Belgium
Military: Belgium
Military branches:
Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Command (2012)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1994 (2012)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,359,232
females age 16-49: 2,291,689 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,934,957
females age 16-49: 1,877,268 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 59,665
female: 57,142 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
country comparison to the world: 108
Transnational Issues: Belgium
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
stateless persons: 3,898 (2012)
Illicit drugs:
growing producer of synthetic drugs and cannabis; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy