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Compare Afghanistan (2001) - India (2003)

Compare Afghanistan (2001) z India (2003)

 Afghanistan (2001)India (2003)
 AfghanistanIndia
Administrative divisions 30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol; note - there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst 28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Age structure 0-14 years:
42.2% (male 5,775,921; female 5,538,836)

15-64 years:
55.01% (male 7,644,242; female 7,106,568)

65 years and over:
2.79% (male 394,444; female 353,046) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 32.2% (male 173,973,350; female 163,979,116)


15-64 years: 63% (male 342,620,712; female 319,259,867)


65 years and over: 4.8% (male 25,281,756; female 24,585,317) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products opium poppies, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, karakul pelts rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish
Airports 45 (2000 est.) 334 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
10

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 232


over 3,047 m: 14


2,438 to 3,047 m: 47


1,524 to 2,437 m: 78


914 to 1,523 m: 73


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
35

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
15

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
12 (2000 est.)
total: 102


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 42


under 914 m: 48 (2002)
Area total:
647,500 sq km

land:
647,500 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 3,287,590 sq km


land: 2,973,190 sq km


water: 314,400 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Background Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1979. The USSR was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, but the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines. The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, goes back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in 12th were followed by European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife, all this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.
Birth rate 41.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 23.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues: $48.3 billion


expenditures: $78.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $14 (FY01/02 est.)
Capital Kabul New Delhi
Climate arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 7,000 km
Constitution none 26 January 1950
Country name conventional long form:
Islamic State of Afghanistan; note - the self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

conventional short form:
Afghanistan

local long form:
Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan

local short form:
Afghanestan

former:
Republic of Afghanistan
conventional long form: Republic of India


conventional short form: India
Currency afghani (AFA) Indian rupee (INR)
Death rate 17.72 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $5.5 billion (1996 est.) $100.6 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US embassy in Kabul has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. BLACKWILL


embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [91] (11) 419-8000


FAX: [91] (11) 419-0017


consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)
Diplomatic representation in the US none; note - embassy operations suspended 21 August 1997

consulate(s) general:
New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Lalit MANSINGH


chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Embassy located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000


FAX: [1] (202) 483-3972


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's seat at the UN much of the rugged, militarized boundary with China is in dispute, but the two sides have participated in more than 13 rounds of joint working group sessions on this issue; India objects to Pakistan ceding lands to China in 1965 boundary agreement that India believes are part of disputed Kashmir; with Pakistan, armed stand-off over the status and sovereignty of Kashmir continues; disputes with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing and the terminus of the Rann of Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to work on resolution of disputed boundary sections; dispute with Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty Island in the Bay of Bengal prevents maritime boundary delimitation
Economic aid - recipient US provided about $70 million in humanitarian assistance in 1997; US continues to contribute to multilateral assistance through the UN programs of food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons $2.9 billion (FY 98/99)
Economy - overview Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during two decades of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). During that conflict one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more than 6 million refugees. In early 2000, 2 million Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan and about 1.4 million in Iran. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport; severe drought added to the nation's difficulties in 1998-2000. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Inflation remains a serious problem throughout the country. International aid can deal with only a fraction of the humanitarian problem, let alone promote economic development. In 1999-2000, internal civil strife continued, hampering both domestic economic policies and international aid efforts. Numerical data are likely to be either unavailable or unreliable. Afghanistan was by far the largest producer of opium poppies in 2000, and narcotics trafficking is a major source of revenue. India's economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of support services. Overpopulation severely handicaps the economy and about a quarter of the population is too poor to be able to afford an adequate diet. Government controls have been reduced on imports and foreign investment, and privatization of domestic output has proceeded slowly. The economy has posted an excellent average growth rate of 6% since 1990, reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India has large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language; India is a major exporter of software services and software workers; the information technology sector leads the strong growth pattern. The World Bank and others worry about the continuing public-sector budget deficit, running at approximately 10% of GDP in 1997-2002. In 2003 the state-owned Indian Bank substantially reduced non-performing loans, attracted new customers, and turned a profit. Deep-rooted problems remain, notably conflicts among political and cultural groups.
Electricity - consumption 480.6 million kWh (1999) 497.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 321 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 90 million kWh (1999) 1.54 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 420 million kWh (1999) 533.3 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
35.71%

hydro:
64.29%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 81.7%


hydro: 14.5%


nuclear: 3.4%


other: 0.3% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Amu Darya 258 m

highest point:
Nowshak 7,485 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Environment - current issues soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources
Environment - international agreements party to:
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban

signed, but not ratified:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 12%, Uzbek 6% Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
Exchange rates afghanis per US dollar - 4,700 (January 2000), 4,750 (February 1999), 17,000 (December 1996), 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019 (March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which was fixed at 50.600 afghanis to the dollar until 1996, when it rose to 2,262.65 per dollar, and finally became fixed again at 3,000.00 per dollar in April 1996 Indian rupees per US dollar - 48.61 (2002), 47.19 (2001), 44.94 (2000), 43.06 (1999), 41.26 (1998)
Executive branch on 27 September 1996, the ruling members of the Afghan Government were displaced by members of the Islamic Taliban movement; the Islamic State of Afghanistan has no functioning government at this time, and the country remains divided among fighting factions

note:
the Taliban have declared themselves the legitimate government of Afghanistan; however, the UN still recognizes the government of Burhanuddin RABBANI; the Organization of the Islamic Conference has left the Afghan seat vacant until the question of legitimacy can be resolved through negotiations among the warring factions; the country is essentially divided along ethnic lines; the Taliban controls the capital of Kabul and approximately two-thirds of the country including the predominately ethnic Pashtun areas in southern Afghanistan; opposing factions have their stronghold in the ethnically diverse north
chief of state: President Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002); Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 12 August 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE (since 19 March 1998)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term; election last held NA July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002 (next to be held NA August 2007); prime minister elected by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held NA October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004)


election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%; Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE elected prime minister; percent of vote - NA%
Exports $80 million (does not include opium) (1996 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures
Exports - partners FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic US 22.5%, UK 5.1%, UAE 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.5%, Germany 4.3%, China 4.1% (2002)
Fiscal year 21 March - 20 March 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars

note:
the Taliban uses a plain white flag
three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
GDP purchasing power parity - $21 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $2.664 trillion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
53%

industry:
28.5%

services:
18.5% (1990)
agriculture: 25%


industry: 25%


services: 50% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $800 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 4.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 33 00 N, 65 00 E 20 00 N, 77 00 E
Geography - note landlocked dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes
Heliports 3 (2000 est.) 19 (2002)
Highways total:
21,000 km

paved:
2,793 km

unpaved:
18,207 km (1998 est.)
total: 3,319,644 km


paved: 1,517,077 km


unpaved: 1,802,567 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 3.5%


highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)
Illicit drugs world's largest illicit opium producer, surpassing Burma (potential production in 1999 - 1,670 metric tons; cultivation in 1999 - 51,500 hectares, a 23% increase over 1998); a major source of hashish; increasing number of heroin-processing laboratories being set up in the country; major political factions in the country profit from drug trade world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system
Imports $150 million (1996 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities capital goods, food and petroleum products; most consumer goods crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals
Imports - partners FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Germany US 7.1%, Belgium 6.7%, China 4.6%, Singapore 4.6%, UK 4.6% (2002)
Independence 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) 15 August 1947 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - 6% (2002 est.)
Industries small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software
Infant mortality rate 147.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 59.59 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 60.23 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 58.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 5.4% (2002 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO AfDB, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 43 (2000)
Irrigated land 30,000 sq km (1993 est.) 590,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch upper courts were non-functioning as of March 1995 (local Shari'a or Islamic law courts are functioning throughout the country) Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65)
Labor force 10 million (2000 est.) 406 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 70%, industry 15%, services 15% (1990 est.) agriculture 60%, services 23%, industry 17% (1999)
Land boundaries total:
5,529 km

border countries:
China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
total: 14,103 km


border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Land use arable land:
12%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
46%

forests and woodland:
3%

other:
39% (1993 est.)
arable land: 54.35%


permanent crops: 2.66%


other: 42.99% (1998 est.)
Languages Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language
Legal system a new legal system has not been adopted but all factions tacitly agree they will follow Shari'a (Islamic law) based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch non-functioning as of June 1993 bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)


elections: People's Assembly - last held 5 September through 3 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - BJP alliance 40.8%, Congress (I) alliance 33.8%, other 25.4%; seats by party - BJP alliance 304, Congress (I) alliance 134, other 107
Life expectancy at birth total population:
46.24 years

male:
46.97 years

female:
45.47 years (2001 est.)
total population: 63.62 years


male: 62.92 years


female: 64.37 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
31.5%

male:
47.2%

female:
15% (1999 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 59.5%


male: 70.2%


female: 48.3% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Map references Asia Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 305 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,753,279 GRT/9,621,911 DWT


