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Compare Afghanistan (2003) - French Guiana (2002)

Compare Afghanistan (2003) z French Guiana (2002)

 Afghanistan (2003)French Guiana (2002)
 AfghanistanFrench Guiana
Administrative divisions 32 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, and Zabol none (overseas department of France)
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.8% (male 6,123,971; female 5,868,013)


15-64 years: 55.4% (male 8,240,743; female 7,671,242)


65 years and over: 2.8% (male 427,710; female 385,534) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 28,140; female 26,876)


15-64 years: 64.2% (male 63,183; female 53,902)


65 years and over: 5.6% (male 5,192; female 5,040) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Airports 47 (2002) 11 (2001)
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 (2002)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 37


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 11 (2002)
total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Area total: 647,500 sq km


land: 647,500 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas slightly smaller than Indiana
Background Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but 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, giving rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban. Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany, and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001. The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002, and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines. First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Birth rate 40.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 21.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $200 million


expenditures: $550 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 plan est.)
revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996) (1996)
Capital Kabul Cayenne
Climate arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 378 km
Constitution the Bonn Agreement called for a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) to be convened within 18 months of the establishment of the Transitional Authority to draft a new constitution for the country; the basis for the next constitution is the 1964 Constitution, according to the Bonn Agreement 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name conventional long form: Transitional Islamic State 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: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
Currency afghani (AFA) euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Death rate 17.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external NA (1996 est.) $1.2 billion (1988) (1988)
Dependency status - overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Patrick John FINN; note - embassy in Kabul reopened 16 December 2001, following closure in January 1989


embassy: Great Masood Road, Kabul


mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180


telephone: [93] (2) 290002, 290005, 290154


FAX: 00932290153
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: ambassador Seyyed Tayeb JAWAD


chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: 202-483-6410


FAX: 202-483-6487


consulate(s) general: New York
none (overseas department of France)
Disputes - international thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran and Pakistan; isolating terrain and close ties among Pashtuns in Pakistan make cross-border activities difficult to control; prolonged regional drought strains water-sharing arrangements for Amu Darya and Helmand River states Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Economic aid - recipient international pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at the Tokyo Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in January 2002 reached $4.5 billion through 2006, with $1.8 billion allocated for 2002; another $1.7 billion was pledged for 2003. $NA
Economy - overview Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on foreign aid, farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats), and trade with neighboring countries. Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during more than 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 4 to 6 million refugees. 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 1998-2002. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care, and a dearth of jobs, problems exacerbated by political uncertainties and the general level of lawlessness. International efforts to rebuild Afghanistan were addressed at the Tokyo Donors Conference for Afghan Reconstruction in January 2002, when $4.5 billion was pledged, $1.7 billion for 2002. Of that approximately $900 million was directed to humanitarian aid - food, clothing, and shelter - and another $90 million for the Afghan Transitional Authority. Further World Bank and other aid came in 2003. Priority areas for reconstruction include upgrading education, health, and sanitation facilities; providing income generating opportunities; enhancing administrative and security arrangements, especially in regional areas; developing the agricultural sector; rebuilding transportation, energy, and telecommunication infrastructure; and reabsorbing 2 million returning refugees. The replacement of the opium trade - which may account for one-third of GDP - and the search for oil and gas resources in the northern region are two major long-term issues. The economy is tied closely to the French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Electricity - consumption 511.4 million kWh (2001) 418.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 200 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 334.8 million kWh (2001) 450 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 36.3%


hydro: 63.7%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m


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


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Environment - current issues limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution NA
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
-
Ethnic groups Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 10%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 13%, Uzbek 8% black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Exchange rates afghanis per US dollar - 3,000 (October-December 2002), 3,000 (2001), 3,000 (2000), 3,000 (1999), 3,000 (1998), note: before 2002 the market rate varied widely from the official rate; in 2002 the afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized Euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)
Executive branch note: following the Taliban's refusal to hand over Usama bin LADIN to the US for his suspected involvement in the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, a US-led international coalition was formed; after several weeks of aerial bombardment by coalition forces and military action on the ground, including Afghan opposition forces, the Taliban was ousted from power on 17 November 2001; in December 2001, a number of prominent Afghans met under UN auspices in Bonn, Germany, to decide on a plan for governing the country; as a result, the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) - made up of 30 members, headed by a chairman - was inaugurated on 22 December 2001 with a six-month mandate to be followed by a two-year Transitional Authority (TA), after which elections are to be held; the structure of the follow-on TA was announced on 10 June 2002, when the Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) convened establishing the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA), which has 18 months to hold a Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and 24 months to hold nationwide elections


