Telephone system: the domestic system is mediocre, but adequate
for government and business use, in part because major businesses
have established their own private systems; since 1988, the
government has promoted investment in the national
telecommunications system on a priority basis; despite major
improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services
are still not readily available to the major portion of the
population
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); microwave radio relay to neighboring
countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 8, shortwave 11

Radios: 11.3 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 29

Televisions: 2.08 million (1993 est.)

Defense ———-

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 30,519,339 males fit for military service: 18,720,175 males reach military age (17) annually: 1,437,208 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $3.1 billion, 5.3% of GDP (FY95/96)

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