the ANP has played a large role in the country’s politics since independence in 1962, including coups in 1965 and 1991; it was a key backer of BOUTEFLIKA’s election in 1999 and remained a center of power during his 20-year rule; the military was instrumental in BOUTEFLIKA’s resignation in 2019 when it withdrew support and called for him to be removed from office
in 2021, Algeria had the largest defense budget (approximately $9 billion) and one of the best-equipped militaries in Africa
the ANP traditionally has focused on internal stability and on Morocco where relations as of 2021 remained tense over Western Sahara and Algerian accusations that Morocco supports the Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie (MAK), a separatist group in Algeria’s Kabylie region; however, following the Arab Spring events of 2011 and a series of cross-border terrorist attacks emanating from Mali in 2012-2013, particularly the 2013 attack on a commercial gas plant by al-Qa’ida-linked terrorists that resulted in the deaths of 35 hostages and 29 jihadists, it has made a concerted effort to beef up security along its other borders and promote regional security cooperation; since 2013, additional Army and paramilitary forces were deployed to the borders with Tunisia, Libya, Niger, and Mali to interdict and deter cross-border attacks by Islamic militant groups; in addition, Algeria has provided security assistance to some neighboring countries, particularly Tunisia, and conducted joint military/counter-terrorism operations
" diff --git a/africa/ao.json b/africa/ao.json index da8a825d..1317c6ee 100644 --- a/africa/ao.json +++ b/africa/ao.json @@ -1189,7 +1189,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) are comprised of approximately 107,000 active troops (100,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 6,000 Air Force); est. 10,000 Rapid Reaction Police (2021)" + "text": "approximately 107,000 active troops (100,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 6,000 Air Force); est. 10,000 Rapid Reaction Police (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "most Angolan military weapons and equipment are of Russian, Soviet, or Warsaw Pact origin; since 2010, Russia has remained the principle supplier of military hardware to Angola (2021)" diff --git a/africa/bn.json b/africa/bn.json index cfaf11d5..f419b9c2 100644 --- a/africa/bn.json +++ b/africa/bn.json @@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { - "text": "unnamed elevation located 2.5 km southeast of the town of Kotoponga 675 mthe 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": "18-35 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; a higher education diploma is required; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "260 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { - "text": "as of 2021, Benin participated in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram along with Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; the Benin military contingent is in charge of MNJTF garrison dutiesthe FAB has a close working relationship with the Belgian armed forces; the Belgians offer advice, training, and secondhand equipment donations, and deploy to Benin for limited military exercises
" + "text": "as of 2021, Benin participated in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against the terrorist group Boko Haram (see Appendix T) along with Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; the Benin military contingent is in charge of MNJTF garrison dutiesas of 2021, the FAB had a close working relationship with the Belgian armed forces; the Belgians offered advice, training, and secondhand equipment donations, and deployed to Benin for limited military exercises
" + }, + "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.”
" } }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "al-Qa’ida (Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara", + "text": "al-Qa’ida (Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara; Boko Haram", "note": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } }, diff --git a/africa/by.json b/africa/by.json index a1aaaf33..3e67dc64 100644 --- a/africa/by.json +++ b/africa/by.json @@ -1110,17 +1110,17 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the National Defense Forces (FDN) have approximately 25,000 active duty troops, the majority of which are ground forces (2021)" + "text": "approximately 25,000 active duty troops, the majority of which are ground forces (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FDN is armed mostly with weapons from Russia and the former Soviet Union, with some Western equipment, largely from France; since 2010, the FDN has received small amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from China, South Africa, and the US (2021)" }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service (2021)" + }, "Military deployments": { "text": "750 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 5,400 Somalia (AMISOM) (Oct 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 (2021)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "in addition to its foreign deployments, the FDN as of 2021 was 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); these groups were based in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and have carried out sporadic attacks in Burundi" } @@ -1131,7 +1131,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "84,701 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "84,961 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "109,169 (some ethnic Tutsis remain displaced from intercommunal violence that broke out after the 1,993 coup and fighting between government forces and rebel groups; violence since April 2015) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/cd.json b/africa/cd.json index b99ca445..60f02f95 100644 --- a/africa/cd.json +++ b/africa/cd.json @@ -1144,12 +1144,12 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the ANT is mostly armed with older or second-hand equipment from Belgium, France, Russia, and the former Soviet Union; since 2010, it has received equipment, including donations, from a variety of countries, including China, Italy, Ukraine, and the US (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "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’Djamenathe 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 2022, 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
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, however, continue to fight (note - there are as many as 120 total armed groups in the country by some estimates); as of 2022, 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
as of 2021, China, France, Italy, Japan, and the US maintained bases in Djibouti for regional military missions, including counter-terrorism, counter-piracy, crisis response, and security assistance (note – France has multiple bases and hosts troop contingents from Germany and Spain); the EU and NATO have also maintained a presence to support multinational naval counter-piracy operations and maritime training efforts; in 2017, Djibouti and Saudi Arabia announced plans for the Saudis to build a military base there, although no start date was announced
" + }, + "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" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/eg.json b/africa/eg.json index 044e892a..76159508 100644 --- a/africa/eg.json +++ b/africa/eg.json @@ -1218,12 +1218,12 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the EAF's inventory is comprised of a mix of domestically produced, imported Soviet-era, and more modern, particularly Western, weapons systems; in recent years, the EAF has embarked on an extensive equipment modernization program with major purchases from a variety of suppliers; since 2010, the leading suppliers of military hardware to Egypt are France, Russia, and the US; Egypt has an established defense industry that produces a range of products from small arms to armored vehicles and naval vessels; it also has licensed and co-production agreements with several countries (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "1,000 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,050 Mali (MINUSMA) (Sep 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "voluntary enlistment possible from age 16 (men and women); 18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation - 14-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; active service length depends on education; high school drop-outs serve for the full 36 months, while college graduates serve for lesser periods of time, depending on their education (2021)", - "note": "note - over half of the military, as well as a considerable portion of the Central Security Force, is comprised of conscripts" + "note": "note - as of 2020, over half of the military, as well as a considerable portion of the Central Security Force, was comprised of conscripts" + }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "1,000 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,050 Mali (MINUSMA) (Sep 2021)" }, "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 2021, Egypt reportedly had approximately 40,000 military troops, police, and other security personnel deployed in the Sinai for internal security duties; in addition, tribal militias were assisting Egyptian security forces
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
Egypt has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
as of 2021, the FAGE’s National Guard (Army) had only three small infantry battalions with limited combat capabilities; the Navy focused on anti-piracy and protecting the country’s natural resources in the Gulf of Guinea; the Navy is small is size, but its inventory included a light frigate and a corvette, as well as several off-shore patrol boats; the Air Force possessed only a few operational combat aircraft and ground attack-capable helicopters
" + }, + "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.”" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/et.json b/africa/et.json index e1952c10..6c647e78 100644 --- a/africa/et.json +++ b/africa/et.json @@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (Ye Ityopya Ayer Hayl, ETAF) (2021)", - "note": "note(s) - in January 2020 the Ethiopian Government announced it had re-established a navy, which was disbanded in 1996; in March 2019 Ethiopia signed a defense cooperation agreement with France which stipulated that France would support the establishment of an Ethiopian navy, which will reportedly be based out of Djiboutisince November 2020, the Government of Ethiopia has been engaged in a protracted military conflict with the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the former governing party of the Tigray Region; the government deemed a TPLF attack on Ethiopia military forces as a domestic terrorism incident and launched a military/law enforcement offensive in response; the TPLF asserted that its actions were self-defense in the face of planned Ethiopian Government action to remove it from the provincial government; the Ethiopian Government sent large elements of the ENDF into Tigray to remove the TPLF and invited militia and paramilitary forces from the states of Afar and Amara, as well as the military forces of Eritrea, to assist; fighting continued through 2021 with heavy civilian and military casualties and widespread human rights abuses reported
the military forces of the Tigray regional government are known as the Tigray Defense Force (TDF); the TDF is comprised of state paramilitary forces, local militia, and troops that defected from the ENDF; it reportedly had up to 250,000 fighters at the start of the conflict; in August 2021, the TPLF struck an alliance with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)
as of 2021, the Ethiopian military consisted of approximately 22 Army divisions (approximately 14 light infantry, 6 mechanized, and 1 commando/special operations), while the Air Force had 2 fighter/ground attack and 2 mixed attack/transport helicopter squadrons
" + "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
the military forces of the Tigray regional government are known as the Tigray Defense Force (TDF); the TDF is comprised of state paramilitary forces, local militia, and troops that defected from the ENDF; it reportedly had up to 250,000 fighters at the start of the conflict; in August 2021, the TPLF struck an alliance with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)
as of 2021, the Ethiopian military consisted of approximately 22 Army divisions (approximately 14 light infantry, 6 mechanized, and 1 commando/special operations), while the Air Force had 2 fighter/ground attack and 2 mixed attack/transport helicopter squadrons
" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/gb.json b/africa/gb.json index b6e18134..370692cb 100644 --- a/africa/gb.json +++ b/africa/gb.json @@ -1144,14 +1144,14 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FDG is lightly armed with an inventory comprised mostly of Brazilian, French, and South African equipment (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": "20 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "members of the Gabonese Defense Forces attempted a failed coup in January 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.”" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/gh.json b/africa/gh.json index b97be27c..23cbdafa 100644 --- a/africa/gh.json +++ b/africa/gh.json @@ -1172,17 +1172,17 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Ghana Armed Forces is a mix of Russian, Chinese, and Western equipment; since 2010, it has received armaments from a variety of suppliers, including China, Germany, Russia, and Spain (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "150 Mali (MINUSMA); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 860 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 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": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "150 Mali (MINUSMA); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 860 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "the military of Ghana traces its origins to the Gold Coast Constabulary that was established in 1879 and renamed the Gold Coast Regiment in 1901; the Gold Coast Regiment was part of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria (Lagos and the protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria), Sierra Leone, and Gambia; the WAFF served with distinction in both East and West Africa during World War I; in 1928, it received royal recognition and was re-named the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF); the RWAFF went on to serve in World War II as part of the British 81st and 82nd (West African) divisions in the East Africa and Burma campaigns; following independence in 1957, the Gold Coast Regiment formed the basis for the new Ghanaian Army
as of 2021, the primary missions for the Ghanaian military included assisting other security services with internal security and patrolling the country’s economic exclusion zone, which has led to efforts to expand the Navy’s capabilities in recent years; since sending a contingent of troops to the Congo in 1960, the Ghana military has been a regular contributor to African- and UN-sponsored peacekeeping missions
" + }, + "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.”
" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/gv.json b/africa/gv.json index bccda4d2..b3165030 100644 --- a/africa/gv.json +++ b/africa/gv.json @@ -1168,12 +1168,12 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Guinean military consists largely of ageing and outdated (mostly Soviet-era) equipment; since 2010, it has received small amounts of equipment from France, Russia, and South Africa (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "660 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "Voluntary and selective conscripted service, 9-24 mos (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "660 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Army is responsible for external defense, but also has some domestic security responsibilities; piracy and natural resource protection in the Gulf of Guinea are key areas of concern for the small Navy, which possesses only a few patrol boats
" } diff --git a/africa/iv.json b/africa/iv.json index 94557e59..884fabdf 100644 --- a/africa/iv.json +++ b/africa/iv.json @@ -1192,17 +1192,17 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; since 2016, it has received limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from a variety of countries (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "800 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 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": "18-25 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 (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "800 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" + }, "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; as of late 2021, the FACI was 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 2020Kenyan military forces intervened in Somalia in October 2011 to combat the al Qaida-affiliated al-Shabaab terrorist group, which had conducted numerous cross-border attacks into Kenya; in November 2011, the UN and the African Union invited Kenya to incorporate the force into the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM); Kenyan forces were formally integrated into AMISOM in February 2012; as of mid-2021, they consisted of approximately 3,600 troops and were responsible for AMISOM’s Sector 2 comprising Lower and Middle Jubba (see Appendix-T for additional details on al-Shabaab)
" + }, + "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" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "280,479 (Somalia), 135,255 (South Sudan), 48,284 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 20,647 (Ethiopia), 7,203 (Burundi) (2021)" + "text": "280,479 (Somalia), 135,255 (South Sudan), 20,647 (Ethiopia), 7,203 (Burundi) (2021); 48,284 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2022) " }, "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 3c063de1..9d07797b 100644 --- a/africa/li.json +++ b/africa/li.json @@ -1118,13 +1118,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the AFL is poorly armed; it has received limited quantities of equipment since 2010, including donations, from countries such as China and the US (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "150 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-35 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); no conscription (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2020, women made up about .4% of the active military" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "150 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "the first militia unit established for defense of the colony was raised in 1832; the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) traces its origins to the 1908 establishment of the Liberia Frontier Force, which became the Liberian National Guard in 1965; the AFL was established in 1970; at the end of the second civil war in 2003, military and police forces were disbanded and approximately 100,000 military, police, and rebel combatants were disarmed; the AFL began to rebuild in 2003 with US assistance and the first infantry battalion of the restructured AFL was re-activated in late 2007; a second battalion was added in 2008
the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was established in 2003 as a peacekeeping force; at its height, UNMIL was comprised of about 15,000 personnel, including more than 3,000 troops absorbed from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) peacekeeping mission; Liberian forces reassumed full control of the country’s security in June of 2016, and the UNMIL mission was ended in 2018
as of 2021, the AFL was comprised mostly of a small ground force consisting of 2 infantry battalions, while the Coast Guard had only a few small patrol boats; the AFL had no aircraft
" } diff --git a/africa/mi.json b/africa/mi.json index 89d2499d..4294d504 100644 --- a/africa/mi.json +++ b/africa/mi.json @@ -1170,12 +1170,12 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Malawi Defense Force inventory is comprised of mostly obsolescent or second-hand equipment from Europe and South Africa; since 2010, it has taken deliveries of limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from China, South Africa, and the UK, as well as non-lethal equipment donated by the US (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "700 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); high school equivalent required for enlisted recruits and college equivalent for officer recruits; initial engagement is 7 years for enlisted personnel and 10 years for officers (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "700 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2021, the Malawi Defense Force’s primary responsibility was external security; it was also tasked as necessary with carrying out policing or other domestic activities, such as disaster relief; Malawi contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operations
" } @@ -1186,7 +1186,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "32,451 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 12,169 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,407 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "12,169 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,407 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021); 32,843 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" } } } diff --git a/africa/ml.json b/africa/ml.json index e10d9cec..98b343dd 100644 --- a/africa/ml.json +++ b/africa/ml.json @@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ "text": "Mali" }, "former": { - "text": "French Sudan and Sudanese Republic" + "text": "French Sudan, Sudanese Republic, Mali Federation" }, "etymology": { "text": "name derives from the West African Mali Empire of the 13th to 16th centuries A.D." @@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by 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 29 July 2018 with runoff on 12 August 2018 (next to be held on 27 February 2022); prime minister appointed 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 29 July 2018 with runoff on 12 August 2018; prime minister appointed by the president; note - on 21 February 2022, the transitional government adopted a charter allowing transitional authorities to rule for up to 5 years; thereafter Transitional President GOITA is barred from being a candidate in presidential elections." }, "election results": { "text": "Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 77.6%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 22.4%" @@ -1163,14 +1163,14 @@ "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 a dozen countries (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "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 " - }, "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 (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "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 " + }, "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 assistancethe UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established by Security Council resolution 690 in April 1991 in accordance with settlement proposals accepted in August 1988 by Morocco and the Polisario Front (aka Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro or Frente Polisario); MINURSO was unable to carry out all the original settlement proposals, but as of 2021 continued to monitor the cease-fire and reduce the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance, and has provided logistic support to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-led confidence building measures with personnel and air and ground assets; as of July 2021, MINURSO had about 200 military personnel assigned
Morocco has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
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 (men and women); no conscription (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "200 Ghana (ECOMIG) (2021)", + "note": "note - Nigeria has committed an Army combat brigade (approximately 3,000 troops) to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), regional counter-terrorism force comprised of troops from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger; the national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2022, the Nigerian military was sub-Saharan Africa’s largest and regarded as one of its most capable forces; it was focused largely on internal security and faced a number of challenges that have stretched its resources, however; in the northeast, the military was 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 35-40,000 people, mostly civilians, since 2009 (as of late 2021); in the northwest, it faced growing threats from criminal gangs, bandits, and violence associated with historical and ongoing farmer-herder conflicts, as well as BH and ISWA terrorists; bandits in the northwest are estimated to number in the low 10,000s and violence there has killed more than 10,000 since the mid-2010s; the military also continued to protect the oil industry in the Niger Delta region 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)the Nigerian military traces its origins to the Nigeria Regiment of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Nigeria (Lagos and the protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria), Gold Coast, Sierra Leone, and Gambia; the WAFF served with distinction in both East and West Africa during World War I; in 1928, it received royal recognition and was re-named the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF); the RWAFF went on to serve in World War II as part of the British 81st and 82nd (West African) divisions in the East Africa and Burma campaigns; in 1956, the Nigeria Regiment of the RWAFF was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces (NMF) and in 1958, the colonial government of Nigeria took over control of the NMF from the British War Office; the Nigerian Armed Forces were established following independence in 1960
" + }, + "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.”
" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/od.json b/africa/od.json index 0d72c015..dce33193 100644 --- a/africa/od.json +++ b/africa/od.json @@ -1041,7 +1041,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "308,174 (Sudan), 17,982 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2021)" + "text": "308,174 (Sudan) (2021); 18,504 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "1,436,000 (alleged coup attempt and ethnic conflict beginning in December 2013; information is lacking on those displaced in earlier years by: fighting in Abyei between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in May 2011; clashes between the SPLA and dissident militia groups in South Sudan; inter-ethnic conflicts over resources and cattle; attacks from the Lord's Resistance Army; floods and drought) (2020)" diff --git a/africa/rw.json b/africa/rw.json index fab2167a..9d514669 100644 --- a/africa/rw.json +++ b/africa/rw.json @@ -1137,12 +1137,12 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the RDF's inventory includes mostly Soviet-era and older Western - largely French and South African - equipment; Rwanda has received a limited supply of imports since 2010 from a variety of countries, including China, Israel, Russia, and Turkey (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "2,250 Central African Republic (approximately 1,500 for MINUSCA; an additional 750 sent bilaterally in August, 2021); 1,000 Mozambique (deployed mid-2021 to assist with combating insurgency); 2,600 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); no conscription; Rwandan citizenship is required; enlistment is either as contract (5-years, renewable twice) or career (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "2,250 Central African Republic (approximately 1,500 for MINUSCA; an additional 750 sent bilaterally in August, 2021); 1,000 Mozambique (deployed mid-2021 to assist with combating insurgency); 2,600 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "the RDF is widely regarded as one of Africa’s best trained and most capable and professional military forces; as of late 2021, over 5,000 RDF personnel were deployed on missions in the African countries of the Central African Republic, Mozambique, and South Sudan
" } @@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "77,116 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2021); 47,851 (Burundi) (2022)" + "text": "77,116 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) 47,851 (Burundi) (2022)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "9,500 (mid-year 2021)" diff --git a/africa/sf.json b/africa/sf.json index 8bdc0b4e..a3572d4f 100644 --- a/africa/sf.json +++ b/africa/sf.json @@ -1202,14 +1202,14 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the SANDF's inventory consists of a mix of domestically-produced and foreign-supplied equipment; South Africa's domestic defense industry produced most of the Army's major weapons systems (some were jointly-produced with foreign companies), while the Air Force and Navy inventories include a mix of European, Israeli, and US-origin weapons systems; since 2010, Sweden is the largest supplier of weapons to the SANDF (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "950 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (Oct 2021)", - "note": "note - in 2021, South Africa sent a contingent of about 1,500 troops to Mozambique as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) force to help quell an insurgency" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation (2021)", "note": "note - in 2019, women comprised about 30% of the SANDF" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "950 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (Oct 2021)", + "note": "note - in 2021, South Africa sent a contingent of about 1,500 troops to Mozambique as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) force to help quell an insurgency" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "the SANDF was created in 1994 to replace the South African Defense Force (SADF); the SANDF was opened to all South Africans who met military requirements, while the SADF was a mostly white force (only whites were subject to conscription) with non-whites only allowed to join in a voluntary capacity; the SANDF also absorbed members of the guerrilla and militia forces of the various anti-apartheid opposition groups, including the African National Congress, the Pan Africanist Congress, and the Inkatha Freedom Party, as well as the security forces of the formerly independent Bantustan homelands
as of 2021, the SANDF was one of Africa’s most capable militaries; it participated regularly in African and UN peacekeeping missions and had the ability to independently deploy throughout Africa; over the past decade, however, its operational readiness and modernization programs have been hampered by funding shortfalls
" } @@ -1226,7 +1226,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "23,054 (Somalia), 15,629 (Ethiopia) (mid-year 2021); 57,595 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "23,054 (Somalia), 15,629 (Ethiopia) (mid-year 2021); 57,595 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "5,000 (2020)" diff --git a/africa/so.json b/africa/so.json index 475d102a..20284016 100644 --- a/africa/so.json +++ b/africa/so.json @@ -1026,14 +1026,14 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the SNA is lightly armed with an inventory that includes a variety of older, second-hand equipment largely from Italy, Russia, South Africa, and the UK; since 2015, it has received small quantities of second-hand equipment from up to 10 different countries, usually as aid/donations (2021)" }, - "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 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscription is authorized, but not currently utilized (2021)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "as of late 2021, a significant portion of the country remained outside government control and under the control of the insurgent Islamist group al-Shabaab; al-Shabaab contested government control in some other areas (see Appendix T)
as of 2021, a significant portion of the SNA was comprised of militia forces that lacked the discipline, structure, weapons, and overall capabilities for effective military operations; of the SNA’s approximately 13 brigades, the most effective were assessed to be the US-trained Danab (\"Lightning\") Advanced Infantry Brigade and those of the Turkish-trained Gorgor (\"Eagle\") Special Division; in 2020-2021, the Danab Brigade conducted most of the SNA’s offensive operations in Somalia and nearly all counterterrorism operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist group; as of early 2021, it numbered about 1,000 troops with an eventual projected strength of 3,000, while the Gorgor Division was estimated to have 4,500-5,000 trained troops
as of 2022, a significant portion of the country remained outside government control and under the control of the insurgent Islamist group al-Shabaab; al-Shabaab contested government control in some other areas (see Appendix T)
as of 2021, a significant portion of the SNA was comprised of militia forces that lacked the discipline, structure, weapons, and overall capabilities for effective military operations; of the SNA’s approximately 13 brigades, the most effective were assessed to be the US-trained Danab (\"Lightning\") Advanced Infantry Brigade and those of the Turkish-trained Gorgor (\"Eagle\") Special Division; in 2020-2021, the Danab Brigade conducted most of the SNA’s offensive operations in Somalia and nearly all counterterrorism operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist group; as of early 2021, it numbered about 1,000 troops with an eventual projected strength of 3,000, while the Gorgor Division was estimated to have 4,500-5,000 trained troops
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
" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/su.json b/africa/su.json index 95571f52..ab810211 100644 --- a/africa/su.json +++ b/africa/su.json @@ -1184,14 +1184,15 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the SAF's inventory includes a mix of Chinese, Russian, Soviet-era, Ukrainian, and domestically-produced weapons systems; since 2010, the leading arms providers to the SAF are Belarus, China, Russia, and Ukraine; North Korea has also provided arms; Sudan has a domestic arms industry that manufactures ammunition, small arms, and armored vehicles, largely based on older Chinese and Russian systems (2021)" }, + "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 (2021)", + "note": "note - implementation of conscription is reportedly uneven" + }, "Military deployments": { "text": "Sudan joined the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015, reportedly providing as many as 40,000 troops during the peak of the war in 2016-17, mostly from the Rapid Support Forces; by 2020-21, Sudan had reduced the size of the force to about a brigade (1-2,000) (2021)" }, - "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 (2021)" - }, "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
prior to the October 2021 overthrow of the Sovereignty Council, the Sudanese military has been a dominant force in the ruling of the country since its independence in 1956; in addition, the Sudanese military and security forces have a large role in the country's economy, reportedly controlling over 200 commercial companies, including businesses involved in gold mining, rubber production, agriculture, and meat exports
prior to the October 2021 overthrow of the Sovereignty Council, the Sudanese military has been a dominant force in the ruling of the country since its independence in 1956; in addition, the Sudanese military and security forces have a large role in the country's economy, reportedly controlling 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 November 2021the 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 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)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "450 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 830 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 125 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Sep 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2020-2021, 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" + }, + "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
" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1226,7 +1226,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "79,817 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2021); 126,362 (Burundi) (2022)" + "text": "126,362 (Burundi), 79,839 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/ug.json b/africa/ug.json index 7e1195e2..c96a1931 100644 --- a/africa/ug.json +++ b/africa/ug.json @@ -1173,14 +1173,14 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the UPDF's inventory is mostly older Russian/Soviet-era equipment with a limited mix of more modern Russian- and Western-origin arms; since 2010, the leading suppliers of arms to the UPDF are Russia and Ukraine (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "6,200 Somalia (AMISOM); 620 Somalia (UNSOM); 250 Equatorial Guinea (2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-25 years of age for voluntary military duty (men and women); 9-year service obligation (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "6,800 Somalia (6,200 AMISOM; 620 UNSOM); 250 Equatorial Guinea (2021)" + }, "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
as of 2021, the UPDF was conducting operations along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (including cross-border operations) against a Congo-based Ugandan rebel group, the Allied Democratic Front (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); in addition, elements of the UPDF were deployed in the northeast region of Karamoja against cattle rustlers and criminal gangs
beginning in 2012, the UPDF 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
the military traces its history back to the formation of the Uganda Rifles in 1895; the Uganda Rifles were merged with the Central Africa Regiment and the East Africa Rifles to form the King’s African Rifles (“KAR”) in 1902, which participated in both world wars; the UPDF was established in 1995
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
as of 2021, the UPDF was conducting operations along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (including cross-border operations) against a Congo-based (and formerly based in western Uganda) Ugandan rebel group, the Allied Democratic Front (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 Appendix T); in addition, elements of the UPDF were deployed in the northeast region of Karamoja against cattle rustlers and criminal gangs
beginning in 2012, the UPDF 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
the military traces its history back to the formation of the Uganda Rifles in 1895; the Uganda Rifles were merged with the Central Africa Regiment and the East Africa Rifles to form the King’s African Rifles (“KAR”) in 1902, which participated in both world wars; the UPDF was established in 1995
the Zambian Defense Force (ZDF) traces its roots to the Northern Rhodesia Regiment, which was raised by the British colonial government to fight in World War II; the ZDF was established in 1964 from units of the dissolved Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland armed forces; it participated in a number of regional conflicts during the 1970s and 1980s; Zambia actively supported independence movements such as the Union for the Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA), the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), and the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO)
" } @@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "64,821 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,087 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "9,087 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021); 65,455 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/zi.json b/africa/zi.json index 59e07957..a971c900 100644 --- a/africa/zi.json +++ b/africa/zi.json @@ -1173,7 +1173,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "11,756 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "11,843 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/australia-oceania/as.json b/australia-oceania/as.json index a10ff209..d5bfaf41 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/as.json +++ b/australia-oceania/as.json @@ -1181,13 +1181,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Australian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and imported Western (mostly US-origin, particularly aircraft) weapons systems; since 2015, the US is the largest supplier of arms; the Australian defense industry produces a variety of land and sea weapons platforms; the defense industry also participates in joint development and production ventures with other Western countries, including the US and Canada (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "approximately 700 Middle East (2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "17 years of age for voluntary military service (with parental consent); no conscription (abolished 1973); women allowed to serve in all roles, including combat arms since 2013 (2021)", "note": "note - in 2019-2020, women comprised about 19% of the ADF" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "approximately 700 Middle East (2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Australia has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; Australia and the US signed an agreement in 2014 that allowed for closer bi-lateral defense and security cooperation, including annual rotations of US Marines and enhanced rotations of US Air Force aircraft to Australia; Australia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Australian military forces often train with US forces; Australian and US forces first fought together in France in 1918 at the Battle of Hamel, and have fought together in every major US conflict since
Australia has long-standing defense and security ties to the UK, including a Defense and Security Cooperation Treaty signed in 2013; in 2020, Australia and the UK signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the building of a next generation of frigates for their respective navies; the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) is their premier bilateral forum on foreign policy, defense, and security issues
in 2021, Australia, the UK, and the US announced an enhanced trilateral security partnership called “AUKUS” which would build on existing bilateral ties, including deeper integration of defense and security-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains, as well as deeper cooperation on a range of defense and security capabilities; the first initiative under AUKUS was a commitment to support Australia in acquiring conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy
since the 1990s, Australia has deployed more than 30,000 personnel on nearly 100 UN and coalition military operations, including in Cambodia, Rwanda, Somalia, and East Timor
" } diff --git a/australia-oceania/fj.json b/australia-oceania/fj.json index 190b53bd..95538a2d 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fj.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fj.json @@ -1123,12 +1123,12 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the RFMF is lightly armed and equipped; Australia has provided patrol boats and a few armored personnel carriers; it also provides logistical support for RFMF regional or UN operations; in recent years, China has provided construction equipment and military vehicles (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "170 Egypt (MFO); 160 Iraq (UNAMI); 150 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "170 Egypt (MFO); 160 Iraq (UNAMI); 150 Golan Heights (UNDOF) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "the RFMF consists of only 1 infantry regiment and a small naval element with a few patrol boats; as of 2021, it did not possess any aircraft
the RFMF has a history of intervening in the country’s politics since the late 1980s, including coups in 1987 and 2006, and a mutiny in 2000
the RFMF also has a long tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations; since its first deployment of troops to South Lebanon in 1978 under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), it has deployed troops on nearly 20 additional UN missions
" } diff --git a/australia-oceania/nz.json b/australia-oceania/nz.json index acf9eb2e..8cdbd34c 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nz.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nz.json @@ -1134,13 +1134,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "NZDF is equipped mostly with imported weapons and equipment from Western suppliers; Australia, France, and the US are the leading suppliers since 2010 (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "up to 220 Antarctica (summer season only) (2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "17 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2021)", "note": "note - New Zealand opened up all military occupations to women in 2000; in 2019, women accounted for about 18% of the uniformed full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "up to 220 Antarctica (summer season only) (2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "New Zealand has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; however, the US suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand in 1986 after New Zealand implemented a policy barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from its ports; the US and New Zealand signed the Wellington Declaration in 2010, which reaffirmed close ties between the two countries, and in 2012 signed the Washington Declaration, which provided a framework for future security cooperation and defense dialogues; in 2016, a US naval ship conducted the first bilateral warship visit to New Zealand since the 1980s
New Zealand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
" } diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json index e86679b5..f7219bd2 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json @@ -1019,6 +1019,9 @@ }, "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "0.7% of GDP (2018)" + }, + "Military Expenditures 2017": { + "text": "0.7% of GDP (2017)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json index 544eaebf..3e70fead 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json @@ -1162,13 +1162,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FAES is dependent on a mix of mostly older imported platforms, largely from the US; since 2010, the FAES has received small amounts of equipment from several countries, including Chile, Israel, Spain, and the US (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "175 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 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 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2016, women made up about 6% of the active duty military" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "175 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "
the National Civilian Police (Ministry of Justice and Public Security) is responsible for maintaining public security, while the Ministry of Defense is responsible for maintaining national security; the constitution separates public security and military functions, but allows the president to use the armed forces in exceptional circumstances to maintain internal peace and public security; Salvadoran presidents have deployed military troops for internal security duties for years, and President BUKELE has continued the tradition; in November 2019, he signed a decree authorizing military involvement in police duties to combat gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border security; as of 2021, about half of the Army was reportedly deployed in support of the National Police
" } diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json index e689d26a..2db399c1 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json @@ -1184,13 +1184,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Guatemalan military inventory is small and mostly comprised of older US equipment; since 2010, Guatemala has received small amounts of equipment from Canada, Colombia, Spain, Taiwan, and the US (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "155 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are eligible for military service; in practice, most of the force is volunteer, however, a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 1 to 2 years; women may volunteer (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2017, women made up an estimated 5-10% of the active military" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "155 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "since the 2000s, the Guatemalan Government has frequently used the Army to support the National Civil Police (PNC; under the Ministry of Government) in internal security operations (as permitted by the constitution) to combat organized crime, gang violence, and narco-trafficking
