv.json +++ b/europe/kv.json @@ -940,7 +940,7 @@ "IDPs": { "text": "16,000 (primarily ethnic Serbs displaced during the 1998-1999 war fearing reprisals from the majority ethnic-Albanian population; a smaller number of ethnic Serbs, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians fled their homes in 2,004 as a result of violence) (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 6,761 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-July 2021)" + "note": "note: 6,940 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/lg.json b/europe/lg.json index f7e1a6df..8a6ab323 100644 --- a/europe/lg.json +++ b/europe/lg.json @@ -1159,11 +1159,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Latvian military's inventory is limited and consists of a mixture of Soviet-era and more modern--mostly second-hand--European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received  limited amounts of equipment from several European countries, as well as the US (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (abolished 2007); under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Latvia officially became a member of NATO in 2004" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (abolished 2007); under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/lh.json b/europe/lh.json index 2d56e74e..63622e6d 100644 --- a/europe/lh.json +++ b/europe/lh.json @@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ "note": "etymology: named after the Vilnia River, which flows into the Neris River at Vilnius; the river name derives from the Lithuanian word \"vilnis\" meaning \"a surge\"" }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "60 municipalities (savivaldybe, singular - savivaldybe); Akmene, Alytaus Miestas, Alytus, Anksciai, Birstono, Birzai, Druskininkai, Elektrenai, Ignalina, Jonava, Joniskis, Jurbarkas, Kaisiadorys, Kalvarijos, Kauno Miestas, Kaunas, Kazlu Rudos, Kedainiai, Kelme, Klaipedos Miestas, Klaipeda, Kretinga, Kupiskis, Lazdijai, Marijampole, Mazeikiai, Moletai, Neringa, Pagegiai, Pakruojis, Palangos Miestas, Panevezio Miestas, Panevezys, Pasvalys, Plunge, Prienai, Radviliskis, Raseiniai, Rietavo, Rokiskis, Sakiai, Salcininkai, Siauliu Miestas, Siauliai, Silale, Silute, Sirvintos, Skuodas, Svencionys, Taurage, Telsiai, Trakai, Ukmerge, Utena, Varena, Vilkaviskis, Vilniaus Miestas, Vilnius, Visaginas, Zarasai" + "text": "60 municipalities (savivaldybe, singular - savivaldybe); Akmene, Alytaus Miestas, Alytus, Anksciai, Birstonas, Birzai, Druskininkai, Elektrenai, Ignalina, Jonava, Joniskis, Jurbarkas, Kaisiadorys, Kalvarija, Kauno Miestas, Kaunas, Kazlu Rudos, Kedainiai, Kelme, Klaipedos Miestas, Klaipeda, Kretinga, Kupiskis, Lazdijai, Marijampole, Mazeikiai, Moletai, Neringa, Pagegiai, Pakruojis, Palangos Miestas, Panevezio Miestas, Panevezys, Pasvalys, Plunge, Prienai, Radviliskis, Raseiniai, Rietavas, Rokiskis, Sakiai, Salcininkai, Siauliu Miestas, Siauliai, Silale, Silute, Sirvintos, Skuodas, Svencionys, Taurage, Telsiai, Trakai, Ukmerge, Utena, Varena, Vilkaviskis, Vilniaus Miestas, Vilnius, Visaginas, Zarasai" }, "Independence": { "text": "16 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia and Germany); 11 March 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 6 July 1253 (coronation of MINDAUGAS, traditional founding date); 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)" @@ -1164,11 +1164,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "contributes about 350-550 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Warsaw and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "19-26 years of age for conscripted military service (males); 9-month service obligation; in 2015, Lithuania reinstated conscription after having converted to a professional military in 2008; 18-38 for voluntary service (male and female) (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Lithuania officially became a member of NATO in 2004" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "19-26 years of age for conscripted military service (males); 9-month service obligation; in 2015, Lithuania reinstated conscription after having converted to a professional military in 2008; 18-38 for voluntary service (male and female) (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/lo.json b/europe/lo.json index 249f578a..0d8497a5 100644 --- a/europe/lo.json +++ b/europe/lo.json @@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 16 March and 30 March 2019 (next to be held March 2024); following National Council elections (every 4 years), the president designates a prime minister candidate, usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the most votes, who must win a vote of confidence in the National Council" }, "election results": { - "text": "Zuzana CAPUTOVA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6%" + "text": "
2019: Zuzana CAPUTOVA reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6%

