as of 2021, that FAC had limited capabilities due to obsolescent and poorly maintained equipment and low levels of training; its primary focus was internal security; since its creation in 1961, the FAC has had a turbulent history; it has been sidelined by some national leaders in favor of personal militias, endured an internal rebellion (1996), and clashed with various rebel groups and political or ethnic militias (1993-1996, 2002-2005, 2017); during the 1997-1999 civil war, the military generally split along ethnic lines, with most northern officers supporting eventual winner SASSOU-Nguesso, and most southerners backing the rebels; others joined ethnic-based factions loyal to regional warlords; forces backing SASSOU-Nguesso were supported by Angolan troops and received some French assistance; the FAC also has undergone at least three reorganizations that included the incorporation of former rebel combatants and various ethnic and political militias; in recent years, France has provided some advice and training, and a military cooperation agreement was signed with Russia in 2019
" diff --git a/africa/cg.json b/africa/cg.json index 5cf8b277..b7fa418f 100644 --- a/africa/cg.json +++ b/africa/cg.json @@ -1216,7 +1216,7 @@ "text": "the FARDC is equipped mostly with a mix of second-hand Russian and Soviet-era weapons acquired from former Warsaw Pact nations; most equipment was acquired between 1970 and 2000; in recent years, Ukraine is the largest supplier of arms to the FARDC (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2021)" + "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; unclear how much conscription is used (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the modern FARDC was created out of the armed factions of the two Congo wars of 1996-1997 and 1998-2003; as part of the peace accords that ended the last war, the largest rebel groups were incorporated into the FARDC; many armed groups (at least 70 and by some recent estimates more than 100), however, continue to fight; as of 2021, 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
" diff --git a/africa/eg.json b/africa/eg.json index 1f49b121..4f90d77a 100644 --- a/africa/eg.json +++ b/africa/eg.json @@ -1146,17 +1146,17 @@ }, "Roadways": { "total": { - "text": "65,050 km (2017)" + "text": "65,050 km (2018)" }, "paved": { - "text": "48,000 km (2017)" + "text": "48,000 km (2018)" }, "unpaved": { - "text": "17,050 km (2017)" + "text": "17,050 km (2018)" } }, "Waterways": { - "text": "3,500 km (includes the Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in Nile Delta; the Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) is navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m) (2011)" + "text": "3,500 km (includes the Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in Nile Delta; the Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) is navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m) (2018)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { @@ -1233,7 +1233,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "70,022 (West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2020); 136,061 (Syria) (refugees), 50,759 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 20,245 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 19,347 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 15,532 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,449 (Yemen) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,806 (Iraq) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,770 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "70,022 (West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2020); 136,727 (Syria) (refugees), 50,759 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 20,245 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 19,347 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 15,532 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,449 (Yemen) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,806 (Iraq) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,770 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "10 (2020)" diff --git a/africa/er.json b/africa/er.json index c490e585..cdc6cb3f 100644 --- a/africa/er.json +++ b/africa/er.json @@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ } }, "Ethnic groups": { - "text": "Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni Amir, Nera) 5% (2010 est.)", + "text": "Tigrinya 50%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Afar 4%, Kunama 4%, Bilen 3%, Hedareb/Beja 2%, Nara 2%, Rashaida 1% (2021 est.)", "note": "note: data represent Eritrea's nine recognized ethnic groups" }, "Languages": { @@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ "text": "unicameral National Assembly (Hagerawi Baito) (150 seats; 75 members indirectly elected by the ruling party and 75 directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to form a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely due to the war with Ethiopia, and as of late 2020, there was no sitting legislative body" + "text": "in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to form a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely due to the war with Ethiopia, and as of late 2021, there was no sitting legislative body (2021)" }, "election results": { "text": "NA" @@ -1072,10 +1072,10 @@ "text": "limited available information; estimated 150,000-200,000 personnel, including about 2,000 in the naval and air forces (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Eritrean Defense Forces inventory is comprised primarily of older Russian and Soviet-era systems; Eritrea was under a UN arms embargo from 2009 to 2018; from the 1990s to 2008, Russia was the leading supplier of arms to Eritrea, followed by Belarus; in 2019, Eritrea expressed interest in purchasing Russian arms, including missile boats, helicopters, and small arms; in January 2020, Russia announced it would provide two helicopters by the end of the year (2021)" + "text": "the Eritrean Defense Forces inventory is comprised primarily of older Russian and Soviet-era systems; Eritrea was under a UN arms embargo from 2009 to 2018; from the 1990s to 2008, Russia was the leading supplier of arms to Eritrea, followed by Belarus; in 2019, Eritrea expressed interest in purchasing Russian arms, including missile boats, helicopters, and small arms (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service (18-27 for female conscription); 18-month conscript service obligation, which includes 6 months of military training and one‐year of military or other national service (military service is most common); note - in practice, military service reportedly is often extended indefinitely (2021)" + "text": "18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service (18-27 for female conscription); 18-month conscript service obligation, which includes 4-6 months of military training and one‐year of military or other national service (military service is most common); note - in practice, military service reportedly is often extended indefinitely (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "in 2020-2021, the Eritrean military assisted the Ethiopian Government in its war with the Tigray regional government, providing ground forces and combat aircraft; information is limited and varied, but the Eritrean military in 2021 reportedly consisted of about 20 Army divisions (approximately 15 light infantry, 4 mechanized, and 1 commando/special operations) while the Air Force had 2 fighter/ground attack squadrons
" diff --git a/africa/et.json b/africa/et.json index 25b47e22..2f3d862c 100644 --- a/africa/et.json +++ b/africa/et.json @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ } }, "Ethnic groups": { - "text": "Oromo 35.8%, Amhara 24.1%, Somali 7.2%, Tigray 5.7%, Sidama 4.1%, Gamo-Goffa-Dawuro 2.8%, Guragie 2.6%, Welaita 2.3%, Afar 2.2%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 10.8% (2022 est.)" + "text": "Oromo 35.8%, Amhara 24.1%, Somali 7.2%, Tigray 5.7%, Sidama 4.1%, Gamo-Goffa-Dawuro 2.8%, Guragie 2.6%, Welaita 2.3%, Afar 2.2%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 10.8% (2022 est.)" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { diff --git a/africa/gv.json b/africa/gv.json index 49124625..087e546a 100644 --- a/africa/gv.json +++ b/africa/gv.json @@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@ "text": "660 Mali (MINUSMA) (Oct 2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "no compulsory military service (2021)" + "text": "Voluntary and selective conscripted service, 9-24 mos (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/ke.json b/africa/ke.json index 576c74af..dd395b56 100644 --- a/africa/ke.json +++ b/africa/ke.json @@ -555,10 +555,10 @@ }, "Constitution": { "history": { - "text": "previous 1963, 1969; latest drafted 6 May 2010, passed by referendum 4 August 2010, promulgated 27 August 2010" + "text": "current constitution passed by referendum on 4 August 2010 (2021)" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by either house of Parliament or by petition of at least one million eligible voters; passage of amendments by Parliament requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses in each of two readings, approval in a referendum by majority of votes cast by at least 20% of eligible voters in at least one half of Kenya’s counties, and approval by the president; passage of amendments introduced by petition requires approval by a majority of county assemblies, approval by majority vote of both houses, and approval by the president" + "text": "amendments can be proposed by either house of Parliament or by petition of at least one million eligible voters; passage of amendments by Parliament requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses in each of two readings, approval in a referendum by majority of votes cast by at least 20% of eligible voters in at least one half of Kenya’s counties, and approval by the president; passage of amendments introduced by petition requires approval by a majority of county assemblies, approval by majority vote of both houses, and approval by the president" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ "text": "through increased competition, Kenya’s telecom market has improved international bandwidth and experienced rapid development in mobile sector, including remote regions; four fiber-optic submarine cables reduced costs and increased service to population; government supported LTE and broadband, promising economic support of free WiFi; mobile operators progress with 5G tests; e-commerce interoperability; importer of broadcasting equipment, video displays, and computers from China (2020)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "fixed-line subscriptions stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage with teledensity reaching 104 per 100 persons (2019)" + "text": "fixed-line subscriptions stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage with teledensity reaching 114 per 100 persons (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 254; landing point for the EASSy, TEAMS, LION2, DARE1, PEACE Cable, and SEACOM fiber-optic submarine cable systems covering East, North and South Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat; launched first micro satellites in 2018 (2019)" @@ -1234,7 +1234,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "281,812 (Somalia), 134,473 (South Sudan), 30,534 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 20,655 (Ethiopia), 7,233 (Burundi) (2021)" + "text": "280,479 (Somalia), 135,255 (South Sudan), 30,534 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 20,647 (Ethiopia), 7,203 (Burundi) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "190,000 (election-related violence, intercommunal violence, resource conflicts, al-Shabaab attacks in 2017 and 2018) (2020)" diff --git a/africa/ly.json b/africa/ly.json index 89ea3450..2d28f846 100644 --- a/africa/ly.json +++ b/africa/ly.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but the region has been settled and ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Vandals. In the the 7th century, Islam spread through the region; in the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations.
Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned an eight-month civil war that saw UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community, the toppling of the QADHAFI regime, and the setting up of a National Transitional Council (NTC). In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC). Voters chose a new parliament to replace the GNC in June 2014 - the House of Representatives (HoR), which relocated to the eastern city of Tobruk after fighting broke out in Tripoli and Benghazi in July 2014.
In December 2015, the UN brokered an agreement among a broad array of Libyan political parties and social groups - known as the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA). Members of the Libyan Political Dialogue signed the LPA in December 2015. In January 2016, The HoR and defunct-GNC-affiliated political hardliners continued to oppose the GNA and hamper the LPA’s implementation. In September 2017, UN Special Representative Ghassan SALAME announced a new roadmap for national political reconciliation. In November 2018, the international partners supported SALAME’s recalibrated Action Plan for Libya that aimed to break the political deadlock by holding a National Conference, subsequently held in early 2019, but attendees failed to reach an agreement. Despite continued clashes since then, the warring parties agreed to a UN-administered ceasefire in October 2020. In early 2021, the UN-led Libyan Political Dialogue Forum selected an interim president and prime minister of its executive council. The council was charged with preparing for December 2021 presidential and parliamentary elections.
" + "text": "Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but the region has been settled and ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Vandals. In the the 7th century, Islam spread through the region; in the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations.
Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned an eight-month civil war that saw UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community, the toppling of the QADHAFI regime, and the setting up of a National Transitional Council (NTC). In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC). Voters chose a new parliament to replace the GNC in June 2014 - the House of Representatives (HoR), which relocated to the eastern city of Tobruk after fighting broke out in Tripoli and Benghazi in July 2014.
In December 2015, the UN brokered an agreement among a broad array of Libyan political parties and social groups - known as the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) - establishing an interim executive body, the Government of National Accord (GNA). However, the HoR and defunct-GNC-affiliated political hardliners continued to oppose the GNA and hamper the LPA’s implementation, leaving Libya with eastern and western-based rival governments. In September 2017, UN Special Representative Ghassan SALAME announced a new roadmap for national political reconciliation. In November 2018, the international partners supported SALAME’s recalibrated Action Plan for Libya that aimed to break the political deadlock by holding a National Conference in early 2019. These plans, however, were derailed when the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive to seize Tripoli in April 2019. International forces exacerbated the fight for the capital by sending armed personnel and advanced military equipment into Libya. The LNA's offensive collapsed in June 2020, and a subsequent UN-sponsored ceasefire in October 2020 helped formalize the pause in fighting between rival factions, although foreign forces that aided eastern and western factions during the fighting remain in Libya.
In early 2021, the UN-led Libyan Political Dialogue Forum selected a new president and prime minister for an interim government, the Government of National Unity (GNU), charged with preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections in December 2021. The HoR approved the GNU and its cabinet in March 2021, providing Libya with its first unified government since 2014. On 22 December 2021, Libya's parliament postponed the first round of the presidential election to an as yet undetermined date in the future.
election originally scheduled for 24 December 2021, has been delayed until late January 2022 due to disagreements among the political factions
" + "text": "election originally scheduled for 24 December 2021 postponed until at least late January 2022 due to disagreements among the political factions" }, "election results": { - "text": "on 5 February 2021, a UN-led forum elected - in a runoff - Mohammed Al MENFI chairman, Presidential Council and Abdul Hamid DBEIBEH, prime minister" + "text": "on 5 February 2021, a UN-led forum elected - in a runoff - Mohammed Al MENFI chairman, Presidential Council and Abdul Hamid DUBAYBAH, prime minister" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral House of Representatives (Majlis Al Nuwab) or HoR (200 seats including 32 reserved for women; 188 seats filled as of December 2021; members directly elected by majority vote; member term NA); note - the HoR elected on 25 June 2014 was dissolved on 4 August 2014 and since then has served as a temporary body until a permanent legislature is elected" + "text": "unicameral House of Representatives (Majlis Al Nuwab) or HoR (200 seats including 32 reserved for women; 188 seats filled as of December 2021; members directly elected by majority vote; member term NA); notes - the HoR elected on 25 June 2014 was dissolved on 4 August 2014 and since then has served as a temporary body until a permanent legislature is elected; the High State Council serves as an advisory group for the HoR" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 25 June 2014 ( next to be held on 24 January 2022)" + "text": "last held on 25 June 2014 (next to be held on 20 February 2022)" }, "election results": { "text": "for election held on 25 June 2014 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 158, women 30, percent of women 16%; note - only 188 of the 200 seats were filled in the June 2014 election because of boycotts and lack of security at some polling stations; some elected members of the HoR also boycotted the election" @@ -526,18 +526,18 @@ }, "Judicial branch": { "highest courts": { - "text": "NA; note - government is in transition" + "text": "Libya's judicial system is comprised of a supreme court, central high courts (in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha), and a series of lower courts. The judicial system is factious given the ongoing tension between Libya's eastern and western regions. Since 2011, Libyan political factions and armed groups have targeted judges and courthouses." } }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "NAAmbassador Wafa M.T. BUGHAIGHIS (since 29 November 2017)
" + "text": "Charge d'Affaires Khaled DAIEF (since October 2021)" }, "chancery": { "text": "1460 Dahlia Street NW, Washington, DC 20012
" @@ -1071,7 +1071,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "17,733 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 14,194 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "17,792 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 14,285 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "199,949 (conflict between pro-QADHAFI and anti-QADHAFI forces in 2011; post-QADHAFI tribal clashes 2014) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/ma.json b/africa/ma.json index 29cfe5cd..72156bfe 100644 --- a/africa/ma.json +++ b/africa/ma.json @@ -1119,7 +1119,7 @@ "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "People's Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force; National Gendarmerie (operates under the Ministry of Defense); Ministry of Public Security: National Police (2021)", - "note": "note - the National Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining law and order in rural areas at the village level, protecting government facilities, and operating a maritime police contingent; the National Police is responsible for maintaining law and order in urban areas; the military is also active in rural areas, particularly in maintaining order in areas affected by cattle rustling and banditry" + "note": "note - the National Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining law and order in rural areas at the village level, protecting government facilities, and operating a maritime police contingent; the National Police is responsible for maintaining law and order in urban areas" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2020": { diff --git a/africa/mi.json b/africa/mi.json index db6739e9..6a296da3 100644 --- a/africa/mi.json +++ b/africa/mi.json @@ -1178,7 +1178,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "32,142 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 12,068 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,392 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "32,142 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 12,169 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,407 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" } } } diff --git a/africa/ml.json b/africa/ml.json index 4c7f27e7..3c84d2ac 100644 --- a/africa/ml.json +++ b/africa/ml.json @@ -1177,7 +1177,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "16,938 (Niger), 14,963 (Mauritania), 12,913 (Burkina Faso) (2021)" + "text": "17,890 (Niger), 14,965 (Mauritania), 13,115 (Burkina Faso) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "401,736 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/mz.json b/africa/mz.json index 26254b62..8499a04c 100644 --- a/africa/mz.json +++ b/africa/mz.json @@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "10,629 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,271 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "10,629 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,346 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "668,000 (violence between the government and an opposition group, violence associated with extremists groups in 2018, political violence 2019) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/ng.json b/africa/ng.json index 7c5a6532..f2df83f7 100644 --- a/africa/ng.json +++ b/africa/ng.json @@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ "note": "note: the SPLM and SPLM-DC are banned political parties" }, "International organization participation": { - "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" + "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINUSMA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { @@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "186,957 (Nigeria), 61,373 (Mali) (2021)" + "text": "187,064 (Nigeria), 61,490 (Mali) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "264,257 (includes the regions of Diffa, Tillaberi, and Tahoua; unknown how many of the 11,000 people displaced by clashes between government forces and the Tuareg militant group, Niger Movement for Justice, in 2007 are still displaced; inter-communal violence; Boko Haram attacks in southern Niger, 2015) (2021)" diff --git a/africa/ni.json b/africa/ni.json index cdfd0d75..9370bcdc 100644 --- a/africa/ni.json +++ b/africa/ni.json @@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ "text": "Accord Party or ACC [Mohammad Lawal MALADO]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
" + "text": "as of early 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
" } }, "Terrorism": { @@ -1246,10 +1246,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "69,380 (Cameroon) (2021)" + "text": "72,971 (Cameroon) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "3,015,619 (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2021)" + "text": "3,033,363 (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/od.json b/africa/od.json index aeeb7df5..6017b706 100644 --- a/africa/od.json +++ b/africa/od.json @@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria; note - in 2015, the creation of 28 new states was announced and in 2017 four additional; following the February 2020 peace agreement, the country was reportedly again reorganized into the 10 original states, plus 2 administrative areas, Pibor and Ruweng, and 1 special administrative status area, Abyei; this latest administrative revision has not yet been vetted by the US Board on Geographic Names" + "text": "10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria; note - in 2015, the creation of 28 new states was announced and in 2017 four additional states; following the February 2020 peace agreement, the country was reportedly again reorganized into the 10 original states, plus 2 administrative areas, Pibor and Ruweng, and 1 special administrative status area, Abyei (which is disputed between South Sudan and Sudan); this latest administrative revision has not yet been vetted by the US Board on Geographic Names (2021)" }, "Independence": { "text": "9 July 2011 (from Sudan)" @@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ "text": "the SSPDF inventory is primarily of Soviet origin; from 2010 to 2015, Russia and the United Arab Emirates were the leading suppliers of arms and equipment; South Sudan has been under a UN arms embargo since 2018 (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2021)" + "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 12-24 months service (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), was founded as a guerrilla movement against the Sudanese Government in 1983 and participated in the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005); the Juba Declaration that followed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 unified the SPLA and the South Sudan Defense Forces (SSDF), the second-largest rebel militia remaining from the civil war, under the SPLA name; in 2017, the SPLA was renamed the South Sudan Defense Forces (SSDF) and in September 2018 was renamed again as the SSPDFthe 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
" diff --git a/africa/sg.json b/africa/sg.json index 90551800..3dc1f5df 100644 --- a/africa/sg.json +++ b/africa/sg.json @@ -1197,7 +1197,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "14,199 (Mauritania) (2021)" + "text": "18,397 (Mauritania) (2021)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "8,400 (2020)" diff --git a/africa/so.json b/africa/so.json index a5764931..2e18855d 100644 --- a/africa/so.json +++ b/africa/so.json @@ -1045,10 +1045,10 @@ "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 (2021)" + "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, 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 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
1,407,685 (2021)
" + "text": "1,501,775 (2021)
" } } } diff --git a/africa/za.json b/africa/za.json index 38a530f1..cc2ce569 100644 --- a/africa/za.json +++ b/africa/za.json @@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "64,321 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,847 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" + "text": "64,321 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,087 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { diff --git a/africa/zi.json b/africa/zi.json index e7540ef8..aa61b61d 100644 --- a/africa/zi.json +++ b/africa/zi.json @@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ "text": "information varies; approximately 30,000 active duty troops, including about 4,000 serving in the Air Force (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the ZDF inventory is comprised mostly of older Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment; since 2000, China is the leading arms supplier to the ZDF, although there are no recorded deliveries of weapons since 2006; since the early 2000s, Zimbabwe has been under an arms embargo from the European Union, as well as targeted sanctions from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US (2021)" + "text": "the ZDF inventory is comprised mostly of older Chinese- and Russian-origin equipment; since the early 2000s, Zimbabwe has been under an arms embargo from the European Union, as well as targeted sanctions from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-22 years of age for voluntary military service (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2021)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/as.json b/australia-oceania/as.json index 74006fdf..6a6e36e9 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/as.json +++ b/australia-oceania/as.json @@ -1165,7 +1165,8 @@ "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 (2021)" + "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 - 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/bp.json b/australia-oceania/bp.json index a1270f15..69087d6e 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/bp.json +++ b/australia-oceania/bp.json @@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ "text": "tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis
volcanism: Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal
" }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea" + "text": "strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; Rennell Island, the southernmost in the Solomon Islands chain, is one of the world’s largest raised coral atolls; the island’s Lake Tegano, formerly a lagoon on the atoll, is the largest lake in the insular Pacific (15,500 hectares)" } }, "People and Society": { diff --git a/australia-oceania/kr.json b/australia-oceania/kr.json index ec60fe68..267a13ad 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/kr.json +++ b/australia-oceania/kr.json @@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ "text": "generally good national and international service; wireline service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; recently formed (mobile network operator) MNO is implementing the first phase of improvements with 3G and 4G upgrades on some islands; islands are connected to each other and the rest of the world via satellite; launch of Kacific-1 in December 2019 will improve telecommunication for Kiribati (2020)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 46 per 100 subscriptions (2019)" + "text": "fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular approximately 46 per 100 subscriptions (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 686; landing point for the Southern Cross NEXT submarine cable system from Australia, 7 Pacific Ocean island countries to the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/nz.json b/australia-oceania/nz.json index 617ae54c..f71c91ac 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nz.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nz.json @@ -1130,7 +1130,8 @@ "text": "up to 220 Antarctica (summer season only) (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2021)" + "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 17.5% of the uniformed personnel of the NZDF" }, "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/bh.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json index dedc2fec..1d305537 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json @@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ "text": "the BDF's inventory is limited and consists mostly of UK- and US-origin equipment (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1; initial service obligation 12 years (2021)" + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient, but conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1; initial service obligation 12 years (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "
the BDF was established in 1978 from the disbanded Police Special Force and the Belize Volunteer Guard to assist the resident British forces with the defense of Belize against Guatemala; the BDF traces its history back to the Prince Regent Royal Honduras Militia, a volunteer force established in 1817
the British Army has maintained a presence in Belize since its independence; as of 2021, the presence consisted of a small training support unit that provides jungle training to troops from the UK and international partners
" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json index 0cb97598..c72f0420 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json @@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ "text": "12,500 Public Force personnel; approximately 400-500 air and 400-500 coast guard personnel (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Public Force is lightly armed with an inventory that includes mostly second-hand US equipment, including light helicopters and second-hand coast guard cutters (2021)" + "text": "the Public Force is lightly armed with an inventory that includes mostly second-hand US equipment (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Costa Rica relies on specialized paramilitary units within the MPS for internal security missions and countering transnational threats such as narcotics smuggling and organized crime, as well as for participating in regional security operations and exercises; MPS forces have received advisory and training support from both Colombia and the US; since 2012, the US has also provided equipment, including aircraft and patrol boats (2021)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json index ddb992aa..007ca382 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json @@ -1120,7 +1120,7 @@ "text": "the Cuban military inventory is comprised of ageing Russian and Soviet-era equipment; the last recorded arms delivery to Cuba was by Russia in 2004; in 2019, Russia approved a loan for approximately $43-50 million for Cuba's purchase of spare parts and armored vehicles (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation for males, optional for females (2021)" + "text": "17-28 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation for men; women may volunteer (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the FAR has a large role in the Cuban economy through several military owned and operated conglomerates, including such sectors as banking, hotels, industry, retail, and tourism (2021)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json index d20e303f..b2780c85 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json @@ -1148,7 +1148,8 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Armed Force of El Salvador (FAES) has approximately 21,000 active troops (17,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2021)" + "text": "the Armed Force of El Salvador (FAES) has approximately 21,000 active troops (17,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2021)", + "note": "note - in 2021, El Salvador announced intentions to double the size of the military, although no time frame was given" }, "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)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json index aada4865..63934b11 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json @@ -965,7 +965,7 @@ "text": "good domestic and international service; mobile sector dominates, accounting for majority of the Internet connections and half of telecom sector revenue; extensive LTE networks providing coverage to most of the island population; regulator encouraging competition with little success due to breach of license; government announced support of national broadband network to aid access to education, hospitals, police, and municipal institutions; operators provided customers with data plans to support educational platforms; US grant to fund New Kingston smart city program (2020)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "while the number of fixed-lines, 14 per 100, subscriptions has declined, cellular-mobile has grown 103 per 100 subscriptions (2019)" + "text": "fixed-line subscriptions nearly 15 per 100, cellular-mobile roughly 97 per 100 subscriptions (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 1-876 and 1-658; landing points for the ALBA-1, CFX-1, Fibralink, East-West, and Cayman-Jamaican Fiber System submarine cables providing connections to South America, parts of the Caribbean, Central America and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)" @@ -1091,7 +1091,7 @@ "text": "the Jamaica Defense Force is lightly armed with a limited inventory featuring mostly older equipment imported from a variety of foreign suppliers, primarily the UK and US (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "no conscription; 18-23 for voluntary military service (17 with parental consent; 18-28 for the reserves); since 2017, the JDF's standard mode of recruitment is to enroll recruits ages 18-23 through the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC); in the JNSC, soldiers receive basic military, vocational, and life skills training; upon completion of 1-year of service, soldiers can continue on with JDF or seek other opportunities with law enforcement (2021)" + "text": "no conscription; 18-23 for voluntary military service (17 with parental consent; 18-28 for the reserves); since 2017, the JDF's standard mode of recruitment is to enroll recruits ages 18-23 through the Jamaica National Service Corps (JNSC); in the JNSC, soldiers receive basic military, vocational, and life skills training; upon completion of 1-year of service, soldiers can continue on with the JDF or seek other opportunities with law enforcement (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "as of 2021, the JDF’s primary missions were maritime/border and internal security, including support to police operations to combat crime and violence
" diff --git a/central-asia/kg.json b/central-asia/kg.json index b635e413..a85c4db5 100644 --- a/central-asia/kg.json +++ b/central-asia/kg.json @@ -988,7 +988,7 @@ "text": "fixed-line declining as 4G LTE mobile is universally available; brief interruptions of service with security as pretext; ICT sector rocked by allegation of corruption in 2020; digital radio-relay stations and fiber-optic links; 5G in development; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE and computers from China; Chinese Economic Corridor investment into domestic backbone; World Bank investment into digital infrastructure with aims to provide broadband Internet to 60% of the population; social disparity evident in pandemic as many school children could not attend classes on-line (2020 )" }, "domestic": { - "text": "fixed-line penetration 5 per 100 persons remains low and concentrated in urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership up to over 134 per 100 persons (2019)" + "text": "fixed-line penetration at nearly 5 per 100 persons remains low and concentrated in urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership up to over 134 per 100 persons (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 996; connections with other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States, 9 members post-Soviet Republics in EU) countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat) (2019)" diff --git a/central-asia/kz.json b/central-asia/kz.json index e000204d..5a15ee8b 100644 --- a/central-asia/kz.json +++ b/central-asia/kz.json @@ -1010,7 +1010,7 @@ "text": "one of the most progressive telecom sectors in Central Asia; vast 4G network; low fixed-line and fixed-broadband penetration; moderate mobile broadband penetration and high mobile penetration; mobile market highly competitive and growth is slow due to saturation (2020)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is 17 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage increased rapidly and the subscriber base approaches 139 per 100 persons (2019)" + "text": "intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is approximately 17 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscriber base 134 per 100 persons (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 7; international traffic with other former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the TAE fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat" diff --git a/central-asia/rs.json b/central-asia/rs.json index 3b45e32a..f54f966a 100644 --- a/central-asia/rs.json +++ b/central-asia/rs.json @@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ }, "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. 25,000-30,000 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 d0c242af..e58347af 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json @@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ "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, 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)" + "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 - 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 1c0fbc0f..b90cdbc4 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json @@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ }, "Capital": { "name": { - "text": "Jakarta" + "text": "Jakarta; note - Indonesian lawmakers on 18 January 2022 approved the relocation of the country’s capital from Jakarta to a site in East Kalimantan, a jungle area of Borneo; the move to Nusantara, the name of the new capital, will take several years " }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "6 10 S, 106 49 E" @@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ "text": "Indonesia’s telecom sector is based on 3G/LTE mobile infrastructure and inadequate fixed-line capacity; large population and disbursed island geography make upgrades difficult; market is attracting foreign investment, especially in data center and cloud based services; tests of 5G challenged by lack of spectrum; satellite improvements in 2020 (2020)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 127 per 100 persons; coverage provided by existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone kiosks many located in remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership growing rapidly (2019)" + "text": "fixed-line subscribership roughly 3 per 100 and mobile-cellular 130 per 100 persons; coverage provided by existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone kiosks many located in remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership growing rapidly (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 62; landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-3 & 5, DAMAI, JASUKA, BDM, Dumai-Melaka Cable System, IGG, JIBA, Link 1, 3, 4, & 5, PGASCOM, B3J2, Tanjung Pandam-Sungai Kakap Cable System, JAKABARE, JAYABAYA, INDIGO-West, Matrix Cable System, ASC, SJJK, Jaka2LaDeMa, S-U-B Cable System, JBCS, MKCS, BALOK, Palapa Ring East, West and Middle, SMPCS Packet-1 and 2, LTCS, TSCS, SEA-US and Kamal Domestic Submarine Cable System, 35 submarine cable networks that provide links throughout Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)" @@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ "text": "the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; the number of attacks increased slightly from 25 incidents in 2019 to 26 in 2020 due to aggressive maritime patrolling by regional authorities; vessels continue to be boarded while anchored or berthed at Indonesian ports with two crew taken hostage and two threatened in 2020; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary military service, with selective conscription authorized; 2-year service obligation, with reserve obligation to age 45 (officers); Indonesian citizens only (2021)" + "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 - 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 groupas of 2021, the Singapore Armed Forces were widely viewed as the best equipped in southeast Asia; the Army was largely based on conscripts and reservists with a small cadre of professional soldiers, while the Air Force and Navy were primarily comprised of well-trained professionals
" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json index 8589860b..5c1a4064 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json @@ -1198,7 +1198,8 @@ "text": "275 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males register at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation based on lottery (2021)" + "text": "21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males register at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation varies by educational qualifications (2021)", + "note": "note - information varies, but conscripts reportedly comprise as much as 50% of the RTARF; around 100,000 males are drafted each year" }, "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/be.json b/europe/be.json index ef04bb55..d132c964 100644 --- a/europe/be.json +++ b/europe/be.json @@ -1138,7 +1138,8 @@ "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)" + "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 Belgian military" }, "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 1949vulnerable to money laundering from illegal drugs
" diff --git a/europe/da.json b/europe/da.json index 5abd552c..060317f4 100644 --- a/europe/da.json +++ b/europe/da.json @@ -1139,7 +1139,7 @@ }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months depending on specialization; former conscripts are assigned to mobilization units; women eligible to volunteer for military service; in addition to full time employment, the Danish Military offers reserve contracts in all three branches (2021)", - "note": "note - conscientious objectors can choose to instead serve 6 months in a non-military position, for example in Beredskabsstyrelsen (dealing with non-military disasters like fires, flood, pollution, etc.) or overseas foreign aid work" + "note": "note(s) - women have been able serve in all military occupations, including combat arms, since 1988; conscientious objectors can choose to instead serve 6 months in a non-military position, for example in Beredskabsstyrelsen (dealing with non-military disasters like fires, flood, pollution, etc.) or overseas foreign aid work" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Denmark is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949
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
since 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/fi.json b/europe/fi.json index daa8aa82..1ee44dd0 100644 --- a/europe/fi.json +++ b/europe/fi.json @@ -1143,8 +1143,8 @@ "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 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 - Finland trains approximately 21,000 conscripts annually" + "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) - Finland trains approximately 21,000 conscripts each year; since 2017, between 1,000 and 1,700 women have volunteered for military service annually" }, "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 11577c1f..ea59f9a6 100644 --- a/europe/fr.json +++ b/europe/fr.json @@ -1216,8 +1216,8 @@ "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)", - "note": "note - men between the ages of 17.5 and 39.5 years of age, of any nationality, may join the French Foreign Legion; those volunteers selected for service sign 5-year contracts" + "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 dbc69e09..1dfc9a4d 100644 --- a/europe/gm.json +++ b/europe/gm.json @@ -1183,7 +1183,8 @@ "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; conscription ended July 2011; service obligation 8-23 months or 12 years; women have been eligible for voluntary service in all military branches and positions since 2001 (2021)" + "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 - 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 ad9ab3d8..1094dd3d 100644 --- a/europe/gr.json +++ b/europe/gr.json @@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "5,557 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 1,214,034 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021); as of the end of December 2020, an estimated 119,700 migrants and refugees were stranded in Greece since 2015-16" + "note": "note: 1,214,284 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021); as of the end of December 2020, an estimated 119,700 migrants and refugees were stranded in Greece since 2015-16" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis 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/ic.json b/europe/ic.json index 4b44784c..9235721d 100644 --- a/europe/ic.json +++ b/europe/ic.json @@ -960,7 +960,7 @@ "text": "small but most progressive telecom market in Europe; telecom infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network; near universal fixed broadband service of at least 100Mb/s by the end of 2021; operator aims for national 5G coverage by end of 2022; good competition among mobile and broadband markets; investment by operators and government in support of NGN, particularly in rural areas; submarine cable to Ireland; importer of broadcasting equipment from Vietnam and China (2020)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market; 37 per 100 for fixed line and 122 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2019)" + "text": "liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market; roughly 31 per 100 for fixed line and nearing 124 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 354; landing points for the CANTAT-3, FARICE-1, Greenland Connect and DANICE submarine cable system that provides connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, UK, Denmark, and Germany; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) (2019)" @@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" }, "Broadcast media": { - "text": "state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally (RUV and RUV 2, though RUV 2 is used less frequently); RUV broadcasts nationally, every household in Iceland is required to have RUV as it doubles as the emergency broadcast network; RUV also operates stringer offices in the north (Akureyri) and the east (Egilsstadir) but operations are all run out of RUV headquarters in Reykjavik; there are 3 privately owned TV stations; Stod 2 (Channel 2) is owned by Syn, following 365 Media and Vodafone merger, and is headquartered in Reykjavik; Syn also operates 4 sports channels under Stod 2; N4 is the only television station headquartered outside of Reykjavik, in Akureyri, with local programming for the north, south, and east of Iceland; Hringbraut is the newest station and is headquartered in Reykjavik; all of these television stations have nationwide penetration as 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connections
RUV operates 3 radio stations (RAS 1, RAS2, and Rondo) as well as 4 regional stations (but they mostly act as range extenders for RUV radio broadcasts nationwide); there is 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), that broadcasts nationwide, and 3 other radio stations that broadcast to the most densely populated regions of the country. In addition there are upwards of 20 radio stations that operate regionally
(2019)" + "text": "state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally (RUV and RUV 2, though RUV 2 is used less frequently); RUV broadcasts nationally, every household in Iceland is required to have RUV as it doubles as the emergency broadcast network; RUV also operates stringer offices in the north (Akureyri) and the east (Egilsstadir) but operations are all run out of RUV headquarters in Reykjavik; there are 3 privately owned TV stations; Stod 2 (Channel 2) is owned by Syn, following 365 Media and Vodafone merger, and is headquartered in Reykjavik; Syn also operates 4 sports channels under Stod 2; N4 is the only television station headquartered outside of Reykjavik, in Akureyri, with local programming for the north, south, and east of Iceland; Hringbraut is the newest station and is headquartered in Reykjavik; all of these television stations have nationwide penetration as 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connectionsRUV operates 3 radio stations (RAS 1, RAS2, and Rondo) as well as 4 regional stations (but they mostly act as range extenders for RUV radio broadcasts nationwide); there is 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), that broadcasts nationwide, and 3 other radio stations that broadcast to the most densely populated regions of the country. In addition there are upwards of 20 radio stations that operate regionally
(2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".is" diff --git a/europe/it.json b/europe/it.json index ff8da935..10e9ded1 100644 --- a/europe/it.json +++ b/europe/it.json @@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ "text": "well-developed, fully automated telephone, and data services; among highest mobile penetration rates in Europe; benefitted from progressive government programs aimed at developing fiber in broadband sector; leading edge of development with 5G in six cities; fiber network reaches more than half of population; Milan developing smart city technology; importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2020)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks; 32 per 100 for fixed-line and 133 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2019)" + "text": "high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks; 32 per 100 for fixed-line and nearly 128 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 39; landing points for Italy-Monaco, Italy-Libya, Italy-Malta, Italy-Greece-1, Italy-Croatia, BlueMed, Janna, FEA, SeaMeWe-3 & 4 & 5, Trapani-Kelibia, Columbus-III, Didon, GO-1, HANNIBAL System, MENA, Bridge International, Malta-Italy Interconnector, Melita1, IMEWE, VMSCS, AAE-1, and OTEGLOBE, submarine cables that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean) (2019)" @@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "3,000 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 590,682 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021)" + "note": "note: 591,119 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021)" }, "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/je.json b/europe/je.json index 325b5683..dfb649f9 100644 --- a/europe/je.json +++ b/europe/je.json @@ -626,18 +626,18 @@ "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { - "text": "55,938" + "text": "48,310 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { - "text": "58 (July 2016 est.)" + "text": "45 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { - "text": "122,668" + "text": "124,262 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { - "text": "119 (July 2016 est.)" + "text": "115 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { @@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ "text": "good system with broadband access (2018)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available; fixed-line 58 per 100 and mobile-cellular 119 per 100 subscriptions (2018)" + "text": "fixed-line 45 per 100 and mobile-cellular 115 per 100 subscriptions (2020)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 44; landing points for the INGRID, UK-Channel Islands-8, and Guernsey-Jersey-4, submarine cable connectivity to Guernsey, the UK, and France (2019)" @@ -668,10 +668,10 @@ }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { - "text": "NA" + "text": "39,699 NA (2020)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { - "text": "NA" + "text": "36.8 NA (2020)" } } }, diff --git a/europe/kv.json b/europe/kv.json index fe3abd8c..14e8842f 100644 --- a/europe/kv.json +++ b/europe/kv.json @@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ "text": "EU pre-accession process supported progress in the telecom industry with a regulatory framework, European standards, and a market of new players encouraging development; two operators dominate the sector; under-developed telecom infrastructure leads to low fixed-line penetration; little expansion of fiber networks for broadband; expansion of LTE services (2020)" }, "domestic": { - "text": "fixed-line stands at 6 per 100 and mobile-cellular 32 per 100 persons (2019)" + "text": "fixed-line roughly 6 per 100 and mobile-cellular 32 per 100 persons (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 383" @@ -986,7 +986,7 @@ "IDPs": { "text": "16,000 (primarily ethnic Serbs displaced during the 1998-1999 war fearing reprisals from the majority ethnic-Albanian population; a smaller number of ethnic Serbs, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians fled their homes in 2,004 as a result of violence) (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 7,550 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-November 2021)" + "note": "note: 7,619 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021)" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/lh.json b/europe/lh.json index ae79ba39..874d9a53 100644 --- a/europe/lh.json +++ b/europe/lh.json @@ -1169,7 +1169,8 @@ "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)" + "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 - Lithuania conscripts up to 4,000 males each year; conscripts are selected using an automated lottery system" }, "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/mj.json b/europe/mj.json index 22c00411..fe2077a7 100644 --- a/europe/mj.json +++ b/europe/mj.json @@ -1145,13 +1145,13 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro have approximately 2,000 total active duty troops (2020)" + "text": "the Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro have approximately 2,000 total active duty troops (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the inventory of the Armed Forces of Montenegro is small and consists mostly of equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, with a limited mix of other imported systems; since 2010, it has received small quantities of equipment from Austria, Turkey, and the US (2020)" + "text": "the inventory of the Armed Forces of Montenegro is small and consists mostly of equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, with a limited mix of other imported systems; since 2010, it has received small quantities of equipment from Austria, Turkey, and the US (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2019)" + "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Montenegro officially became a member of NATO in 2017" diff --git a/europe/mk.json b/europe/mk.json index 00e1b3fd..9f20ccff 100644 --- a/europe/mk.json +++ b/europe/mk.json @@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ "text": "President Stevo PENDAROVSKI (since 12 May 2019)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Zoran ZAEV (since 31 August 2020); note - Prime Minister ZAEV resigned on 3 January 2019 but was reelected by the Assembly on 31 August 2020 (62-51) following the delayed Assembly general election on 15 July 2020" + "text": "Prime Minister Dimitar KOVACEVSKI (since 16 January 2022) " }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote" @@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "558 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 524,176 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-November 2021)" + "note": "note: 525,216 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement" diff --git a/europe/mt.json b/europe/mt.json index 42347584..3f6f2297 100644 --- a/europe/mt.json +++ b/europe/mt.json @@ -1110,7 +1110,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "11 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 7,985 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals by sea (January 2015-December 2021)" + "note": "note: 8,119 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals by sea (January 2015-December 2021)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe" diff --git a/europe/nl.json b/europe/nl.json index 5230b1dd..948621af 100644 --- a/europe/nl.json +++ b/europe/nl.json @@ -1158,7 +1158,8 @@ "text": "270 Lithuania (NATO) (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17 years of age for an all-volunteer force; conscription abolished in 1996 (2021)" + "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 2020, women comprised about 10% of the military" }, "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
rockslides, avalanches
volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano
" @@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ "text": "3.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { - "text": "most Norweigans live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated" + "text": "most Norwegians live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { @@ -1126,8 +1126,8 @@ "text": "120 Lithuania (NATO) (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "19-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 17 years of age for male volunteers (16 in wartime); 18 years of age for women; 19-month service obligation; conscripts first serve 12 months from 19-28, and then up to 4-5 refresher training periods until age 35, 44, 55, or 60 depending on rank and function (2021)", - "note": "note - Norway was the first NATO country to allow females to serve in all combat arms branches of the military (1988); it also has an all-female special operations unit known as Jegertroppen (The Hunter Troop), which was established in 2014" + "text": "19-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 19-month service obligation; conscripts first serve 12 months from 19-28, and then up to 4-5 refresher training periods until age 35, 44, 55, or 60 depending on rank and function (2021)", + "note": "note(s) - Norway conscripts about 8,000 individuals annually; Norway was the first NATO country to allow females to serve in all combat arms branches of the military (1985); it also has an all-female special operations unit known as Jegertroppen (The Hunter Troop), which was established in 2014" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Norway is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949the 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 b9a54a6a..6d43e9e1 100644 --- a/europe/pl.json +++ b/europe/pl.json @@ -1195,7 +1195,7 @@ "note": "note - in June 2019, the Polish Government approved a plan to increase the size of the military by 50,000 troops over the coming decade" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "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 (2020)" + "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)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "240 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); up to 175 Latvia (NATO); 250 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2021)", diff --git a/europe/po.json b/europe/po.json index 210929fc..9778b01c 100644 --- a/europe/po.json +++ b/europe/po.json @@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ "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)" + "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)" }, "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/ro.json b/europe/ro.json index 952c17c7..9fd855ba 100644 --- a/europe/ro.json +++ b/europe/ro.json @@ -1188,7 +1188,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "275 (2020)" }, - "note": "note: 9,009 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021)" + "note": "note: 9,211 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2021)" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { diff --git a/europe/sp.json b/europe/sp.json index 89cc5844..98a37f87 100644 --- a/europe/sp.json +++ b/europe/sp.json @@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ "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)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "Spain joined NATO in 1982, but refrained from participating in the integrated military structure until 1996the Spanish Marine Corps, established in 1537, is the oldest marine corps in the world
" + "text": "Spain joined NATO in 1982, but refrained from participating in the integrated military structure until 1996Sweden maintains a policy of military non-alignment, but cooperates with NATO and regional countries; it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and is one of the Alliance’s most active partners, contributing to recent NATO-led missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo
the Swedish military cooperates 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
Sweden is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and contributes to CSDP missions and operations