the military held power during most of the country’s 36-year civil war (1960-1996) and conducted a campaign of widespread violence and repression, particularly against the country’s majority indigenous population; more than 200,000 people were estimated to have been killed or disappeared during the conflict
" } diff --git a/central-asia/rs.json b/central-asia/rs.json index 6bc55f7e..bbf4b98b 100644 --- a/central-asia/rs.json +++ b/central-asia/rs.json @@ -1248,16 +1248,16 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "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 (2021)" }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory (men only) or voluntary (men and women) 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 (2021)", + "note": "note(s) - as of 2021, conscripts reportedly comprised about 30% of the Russian military's active duty personnel; 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; as of 2020, women made up about 5% of the active duty military" + }, "Military deployments": { "text": "information varies; est. 3,000-5,000 Armenia; est. 1,500 Belarus; est. 7,000-10,000 Georgia; est. 100 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. 30,000 Ukraine (including Crimea) (2021)", "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 2020the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) was re-established in 1993 under the first coalition government from the merger of the Cambodian Government’s military forces (Cambodian People’s Armed Forces) and the two non-communist resistance forces (Sihanoukist National Army, aka National Army for Khmer Independence, and the Khmer People's National Liberation Armed Forces); thousands of communist Khmer Rouge fighters began surrendering by 1994 under a government amnesty program and the last of the Khmer Rouge forces (National Army of Democratic Kampuchea) were demobilized or absorbed into the RCAF in 1999
" } diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json index 356034f0..3dfc5bc9 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json @@ -1224,12 +1224,12 @@ "text": "the PLA is outfitted primarily with a wide mix of older and modern domestically-produced systems heavily influenced by technology derived from other countries; Russia is the top supplier of foreign military equipment since 2010; the Chinese defense-industrial sector is large and capable of producing advanced weapons systems across all military domains; it is the world's second largest arms producer (2021)", "note": "note - the PLA is in the midst of a decades-long modernization effort; in 2017, President XI set three developmental goals for the force - becoming a mechanized force with increased information and strategic capabilities by 2020, a fully modernized force by 2035, and a worldwide first-class military by mid-century" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "425 Mali (MINUSMA); 230 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 420 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,050 South Sudan (UNMISS); up to 2,000 Djibouti (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-22 years of age for selective compulsory military service (not needed), with a 2-year service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "425 Mali (MINUSMA); 230 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 420 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,050 South Sudan (UNMISS); up to 2,000 Djibouti (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "
established in 1927, the PLA is the military arm of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which oversees the PLA through its Central Military Commission; the Central Military Commission is China’s top military decision making body
China’s internal security forces consist primarily of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the militia; the PLA support the internal security forces as necessary:
the MPS controls the civilian national police, which serves as the first-line force for public order; its primary mission is domestic law enforcement and maintaining order, including anti-rioting and anti-terrorism
the MSS is China’s main civilian intelligence and counterintelligence service
the PAP is a paramilitary component of the PLA; its primary missions include internal security, maintaining public order, maritime security, and assisting the PLA in times of war; it is under the command of the Central Military Commission (CMC); the China Coast Guard (CCG) is under the PAP; the CCG has a variety of missions, such as maritime sovereignty enforcement, surveillance, resource protection, anti-smuggling, and general law enforcement
the militia is an armed reserve of civilians which serves as an auxiliary and reserve force for the PLA upon mobilization; it is distinct from the PLA’s reserve forces; militia units are organized around towns, villages, urban sub-districts, and enterprises, and vary widely in composition and mission; they have dual civilian-military command structures; a key component of the militia are the local maritime forces, commonly referred to as the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM); the PAFMM consists of mariners (and their vessels) who receive training, equipment, and other forms of support from the Navy and CCG (although the PAFMM remains separate from both) to perform tasks such as maritime patrolling, surveillance and reconnaissance, emergency/disaster response, transportation, search and rescue, and auxiliary tasks in support of naval operations in wartime; the PAFMM’s tasks are often conducted in conjunction or coordination with the Navy and the CCG; it has been used to assert Chinese maritime claims in the East and South China seas
" } diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json index e725c493..ed24648c 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json @@ -378,6 +378,9 @@ "female": { "text": "14.3% (2020 est.)" } + }, + "People - note": { + "text": "Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the World after China, India, and the United States; more than half of the Indonesian population - roughly 150 million people or 55% - live on the island of Java (about the size of California) making it the most crowded island on earth" } }, "Environment": { @@ -1211,19 +1214,19 @@ "text": "the Indonesian National Armed Forces have approximately, 400,000 active duty troops (300,000 Army; 65,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines; 30,000 Air Force) (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Indonesian military inventory is comprised of equipment from a wide variety of sources; since 2010, the top suppliers included China, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and the US; Indonesia has a growing defense industry fueled by technology transfers and cooperation agreements with several countries; in 2019, the Indonesian Government publicly said that growing its domestic defense industry is a national priority over the next 5-10 years (2021)" - }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "230 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,030 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 1,230 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" - }, - "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" + "text": "the Indonesian military inventory is comprised of equipment from a wide variety of sources; since 2010, the top suppliers included China, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and the US; the TNI has been engaged in a long-term modernization program since 2010 with uneven success; Indonesia has a growing defense industry fueled by technology transfers and cooperation agreements with several countries; in 2019, the Indonesian Government publicly said that growing its domestic defense industry is a national priority over the next 5-10 years (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary military service, with selective conscription authorized (males, age 18), but not utilized; 2-year service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers) (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "230 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,030 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 1,230 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2021, Indonesian military and police forces were 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 groupJapan was disarmed after its defeat in World War II; shortly after the Korean War began in 1950, US occupation forces in Japan created a 75,000-member lightly armed force called the National Police Reserve; the current Self Defense Force was founded in 1954
in addition to having one of the region’s largest and best equipped militaries, Japan’s alliance with the US (signed in 1951) is one of the cornerstones of the country’s security, as well as a large part of the US security role in Asia; as of 2021, nearly 55,000 US troops and other military assets, including aircraft and naval ships, were stationed in Japan and have exclusive use of more than 80 bases and facilities; in exchange for their use, the US guarantees Japan’s security; the Japanese Government provides about $2 billion per year to offset the cost of stationing US forces in Japan
Japan has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
the 1953 US-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty is a cornerstone of South Korea’s security; the Treaty committed the US to provide assistance in the event of an attack, particularly from North Korea; in addition, the Treaty gave the US permission to station land, air, and sea forces in and about the territory of South Korea as determined by mutual agreement; as of 2021, the US maintained approximately 28,000 military personnel in the country
the South Korean military has assisted the US in conflicts in Afghanistan (5,000 troops; 2001-2014), Iraq (20,000 troops; 2003-2008), and Vietnam (325,000 troops; 1964-1973)
South Korea has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
in 2016, South Korea concluded an agreement with the European Union for participation in EU Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) missions and operations, such as the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta, which protects maritime shipping and conducts counter-piracy operations off the coast of East Africa
South Korea has been engaged with NATO through dialogue and security cooperation since 2005 and is considered by NATO to be a global partner; it has participated in NATO-led missions and exercises, including leading an integrated civilian-military reconstruction team in Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, 2010-2013; it has also cooperated with NATO in countering the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden by providing naval vessels as escorts
" } diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json index cf852440..c425632a 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json @@ -1156,13 +1156,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the MAF are armed with Soviet-era equipment supplemented by deliveries of second-hand Russian weapons (2021)" }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 1-year conscript service obligation in army or air forces or police for males only (can be exchanged for a 24‐month stint in the civil service or a tax voucher); after conscription, soldiers can contract into military service for 2 or 4 years; citizens can also voluntarily join the armed forces (2021)" + }, "Military deployments": { "text": "870 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)", "note": "note(s) - from 2003 to July 2021, some 3,300 Mongolian troops served in Afghanistan, including about 1,300 since 2015 under the NATO-led mission Resolute Support Mission; since 2002, Mongolia has deployed more than 19,000 peacekeepers and observers to UN operations in more than a dozen countries" }, - "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 1-year conscript service obligation in army or air forces or police for males only (can be exchanged for a 24‐month stint in the civil service or a tax voucher); after conscription, soldiers can contract into military service for 2 or 4 years; citizens can also voluntarily join the armed forces (2021)" - }, "Military - note": { "text": "
Mongolia has been engaged in dialogue and cooperation with NATO since 2005 and is considered by NATO to be a global partner; Mongolia supported the NATO-led Kosovo Force from 2005-2007 and contributed troops to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan from 2009-2014, as well as to the follow-on Resolute Support Mission that provided training, advice, and other assistance to the Afghan security forces (2015-2021)
" } diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json index dc4554d8..5650cf07 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json @@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ "text": "Malaysia" }, "former": { - "text": "Federation of Malaya" + "text": "British Malaya, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya" }, "etymology": { "text": "the name means \"Land of the Malays\"" @@ -1186,18 +1186,18 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Malaysian Armed Forces field a diverse mix of mostly older imported weapons systems; the top suppliers of military hardware since 2010 include France, Germany, Spain, and Turkey (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "880 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" - }, - "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 (2021)", "note": "note - in 2020, the Malaysian Armed Forces announced a goal of having 10% of the active military comprised of women" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "880 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "maritime security has long been a top priority for the Malaysian Armed Forces, but it has received even greater emphasis in the 2000s, particularly anti-piracy operations in the Strait of Malacca and countering Chinese naval incursions in Malaysia’s Economic Exclusion Zone, as well as addressing identified shortfalls in maritime capabilities; as such, it has undertaken modest efforts to procure more modern ships, improve air and maritime surveillance, expand the Navy’s support infrastructure (particularly bases/ports) and domestic ship-building capacities, restructure naval command and control, and increase naval cooperation with regional and international partners; as of 2021, for example, the Navy had 6 frigates fitting out or under construction and scheduled for completion by 2023, which will increase the number of operational frigates from 2 to 8; in addition, it began tri-lateral air and naval patrols with Indonesia and the Philippines in 2017; Malaysia also cooperates closely with the US military, including on maritime surveillance and participating regularly in bilateral and multilateral training exercises
" + }, + "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
" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json index 45b87ca1..ac1f5efa 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json @@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ "text": "Papuaniugini" }, "former": { - "text": "Territory of Papua and New Guinea" + "text": "German New Guinea, British New Guinea, Territory of Papua and New Guinea" }, "abbreviation": { "text": "PNG" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json index 2a5ac609..5577af60 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json @@ -1201,15 +1201,15 @@ "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 include Israel, South Korea, and the US (2021)" }, - "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 service age and obligation": { "text": "18-23 years of age (officers 21-29; 21-26 for women officers) for voluntary military service (men and women); no conscription (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2020, women made up about 6% of the active military; women were allowed to enter the Philippine Military Academy and train as combat soldiers in 1993" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the US and Philippines agreed to a mutual defense treaty in 1951; the Philippines has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
as of 2021, 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 was active mostly on Luzon, the Visayas, and areas of Mindanaothe 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
" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json index d5b8c873..538c6118 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json @@ -1202,13 +1202,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the RTARF has a diverse array of foreign-supplied weapons systems, including a large amount of obsolescent or second-hand US equipment; since 2010, Thailand has received military equipment from nearly 20 countries with China, South Korea, Sweden, Ukraine, and the US as the leading suppliers (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "275 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); 21 years of age for compulsory military service (men only); males register at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation varies by educational qualifications (2021)", "note": "note(s) - information varies, but conscripts reportedly comprise as much as 50% of the RTARF; around 100,000 males are drafted each year; as of 2020, women comprised about 8% of active military personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "275 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "including the most recent in 2014, the military has attempted more than 20 coups since the fall of absolute monarchy in 1932Thailand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
" } diff --git a/europe/au.json b/europe/au.json index d86abc29..80de6bac 100644 --- a/europe/au.json +++ b/europe/au.json @@ -1153,13 +1153,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Austrian military's inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons systems from European countries and the US; the Austrian defense industry produces a range of equipment and partners with other countries (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "290 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 340 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); 170 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 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 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women made up about 4% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "290 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 340 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); 170 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Austria is constitutionally non-aligned, but is an EU member and actively participates in EU peacekeeping and crisis management operations under the Common Security and Defense Policy; Austria is not a member of NATO, but joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace framework in 1995 and participates in NATO-led crisis management and peacekeeping operations; as of 2021, more than 100,000 Austrian military and civilian personnel have taken part in more than 50 international peace support and humanitarian missions since 1960
" } diff --git a/europe/be.json b/europe/be.json index f3bd52c5..a60ec6d3 100644 --- a/europe/be.json +++ b/europe/be.json @@ -1142,13 +1142,13 @@ "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, several European nations are the leading suppliers of armaments; Belgium has an export-focused defense industry that focuses on components and subcontracting (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "125 France (contributing member of EuroCorps); 100 Mali (EUTM/MINUSMA); 200 Lithuania (NATO) (2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1995 (2021)", "note": "note - in 2020, women comprised about 9% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "125 France (contributing member of EuroCorps); 100 Mali (EUTM/MINUSMA); 200 Lithuania (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 1949the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are comprised of the former Bosnian-Croat Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Vojska Federacije Bosne i Hercegovin, VF) and the Bosnian-Serb Republic of Serbia Army (Vojska Republike Srpske, VRS); the two forces were unified under the 2003 Law on Defense, which also established the country’s Ministry of Defense
Bosnia and Herzegovina joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 2007 and was invited to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan in 2010; as of 2021, NATO maintained a military headquarters in Sarajevo with the mission of assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina with the PfP program and promoting closer integration with NATO, as well as providing logistics and other support to the European Union Force deployed there
" + "text": "
the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) are comprised of the former Bosnian-Croat Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Vojska Federacije Bosne i Hercegovin, VF) and the Bosnian-Serb Republic of Serbia Army (Vojska Republike Srpske, VRS); the two forces were unified under the 2003 Law on Defense, which also established the country’s Ministry of Defense
the European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) has operated in the country to oversee implementation of the Dayton/Paris Agreement since taking over from NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) in 2004; in addition to its security mission, EUFOR supports the overall EU comprehensive strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the efforts of the AFBiH to attain NATO standards; as of 2022, it had about 600 troops from 19 countries
Bosnia and Herzegovina joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 2007 and was invited to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan in 2010; as of 2021, NATO maintained a military headquarters in Sarajevo with the mission of assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina with the PfP program and promoting closer integration with NATO, as well as providing logistics and other support to EUFOR
" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "149 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 86,337 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-January 2022)" + "note": "note: 86,562 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022)" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/europe/bo.json b/europe/bo.json index 13271a88..4183d2c8 100644 --- a/europe/bo.json +++ b/europe/bo.json @@ -1151,14 +1151,14 @@ "text": "approximately 45,000 active duty troops; information on the individual services varies, but probably includes about 25,000 Army, 15,000 Air/Air Defense, and 5,000 Special Operations forces (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the inventory of the Belarus Armed Forces is comprised of Russian-origin equipment; Belarus's defense industry manufactures some equipment, including vehicles, guided weapons, and electronic warfare systems (2021)" + "text": "the inventory of the Belarus Armed Forces is comprised of Russian/Soviet-origin equipment; Belarus's defense industry manufactures some equipment, including vehicles, guided weapons, and electronic warfare systems (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory military or alternative service; conscript service obligation is 12-18 months, depending on academic qualifications, and 24-36 months for alternative service, depending on academic qualifications; 17-year-olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2021)", - "note": "note - conscripts comprise an estimated 40% of the military" + "note": "note - conscripts can be assigned to the military, as well as the Ministry of Interior as internal or border troops; as of 2020, conscripts comprised an estimated 40% of the military" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "
Belarus has close security ties with Russia, including an integrated air and missile defense system, joint training exercises, and the establishment of three joint training centers since 2020 (1 in Belarus, 2 in Russia); Russia is the principal supplier of arms to Belarus, and Belarusian troops reportedly train on Russian equipment; Russia leases from Belarus a strategic ballistic missile defense site operated by Russian Aerospace Forces and a global communications facility for the Russian Navy; in 2020, the countries signed an agreement allowing for close security cooperation between the Belarusian Ministry of Interior and the Russian National Guard, including protecting public order and key government facilities, and combating extremism and terrorism
Belarus has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and contributes troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force
Belarus has close security ties with Russia, including an integrated air and missile defense system, joint training exercises, and the establishment of three joint training centers since 2020 (1 in Belarus, 2 in Russia); Russia is the principal supplier of arms to Belarus, and Belarusian troops reportedly train on Russian equipment; Russia leases from Belarus a strategic ballistic missile defense site operated by Russian Aerospace Forces and a global communications facility for the Russian Navy; in 2020, the countries signed an agreement allowing for close security cooperation between the Belarusian Ministry of Interior and the Russian National Guard, including protecting public order and key government facilities, and combating extremism and terrorism
Belarus has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and contributes an airborne brigade to CSTO's rapid reaction force (KSOR)
Denmark is a member of the EU, but opted out of the EU’s Common Defense and Security Policy, and therefore does not participate in EU military operations or in the cooperation on development and acquisition of military capabilities within the EU framework
the Danish Armed Forces cooperate closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009
the Irish Defense Forces trace their origins back to the Irish Volunteers, which was established in 1913; the Irish Volunteers took part in the 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence, 1919-1921
Ireland has a long-standing policy of military neutrality; however, it participates in international peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, as well as crisis management; Ireland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and has committed a battalion of troops to the EU’s Rapid Reaction Force; Ireland is not a member of NATO, but has a relationship going back to 1997 when it deployed personnel in support of the NATO-led peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ireland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1999; Ireland has been an active participate in UN peacekeeping operations since the 1950s
" } diff --git a/europe/en.json b/europe/en.json index 26bb4769..7baec3c3 100644 --- a/europe/en.json +++ b/europe/en.json @@ -1156,13 +1156,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Estonian Defense Forces have a limited inventory of Soviet-era and more recently acquired modern weapons systems, largely from western European countries (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "approximately 100 Mali (Operation Barkhane/MINUSMA/EUTM) (2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "men 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; women can volunteer and as of 2018, women could serve in any branch of the military (2021)", "note": "note(s) - conscripts comprise about half (approximately 3,000-3,300) of the Estonian military's 6,500 active personnel and serve in all branches, except for the Air Force, which does not have conscripts; in 2020, women comprised about 10% of the full-time professional military force" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "approximately 100 Mali (Operation Barkhane/MINUSMA/EUTM) (2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Estonia officially became a member of NATO in 2004since 2017, Estonia has hosted a multi-national NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; the battlegroup is led by the UK and had about 800 troops on a continuous rotational basis as of 2021
NATO also has provided air protection for Estonia since 2004 through its Air Policing mission; NATO member countries that possess air combat capabilities voluntarily contribute to the mission on 4-month rotations; NATO fighter aircraft have been hosted at Estonia’s Ämari Air Base since 2014
" } diff --git a/europe/ez.json b/europe/ez.json index b02c87ee..11e14eed 100644 --- a/europe/ez.json +++ b/europe/ez.json @@ -1144,13 +1144,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Czech military has a mix of Soviet-era and more modern equipment, mostly of Western European origin; since 2010, the leading suppliers of military equipment to Czechia are Austria and Spain (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "the Czechia military has small numbers of troops deployed under EU, NATO, and UN command in several countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, and Mali (2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished 2004 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "the Czechia military has small numbers of troops deployed under EU, NATO, and UN command in several countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, and Mali (2021)" + }, "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" } diff --git a/europe/fi.json b/europe/fi.json index 6885156a..ace4b0da 100644 --- a/europe/fi.json +++ b/europe/fi.json @@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2021": { - "text": "2.1% of GDP (2021 est.)" + "text": "2% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "1.5% of GDP (2020)" @@ -1149,13 +1149,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Finnish Defense Forces consists of a wide mix of mostly modern US, European, and domestically-produced weapons systems; the Finnish defense industry produces a variety of military equipment, including wheeled armored vehicles and naval vessels (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "160 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "at age 18, all Finnish men are obligated to serve 5.5-12 months of service within a branch of the military or the Border Guard (length of service depends on the type of duty), and women 18-29 may volunteer for service; there is also an option to perform non-military service which lasts for 8.5 or 11.5 months; after completing their initial conscript obligation, individuals enter the reserves and remain eligible for mobilization until the age of 50 for rank-and-file and 60 for non-commissioned and commissioned officers (2021)", "note": "note(s) - the military trains approximately 21,000 (20,000 Army) conscripts each year; since 2017, between 1,000 and 1,700 women have volunteered for military service annually; as of 2019, women made up about 4% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "160 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Finland is not a member of NATO, but the two actively cooperate in peace-support operations, exercise together, and exchange analysis and information; Finland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994; Finnish Armed Forces participated in NATO-led military operations and missions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq
Finland is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and actively participates in CSDP crisis management missions and operations
the Finnish Armed Forces closely cooperate with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009
" } diff --git a/europe/fr.json b/europe/fr.json index 9b68bc80..840488cf 100644 --- a/europe/fr.json +++ b/europe/fr.json @@ -1219,14 +1219,14 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the French military's inventory consists almost entirely of domestically-produced weapons systems, including some jointly-produced with other European countries; there is a limited mix of armaments from other Western countries, particularly the US; France has a defense industry capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "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 in 2022); approximately 300 Central African Republic; 950 Cote D'Ivoire; 1,450 Djibouti; 300 Baltics (NATO); 2,100 French Guyana; 900 French Polynesia; 1,000 French West Indies; 350 Gabon; est. 500 Middle East (Iraq/Jordan/Syria); 950 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,450 New Caledonia; 1,700 Reunion Island; 350 Senegal; 650 United Arab Emirates (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 (2021)in 2010, France and the UK signed a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), a deployable, combined Anglo-French military force for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, up to and including high intensity combat operations; the CJEF has no standing forces, but would be available at short notice for French-UK bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations; combined training exercises began in 2011; as of 2020, the CJEF was assessed as having full operating capacity with the ability to rapidly deploy over 10,000 personnel capable of high intensity operations, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance
the French Foreign Legion, established in 1831, is a military force that is open to foreign recruits willing to serve in the French Armed Forces for service in France and abroad; the Foreign Legion is an integrated part of the French Army and is comprised of approximately 8,000 personnel in eight regiments, a regiment-sized demi-brigade, a battalion-sized overseas detachment, a battalion-sized recruiting group, and a command staff; the combat units are a mix of armored cavalry and airborne, light, mechanized, and motorized infantry