2014: Andrej KISKA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Andrej KISKA (independent) 59.4%, Robert FICO (Smer-SD) 40.6%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1111,11 +1111,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "240 Cyprus (UNFICYP); up to 150 Latvia (NATO) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2004; women are eligible to serve (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Slovakia officially became a member of NATO in 2004" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription in peacetime suspended in 2004; women are eligible to serve (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/lu.json b/europe/lu.json index 2a5ddbbd..7c023a69 100644 --- a/europe/lu.json +++ b/europe/lu.json @@ -1093,11 +1093,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of Luxembourg's Army is a small mix of European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received small quantities of equipment from Germany, Norway, and Sweden (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 1969); Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2021)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Luxembourg is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (abolished 1969); Luxembourg citizen or EU citizen with 3-year residence in Luxembourg (2021)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/md.json b/europe/md.json index 862dde46..b008662d 100644 --- a/europe/md.json +++ b/europe/md.json @@ -1128,8 +1128,7 @@ "text": "the Moldovan military's inventory is limited and almost entirely comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; since 2000, it has received small amounts of donated material from other nations, including the US (2020)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 1-year service obligation (2019)", - "note": "note: Moldova intends to abolish military conscription by 2021" + "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 1-year service obligation (2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/mj.json b/europe/mj.json index 730bf28d..a8fd0310 100644 --- a/europe/mj.json +++ b/europe/mj.json @@ -1140,11 +1140,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Armed Forces of Montenegro is small and consists mostly of equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, with a limited mix of other imported systems; since 2010, it has received small quantities of equipment from Austria, Turkey, and the US (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Montenegro officially became a member of NATO in 2017" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1157,7 +1157,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "472 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 19,643 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" + "note": "note: 19,759 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-September 2021)" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/mk.json b/europe/mk.json index 449bcdc6..1045cf87 100644 --- a/europe/mk.json +++ b/europe/mk.json @@ -1094,11 +1094,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of North Macedonia's Army consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, it has received small amounts of equipment from Ireland and Turkey (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2007 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "North Macedonia officially became the 30th member of NATO in 2020" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2007 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "558 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 518,354 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-July 2021)" + "note": "note: 519,001 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement" diff --git a/europe/nl.json b/europe/nl.json index fb8314f8..af27adda 100644 --- a/europe/nl.json +++ b/europe/nl.json @@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ "text": "King WILLEM-ALEXANDER (since 30 April 2013); Heir Apparent Princess Catharina-Amalia (daughter of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER, born 7 December 2003)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister (vacant); note - Prime Minister Mark RUTTE resigned on 15 January 2021; Deputy Prime Ministers (since 26 October 2017) Hugo DE JONGE, Karin Kajsa OLLONGREN, and Carola SCHOUTEN (since 26 October 2017); note - Mark RUTTE heads his third cabinet put in place since 26 October 2017" + "text": "Prime Minister (vacant); note - Prime Minister Mark RUTTE resigned on 15 January 2021 and is acting Prime Minister; Deputy Prime Ministers (since 26 October 2017) Hugo DE JONGE, Karin Kajsa OLLONGREN, and Carola SCHOUTEN (since 26 October 2017); note - Mark RUTTE heads his third cabinet put in place since 26 October 2017" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch" @@ -1150,11 +1150,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "270 Lithuania (NATO) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17 years of age for an all-volunteer force; conscription abolished in 1996 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Netherlands is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949

in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "17 years of age for an all-volunteer force; conscription abolished in 1996 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/no.json b/europe/no.json index 74169bb1..54d332ae 100644 --- a/europe/no.json +++ b/europe/no.json @@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ "text": "unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 11 September 2017 (next to be held on 13 September 2021)" + "text": "last held on 13 September 2021 (next to be held in September 2025)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - Ap 27.4%, H 25%, FrP 15.2%, SP 10.3%, SV 6%, V 4.4%, KrF 4.2%, MDG 3.2%, R 2.4%, other/invalid 1.9%; seats by party - Ap 49, H 45, FrP 27, SP 19, SV 11, V 8, KrF 8, MDG 1, R 1; composition - men 99, women 70, percent of women 41.4%" @@ -1131,12 +1131,12 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "120 Lithuania (NATO) (2021)" }, + "Military - note": { + "text": "Norway is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949" + }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "19-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 17 years of age for male volunteers (16 in wartime); 18 years of age for women; 19-month service obligation; conscripts first serve 12 months from 19-28, and then up to 4-5 refresher training periods until age 35, 44, 55, or 60 depending on rank and function (2019)", "note": "note - Norway was the first NATO country to allow females to serve in all combat arms branches of the military (1988); it also has an all-female commando unit known as Jegertroppen (The Hunter Troop), which was established in 2014" - }, - "Military - note": { - "text": "Norway is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/pl.json b/europe/pl.json index f48f97a2..a13d22cf 100644 --- a/europe/pl.json +++ b/europe/pl.json @@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": " President Andrzej DUDA (since 6 August 2015)" + "text": "President Andrzej DUDA (since 6 August 2015)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Mateusz MORAWIECKI (since 11 December 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers Piotr GLINSKI and Jaroslaw GOWIN (since 16 November 2015), Jacek SASIN (since 4 June 2019)" @@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 June 2020 with a second round on 12 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister, deputy prime ministers, and Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm" }, "election results": { - "text": "Andrzej DUDA reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49%" + "text": "
2020: Andrzej DUDA reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51%, Rafal TRZASKOWSKI (KO) 49%

2015: Andrzej DUDA elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51.5%, Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (independent) 48.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1191,11 +1191,11 @@ "text": "240 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 175 Latvia (NATO); 250 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (June 2021)", "note": "note: Poland contributes about 2,500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Warsaw and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription phased out in 2009-12; professional soldiers serve on a permanent basis (for an unspecified period of time) or on a contract basis (for a specified period of time); initial contract period is 24 months; women serve in the military on the same terms as men (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Poland joined NATO in 1999; Czechia, Hungary, and Poland were invited to begin accession talks at NATO's Madrid Summit in 1997, and in March 1999 they became the first former members of the Warsaw Pact to join the Alliance" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription phased out in 2009-12; professional soldiers serve on a permanent basis (for an unspecified period of time) or on a contract basis (for a specified period of time); initial contract period is 24 months; women serve in the military on the same terms as men (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/ri.json b/europe/ri.json index 060ed74e..7a672487 100644 --- a/europe/ri.json +++ b/europe/ri.json @@ -1174,7 +1174,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "2,144 (includes stateless persons in Kosovo) (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 779,905 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021); Serbia is predominantly a transit country and hosts an estimated 6,165 migrants and refugees as of April 2021" + "note": "note: 787,266 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-September 2021); Serbia is predominantly a transit country and hosts an estimated 6,165 migrants and refugees as of April 2021" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering" diff --git a/europe/ro.json b/europe/ro.json index 1775438a..17451e28 100644 --- a/europe/ro.json +++ b/europe/ro.json @@ -1161,11 +1161,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "up to 120 Poland (NATO) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "conscription ended 2006; 18 years of age for male and female voluntary service; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service, with subsequent successive 3-year terms until age 36 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Romania officially became a member of NATO in 2004" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "conscription ended 2006; 18 years of age for male and female voluntary service; all military inductees (including women) contract for an initial 5-year term of service, with subsequent successive 3-year terms until age 36 (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "275 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 7,988 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" + "note": "note: 8,046 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/europe/si.json b/europe/si.json index 1f68b942..6e866d82 100644 --- a/europe/si.json +++ b/europe/si.json @@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ "note": "etymology: likely related to the Slavic root \"ljub\", meaning \"to like\" or \"to love\"; by tradition, the name is related to the Slovene word \"ljubljena\" meaning \"beloved\"" }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "

201 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina)

municipalities: Ajdovscina, Ankaran, Apace, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Cirkulane, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik/Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gorje, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola/Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Kosanjevica na Krki, Kostel, Kozje, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava/Lendva, Litija, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Log-Dragomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica,

Majsperk, Makole, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Mokronog-Trebelno, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran/Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Poljcane, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Recica ob Savinji, Rence-Vogrsko, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogaska Slatina, Rogasovci, Rogatec, Ruse, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sevnica, Sezana, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sredisce ob Dravi, Starse, Straza, Sveta Ana, Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij ob Scavnici, Sveti Jurij v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Tomaz, Salovci, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur, Sentrupert, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smarjeske Toplice, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sostanj, Store, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zrece, Zuzemberk

urban municipalities: Celje, Koper-Capodistria, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo Mesto, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec, Velenje

" + "text": "

201 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina)

municipalities: Ajdovscina, Ankaran, Apace, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Cirkulane, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik/Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gorje, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola/Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal ob Soci, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Kosanjevica na Krki, Kostel, Kozje, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava/Lendva, Litija, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Log-Dragomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica,

Majsperk, Makole, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Mokronog-Trebelno, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran/Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Poljcane, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Recica ob Savinji, Rence-Vogrsko, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogaska Slatina, Rogasovci, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur, Sentrupert, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smarjeske Toplice, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Sredisce ob Dravi, Starse, Store, Straza, Sveta Ana, Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij ob Scavnici, Sveti Jurij v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Tomaz, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zrece, Zuzemberk

urban municipalities: Celje, Koper, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo Mesto, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec, Velenje

" }, "Independence": { "text": "25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)" @@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": " President Borut PAHOR (since 22 December 2012)" + "text": "President Borut PAHOR (since 22 December 2012)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 13 March 2020)" @@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 22 October with a runoff on 12 November 2017 (next election to be held by November 2022); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually nominated prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly" }, "election results": { - "text": "Borut PAHOR is reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Borut PAHOR (independent) 47.1%, Marjan SAREC (Marjan Sarec List) 25%, Romana TOMC (SDS) 13.7%, Ljudmila NOVAK (NSi) 7.2%, other 7%; percent of vote in second round - Borut PAHOR 52.9%, Marjan SAREC 47.1%; Janez JANSA (SDS) elected prime minister on 3 March 2020, National Assembly vote - 52-31" + "text": "
2017: Borut PAHOR is reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Borut PAHOR (independent) 47.1%, Marjan SAREC (Marjan Sarec List) 25%, Romana TOMC (SDS) 13.7%, Ljudmila NOVAK (NSi) 7.2%, other 7%; percent of vote in second round - Borut PAHOR 52.9%, Marjan SAREC 47.1%; Janez JANSA (SDS) elected prime minister on 3 March 2020, National Assembly vote - 52-31

2012: Borut PAHOR elected president; percent of vote in second round - Borut PAHOR (SD) 67.4%, Danilo TURK (independent) 32.6%; note - a snap election was held on 13 July 2014 following the resignation of Prime Minister Alenka BRATUSEK on 5 May 2014; Miro CERAR (SMC) elected prime minister; National Assembly vote - 57 to 11" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1134,11 +1134,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "230 Kosovo (NATO) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Slovenia officially became a member of NATO in 2004" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { @@ -1149,7 +1149,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "10 (2020)" }, - "note": "note:  522,757 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-July 2021)" + "note": "note:  523,999 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals" diff --git a/europe/sp.json b/europe/sp.json index d0f99d50..ebd00bd8 100644 --- a/europe/sp.json +++ b/europe/sp.json @@ -1143,13 +1143,16 @@ }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { - "text": "Algeciras, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Tarragona, Valencia (all in Spain); Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (in the Canary Islands)" + "text": "
Atlantic Ocean: Bilbao, Huelva; Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (in the Canary Islands)
Mediterranean Sea: Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Tarragona, Valencia " }, "container port(s) (TEUs)": { "text": "Algeciras (5,125,385), Barcelona (3,324,650), Valencia (5,439,827) (2019)" }, "LNG terminal(s) (import)": { "text": "Barcelona, Bilbao, Cartagena, Huelva, Mugardos, Sagunto" + }, + "river port(s)": { + "text": "Seville (Guadalquivir River)" } } }, @@ -1184,11 +1187,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "approximately 200 Iraq (training mission, counter-ISIS coalition); 350 Latvia (NATO); 625 Lebanon (UNIFIL); approximately 400 Mali (EUTM); 150 Turkey (NATO) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service by a Spanish citizen or legal immigrant, 2-3 year obligation; women allowed to serve in all SAF branches, including combat units; no conscription (abolished 2001), but Spanish Government retains right to mobilize citizens 19-25 years of age in a national emergency (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Spain joined NATO in 1982, but refrained from participating in the integrated military structure until 1996" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service by a Spanish citizen or legal immigrant, 2-3 year obligation; women allowed to serve in all SAF branches, including combat units; no conscription (abolished 2001), but Spanish Government retains right to mobilize citizens 19-25 years of age in a national emergency (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1208,7 +1211,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "5,914 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 227,332 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-August 2021)" + "note": "note: 229,740 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-September 2021)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "despite rigorous law enforcement efforts, North African, Latin American, Galician, and other European traffickers take advantage of Spain's long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and hashish for distribution to the European market; consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish; destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime" diff --git a/europe/up.json b/europe/up.json index dd2e3c65..ca1bdb39 100644 --- a/europe/up.json +++ b/europe/up.json @@ -1136,6 +1136,9 @@ "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Feodosiya (Theodosia), Chornomosk (Illichivsk), Mariupol, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Yuzhnyy" + }, + "river port(s)": { + "text": "Kherson, Kyiv (Dnieper River), Mykolayiv (Buh River)" } } }, @@ -1170,11 +1173,11 @@ "text": "250 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2021)", "note": "note - Ukraine contributes about 500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Warsaw and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "conscription abolished in 2012, but reintroduced in 2014; 20-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Ukrainian military’s primary concern is Russia’s material support for armed separatist forces in the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk where the conflict has become stalemated along a 250-mile front known as the line of contact; since the cease-fire of October 2019, Ukrainian military casualties along the front line have fallen significantly despite continued sporadic exchanges of fire through 2020 and into 2021" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "conscription abolished in 2012, but reintroduced in 2014; 20-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months; note - the Ukrainian military has a mix of conscript and professional soldiers on contracts; by law, conscripts cannot serve on the frontlines but have the opportunity to sign short or long-term contracts upon the expiration of their terms of service
(2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/europe/vt.json b/europe/vt.json index cddb9d51..68def019 100644 --- a/europe/vt.json +++ b/europe/vt.json @@ -442,11 +442,11 @@ "Military and security forces": { "text": "Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia); the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City (Corpo della Gendarmeriais) is a police force that helps augment the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps during the Pope’s appearances, as well as providing general security, traffic direction, and investigative duties for the Vatican City State (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps: 19-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; must be Roman Catholic, a single male, and a Swiss citizen, with a secondary education; service is for 26 months (2021)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of Italy" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps: 19-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; must be Roman Catholic, a single male, and a Swiss citizen, with a secondary education; service is for 26 months (2021)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/middle-east/am.json b/middle-east/am.json index 335cef5d..7b46e1d3 100644 --- a/middle-east/am.json +++ b/middle-east/am.json @@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ "text": "President Armen SARKISSIAN (since 9 April 2018)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN (since 2 August 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers Mher GRIGORYAN and Tigran AVINYAN (since 16 January 2019); note - Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN resigned on 25 April 2021; he was reappointed by the President on 02 August 2021" + "text": "Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN (since 10 September 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers Mher GRIGORYAN and Tigran AVINYAN (since 16 January 2019); note - Prime Minister Nikol PASHINYAN resigned on 25 April 2021; he was reappointed by the President on 02 August 2021 and sworn in on 10 September 2021" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister" @@ -1098,11 +1098,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "120 Afghanistan (NATO); contributes troops to CSTO's Rapid Reaction Force (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation, which can be served as an officer upon deferment for university studies if enrolled in officer-producing program; 17 year olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "since November 2020, Russia has deployed about 2,000 peacekeeping troops to the area in and around Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a cease-fire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan; fighting erupted between the two countries over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September of 2020; Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces (the \"Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army\") backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994; six weeks of fighting resulted in about 6,000 deaths and ended after Armenia ceded swathes of Nagorno-Karabakh territory; tensions remain high, and Armenia has accused Azerbaijani forces of a series of border intrusions and of seizing pockets of territory including along a lake shared by the two countries since the fighting ended" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-27 years of age for voluntary or compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation, which can be served as an officer upon deferment for university studies if enrolled in officer-producing program; 17 year olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/middle-east/gg.json b/middle-east/gg.json index 10592ff9..f818fe17 100644 --- a/middle-east/gg.json +++ b/middle-east/gg.json @@ -1132,11 +1132,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Georgian Defense Forces are equipped mostly with older Russian and Soviet-era weapons; since 2010, it has received limited quantities of equipment from Bulgaria, France, and the US (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "conscription abolished in 2016, but reinstated in 2017; 18 to 27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { - "text": "Georgia does not have any military stationed in the separatist territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but large numbers of Russian servicemen have been stationed in these regions since the 2008 Russia-Georgia War (2019)" + "text": "Georgia does not have any military stationed in the separatist territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but approximately 7-10,000 Russian troops have been stationed in these regions since the 2008 Russia-Georgia War (2020)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "conscription abolished in 2016, but reinstated in 2017; 18 to 27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary active duty military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months (2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/middle-east/ir.json b/middle-east/ir.json index 068b3baa..f914d74b 100644 --- a/middle-east/ir.json +++ b/middle-east/ir.json @@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ "text": "supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term); election last held on 18 June 2012 (next to be held in June 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (CCA) 72.4%, Mohsen Rezaee MIRGHA'ED (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir Hossein Hossein Ghazizadegh HASHEMI (Islamic Law Party) 4%" + "text": "
2021: Ebrahim RAISI elected president; percent of vote - Ebrahim RAISI (CCA) 72.4%, Mohsen Rezaee MIRGHA'ED (RFII) 13.8%, Abbdolnaser HEMMATI (ECP) 9.8%, Amir Hossein Hossein Ghazizadegh HASHEMI (Islamic Law Party) 4%