chief of state: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10 June 2002); note - presently the president and head of government


head of government: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10 June 2002); note - presently the president and head of government


cabinet: the 30-member TISA


elections: nationwide elections are to be held by June 2004, according to the Bonn Agreement
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)


head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Exports NA (2001) $155 million f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners Pakistan 26.8%, India 26.5%, Finland 5.8%, Germany 5.1%, UAE 4.4%, Belgium 4.3%, Russia 4.2%, US 4.2% (2002) France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997)
Fiscal year 21 March - 20 March calendar year
Flag description three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above the flag of France is used
GDP purchasing power parity - $19 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 60%


industry: 20%


services: 20% (1990 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% NA%
Geographic coordinates 33 00 N, 65 00 E 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography - note landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor) mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Heliports 5 (2002) -
Highways total: 21,000 km


paved: 2,793 km


unpaved: 18,207 km (1999 est.)
total: 1,817 km


paved: 817 km


unpaved: 1,000 km (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium poppy - used to make heroin - expanded to 30,750 hectares in 2002, despite eradication; potential opium production of 1,278 metric tons; source of hashish; many narcotics-processing labs throughout the country; drug trade source of instability and some government groups profit from the trade; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports NA (2001) $625 million c.i.f. (1997)
Imports - commodities capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners Pakistan 25.1%, South Korea 14.4%, Japan 9.4%, US 9%, Kenya 5.8%, Germany 5.4% (2002) France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997)
Independence 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Infant mortality rate total: 142.48 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 145.99 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 138.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
13.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 2.5% (1992) (1992)
International organization participation AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO FZ, WCL, WFTU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 23,860 sq km (1998 est.) 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch the Bonn Agreement called for the establishment of a Supreme Court; there is also a Minister of Justice Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force 10 million (2000 est.) 58,800 (1997) (1997)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (1990 est.) services, government, and commerce 61%, industry 21%, agriculture 18% (1980)
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: 1,183 km


border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.22%


other: 87.65% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.11% NEGL


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (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 French
Legal system the Bonn Agreement calls for a judicial commission to rebuild the justice system in accordance with Islamic principles, international standards, the rule of law, and Afghan legal traditions French legal system
Legislative branch nonfunctioning as of June 1993 unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 46.97 years


male: 47.67 years


female: 46.23 years (2003 est.)
total population: 76.49 years


male: 73.16 years


female: 79.99 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 36%


male: 51%


female: 21% (1999 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
Location Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references Asia South America
Maritime claims none (landlocked) exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - none (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches NA; note - the December 2001 Bonn Agreement called for all militia forces to come under the authority of the central government, but regional leaders have continued to retain their militias and the formation of a nation army will be a gradual process; Afghanistan's forces continue to be factionalized, largely along ethnic lines no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $525.2 million (FY02) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 7.7% (FY02) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 7,160,603 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 50,504 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 3,837,646 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 32,720 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 22 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 275,223 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 19 August (1919) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Afghan(s)


adjective: Afghan
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
Natural hazards damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Net migration rate 10.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
People - note large numbers of Afghan refugees create burdens on neighboring states -
Pipelines gas 651 km (2003) -
Political parties and leaders NA; note - political parties in Afghanistan are in flux and many prominent players have plans to create new parties; the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA) is headed by President Hamid KARZAI; the TISA is a coalition government formed of leaders from across the Afghan political spectrum; there are also several political factions not holding positions in the Transitional government that are forming new groups and parties in the hopes of participating in 2004 elections Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA; note - ministries formed under the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA) include former influential Afghans, diaspora members, and former political leaders NA
Population 28,717,213 (July 2003 est.) 182,333 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 3.38%


note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and its continuing impact (2003 est.)
2.57% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Kheyrabad, Shir Khan Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Radio broadcast stations AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul), FM 1, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (1999) AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Radios - 104,000 (1997)
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 (2001)
0 km
Religions Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1% Roman Catholic
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female


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


total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2002 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: NA


domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 29,000 (1998) 47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA NA
Television broadcast stations at least 10 (one government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 32 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) 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Total fertility rate 5.64 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 21.4% (1998) (1998)
Waterways 1,200 km


note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2001)
3,300 km navigable by native craft


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers
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