The U.S. Pacific Command is one of nine U.S. Department of Defense unified combatant commands. It’s responsible for overall stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
While there is so much to know about PACOM, the oldest and largest combatant command, here are some cool facts that stand out:
- The PACOM area of responsibility encompasses about half of the Earth’s surface, stretching from the waters off the West Coast of the U.S. to the western border of India, as well as from Antarctica to the North Pole.
- There are 36 nations in that area, including Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada. The PACOM area is home to more than 50 percent of the world’s population, which is very culturally, socially, economically and geo-politically diverse.
- More than 3,000 different languages are spoken in the PACOM area.
- PACOM has seven of the world’s 10 largest standing militaries; five of the world’s declared nuclear nations, the busiest international sea lanes and nine of the 10 largest ports.
- U.S. Marine Rotational Forces were implemented in Darwin, Australia, in April 2012 to help build a presence that would exercise with the Australian Defense Force and train regional militaries. Darwin, located in Australia’s Northern Territory, is in close proximity to Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Indian Ocean. The Marine presence there reflects the enduring bond and common security interests between our countries.
- The PACOM area of responsibility includes the most populated nation in the world (China), the largest democracy (India) and the largest Muslim-majority nation (Indonesia).
- More than one third of Asia-Pacific nations are small island nations that include the smallest republic in the world (Nauru in Micronesia) and the smallest nation in Asia (Maldives in the Indian Ocean).
- Two of the three largest economies are located in the Asia-Pacific, along with 10 of the 14 smallest economies.
- About 360,000 U.S. military and civilian personnel are assigned to the PACOM area, as are about 200 ships and nearly 1,540 aircraft.
- Alaska might be remote, but it’s the perfect training grounds for RED FLAG-Alaska, an opportunity for U.S. and allied pilots, aircrews and operational support to train and improve their combat skills. The exercises are conducted in interior Alaska in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the largest training range in America at more than 65,000 square miles.
- See more at: http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2015/05/10-fun-facts-about-u-s-pacific-command/#sthash.5LG86amk.dpuf
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