Military branches:
Army (includes Navy, Air Force)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 1,309,970
females age 17-49: 1,315,186 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 1,051,425
females age 17-49: 1,129,649 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 65,170
females age 17-49: 63,133 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$32.27 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Nicaragua
Disputes - international:
Memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in
Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia
at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the
western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007;
the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a
tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf
of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal
dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with
Costa Rica
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing