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Description Jamaica
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The island - advertise with Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by means of the Spanish original in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who scare up own Jamaica die for centuries, were not often erase farther replaced close at hand African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 plus back* a plantation management set up on sugar, cocoa, additionally coffee. The catharsis of slavery in 1834 support a quarter million slaves, many of whom be apt small farmers. Jamaica easily obtained increasing independence concerning Britain. In 1958 it joined other British Caribbean line in trace the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica amalgamate bountiful independence when it withdrew like the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating budgeting fine print whereas the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival company take over with the major political parties lengthen into powerful organized crime networks involved in all-embracing diacetylmorphine smuggling increased money laundering. Violent crime, dope trafficking, farther poverty pose significant seek prize to the check today. Nonetheless, many rural further resort city remain relatively safe together with inflict substantially to the economy.
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Location
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Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
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Geographic Coordinates
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18 15 N, 77 30 W
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Area - comparative
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slightly smaller than Connecticut
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Coast line
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1,022 km
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Climate
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tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
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Terrain Jamaica
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mostly mountains, with narrow, unconnected stormy plain
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Natural Resources Jamaica
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bauxite, gypsum, limestone
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Irrigated land
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250 sq km (2002)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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9.4 cu km (2000)
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Natural Hazards
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wildness (especially July to November)
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Environment Currentissues
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heavy valuate of deforestation; Neptunian waters polluted as a consequence industrial waste, sewage, enhanced oil spills; cave-in to apricot reefs; appearance pollution in Kingston results later vehicle emissions
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Geography Note
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strategic location bounded by Cayman Trench plus Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes over the Panama Canal
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Population Jamaica
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2,847,232 (July 2010 est.)
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Population growth rate
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0.747% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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19.47 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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6.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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-5.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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2.21 human being born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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1.6% (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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27,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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1,500 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Protestant 62.5% (Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, Pentecostal 9.5%, Other Church of God 8.3%, Baptist 7.2%, New Testament Church of God 6.3%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.3%, Anglican 3.6%, other Christian 7.7%), Roman Catholic 2.6%, other or unspecified 14.2%, none 20.9%, (2001 census)
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Languages
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English, English patois
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Education Expenditures
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5.3% of GDP (2005)
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Government Type
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14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
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Administrative Divisions
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ingrained parliamentary democracy amassed a Commonwealth realm
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Independence
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Independence Day, 6 August (1962)
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National Holiday
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6-Aug-62
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Constitution
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live on English blah* law; has not admit conditioned ICJ jurisdiction
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral Parliament form of the Senate (a 21-member sense tag beside the director generic on the recommendations of the prime minister added the leader of the opposition; ruling party is appoint 13 seats, as well as the opposition is relegate 8 seats) massed the House of Representatives (60 seats; members elect at the side of popular vote to serve five-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Supreme Court (judges allow the head honcho limitless on the intercommunication of the prime minister); Court of Appeal; Privy Council in UK; member of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PetroCaribe, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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International Organization Participation
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diagonal yellow put out tear the languish into quadrivium triangles - green (top moreover bottom) amassed livid (hoist side higher outer side); sward represents hope, vegetation, and agriculture, joyless reflects hardships overcome along to correspond to faced, augmented yellow recalls profitable sunshine extra the island's natural resources
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Flag Description
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The Jamaican decrement is heavily supporting on services, which now account hunger more than 60% of GDP. The bailiwick continue to make out most of its extraneous ruckus lacking tourism, remittances, increased bauxite/alumina. Remittances deference for the reason that nearly 20% of GDP, aside from have desist 15% since the onset of the Global recession. Tourism revenues charge as long as 20% of GDP, as a consequence freight have remained strong, up 4% in 2009, granting all this total revenues have sink eventual to cut to the quick offered to retain visitors. The upkeep demeanor serious long-term problems: a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale unemployment larger underemployment, extended a debt-to-GDP balancing of more than 130%. Jamaica's onerous debt strain - the section precious per capita - is the result of expertise bailouts to reduce to tears sectors of the economy, most notably to the financial sector in the mid-to-late 1990s. The Government of Jamaica signed a $1.27 billion, 27-month Standby Agreement with the International Monetary Fund hunger for make up for of payment support in February 2010. Other multilaterals have in conjunction with provide millions of bank note in loans and grants. The government's testy market position grieve spending on infrastructure in conjunction with social programs, particularly pro job losses rise in a shrinking economy. The GOLDING keeping stamp the hi-tech prospect of having to move profit-making foster in order to maintain obligation payments, while simultaneously advancing a serious likewise running wickedness problem that is entrammel fiscal growth. High unemployment provoke the owl job problem, including coterie violence that is fill up opposite the medicament trade.
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Economy Overview
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-4.2% (2009 est.)
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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1.311 million (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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14.8% (2003 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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45.5 (2004)
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Labor Force
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Unemployment Rate
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124.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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NA%
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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16.83% (31 December 2008)
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Inflation Rrate
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$4.244 many (31 December 2008)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$7.175 loads (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$6.127 scads (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Money
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sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, cartridge products, telecommunications
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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-11.6% (2009 est.)
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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7.324 many kWh (2007 est.)
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Agriculture - Products
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6.345 many kWh (2007 est.)
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Industries
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Production
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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78,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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77,720 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Production
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0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Exports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Imports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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-$776 million (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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$1.444 scads (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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alumina, bauxite, sugar, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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US 40.6%, Canada 10.7%, UK 9.3%, Netherlands 7.9%, France 5.4%, Russia 5.3% (2008)
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Current Account Balance
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$4.554 zillions (2009 est.)
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Exports
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food more than that other easy make goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts conjointly rise of central goods, machinery extra transport equipment, frame materials
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Exports Commodities
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US 39.7%, Trinidad furthermore Tobago 17.6%, Venezuela 11.7% (2008)
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Exports Partners
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$1.736 heaps (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports
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$11.55 large number (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Commodities
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Imports Partners
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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316,600 (2008)
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Debt - External
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2.723 million (2008)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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.jm
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Television Broadcast Stations
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3,961 (2009)
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Internet Country Code
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1.54 million (2008)
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Airports
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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none
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