ships by type: bulk 100, cargo 82, chemical tanker 15, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 2, container 10, liquefied gas 10, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 75, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: China 1, UAE 10, UK 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches NA; note - the military does not exist on a national basis; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various groups Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Strategic Nuclear Command (SNC), Coast Guard, various security or paramilitary forces (including Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Rashtriya Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Special Frontier Force, Ladakh Scouts, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, Defense Security Corps, and Indian Reserve Battalions)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $11.52 billion (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 2.3% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
6,645,023 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 288,251,975 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
3,561,957 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 169 million (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 22 years of age 17 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
252,869 (2001 est.)
males: 11,035,174 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 19 August (1919) Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Nationality noun:
Afghan(s)

adjective:
Afghan
noun: Indian(s)


adjective: Indian
Natural hazards damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes
Natural resources natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land
Net migration rate 11.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km gas 5,798 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,195 km; oil 5,613 km; refined products 5,567 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Taliban (Religious Students Movement) [Mullah Mohammad OMAR]; United National Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan or UNIFSA [Burhanuddin RABBANI, chairman; Gen. Abdul Rashid DOSTAM, vice chairman; Ahmad Shah MASOOD, military commander; Mohammed Yunis QANUNI, spokesman]; note - made up of 13 parties opposed to the Taliban including Harakat-i-Islami Afghanistan (Islamic Movement of Afghanistan), Hizb-i-Islami (Islamic Party), Hizb-i-Wahdat-i-Islami (Islamic Unity Party), Jumaat-i-Islami Afghanistan (Islamic Afghan Society), Jumbish-i-Milli (National Front), Mahaz-i-Milli-i-Islami (National Islamic Front) All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C. Jayalalitha JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [D. BISWAS (general secretary)]; Asom Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI]; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Jana KRISNAMURTHY]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India/Marxist-Leninist or CPI/ML [Dipankar BHATTACHARYA]; Congress (I) Party [Sonia GANDHI]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a regional party in Tamil Nadu) [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National League [Suliaman SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D. Deve GOWDA]; Janata Dal (United) or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Kerala Congress (Mani faction) [K. M. MANI]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKO]; Muslim League [G. M. BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary Socialist Party or RSP [Abani ROY]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal [G. S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena [Bal THACKERAY]; Tamil Maanila Congress [G. K. VASAN]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]; Trinamool Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]
Political pressure groups and leaders Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Mellat (Social Democratic Party) [leader NA]; Peshawar, Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National Unity and Understanding in Afghanistan or CUNUA [Ishaq GAILANI]; tribal elders represent traditional Pashtun leadership; Writers Union of Free Afghanistan or WUFA [A. Rasul AMIN] numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties Hurriyat Conference
Population 26,813,057 (July 2001 est.) 1,049,700,118 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 25% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 3.48% (2001 est.)

note:
this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran
1.47% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Kheyrabad, Shir Khan Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam
Radio broadcast stations AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul), FM 1, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pushtu, Dari, Urdu, and English) (1999) AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)
Radios 167,000 (1999) -
Railways total:
24.6 km

broad gauge:
9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya
total: 63,518 km (15,009 km electrified)


broad gauge: 45,142 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 15,013 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,363 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2002)
Religions Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1% Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
1.12 male(s)/female

total population:
1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female


total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage NA; previously males 15-50 years of age 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
very limited telephone and telegraph service

domestic:
in 1997, telecommunications links were established between Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through satellite and microwave systems

international:
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni
general assessment: mediocre service; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; major objective is to continue to expand and modernize long-distance network to keep pace with rapidly growing number of local subscriber lines; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but, with telephone density at about two for each 100 persons and a waiting list of over 2 million, demand for main line telephone service will not be satisfied for a very long time


domestic: local service is provided by microwave radio relay and coaxial cable, with open wire and obsolete electromechanical and manual switchboard systems still in use in rural areas; starting in the 1980s, a substantial amount of digital switch gear has been introduced for local and long-distance service; long-distance traffic is carried mostly by coaxial cable and low-capacity microwave radio relay; since 1985 significant trunk capacity has been added in the form of fiber-optic cable and a domestic satellite system with 254 earth stations; mobile cellular service is provided in four metropolitan cities


international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gaidhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 4 submarine cables - LOCOM linking Chennai (Madras) to Penang; Indo-UAE-Gulf cable linking Mumbai (Bombay) to Al Fujayrah, UAE; India-SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-ME-WE-2 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay); Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay) (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 29,000 (1996)

note:
there were 21,000 main lines in service in Kabul in 1998
27.7 million (October 2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 2.93 million (November 2000)
Television broadcast stations at least 10 (one government run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 30 provinces; the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan provinces) (1998) 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Total fertility rate 5.79 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 8.8% (2002)
Waterways 1,200 km

note:
chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels with DWT up to about 500 (2001)
16,180 km


note: 3,631 km navigable by large vessels
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