" + "text": "Sweden maintains a policy of military non-alignment, but cooperates with NATO and regional countries; it joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994 and has contributed to NATO-led missions, including those in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo
the Swedish military cooperates closely with the military forces 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
Sweden is a signatory of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy and contributes to CSDP missions and operations
" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/sz.json b/europe/sz.json index e7726e18..876347b3 100644 --- a/europe/sz.json +++ b/europe/sz.json @@ -1149,7 +1149,8 @@ "text": "165 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-30 years of age generally for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; every Swiss male has to serve at least 245 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by six 19-day intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2021)" + "text": "18-30 years of age generally for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; every Swiss male has to serve at least 245 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by six 19-day intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2021)", + "note": "note - conscientious objectors can choose 390 days of community service instead of military service" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Switzerland has long maintained a policy of military neutrality, but does occasionally participate in EU, NATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and UN military operations; Swiss law excludes participation in combat operations for peace enforcement, and Swiss units will only participate in operations under the mandate of the UN or OSCE; Switzerland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1996; it contributed to the NATO-led Kosovo peace-support force (KFOR) in 1999 and as of 2021, continued doing so with about 165 personnel; Switzerland also provided a small number of staff officers to the NATO mission in Afghanistan from 2004-2007
" diff --git a/europe/up.json b/europe/up.json index f6a325a8..94380f4c 100644 --- a/europe/up.json +++ b/europe/up.json @@ -1178,7 +1178,8 @@ "note": "note - Ukraine contributes about 500 troops to the Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine joint military brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG), which was established in 2014; the brigade is headquartered in Poland and is comprised of an international staff, three battalions, and specialized units" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "conscription abolished in 2012, but reintroduced in 2014; 20-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months; note - the Ukrainian military has a mix of conscript and professional soldiers on contracts; by law, conscripts cannot serve on the frontlines but have the opportunity to sign short or long-term contracts upon the expiration of their terms of servicesince 2014, the Ukrainian military has sought to implement reforms in line with NATO standards, improve individual and unit training, revise doctrine, upgrade arms and equipment, streamline command and control, reduce reliance on conscripts, and expand elite units such as the Air Assault and Special Operations Forces; the military also has received considerable assistance and material support from NATO and the US (2021)
" diff --git a/middle-east/ir.json b/middle-east/ir.json index 0c541707..ceea6e5c 100644 --- a/middle-east/ir.json +++ b/middle-east/ir.json @@ -580,16 +580,16 @@ "text": "Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "President-elect Ebrahim RAISI (since 18 June 2021); First Vice President Eshagh JAHANGIRI (since 5 August 2013)" + "text": "President Ebrahim RAISI (since 18 June 2021); First Vice President Mohammad MOKHBER (since 8 August 2021)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the supreme leader has some control over appointments to several ministries" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term); election last held on 18 June 2012 (next to be held in June 2025)" + "text": "supreme leader appointed for life by Assembly of Experts; president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term and an additional nonconsecutive term); election last held on 18 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "2018: COR vote in first round - Barham SALIH (PUK) 165, Fuad HUSAYN (KDP) 90; Barham SALIH elected president in second round - Barham SALIH 219, Fuad HUSAYN 22; note - the COR vote on 1 October 2018 failed due to a lack of quorum, and a new session was held on 2 October
2014: Fuad MASUM elected president; Council of Representatives vote - Fuad MASUM (PUK) 211, Barham SALIH (PUK) 17; Haydar al-ABADI (Da'wa Party) approved as prime minister
Following World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations awarded Britain the mandate to govern much of the Middle East. Britain demarcated a semi-autonomous region of Transjordan from Palestine in 1921 and appointed ABDALLAH I from the Hashemite family as the country's first leader. The Hashemites also controlled Hijaz, or the western coastal area of modern day Saudi Arabia, until 1925 when they were pushed out by Ibn Saud and Wahhabi tribes. The country gained its independence in 1946 and thereafter became The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The country has had four kings. Jordan's long-time ruler, King HUSSEIN (1953-99), successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and Palestinian militants, which led to a brief civil war in 1970 referred to as \"Black September\" and ended in King HUSSEIN's ouster of the militants from Jordan. Jordan's borders also have changed. In 1948, Jordan took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, eventually annexing those territories in 1950 and granting its new Palestinian residents Jordanian citizenship. In 1967, Jordan lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel in the Six-Day War but retained administrative claims until 1988 when King HUSSEIN permanently relinquished Jordanian claims to the West Bank. King HUSSEIN signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994 after Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed the Oslo Accords in 1993." @@ -591,7 +591,8 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Ahrar al-Urdun (Free People of Jordan) Party [Samir al-ZU'BI]
Canada 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 eda0d228..699b026d 100644 --- a/north-america/mx.json +++ b/north-america/mx.json @@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ "note": "Note: in mid-February 2020, the Mexican president endorsed a bill on judicial reform, which proposes changes to 7 articles of the constitution and the issuance of a new Organic Law on the Judicial Branch of the Federation" }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC [Clemente CASTANEDA]Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC [Clemente CASTANEDA Hoeflich]
Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI [Claudia RUIZ Massieu]
Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]
Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de Mexico) or PVEM [Karen CASTREJON Trujillo]
Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional) or MORENA [Mario DELGADO Carillo]
National Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Antonio CORTES Mendoza]
Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Jesus ZAMBRANO Grijalva]
Together We Make History (Juntos Hacemos Historia) - alliance that includes MORENA, PT, PVEM
This Is For Mexico (Va Por Mexico) – alliance that includes PAN, PRI, and PRD
Congress officially created the US military in September 1789; the US Army was established in June 1775 as the Continental Army; after the declaration of independence in July 1776, the Continental Army and the militia in the service of Congress became known collectively as the Army of the United States; when Congress ordered the Continental Army to disband in 1784, it retained a small number of personnel that would form the nucleus of the 1st American Regiment for national service formed later that year; both the US Navy and the US Marines were also established in 1775, but the Navy fell into disuse after the Revolutionary War, and was reestablished by Congress in 1794; the US Air Force was established in 1947, but the first military unit of the US Army devoted exclusively to aviation began operations in 1913
" diff --git a/south-america/br.json b/south-america/br.json index 5d15b9be..1a42b5d8 100644 --- a/south-america/br.json +++ b/south-america/br.json @@ -1240,10 +1240,11 @@ "text": "the Brazilian military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons, largely from Europe and the US; since 2010, France, Germany, the UK, and the US are the leading suppliers of military equipment to Brazil; Brazil's defense industry is capable of designing and manufacturing equipment for all three military services and for export; it also jointly produces equipment with other countries (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 10-12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are \"long-service\" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s, when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2021)" + "text": "18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men (women exempted); only 5-10% of those inducted are required to serve; conscript service obligation is 10-12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s, when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2021)", + "note": "note - in 2020, women comprised approximately 9% of the Brazilian military" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "as of 2021, the military's primary role was enforcing border security, particularly in the Amazon states; it was also assisting with internal security operations with a focus on organized crimethe Chilean Army was founded in 1810, but traces its origins back to the Army of the Kingdom of Chile, which was established by the Spanish Crown in the early 1600s; the Navy traces its origins to 1817; it was first led by a British officer and its first ships were largely crewed by American, British, and Irish sailors; by the 1880s, the Chilean Navy was one of the most powerful in the Americas, and included the world’s first protected cruiser (a ship with an armored deck to protect vital machine spaces); Chile's military aviation was inaugurated in 1913 with the creation of a military aviation school
" diff --git a/south-america/co.json b/south-america/co.json index f1bf2475..20a23bff 100644 --- a/south-america/co.json +++ b/south-america/co.json @@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Military Forces of Colombia (FMC) have approximately 295,000 total active troops (235,000 Army; 45,000 Navy, including about 22,000 marines; 14,000 Air Force); approximately 185,000 Colombian National Police (2021)" + "text": "approximately 295,000 total active troops (235,000 Army; 45,000 Navy, including about 22,000 marines; 14,000 Air Force); approximately 185,000 Colombian National Police (2021)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Colombian military inventory includes a wide mix of equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Canada, Europe, Israel, South Korea, and the US; Germany, Israel, and the US are the leading suppliers of military hardware since 2010; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2021)" @@ -1211,7 +1211,8 @@ "text": "275 Egypt (MFO) (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (2021)" + "text": "18-24 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months; conscripted soldiers reportedly include regular soldiers (conscripts without a high school degree), drafted high school graduates (bachilleres), and rural (campesino) soldiers who serve in their home regions (2021)", + "note": "note - in 2020, conscripts reportedly comprised about 50% of the Colombian military's active force" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the Colombian Armed Forces are primarily focused on internal security, particularly counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, and counterinsurgency operations against drug traffickers, militants from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN) terrorist/guerrilla organizations, and other illegal armed groups; the Colombian Government signed a peace agreement with the FARC in 2016, but some former members (known as dissidents) have returned to fighting; the Colombian military resumed operations against FARC dissidents and their successor paramilitary groups in late 2019; in 2017, the Colombian Government initiated formal peace talks with the ELN, but in January 2019, the government ended the peace talks shortly after the ELN exploded a car bomb at the National Police Academy in Bogotá and resumed counter-terrorism/counterinsurgency operations against the group; operations against both the FARC and ELN continued into 2021 (see Appendix T); the military is also focused on the security challenges posed by its neighbor, Venezuela, where instability has attracted narcotics traffickers and both the ELN and FARC dissidents operate openly" diff --git a/south-america/ec.json b/south-america/ec.json index 2c8c12e0..c7e3a837 100644 --- a/south-america/ec.json +++ b/south-america/ec.json @@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ "text": "the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters as at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen; there has been a slight increase with three attacks reported in 2019 and four in 2020" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for selective conscript military service; conscription has been suspended; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Ecuadorian birth requirement; 1-year service obligation; females have been allowed to serve in all branches since 2012 (2021)" + "text": "18 years of age for selective conscript military service, although conscription was suspended in 2008; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Ecuadorian birth requirement; 1-year service obligation; females have been allowed to serve in all branches since 2012 (2021)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "border 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
" diff --git a/south-america/pa.json b/south-america/pa.json index 8da81282..88b39d30 100644 --- a/south-america/pa.json +++ b/south-america/pa.json @@ -1119,7 +1119,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Forces Command (Commando de las Fuerzas Militares): Army (Ejercito), Navy (Armada, includes marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea) (2021)" + "text": "Armed Forces Command (Commando de las Fuerzas Militares): Army (Ejercito), Navy (Armada, includes marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea)
Ministry of Internal Affairs: the National Police of Paraguay includes the Special Police Operations Force (Fuerza de Operaciones Policiales Especiales)
(2021)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2020": { @@ -1145,10 +1145,10 @@ "text": "the Paraguayan military forces inventory is comprised of mostly older equipment from a variety of foreign suppliers, particularly Brazil and the US; since 2010, Paraguay has acquired small quantities of mostly second-hand military equipment from several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Taiwan, and the US (2021)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy; volunteers for the Air Force must be younger than 22 years of age with a secondary school diploma (2019)" + "text": "18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation is 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (conscripts also serve in the National Police); volunteers for the Air Force must be younger than 22 years of age with a secondary school diploma (2019)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "as of 2021, the armed forces were principally focused on the Paraguayan People's Army (Ejército del Pueblo Paraguayo, EPP), a Marxist-nationalist insurgent group operating in the rural northern part of the country" + "text": "as of 2021, the armed forces were principally focused on the Paraguayan People's Army (Ejército del Pueblo Paraguayo, EPP), a Marxist-nationalist insurgent group operating in the rural northern part of the country along the border with Brazil" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/south-america/pe.json b/south-america/pe.json index a391b1dc..bd4f990d 100644 --- a/south-america/pe.json +++ b/south-america/pe.json @@ -1220,7 +1220,7 @@ "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 (2021)" + "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)" }, "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
" diff --git a/south-america/ve.json b/south-america/ve.json index 4969d67c..41111187 100644 --- a/south-america/ve.json +++ b/south-america/ve.json @@ -1100,8 +1100,8 @@ }, "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 National Guard (Guardia Nacional Bolivaria, GNB); Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Bolivariana)Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN.
A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan, and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. KARZAI was reelected in August 2009 for a second term. The 2014 presidential election was the country's first to include a runoff, which featured the top two vote-getters from the first round, Abdullah ABDULLAH and Ashraf GHANI. Throughout the summer of 2014, their campaigns disputed the results and traded accusations of fraud, leading to a US-led diplomatic intervention that included a full vote audit as well as political negotiations between the two camps. In September 2014, GHANI and ABDULLAH agreed to form the Government of National Unity, with GHANI inaugurated as president and ABDULLAH elevated to the newly-created position of chief executive officer. The day after the inauguration, the GHANI administration signed the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which provide the legal basis for the post-2014 international military presence in Afghanistan. After two postponements, the next presidential election was held in September 2019.
The Taliban remains a serious challenge for the Afghan Government in almost every province. The Taliban still considers itself the rightful government of Afghanistan, and it remains a capable and confident insurgent force fighting for the withdrawal of foreign military forces from Afghanistan, establishment of sharia law, and rewriting of the Afghan constitution. In 2019, negotiations between the US and the Taliban in Doha entered their highest level yet, building on momentum that began in late 2018. Underlying the negotiations is the unsettled state of Afghan politics, and prospects for a sustainable political settlement remain unclear.
" + "text": "Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN.
A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and was reelected in August 2009. The Taliban concluded a two-decade insurgency against the Afghan Government and international forces from the US and other countries. In February 2020, the US and the Taliban signed an agreement that led to the withdrawal of international forces in exchange for commitments on counterterrorism and other assurances, and the Taliban took control of the country in mid-August 2021.
" } }, "Geography": { @@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "کتاب حقایق جهان، مرجعی ضروری برای اطلاعات اولیە (Dari)
د دنیا د حقائېقو کتاب، بنیادی معلوماتو لپاره ضروری سرچینه- (Pashto)note - the Ministry of Justice licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019
" + "text": "the Taliban enforces an authoritarian state in which there are no competing political parties; before the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the Ministry of Justice had licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019" }, "International organization participation": { - "text": "ADB, CICA, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" + "text": "as of December 2021, the Taliban government does not participate in international organizations; before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan was a member or participant in these organizations: ADB, CICA, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Adela RAZ (since July 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); note - formerly Ambassador Adela RAZ (since July 2021); the Embassy of the former Afghan government remains in Washington, D.C. however, the US does not recognize the former government or the Taliban government" }, "chancery": { "text": "2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008" @@ -629,29 +627,14 @@ }, "email address and website": { "text": "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