Austria
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory
military service obligation will be reduced from eight months to six
(2005)
Azerbaijan
men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18
years of age for voluntary military service; length of military
service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)
Bahamas, The
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Bahrain
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Bangladesh
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2005)
Barbados
18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers
at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)
Belarus
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)
Belgium
16 years of age for voluntary military service; women
comprise approx. 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001)
Belize
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 (2001)
Benin
21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes
are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18
months (2004)