The 1998 yearbook continues SIPRI's annual analyses of developments in global and regional major armed conflicts; in conflict prevention, management and resolution; in world military expenditure, arms production, arms transfers, nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; and in arms control and disarmament.

Special studies in this volume include:

* major armed conflicts

* armed conflict prevention, management and resolution

* multilateral peace missions in 1997

* regional studies of the Middle East peace process, Russia and the conflicts and peaceful settlement of disputes in its environment, and new security arrangements in Europe

* world military expenditure and arms production

* Russian military expenditure

* the 100 largest arms-producing companies

* military research and development

* the trade in major conventional weapons

* multilateral military-related export controls

* nuclear, chemical and biological arms control

* new nuclear weapon-free zones in South-East Asia and Africa

* implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention

* conventional arms control

* the ban on anti-personnel land-mines