2017: Hasan Fereidun RUHANI reelected president; percent of vote - Hasan Fereidun RUHANI (Moderation and Development Party) 58.8%, Ebrahim RAISI (Combat Clergy Association) 39.4% , Mostafa Mir-SALIM Islamic Coalition Party) 1.2%, Mostafa HASHEMI-TABA(Executives of Construction Party) 0.5%" }, "note": "note: 3 oversight bodies are also considered part of the executive branch of government" }, @@ -1147,11 +1147,11 @@ "text": "est. 1,000 Syria (2020)", "note": "note: Iran has recruited, trained, and funded thousands of Syrian and foreign fighters to support the ASAD regime during the Syrian civil war" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation is 18-24 months; women exempt from military service (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-003A Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea-Threats to US and International Shipping from Iran) effective 26 February 2021, which states in part that \"heightened military activities and increased political tensions in this region continue to present risk to commercial shipping...there is a continued possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take actions against US and partner interests in the region;\" Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel has been established to provide escorts for commercial shipping transiting the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman

" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation is 18-24 months; women exempt from military service (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/middle-east/is.json b/middle-east/is.json index c7827106..969b3229 100644 --- a/middle-east/is.json +++ b/middle-east/is.json @@ -1163,11 +1163,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the majority of the IDF's inventory is comprised of weapons that are domestically-produced or imported from Europe and the US; since 2010, the US is by far the leading supplier of arms to Israel, followed by Germany; Israel has a broad defense industrial base that can develop, produce, support, and sustain a wide variety of weapons systems for both domestic use and export, particularly armored vehicles, unmanned aerial systems, air defense, and guided missiles (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druze) military service; 17 years of age for voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 32 months for enlisted men and about 24 months for enlisted women (varies based on military occupation), 48 months for officers; pilots commit to 9-year service; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), age 24 (women) (2020)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; as of July 2021, UNDOF consisted of about 1,250 personnel" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druze) military service; 17 years of age for voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are obligated to military service; conscript service obligation - 32 months for enlisted men and about 24 months for enlisted women (varies based on military occupation), 48 months for officers; pilots commit to 9-year service; reserve obligation to age 41-51 (men), age 24 (women) (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/middle-east/iz.json b/middle-east/iz.json index 46cdc097..a1bd5a23 100644 --- a/middle-east/iz.json +++ b/middle-east/iz.json @@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ "text": "president indirectly elected by Council of Representatives (COR) to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); COR election last held on 12 May 2018 (next NA)" }, "election results": { - "text": "

COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90; Barham SALIH elected president in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22; note - the COR vote on 1 October 2018 failed due to a lack of quorum, and a new session was held on 2 October

" + "text": "

2018: COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90; Barham SALIH elected president in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22; note - the COR vote on 1 October 2018 failed due to a lack of quorum, and a new session was held on 2 October

2014: Fuad MASUM elected president; Council of Representatives vote - Fuad MASUM (PUK) 211, Barham SALIH (PUK) 17; Haydar al-ABADI (Da'wa Party) approved as prime minister

" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1145,11 +1145,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Iraqi military inventory is comprised of Russian and Soviet-era equipment combined with newer European- and US-sourced platforms; since 2010, Russia and the US are the leading suppliers of military hardware to Iraq (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-40 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "

as of early 2021, Iraqi military and security forces continued to conduct counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group, particularly in northern and western Iraq

Shia militia and paramilitary units from the Popular Mobilization Committee and Affiliated Forces (PMF) have fought alongside the Iraqi military against ISIS since 2014, but the majority of these forces continue to largely ignore the 2016 Law of the Popular Mobilization Authority, which mandated that armed militias must be regulated in a fashion similar to Iraq’s other security forces and act under the Iraqi government’s direct control; the Iraqi prime minister legally commands the PMF, but most of the militia brigades take orders from associated political parties and/or other government officials, including some with ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps

the Kurdish Peshmerga are formally recognized as a legitimate Iraqi military force under the country’s constitution and have operated jointly with the Iraqi military against ISIS militants, but they also operate outside of Iraqi military command structure; the Peshmerga report to the Kurdistan Regional Government or Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan parties instead of the Iraqi Ministry of Defense

at the request of the Iraqi government, NATO agreed to establish an advisory, training and capacity-building mission in Iraq in October 2018 to help Iraqi forces in their fight against ISIS; NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) currently has about 500 troops, but in February 2021 NATO announced it would increase the presence to about 4,000, although no timeframe was given

" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-40 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "15,167 (Turkey), 7,858 (West Bank and Gaza Strip), 5,041 (Iran) (2018); 247,044 (Syria) (2021)" + "text": "15,167 (Turkey), 7,858 (West Bank and Gaza Strip), 5,041 (Iran) (2018); 248,721 (Syria) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "1,198,940 (displacement in central and northern Iraq since January 2014) (2021)" diff --git a/middle-east/jo.json b/middle-east/jo.json index d766de6f..bc31048d 100644 --- a/middle-east/jo.json +++ b/middle-east/jo.json @@ -1149,7 +1149,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "2,272,411 (Palestinian refugees) (2020); 669,497 (Syria), 66,760 (Iraq), 13,902 (Yemen), 6,024 Sudan (2021)" + "text": "2,272,411 (Palestinian refugees) (2020); 670,637 (Syria), 66,760 (Iraq), 13,902 (Yemen), 6,024 Sudan (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "17 (2020)" diff --git a/middle-east/le.json b/middle-east/le.json index 46f10969..8c3e66aa 100644 --- a/middle-east/le.json +++ b/middle-east/le.json @@ -1111,11 +1111,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the LAF inventory includes a wide mix of mostly older equipment, largely from the US and European countries, particularly France and Germany; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of armaments (mostly second hand equipment) to Lebanon (2019 est.)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17-25 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) has operated in the country since 1978, originally under UNSCRs 425 and 426 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area; following the July-August 2006 war, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1701 enhancing UNIFIL and deciding that in addition to the original mandate, it would, among other things, monitor the cessation of hostilities; accompany and support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon; and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons; UNIFIL had about 10,000 military personnel deployed in the country as of December 2020" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "17-25 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/middle-east/sy.json b/middle-east/sy.json index f4ee064c..f30ddd76 100644 --- a/middle-east/sy.json +++ b/middle-east/sy.json @@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ } }, "Population growth rate": { - "text": "5.32% NA (2021 est.)" + "text": "NA (2021 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "23.25 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)" @@ -1089,11 +1089,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the SAF's inventory is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, Russia has supplied nearly all of Syria's imported weapons systems, although China and Iran have also provided military equipment (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-42 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months; women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; as of late 2020, UNDOF consisted of about 1,100 military personnel" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-42 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months; women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/middle-east/tu.json b/middle-east/tu.json index a6dd99da..881ddc8a 100644 --- a/middle-east/tu.json +++ b/middle-east/tu.json @@ -1170,11 +1170,11 @@ "text": "est. 200 (Azerbaijan; monitoring cease-fire, clearing mines); 250 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR); est. 25-35,000 Cyprus; 300 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); est. 1,500-2,000 Qatar; est. 200 Somalia (training mission); est. 10-20,000 Syria (2021)", "note": "note(s): between 2016 and 2020, Turkey conducted four major military campaigns in northern Syria; Turkey has deployed troops into northern Iraq on numerous occasions to combat the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), including large operations involving thousands of troops in 2007, 2011, and 2018; its most recent incursions were smaller-scale raids in April and February of 2021; in 2020, Turkey deployed an undetermined number of Turkish military troops and an estimated 3,500-5,000 Syrian fighters to Libya to support the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "President Erdoğan on 25 June 2019 signed a new law cutting the men’s mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to six months for privates and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates will remain 12 months); after completing six months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional six months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 will be required to undergo a one month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining five months of their mandatory service by paying 31,000 Turkish Liras (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has actively pursued the goal of asserting civilian control over the military since first taking power in 2002; the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security has been significantly reduced; the TSK leadership continues to be an influential institution within Turkey, but plays a much smaller role in politics; the Turkish military remains focused on the threats emanating from the Syrian civil war, Russia's actions in Ukraine, and the PKK insurgency; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (Kurdish discontent), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the \"Force 2014\" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities including in Afghanistan; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an \"Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept\" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; in a controversial move, it purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system for an estimated $2.5 billion in July 2019; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system; Turkey is a NATO ally (joined 1952) and hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir, as well as the AN/TPY-2 radar as part of NATO Missile Defense" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "President Erdoğan on 25 June 2019 signed a new law cutting the men’s mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to six months for privates and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates will remain 12 months); after completing six months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional six months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 will be required to undergo a one month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining five months of their mandatory service by paying 31,000 Turkish Liras (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1189,7 +1189,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "3,705,188 (Syria) (2021); 173,250 (Iraq) (asylum seekers), 116,400 (Afghanistan) (asylum seekers), 27,000 (Iran) (asylum seekers) (2020)" + "text": "3,710,532 (Syria) (2021); 173,250 (Iraq) (asylum seekers), 116,400 (Afghanistan) (asylum seekers), 27,000 (Iran) (asylum seekers) (2020)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "1.099 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2020)" diff --git a/middle-east/ym.json b/middle-east/ym.json index 5f68c16f..ea40e0e6 100644 --- a/middle-east/ym.json +++ b/middle-east/ym.json @@ -1156,11 +1156,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Yemeni Government forces consists primarily of Russian and Soviet-era equipment, although much of it has been lost in the current conflict; since the start of the civil war in 2014, it has received limited amounts of donated equipment from some Gulf States, including Saudi Arabia and UAE (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2001; 2-year service obligation (note - limited information since the start of the civil war) (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued Maritime Advisory 2020-017 (Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean-Violence Due to Regional Conflict and Piracy) effective 14 December 2020, which states in part the \"Conflict in Yemen continues to pose potential risk to US flagged commercial vessels transiting the southern Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden. Threats may come from a variety of different sources including, but not limited to, missiles, rockets, projectiles, mines, small arms, unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned surface vessels, or waterborne improvised explosive devices. These threat vectors continue to pose a direct or collateral risk to US flagged commercial vessels operating in the region. Additionally, piracy poses a threat in the Gulf of Aden, Western Arabian Sea, and Western Indian Ocean.\"

" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2001; 2-year service obligation (note - limited information since the start of the civil war) (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "112,865 (Somalia), 16,193 (Ethiopia) (2021)" + "text": "112,865 (Somalia), 16,447 (Ethiopia) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "4,002,012 (conflict in Sa'ada Governorate; clashes between al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula and government forces) (2020)" diff --git a/north-america/ca.json b/north-america/ca.json index fb4cc020..6d6c3d28 100644 --- a/north-america/ca.json +++ b/north-america/ca.json @@ -1165,11 +1165,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "540 Latvia (NATO); up to 200 Ukraine; up to 850 Middle East (multiple missions, including support to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and NATO assistance mission Iraq) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17 years of age for voluntary male and female military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for Reserve and Military College applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2021)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "Canada is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "17 years of age for voluntary male and female military service (with parental consent); 16 years of age for Reserve and Military College applicants; Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status required; maximum 34 years of age; service obligation 3-9 years (2021)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/north-america/us.json b/north-america/us.json index 6c33e730..12c57e32 100644 --- a/north-america/us.json +++ b/north-america/us.json @@ -1091,6 +1091,9 @@ } }, "Ports and terminals": { + "major seaport(s)": { + "text": "
Atlantic Ocean: Charleston, Hampton Roads, New York/New Jersey, Savannah
Pacific Ocean: Long Beach, Los Angele, Oakland, Seattle/Tacoma
Gulf of Mexico: Houston" + }, "oil terminal(s)": { "text": "LOOP terminal, Haymark terminal" }, @@ -1103,11 +1106,14 @@ "LNG terminal(s) (import)": { "text": "Cove Point (MD), Elba Island (GA), Everett (MA), Freeport (TX), Golden Pass (TX), Hackberry (LA), Lake Charles (LA), Neptune (offshore), Northeast Gateway (offshore), Pascagoula (MS), Sabine Pass (TX)" }, + "river port(s)": { + "text": "Baton Rouge, Plaquemines, New Orleans (Mississippi River)" + }, "cargo ports": { "text": "Baton Rouge, Corpus Christi, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Plaquemines (LA), Tampa, Texas City" }, "cruise departure ports (passengers)": { - "text": "Miami (2,032,000), Port Everglades (1,277,000), Port Canaveral (1,189,000), Seattle (430,000), Long Beach (415,000) (2009)" + "text": "Miami, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral, Seattle, Long Beach" } } }, @@ -1143,11 +1149,11 @@ "text": "5,000 Africa (mostly in Djibouti, with approximately 700-1,000 in other countries of East Africa and about 700 in West Africa); 1,000 Australia; 1,150 Belgium; 150 Bulgaria; 250 Diego Garcia; 150 Canada; 750 Cuba; 270 Egypt (MFO); 34,000 Germany; 400 Greece; 150 Greenland; 6,000 Guam; 380 Honduras; 12,000 Italy; 54,000 Japan; 630 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); approximately 10-15,000 assigned with an additional estimated 20-30,000 deployed in the Middle East (Bahrain/Iraq/Israel/Jordan/Kuwait/Oman/Qatar/Saudi Arabia/Syria/United Arab Emirates); 400 Netherlands; 700 Norway; 200 Philippines; 4,500 Poland; 250 Portugal; 26,500 Republic of Korea; 1,100 Romania; 200 Singapore; 3,200 Spain; 100 Thailand; 1,700 Turkey; 9,300 United Kingdom (2021)", "note": "US military rotational policies affect deployed numbers; for example, the US deploys ground and air units to select countries for 6-12 month rotational assignments on a continuous basis; in South Korea, for example, the US continuously rotates combat brigades (3,000-4,000 personnel) for 9 months at a time; contingencies also affect US troop deployments; for example, in 2019, the US deployed more than 15,000 additional military personnel to the Middle East for an extended period of time; in addition, some overseas US naval bases, such as the headquarters of US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT) in Manama, Bahrain, are frequented by the crews of US ships on 6-9 month deployments; a US carrier strike group with an air wing and supporting ships typically includes over 6-7,000 personnel" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; no conscription; maximum enlistment age 34 (Army), 39 (Air Force), 39 (Navy), 28 (Marines), 31 (Coast Guard); 8-year service obligation, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard); all military occupations and positions open to women (2020)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the US is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; no conscription; maximum enlistment age 34 (Army), 39 (Air Force), 39 (Navy), 28 (Marines), 31 (Coast Guard); 8-year service obligation, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard); all military occupations and positions open to women (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/south-america/ar.json b/south-america/ar.json index ef93790e..3c18a552 100644 --- a/south-america/ar.json +++ b/south-america/ar.json @@ -1177,11 +1177,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "250 Cyprus (UNFICYP) (Jan 2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended in 1995; Argentinians can still be drafted in times of crisis, national emergency, or war, or if the Defense Ministry is unable to fill all vacancies to keep the military functional (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Argentine military focuses primarily on border security and counter-narcotics operations; in 2018, the government approved a decree allowing greater latitude for the military in internal security missions, with a focus on logistics support in border areas" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended in 1995; Argentinians can still be drafted in times of crisis, national emergency, or war, or if the Defense Ministry is unable to fill all vacancies to keep the military functional (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/south-america/br.json b/south-america/br.json index 97f37de4..2d5247a1 100644 --- a/south-america/br.json +++ b/south-america/br.json @@ -1211,11 +1211,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Brazilian military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; since 2010, France, Germany, the UK, and the US are the leading suppliers of military equipment to Brazil; Brazil's defense industry is capable of designing and manufacturing equipment for all three military services and for export; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 10-12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are \"long-service\" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s, when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the military's primary role is enforcing border security, particularly in the Amazon states; it also assists with internal security operations with a focus on organized crime

