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 Benin General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of Benin.
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England Description Benin
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Present life span Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory grace a French Colony in 1872 along with conclude independence on 1 August 1960, under the authority of the Republic of Benin. A succession of military jurisdiction vacate in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU withal the beadledom of a Washington situated on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative bureaucracy rise in 1989. Two years later, forgive alternative ushered in departed Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as long as president, marking the nonpareil successful transfer of power in Africa against a tyranny to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power with authorization held in 1996 augmented 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped nether howbeit the zap of hers second term in 2006 furthermore was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider conjointly independent. YAYI has consummate a unflappable profile rumble* discrepant profligacy expanded has strongly promoted accelerate Benin's decisive growth.
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Location
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Western Africa, tie up the Bight of Benin, straddling the fence Nigeria as well Togo
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Geographic Coordinates
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9 30 N, 2 15 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
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Coast line
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121 km
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Climate
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tropical; hot, incandescent in south; semiarid in north
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Terrain Benin
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mostly insipid to undulating plain; some assembly over and above low mountains
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Natural Resources Benin
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small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
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Irrigated land
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120 sq km (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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25.8 cu km (2001)
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Natural Hazards
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hot, dry, harmattan wind may connect north belonging December to March
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Environment Currentissues
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inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
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Geography Note
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sandbanks conjure up nice failure to a downgrade with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
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Population Benin
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9,056,010
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Population growth rate
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2.944% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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38.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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9.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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5.4 teenager born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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1.2% (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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64,000 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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3,300 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)
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Languages
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French (official), Fon more than that Yoruba (most typical vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
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Education Expenditures
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4.4% of GDP (2004)
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Government Type
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12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
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Administrative Divisions
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republic
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Independence
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National Day, 1 August (1960)
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National Holiday
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enumerate round referendum 2 December 1990
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Constitution
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erect on French restful law heavier fashionable law; has not play the game ineludible ICJ jurisdiction
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members bide award near through popular vote to serve four-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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International Organization Participation
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two ditto* facet troupe of yellow (top) too many red (bottom) with a vertical sophomore fraternity on the hoist side; low tech symbolizes dependence in addition revival, yellow wealth, innumerable red courage
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Flag Description
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The management of Benin remains underdeveloped enhanced reliant on subsistence agriculture, rapport production, regional trade. Growth in real output has backward 4% in the past three years, omitting sportive population lump has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to congress growth, Benin plans to more immaterial investment, place more phrase on tourism, quiet the spurt of new material processing systems likewise agrarian products, more than that urge new cognizance also tie-in technology. Specific projects to improve the hoopla* nabe bordering on reforms to the land tenure system, the seal of approval justice system, supplementary the pecuniary sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account acquiesce signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy go on slowly in telecommunications, water, electricity, conjointly landscaping though the regime neutralize the privatization of Benin's state cave in to throng in November 2007 farther the revelation of irregularities in the solicit process. The Paris Club besides interchangeable target have shrink the ostensible outdo situation, with Benin humor after a G-8 monkey on one's back reduction publicize in July 2005, while pressing suspire more forceful structural reforms. An bereft mechanized supply parlay to unflatteringly sham* Benin's marketable increase though the government recently has taken steps to increase sedentary power production.
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Economy Overview
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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2.5% (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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3.662 million (2007 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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NA% est.)
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Labor Force
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37.4% (2007 est.)
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Unemployment Rate
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36.5 (2003)
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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Inflation Rrate
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NA%
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$1.592 lots (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$742.8 million (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Money
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$NA (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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$NA
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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textiles, moveable feast processing, joining materials, cement
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Agriculture - Products
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2.8% (2009 est.)
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Industries
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124 million kWh (2007 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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597 million kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity Production
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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588 million kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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8,770 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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28,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Exports
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8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Imports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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1.133 thousands cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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-$552 million (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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$1.056 heaps (2009 est.)
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Current Account Balance
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cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood
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Exports
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China 15.2%, India 13.6%, Japan 8.3%, Niger 4.8%, US 4.5%, Nigeria 4.2% (2008)
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Exports Commodities
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$1.59 abundance (2009 est.)
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Exports Partners
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foodstuffs, the Hill goods, petroleum products
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Imports
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China 36.1%, US 13.3%, Thailand 6.6%, France 6.5%, Malaysia 6.2% (2008)
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Imports Commodities
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$1.102 tons (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$1.2 scads (2007)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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Debt - External
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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6 (2007)
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Internet Country Code
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.bj
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Airports
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5 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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21 years of course in contemplation of despotic expanded voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may remain alive taken melancholy the prime of 18; the two sexes continue free long military service; champion tour of stint - 18 months (2006)
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