Part 408

Telephones: 548,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: the civil network suffered some damage as a result of the Gulf war, but most of the telephone exchanges were left intact and, by the end of 1994, domestic and international telecommunications had been restored to normal operation; the quality of service is excellent domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 720,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1986 est.)

Televisions: 800,000 (1993 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces, Coast Guard

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 658,270 males fit for military service: 391,586 males reach military age (18) annually: 17,544 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $3.5 billion, 12.8% of GDP (FY95/96)

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@Kyrgyzstan ----------

Map ---

Location: 41 00 N, 75 00 E -- Central Asia, west of China

Flag ----

Description: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kirghiz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kirghiz yurt

Geography ---------

Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total area: 198,500 sq km land area: 191,300 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries: total: 3,878 km border countries: China 858 km, Kazakstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area

Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain: peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation lowest point: Kara-Daryya 132 m highest point: Jengish Chokusu 7,439 m

Natural resources: abundant hydroelectric potential; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc