|
Military branches:
|
Armed Forces of Sao
Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard
(2004) |
|
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
|
18 years of age
(est.) (2004)
|
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age 18-49:
33,438 (2005 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age 18-49:
25,950 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$700,000 (2004) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
0.8% (2004) |
|
Military - note:
|
Sao Tome and
Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resouces at its
disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally;
infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but
may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical
climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in the past,
as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as reflected
in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with
foreign assistance as intial steps towards the improvement of the
army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is
excersized from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to
the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)
|