(2021)" } diff --git a/europe/gm.json b/europe/gm.json index b4561ded..a1fd59f5 100644 --- a/europe/gm.json +++ b/europe/gm.json @@ -1188,13 +1188,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the German Federal Armed Forces inventory is mostly comprised of weapons systems produced domestically or jointly with other European countries and Western imports, particularly from the US; Germany's defense industry is capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems, and is one of the world's leading arms exporters (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "approximately 500 Middle East (NATO/Counter-ISIS campaign); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 600 Lithuania (NATO); approximately 1,400 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 (must have completed compulsory full-time education and have German citizenship); conscription ended July 2011; service obligation 7-23 months or 12 years; women have been eligible for voluntary service in all military branches and positions since 2001 (2021)", "note": "note - in 2021, women accounted for about 12% of the German military" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "approximately 500 Middle East (NATO/Counter-ISIS campaign); 130 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 600 Lithuania (NATO); approximately 1,400 Mali (MINUSMA/EUTM); note - Germany is a contributing member of the EuroCorps (2021)" + }, "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 NATOthe German Army has incorporated a joint Franco-German mechanized infantry brigade since 1989, a Dutch airmobile infantry brigade since 2014, and a Dutch mechanized infantry brigade since 2016; in addition, the German Navy’s Sea Battalion (includes marine infantry, naval divers, reconnaissance, and security forces) has worked closely with the Dutch Marine Corps since 2016, including as a binational amphibious landing group (2021)
" } diff --git a/europe/gr.json b/europe/gr.json index 0e123e19..e7271ddd 100644 --- a/europe/gr.json +++ b/europe/gr.json @@ -1162,13 +1162,13 @@ "text": "the inventory of the Hellenic Armed Forces consists mostly of a mix of imported weapons from Europe and the US, as well as a limited number of domestically produced systems, particularly naval vessels; France, Germany, and the US are the leading suppliers of weapons systems to Greece since 2010; Greece's defense industry is capable of producing naval vessels and associated subsystems (2020)", "note": "note - in addition to finalizing an update to the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement with the US, Greece also entered into a security agreement with France in 2021 that included the sale of frigates and fighter aircraft to augment its aging weapons systems" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "approximately 1,000 Cyprus; 110 Kosovo (NATO); 150 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Sep 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "19-45 years of age for compulsory military service; 12-month obligation for all services (note - as an exception, the duration of the full military service is 9 instead of 12 months if conscripts, after the initial training, serve the entire remaining time in certain areas of the eastern borders, in Cyprus, or in certain military units); 18 years of age for volunteers; women are eligible for voluntary military service (2021)", "note": "note(s) - approximately 40-50% of the Greek military is comprised of conscripts; as of 2019, women comprised approximately 19% of the full-time military personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "approximately 1,000 Cyprus; 110 Kosovo (NATO); 150 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Sep 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Greece joined NATO in 1952" } @@ -1190,7 +1190,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "5,552 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 1,215,025 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022); as of the end of December 2020, an estimated 119,700 migrants and refugees were stranded in Greece since 2015-16" + "note": "note: 1,215,180 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022); 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 products 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 92a48676..ed80531f 100644 --- a/europe/hr.json +++ b/europe/hr.json @@ -1198,7 +1198,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "2,910 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 735,873 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 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: 736,622 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-January 2022); 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": "drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of of large quantities of cocaine destined for European markets
" diff --git a/europe/hu.json b/europe/hu.json index 7f18c302..ce913b97 100644 --- a/europe/hu.json +++ b/europe/hu.json @@ -1183,13 +1183,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Hungarian Defense Forces consists largely of Soviet-era weapons, with a smaller mix of more modern European and US equipment; since 2010, Hungary has received limited quantities of equipment from several European countries and the US (2021)" }, - "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 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women comprised approximately 20% of Hungary's full-time military personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "160 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR stabilization force); 150 Iraq (counter-ISIS coalition); 430 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2021)" + }, "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" } diff --git a/europe/it.json b/europe/it.json index 456c5720..44657387 100644 --- a/europe/it.json +++ b/europe/it.json @@ -1184,13 +1184,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Italian Armed Forces' inventory includes a mix of domestically-produced, jointly-produced, and imported European and US weapons systems; the US is the leading supplier of weapons to Italy since 2010, followed by Germany; the Italian defense industry is capable of producing equipment across all the military domains with particular strengths in naval vessels and aircraft; it also participates in joint development and production of advanced weapons systems with other European countries and the US (2021)" }, - "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); 900 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 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women made up about 6% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "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); 900 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 400 Libya; 290 Niger; 150 Somalia (EUTM) (2021)" + }, "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
Italy is an active participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations abroad; as of 2021, it hosted the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force (EUNAVFOR-MED) in Rome and the US Navy’s 6th Fleet in Naples; Italy was admitted to the UN in 1955 and in 1960 participated in its first UN peacekeeping mission, the UN Operation in Congo (ONUC); since 1960, it has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and as of 2021, was the top supplier of military and police forces among Western and EU nations to UN peacekeeping operations; since 2006, Italy has hosted a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions
" } @@ -1211,7 +1211,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "3,000 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 594,172 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022)" + "note": "note: 595,820 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "important gateway for drug trafficking; organized crime groups allied with Colombian and Spanish groups trafficking cocaine to Europe" diff --git a/europe/lh.json b/europe/lh.json index 734206a9..d428bee8 100644 --- a/europe/lh.json +++ b/europe/lh.json @@ -1173,13 +1173,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Lithuanian Armed Forces' inventory is mostly a mix of Western weapons systems and Soviet-era equipment (primarily aircraft and helicopters); as of 2021, European and the US are the leading suppliers of armaments to Lithuania (2021)" }, - "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 Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units (2021)" - }, "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) (2021)", "note": "note(s) - Lithuania conscripts up to 4,000 males each year; conscripts are selected using an automated lottery system; as of 2019, women comprised about 12% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "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 Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units (2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Lithuania officially became a member of NATO in 2004since 2017, Lithuania has hosted a multi-national NATO ground force battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; the battlegroup is led by Germany and had about 1,250 troops on a continuous rotational basis as of 2021
NATO also has provided air protection for Lithuania since 2004 through its Air Policing mission; NATO member countries that possess air combat capabilities voluntarily contribute to the mission on 4-month rotations; NATO fighter aircraft are hosted at Lithuania’s Šiauliai Air Base
" } diff --git a/europe/lo.json b/europe/lo.json index e04ee005..825d4fb6 100644 --- a/europe/lo.json +++ b/europe/lo.json @@ -1122,13 +1122,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Slovakian military consists mostly of Soviet-era platforms; since 2010, it has imported limited quantities of equipment from China, Czechia, Italy, Russia, and the US (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "240 Cyprus (UNFICYP); up to 175 Latvia (NATO) (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 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women made up around 12% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "240 Cyprus (UNFICYP); up to 175 Latvia (NATO) (2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Slovakia officially became a member of NATO in 2004" } diff --git a/europe/mj.json b/europe/mj.json index 6de2c3ce..3e9a148e 100644 --- a/europe/mj.json +++ b/europe/mj.json @@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "458 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 20,736 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022)" + "note": "note: 20,748 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of large quantities of cocaine destined for European markets
" diff --git a/europe/mk.json b/europe/mk.json index e6a397c7..78dcbd95 100644 --- a/europe/mk.json +++ b/europe/mk.json @@ -1124,7 +1124,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "553 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 525,216 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021)" + "note": "note: 528,369 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-January 2022)" }, "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 5f5272b8..22f99d6b 100644 --- a/europe/nl.json +++ b/europe/nl.json @@ -1162,13 +1162,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Netherlands Armed Forces consists of a mix of domestically-produced and modern European- and US-sourced equipment; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of weapons systems to the Netherlands, followed by several European countries; the Netherlands has an advanced domestic defense industry that focuses on armored vehicles, naval ships, and air defense systems; it also participates with the US and other European countries on joint development and production of advanced weapons systems (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "270 Lithuania (NATO) (2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "17 years of age for an all-volunteer force; conscription remains in place, but the requirement to show up for compulsory military service was suspended in 1997 (2021)", "note": "note - in 2019, women made up about 11% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "270 Lithuania (NATO) (2021)" + }, "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 1949since 1973, the Dutch Marine Corps has worked closely with the British Royal Marines, including jointly in the UK-Netherlands amphibious landing force
a Dutch Army airmobile infantry brigade and a mechanized infantry brigade have been integrated into the German Army since 2014 and 2016 respectively
the Norwegian Armed Forces cooperate closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; areas of cooperation include armaments, education, human resources, training and exercises, and operations; NORDEFCO was established in 2009
(2021)" } diff --git a/europe/pl.json b/europe/pl.json index 9be63b86..c766787f 100644 --- a/europe/pl.json +++ b/europe/pl.json @@ -1206,14 +1206,14 @@ "text": "the inventory of the Polish Armed Forces consists of a mix of Soviet-era and more modern Western weapons systems; since 2010, the leading suppliers of armaments to Poland are Finland, Germany, Italy, and the US (2021)", "note": "note - in late 2018, Poland announced a 7-year (through 2026) approximately $50 billion defense modernization plan that would include such items as 5th generation combat aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, rocket artillery, helicopters, submarines, and improved cyber security" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "240 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 175 Latvia (NATO); 250 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (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 Poland 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 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women made up about 7% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "240 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 175 Latvia (NATO); 250 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (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 Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units" + }, "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 Alliancesince 2017, Poland has hosted a multi-national NATO battlegroup as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative; the battlegroup is led by the US and had about 1,000 troops on a continuous rotational basis as of 2021
" } diff --git a/europe/po.json b/europe/po.json index 32b2a272..a1e1aba5 100644 --- a/europe/po.json +++ b/europe/po.json @@ -1164,14 +1164,14 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Portuguese Armed Forces inventory includes mostly European and US-origin weapons systems along with a smaller mix of domestically-produced equipment; since 2010, Germany and the US are the leading suppliers of armaments to Portugal; Portugal's defense industry is primarily focused on shipbuilding (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA/EUTM); up to 120 Baltic States (NATO) (2021)", - "note": "note - in 2021, Portugal deployed about 80 troops to Mozambique to assist with the EU training mission" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-30 years of age for voluntary or contract military service; no compulsory military service (abolished 2004), but conscription possible if insufficient volunteers available; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1992, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties; contract service lasts for an initial period from two to six years, and can be extended to a maximum of 20 years of service; voluntary military service lasts 12 months; reserve obligation to age 35 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women made up about 12% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA/EUTM); up to 120 Baltic States (NATO) (2021)", + "note": "note - in 2021, Portugal deployed about 80 troops to Mozambique to assist with the EU training mission" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Portugal 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" } diff --git a/europe/ri.json b/europe/ri.json index 77185225..09873915 100644 --- a/europe/ri.json +++ b/europe/ri.json @@ -1166,13 +1166,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Serbian Armed Forces consists of Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems; since 2010, most of its weapons imports have come from Russia (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "175 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2011 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women made up about 6% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "175 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Serbia does not aspire to join NATO, but has cooperated with the Alliance since 2006 when it joined the Partnership for Peace program
" } @@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "2,113 (includes stateless persons in Kosovo) (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 817,395 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022); Serbia is predominantly a transit country and hosts an estimated 6,228 migrants and asylum seekers as of September 2021" + "note": "note: 818,576 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022); Serbia is predominantly a transit country and hosts an estimated 6,228 migrants and asylum seekers as of September 2021" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of of large quantities of cocaine destined for European markets
" diff --git a/europe/ro.json b/europe/ro.json index af8e53fb..74da5040 100644 --- a/europe/ro.json +++ b/europe/ro.json @@ -1172,12 +1172,12 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Romanian Armed Forces is comprised mostly of Soviet-era and older domestically-produced weapons systems; there is also a smaller mix of Western-origin equipment received in more recent years from European countries and the US (2021)" }, - "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 (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "up to 120 Poland (NATO) (2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Romania officially became a member of NATO in 2004" } @@ -1196,7 +1196,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "314 (mid-year 2021)" }, - "note": "note: 9,439 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022)" + "note": "note: 9,515 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2022)" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/europe/sp.json b/europe/sp.json index d31069e2..b40e234f 100644 --- a/europe/sp.json +++ b/europe/sp.json @@ -1192,13 +1192,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Spanish military is comprised of domestically-produced and imported Western weapons systems; France, Germany, and the US are the leading suppliers of military hardware since 2010; Spain's defense industry manufactures land, air, and sea weapons systems and is integrated within the European defense-industrial sector (2021)" }, - "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 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel" }, + "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 - note": { "text": "Spain joined NATO in 1982, but refrained from participating in the integrated military structure until 1996in 2010, France and the UK signed a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), a deployable, combined Anglo-French military force for use in a wide range of crisis scenarios, up to and including high intensity combat operations; the CJEF has no standing forces, but would be available at short notice for UK-French bilateral, NATO, EU, UN, or other operations; combined training exercises began in 2011; as of 2020, the CJEF was assessed as having full operating capacity with the ability to rapidly deploy over 10,000 personnel capable of high intensity operations, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanitarian assistance
in 2014, the UK led the formation of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a pool of high-readiness military forces from Baltic and Scandinavian countries able to respond to a wide range of contingencies both in peacetime and in times of crisis or conflict; its principal geographic area of interest is the High North, North Atlantic, and Baltic Sea regions, where the JEF can complement national capabilities or NATO’s deterrence posture, although it is designed to be flexible and prepared to respond to humanitarian crises further afield; the JEF consists of 10 countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK) and was declared operational in 2018; most of the forces in the pool are British, and the UK provides the most rapidly deployable units as well as the command and control elements
" } diff --git a/middle-east/ae.json b/middle-east/ae.json index 82a127dd..9580a903 100644 --- a/middle-east/ae.json +++ b/middle-east/ae.json @@ -1153,13 +1153,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the UAE Armed Forces inventory is comprised of wide variety of mostly modern imported equipment; since 2010, the UAE has acquired military equipment from more than 20 countries with France, Russia, and the US as the leading suppliers; in recent years, the UAE has tried to boost its domestic defense industry (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "estimates vary; reportedly a few hundred remain in Yemen; maintains military bases in Eritrea and Somalia (2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men (compulsory service initiated in 2014); 17 years of age for male volunteers with parental approval; males can volunteer up to age 40; 24-month general service obligation, 16 months for secondary school graduates; women can volunteer to serve for 9 months regardless of education (2021)", "note": "note - compulsory service may be completed in the uniformed military, the Ministry of Interior, the State Security Service, or other institutions designated by the military leadership" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "estimates vary; reportedly a few hundred remain in Yemen; maintains military bases in Eritrea and Somalia (2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2021, the UAE was closely aligned with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on regional security issues; it hosted a multipurpose air, ground, and naval French military base, which included the French naval command for the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN); the UAE has a defense cooperation agreement with the US and, as of 2021, hosted about 3,500 US troops, mostly air and naval personnel
in 2015, UAE intervened militarily in Yemen as part of the Saudi-led coalition in support of the Republic of Yemen Government with an estimated 3,500 troops, as well as supporting air and naval forces; UAE withdrew its main military force from Yemen in 2019, but has retained a small military presence while working with proxies in southern Yemen, most notably the Southern Transitional Council (STC); as of 2021, UAE had recruited, trained, and equipped an estimated 150-200,000 Yemeni fighters and formed them into dozens of militia and paramilitary units
the UAE's military traces its origins to the establishment of the Trucial Oman Scouts in 1951, a joint UK-Abu Dhabi organization modeled after Jordan’s Arab Legion, which became the Abu Dhabi Defense Force in 1965; the modern Emirati armed forces were formed in 1976
as of 2021, Bahrain hosted the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which included the US 5th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; in 2018, the UK opened a naval support base in Bahrain
Bahrain has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
as of 2022, Bahrain hosted the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which included the US 5th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; in 2018, the UK opened a naval support base in Bahrain
in addition to the US and UK, Bahrain maintains close security ties to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; both Saudi Arabia and the UAE sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; in 2015, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military action to try to restore the Government of Yemen that was ousted by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft
Bahrain has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the Army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) transformed the IRGC into more of a conventional fighting force with its own ground, air, naval, and special forces, plus control over Iran’s strategic missile and rocket forces; as of 2021, the IRGC was a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it was heavily involved in internal security and had significant influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; its special operations forces, known as the Qods/Quds Force, specialized in foreign missions and has provided advice, funding, guidance, material support, training, and weapons to militants in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as extremist groups, including HAMAS, Hizballah, Kata’ib Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad (see Appendix-T for additional details on the IRGC and Qods Force); the Qods Force also conducts intelligence and reconnaissance operations
the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) is the senior-most body for formulating Iran’s foreign and security policy; it is formally chaired by the president, who also appoints the SCNS secretary; its members include the speaker of the Majles, the head of the judiciary, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff (chief of defense or CHOD), the commanders of the Artesh (regular forces) and IRGC, and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, interior, and intelligence; the SCNS reports to the supreme leader; the supreme leader is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces
" + }, "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, depending on the location of service (soldiers serving in places of high security risk and deprived areas serve shorter terms); women exempt from military service (2021)", - "note": "note - approximately 80 percent of Artesh ground forces personnel are conscripts, while Navy and Air/Air Defense Force personnel are primarily volunteers; approximately 60 percent of the IRGC is reportedly comprised of conscripts" - }, - "Military - note": { - "text": "the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was formed in May 1979 in the immediate aftermath of Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI’s fall, as leftists, nationalists, and Islamists jockeyed for power; while the interim prime minister controlled the government and state institutions, such as the Army, followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI organized counterweights, including the IRGC, to protect the Islamic revolution; the IRGC’s command structure bypassed the elected president and went directly to KHOMEINI; the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88) transformed the IRGC into more of a conventional fighting force with its own ground, air, naval, and special forces, plus control over Iran’s strategic missile and rocket forces; as of 2021, the IRGC was a highly institutionalized and parallel military force to Iran’s regular armed forces (Artesh); it was heavily involved in internal security and had significant influence in the political and economic spheres of Iranian society, as well as Iran’s foreign policy; its special operations forces, known as the Qods Force, specialized in foreign missions and has provided advice, funding, guidance, material support, training, and weapons to militants in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, as well as extremist groups, including HAMAS, Hizballah, Kata’ib Hizballah, and Palestine Islamic Jihad (see Appendix-T for additional details on the IRGC and Qods Force)
the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) is the senior-most body for formulating Iran’s foreign and security policy; it is formally chaired by the president, who also appoints the SCNS secretary; its members include the speaker of the Majles, the head of the judiciary, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff (chief of defense or CHOD), the commanders of the Artesh (regular forces) and IRGC, and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, interior, and intelligence; the SCNS reports to the supreme leader; the supreme leader is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces
" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/middle-east/is.json b/middle-east/is.json index d718d789..f4176ba6 100644 --- a/middle-east/is.json +++ b/middle-east/is.json @@ -470,6 +470,9 @@ "local short form": { "text": "Yisra'el" }, + "former": { + "text": "Mandatory Palestine" + }, "etymology": { "text": "named after the ancient Kingdom of Israel; according to Biblical tradition, the Jewish patriarch Jacob received the name \"Israel\" (\"He who struggles with God\") after he wrestled an entire night with an angel of the Lord; Jacob's 12 sons became the ancestors of the Israelites, also known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel, who formed the Kingdom of Israel" } diff --git a/middle-east/jo.json b/middle-east/jo.json index 7ffae46b..e96db6be 100644 --- a/middle-east/jo.json +++ b/middle-east/jo.json @@ -1149,13 +1149,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the JAF inventory is comprised of a wide mix of imported weapons, mostly second-hand equipment from Europe, the Gulf States, and the US (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "325 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "17 years of age for voluntary male military service (women can volunteer to serve in noncombat military positions in the Royal Jordanian Arab Army Women's Corps and RJAF); initial service term 2 years, with option to reenlist for 18 years; conscription abolished in 1991; however, in 2020, Jordan announced the reinstatement of compulsory military service for jobless men aged between 25 and 29 with 12 months of service, made up of 3 months of military training and 9 months of professional and technical training; in 2019, announced a voluntary 4-month National Military Service program for men and women aged between 18-25 years who have been unemployed for at least 6 months; service would include 1 month for military training with the remaining 3 months dedicated to vocational training in the sectors of construction and tourism (2021)", "note": "note - most women serve in the medical service; outside the medical service, women comprised about 1.5% of the military as of 2019; the Jordanian Government intended to raise this to 3%" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "325 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Jordanian military traces its origins back to the Arab Legion, which was formed under the British protectorate of Transjordan in the 1920s
due largely to its proximity to regional conflicts in Iraq and Syria, the presence of major terrorist organizations in both of those countries, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the highest priorities of Jordan’s military and security services in 2021 included securing its borders and the potential for domestic terrorist attacks; the terrorist group Hizballah and Iranian-backed militia forces were operating in southwestern Syria near Jordan’s border while fighters from the Islamic State of ash-Sham and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group continued operating in both Iraq and Syria; ISIS fighters included Jordanian nationals, some of whom have returned to Jordan; meanwhile, individuals and groups sympathetic to Palestine have planned and conducted terrorist attacks in Jordan
Jordan has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994
as of 2021, Qatar hosted more than 8,000 US military forces and the regional headquarters for the US Central Command (CENTCOM; established 1983) at various military facilities, including the large Al Udeid Air Base; Qatar also hosted as many as 5,000 Turkish military forces at two bases established in 2014 and 2019
Qatar (as of early 2022) has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
the military has a substantial stake in Turkey's economy through a holding company that is involved in the automotive, energy, finance, and logistics sectors, as well as iron and steel production
(2021)" } @@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "3,741,351 (Syria) (2022)" + "text": "3,741,321 (Syria) (2022)" }, "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/north-america/ca.json b/north-america/ca.json index fd87011c..e05c9ada 100644 --- a/north-america/ca.json +++ b/north-america/ca.json @@ -1196,13 +1196,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the CAF's inventory is a mix of domestically-produced equipment and imported weapons systems from Australia, Europe, Israel, and the US; since 2010, the leading supplier is the US; Canada's defense industry develops, maintains, and produces a range of equipment, including aircraft, combat vehicles, naval vessels, and associated components (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "up to 530 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)", "note": "note(s) - Canada opened up all military occupations to women in 2001; in 2020, women comprised about 16% of the CAF" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "up to 530 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 - 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 1949Canada is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD; established 1958); NORAD is a Canada-US bi-national military command responsible for monitoring and defending North American airspace; traditionally, a Canadian Armed Forces officer has served as the deputy commander of NORAD