Brazilian police forces are divided into Federal Police (around 15,000 personnel), Military Police (approximately 400,000 personnel), and Civil Police (approximately 125,000 personnel); the Federal Police serve under the Ministry of Justice, while the Military and Civil police are subordinate to the state governments; the National Public Security Force (Forca Nacional de Seguranca Publica or SENASP) is a national police force made up of Military Police from various states; all state Military Police are classified as reserve troops and ancillary forces of the Brazilian Army" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 10-12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are \"long-service\" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s, when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/south-america/co.json b/south-america/co.json index a3474c03..6f8861fb 100644 --- a/south-america/co.json +++ b/south-america/co.json @@ -1204,11 +1204,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "275 Egypt (MFO) (2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (2019)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Colombian Armed Forces are primarily focused on internal security, particularly counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, and counterinsurgency operations against drug traffickers, militants from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN) terrorist/guerrilla organizations, and other illegal armed groups; the Colombian Government signed a peace agreement with the FARC in 2016, but some former members (known as dissidents) have returned to fighting; the Colombian military resumed operations against FARC dissidents and their successor paramilitary groups in late 2019; in 2017, the Colombian Government initiated formal peace talks with the ELN, but in January 2019, the government ended the peace talks shortly after the ELN exploded a car bomb at the National Police Academy in Bogotá and resumed counter-terrorism/counterinsurgency operations against the group; operations against both the FARC and ELN continued into 2021 (see Appendix T); the military is also focused on the security challenges posed by its neighbor, Venezuela, where instability has attracted narcotics traffickers and both the ELN and FARC dissidents operate openly" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (2019)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/south-america/ec.json b/south-america/ec.json index a2dc1e0b..1464bdf2 100644 --- a/south-america/ec.json +++ b/south-america/ec.json @@ -1179,11 +1179,11 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's equipment inventory is mostly older and derived from a wide variety of sources; since 2010, Ecuador has received limited amounts of military equipment from more than 15 countries with Brazil, South Africa, and Spain as the leading suppliers (2020)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for selective conscript military service; conscription has been suspended; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Ecuadorian birth requirement; 1-year service obligation; females have been allowed to serve in all branches since 2012 (2019)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters as at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen; there has been a slight increase with three attacks reported in 2019 and four in 2020" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for selective conscript military service; conscription has been suspended; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Ecuadorian birth requirement; 1-year service obligation; females have been allowed to serve in all branches since 2012 (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/south-asia/bg.json b/south-asia/bg.json index 94256ba2..8adb9e12 100644 --- a/south-asia/bg.json +++ b/south-asia/bg.json @@ -1202,11 +1202,11 @@ "Military deployments": { "text": "Bangladesh is one of the leading contributors to UN peacekeeping missions since it joined the UN in 1974; as of mid-2021, it had about 5,300 troops deployed, including: 1,225 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,400 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 115 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,330 Mali (MINUSMA); 1,450 South Sudan (UNMISS) ( mid-2021)" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "16-21 years of age for voluntary military service; Bangladeshi nationality and 10th grade education required; officers: 17-21 years of age, Bangladeshi nationality, and 12th grade education required (2018)" - }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh remain a risk for armed robbery against ships; attacks increased in 2020 when four ships were boarded as opposed to no attacks in 2019" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "16-21 years of age for voluntary military service; Bangladeshi nationality and 10th grade education required; officers: 17-21 years of age, Bangladeshi nationality, and 12th grade education required (2018)" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "884,041 (Burma) (2021) (includes an estimated 733,343 Rohingya refugees who have fled conflict since 25 August 2017)" + "text": "890,276 (Burma) (2021) (includes an estimated 738,817 Rohingya refugees who have fled conflict since 25 August 2017)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "427,000 (conflict, development, human rights violations, religious persecution, natural disasters) (2020)" diff --git a/south-asia/in.json b/south-asia/in.json index ebb1c41f..bc8ab449 100644 --- a/south-asia/in.json +++ b/south-asia/in.json @@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Atul KESHAP (since 1 July 2021)" + "text": "ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Patricia A. LACINA (since 9 September 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110021"