Canada’s defense relationship with the US extends back to the Ogdensburg Declaration of 1940, when the two countries formally agreed on military cooperation, including the establishment of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense (PJBD), which continued to be the highest-level bilateral defense forum between Canada and the US as of 2021
British troops withdrew from Canada in 1871 as part of the UK-US Treaty of Washington; following the withdrawal, the first Canadian militia, known as the Royal Canadian Regiment, was organized in 1883 to protect Canadian territory and defend British interests abroad, which it did in the South African War (1899-1902), Canada’s first overseas conflict; militia units formed the backbone of the more than 425,000 Canadian soldiers that went to Europe during World War I in what was called the Canadian Expeditionary Force; the Royal Canadian Navy was created in 1910, while the Canadian Air Force was established in 1920 and became the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1924; the Canadian Army was officially founded in 1942; a unified Canadian Armed Forces was created in 1968
" } diff --git a/north-america/mx.json b/north-america/mx.json index 22997474..59c2d253 100644 --- a/north-america/mx.json +++ b/north-america/mx.json @@ -525,6 +525,9 @@ "local short form": { "text": "Mexico" }, + "former": { + "text": "Mexican Republic, Mexican Empire" + }, "etymology": { "text": "named after the capital city, whose name stems from the Mexica, the largest and most powerful branch of the Aztecs; the meaning of the name is uncertain" } diff --git a/south-america/ar.json b/south-america/ar.json index c5f95dc2..8f66c68a 100644 --- a/south-america/ar.json +++ b/south-america/ar.json @@ -1216,13 +1216,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of Argentina's armed forces is a mix of domestically-produced and mostly older imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; since 2010, France and the US are the leading suppliers of equipment; Argentina has an indigenous defense industry that can produce air, land, and sea systems (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "250 Cyprus (UNFICYP) (Jan 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-24 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); 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 (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2017, women made up over 17% of the active duty military" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "250 Cyprus (UNFICYP) (Jan 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2021, the Argentine military was focused 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 areasborder conflicts with Peru dominated the military’s focus until the late 1990s; as of 2021, border security remained a priority, but in more recent years, security challenges have shifted towards counterinsurgency and counter-narcotics operations, particularly in the northern border area where violence and other criminal activity related to terrorism, insurgency, and narco-trafficking in Colombia, as well as refugees from Venezuela, has spilled over the border; troop deployments along the border with Colombia were scaled back following the 2016 signing of a peace agreement between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) terrorist group (see Appendix T), but recent violence associated with FARC dissidents to the agreement have led Ecuador and Colombia to reinforce their shared border; since 2012, the Ecuadorian Government has also expanded the military’s role in general public security and counter-narcotics operations, in part due to police corruption and ineffectiveness
the military has had a large role in Ecuador’s political history; it ruled the country from 1963-1966 and 1972-1979, and supported a dictatorship in 1970-1972; during the 1980s, the military remained loyal to the civilian government, but civilian-military relations were at times tenuous, and the military had considerable autonomy from civilian oversight; it was involved in coup attempts in 2000 and 2010
" + }, + "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" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/south-america/pe.json b/south-america/pe.json index 8263e4b2..12496278 100644 --- a/south-america/pe.json +++ b/south-america/pe.json @@ -1221,18 +1221,18 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Peruvian military's inventory is a mix of mostly older equipment from a wide variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the US; since 2010, Peru has received military equipment from more than a dozen countries, led by Russia and South Korea (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "220 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Oct 2021)" - }, - "Maritime threats": { - "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Peru are a risk for armed robbery against ships; in 2020, eight attacks against a commercial vessels were reported, down from 10 attacks in 2019; all of these occurred in the main port of Callao" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-50 years of age for male and 18-45 years of age for female voluntary military service (12 months); no conscription (abolished in 1999) (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2019, women made up about 10% of the active duty military" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "220 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "
as of 2021, the Peruvian security forces continued to conduct operations against remnants of the Shining Path terrorist group (aka Sendero Luminoso; see Appendix T), particularly in the Apurimac, Ene, and Mantaro River Valleys (VRAEM) of eastern Peru; the military had approximately 8,000-10,000 troops in the VRAEM under a special combined military-police command, including 3 army infantry battalions
" + }, + "Maritime threats": { + "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Peru are a risk for armed robbery against ships; in 2020, eight attacks against a commercial vessels were reported, down from 10 attacks in 2019; all of these occurred in the main port of Callao" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/south-america/ve.json b/south-america/ve.json index 70663aea..cb4fa66b 100644 --- a/south-america/ve.json +++ b/south-america/ve.json @@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, FANB): Bolivarian Army (Ejercito Bolivariano, EB), Bolivarian Navy (Armada Bolivariana, AB; includes marines, Coast Guard), Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviacion Militar Bolivariana, AMB; includes a joint-service Aerospace Defense Command (Comando de Defensa Aeroespacial Integral, CODAI), Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana), Bolivarian National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB)as of late 2021, an estimated 1,500- 2,000 members of the terrorist organizations National Liberation Army (ELN) and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia dissidents (FARC-People's Army and Segundo Marquetalia - see Appendix T) operated in Venezuela, mostly in the states of Amazonas, Apure, Bolivar, Guarico, Tachira, and Zulia, although ELN was assessed to be present in 12 of Venezuela’s 23 states; the groups were particularly active in Apure state where the Venezuelan military clashed several times with FARC dissidents of the 10th Front in 2020-2021
" + }, + "Maritime threats": { + "text": "The International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Caribbean Sea as at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous 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; in 2020, no attacks were reported which was a decrease from the six attacks in 2019" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/south-asia/af.json b/south-asia/af.json index 19b74bca..0dcae9b7 100644 --- a/south-asia/af.json +++ b/south-asia/af.json @@ -1117,7 +1117,7 @@ }, "Ports and terminals": { "river port(s)": { - "text": "Kheyrabad, Shir Khan" + "text": "Hairatan, Qizil Qal`ah (Amu Darya)" } } }, diff --git a/south-asia/bg.json b/south-asia/bg.json index 27798f12..68db3aad 100644 --- a/south-asia/bg.json +++ b/south-asia/bg.json @@ -1213,17 +1213,17 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Bangladesh Defense Force inventory is comprised of mostly Chinese and Russian equipment; since 2010, China is the leading supplier of arms to Bangladesh; as of 2021, Bangladesh was undertaking a large defense modernization program, with a focus on naval acquisitions (2021)" }, - "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 over 5,500 troops deployed, including: 1,325 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,625 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus about 175 police); 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,100 Mali (MINUSMA; plus about 280 police); 1,625 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" - }, - "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 (2021)" }, + "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 over 5,500 troops deployed, including: 1,325 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,625 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; plus about 175 police); 120 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 1,100 Mali (MINUSMA; plus about 280 police); 1,625 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2021, the military’s chief areas of focus were border, economic exclusion zone, and domestic security; the Army maintained a large domestic security presence in the Chittagong Hills area where it conducted counterinsurgency operations against tribal guerrillas from the 1970s until the late 1990s; since 2009, the military has been in a force-wide expansion and modernization program known as Forces Goal 2030
" + }, + "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" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/south-asia/bt.json b/south-asia/bt.json index 139d7ffe..fd4e2bd2 100644 --- a/south-asia/bt.json +++ b/south-asia/bt.json @@ -998,7 +998,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard, an air wing); National Militia; Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs: Royal Bhutan Police (2021)", + "text": "Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and an air wing); National Militia; Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs: Royal Bhutan Police (2021)", "note": "note - the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) agency is responsible for internal security; the Army is responsible for external threats but also has responsibility for some internal security functions, including conducting counterinsurgency operations, guarding forests, and providing security for prominent persons" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { diff --git a/south-asia/in.json b/south-asia/in.json index 60c14299..753b4982 100644 --- a/south-asia/in.json +++ b/south-asia/in.json @@ -1236,12 +1236,12 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the inventory of the Indian Armed Forces consists mostly of Russian-origin equipment, along with a smaller mix of Western and domestically-produced arms; since 2010, Russia is the leading supplier of arms to India; other major suppliers include France, Israel, the UK, and the US; India's defense industry is capable of producing a range of air, land, missile, and naval weapons systems for both indigenous use and export (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "1,850 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 200 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 850 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 2,350 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "16-18 years of age for voluntary military service (Army 17 1/2, Air Force 17, Navy 16 1/2); no conscription; women may join as officers, currently serve in combat roles as Air Force pilots, and under consideration for Army and Navy combat roles (currently can fly naval reconnaissance aircraft) (2021)" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "1,850 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 200 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 850 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 2,350 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2021, the Indian Armed Forces were chiefly focused on China and Pakistan; the short 1962 Sino-India War left in place one of the world’s longest disputed international borders, resulting in occasional standoffs between Indian and Chinese security forces, including lethal clashes in 1975 and 2020; meanwhile, India and Pakistan have fought several conflicts since 1947, including the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistan and Bangladesh War of Independence of 1971, as well as two clashes over the disputed region of Kashmir (the First Kashmir War of 1947 and the 1999 Kargil Conflict); a fragile cease-fire in Kashmir was reached in 2003 and revised in 2018, although the border, known as the Line of Control, remained contested as of 2021, and India has accused Pakistan of backing armed separatists and terrorist organizations in Jammu and Kashmir where Indian forces have conducted counterinsurgency operations since the 1980s; in addition, India and Pakistan have battled over the Siachen Glacier of Kashmir, which was seized by India in 1984 with Pakistan attempting to retake the area at least three times between 1985 and 1995; a cease-fire went into effect in 2003, but as of 2021, both sides continued to maintain a permanent military presence there with outposts at altitudes above 20,000 feet (over 6,000 meters) where most casualties were due to extreme weather and the hazards of operating in the high mountain terrain of the world’s highest conflict, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sickness
" } diff --git a/south-asia/np.json b/south-asia/np.json index a2b4929a..dec0b43d 100644 --- a/south-asia/np.json +++ b/south-asia/np.json @@ -1134,13 +1134,13 @@ "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Army's inventory includes a mix of older equipment largely of British, Chinese, Indian, Russian, and South African origin; since 2010, Nepal has received limited amounts of newer hardware from several countries, including China, Italy, and Russia (2021)" }, - "Military deployments": { - "text": "Nepal has about 5,500 total troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions, including: 615 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 900 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 400 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 870 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 230 Liberia (UNSMIL); 200 Mali (MINUSMA); 1,750 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Sep 2021)" - }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2021)", "note": "note - as of 2020, women comprised about 5% of the active duty military" }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "Nepal has about 5,500 total troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions, including: 615 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 900 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 400 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 870 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 230 Liberia (UNSMIL); 200 Mali (MINUSMA); 1,750 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Sep 2021)" + }, "Military - note": { "text": "Nepal became a member of the UN in 1955 and has been an active participant in UN peacekeeping operations since, sending its first military observers to a UN peacekeeping mission in 1958 and its first peacekeeping military contingent to Egypt in 1974
the military has carried out three coups since Pakistan's independence in 1947 and as of 2021 remained a dominant force in the country’s political arena; in 2021, its chief focus was on the perceived threat from India, but over the past 15 years, the military also has increased its role in internal counterinsurgency and counterterrorism missions
Pakistan and India have fought several conflicts since 1947, including the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistan and Bangladesh War of Independence of 1971, as well as two clashes over the disputed region of Kashmir (First Kashmir War of 1947 and the Kargil Conflict of 1999); a fragile cease-fire in Kashmir was reached in 2003 and revised in 2018, although the border, known as the Line of Control, remained contested as of 2021, and India has accused Pakistan of backing armed separatists and terrorist organizations in Jammu and Kashmir; in addition, India and Pakistan have battled over the Siachen Glacier of Kashmir, which was seized by India in 1984 with Pakistan attempting to retake the area in 1985, 1987, and 1995; a cease-fire went into effect in 2003, but as of 2021 both sides continued to maintain a permanent military presence there with outposts at altitudes above 20,000 feet (over 6,000 meters) where most casualties were due to extreme weather or the hazards of operating in the high mountain terrain of the world’s highest conflict, including avalanches, exposure, and altitude sickness
Pakistan has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments