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Compare Afghanistan (2006) - Moldova (2003)

Compare Afghanistan (2006) z Moldova (2003)

 Afghanistan (2006)Moldova (2003)
 AfghanistanMoldova
Administrative divisions 34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol 9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni
Age structure 0-14 years: 44.6% (male 7,095,117/female 6,763,759)


15-64 years: 53% (male 8,436,716/female 8,008,463)


65 years and over: 2.4% (male 366,642/female 386,300) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 21.1% (male 477,063; female 459,992)


15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,465,248; female 1,584,402)


65 years and over: 10.2% (male 168,068; female 284,729) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk
Airports 46 (2006) 36 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 11


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
total: 8


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 35


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 9 (2006)
total: 28


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Area total: 647,500 sq km


land: 647,500 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 33,843 sq km


land: 33,371 sq km


water: 472 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas slightly larger than Maryland
Background Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, but withdrew 10 years later under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A civil war between mujahedin factions erupted following the 1992 fall of the Communist regime. The Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy, seized Kabul in 1996 and most of the country outside of opposition Northern Alliance strongholds by 1998. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. In late 2001, a conference in Bonn, Germany, established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution and a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005. Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.
Birth rate 46.6 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 14.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $269 million


expenditures: $561 million; including capital expenditures of $41.7 million


note: Afghanistan has also received $273 million from the Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law and Order Trust Fund (FY04-05 budget est.)
revenues: $536 million


expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Capital name: Kabul


geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 12 E


time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Chisinau
Climate arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers moderate winters, warm summers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004 new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979
Country name conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan


conventional short form: Afghanistan


local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan


local short form: Afghanestan


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


conventional short form: Moldova


local long form: Republica Moldova


local short form: none


former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia
Currency - Moldovan leu (MDL)
Death rate 20.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004) $1.3 billion (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN


embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul


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


telephone: [00 93] (20) 230-0436


FAX: [00 93] (20) 230-1364
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH


embassy: 103 Alexei Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72


FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD


chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] 202-483-6410


FAX: [1] 202-483-6488


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI


chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130


FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204
Disputes - international most Afghan refugees in Pakistan have been repatriated, but thousands still remain in Iran, many at their own choosing; Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to patrol remote tribal areas to control the borders and stem organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings between Pakistani and Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary encroachments; regional conflicts over water-sharing arrangements with Amu Darya and Helmand River states difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate border crossing and customs with Ukraine, facilitating smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities
Economic aid - recipient international pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09 $100 million (2000)
Economy - overview Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 because of the infusion of over $8 billion in international assistance, recovery of the agricultural sector and growth of the service sector, and the reestablishment of market institutions. Real GDP growth is estimated to have slowed in the last fiscal year primarily because adverse weather conditions cut agricultural production, but is expected to rebound over 2005-06 because of foreign donor reconstruction and service sector growth. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from its current status, among the lowest in the world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the Afghan government and international donors remain committed to improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political stability and continued international commitment to Afghan reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for continuing improvements in the Afghan economy in 2006. Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade may account for one-third of GDP and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy challenges. Other long-term challenges include: boosting the supply of skilled labor, reducing vulnerability to severe natural disasters, expanding health services, and rebuilding a war torn infrastructure. Moldova remains a very poor country despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth, of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 5.3% in 2003. Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.
Electricity - consumption 1.042 billion kWh (2003) 3.216 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 200 million kWh (2003) 60 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 905 million kWh (2003) 3.394 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 90.6%


hydro: 9.4%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m


highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
lowest point: Dniester River 2 m


highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 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 heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping


signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4% Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)


note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Exchange rates afghanis per US dollar - 541 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003), 41 (2002), 66 (2001)


note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002, the market rate varied widely from the official rate
lei per US dollar - NA (2002), 12.87 (2001), 12.43 (2000), 10.52 (1999), 5.37 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presides symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary


head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government


cabinet: 27 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly


elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a second round; a president can only be elected for two terms; election last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote - Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANOONI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ 11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda JALAL 1.2%
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002)


cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of Parliament


elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001


election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101
Exports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Exports - commodities opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Exports - partners US 25.3%, Pakistan 20.9%, India 20.8%, Finland 4% (2005) Russia 35%, Italy 11.7%, Germany 8.8%, Ukraine 8.5%, Romania 5.7%, US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2002)
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 same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow
GDP - purchasing power parity - $11.51 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 38%


industry: 24%


services: 38%


note: data exclude opium production (2005 est.)
agriculture: 28%


industry: 23%


services: 49% (2000)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 14% (2005 est.) 6.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 33 00 N, 65 00 E 47 00 N, 29 00 E
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) landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
Heliports 9 (2006) -
Highways - total: 12,657 km


paved: 11,012 km


unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.2%


highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)
Illicit drugs world's largest producer of opium; cultivation dropped 48% to 107,400 hectares in 2005; better weather and lack of widespread disease returned opium yields to normal levels, meaning potential opium production declined by only 10% to 4,475 metric tons; if the entire poppy crop were processed, it is estimated that 526 metric tons of heroin could be processed; source of hashish; many narcotics-processing labs throughout the country; drug trade source of instability and some antigovernment groups profit from the trade; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through informal financial networks limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity
Imports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Imports - commodities capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)
Imports - partners Pakistan 23.9%, US 11.8%, Germany 6.8%, India 6.5%, Turkey 5.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Russia 4.7%, Kenya 4.4% (2005) Russia 23.9%, Ukraine 13.4%, Germany 12.6%, Italy 8.3%, Romania 8.2% (2002)
Independence 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 9% (2002 est.)
Industries small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles
Infant mortality rate total: 160.23 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 164.77 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 155.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 44.81 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 38.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 16.3% (2005 est.) 5.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 2 (1999)
Irrigated land 27,200 sq km (2003) 3,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts (note - nine supreme court justices were appointed in the interim in January 2005 pending National Assembly selection of the constitutionally mandated justices); there is also a minister of justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses and war crimes Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)
Labor force 15 million (2004 est.) 1.7 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 80%


industry: 10%


services: 10% (2004 est.)
agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)
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: 1,389 km


border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Land use arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.21%


other: 87.66% (2005)
arable land: 54.08%


permanent crops: 12.1%


other: 33.82% (1998 est.)
Languages Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official) 35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Legal system according to the new constitution, no law should be "contrary to Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive society based on social justice, protection of human dignity, protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and to ensure national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter, international treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents
Legislative branch the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-year terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year terms - provincial councils elected temporary members to fill these seats until district councils are formed, and one-third presidential appointees for five-year terms; the presidential appointees will include 2 representatives of Kuchis and 2 representatives of the disabled; half of the presidential appointees will be women)


note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils


elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be held for the Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held for the provincial councils to the Meshrano Jirga by September 2008)




election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system used in the election did not make use of political party slates; most candidates ran as independents
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM 71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11
Life expectancy at birth total population: 43.34 years


male: 43.16 years


female: 43.53 years (2006 est.)
total population: 64.88 years


male: 60.63 years


female: 69.35 years (2003 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: 99.1%


male: 99.6%


female: 98.7% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Map references Asia Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Military branches Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force) (2006) Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces), Republic Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and Border Troops)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $122.4 million (2005 est.) $6.4 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.7% (2005 est.) 0.4% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,180,874 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 936,629 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 44,084 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 19 August (1919) Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Nationality noun: Afghan(s)


adjective: Afghan
noun: Moldovan(s)


adjective: Moldovan
Natural hazards damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts landslides (57 cases in 1998)
Natural resources natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Net migration rate 0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
People - note of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million have returned -
Pipelines gas 466 km (2006) gas 606 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami Gond [Shah Mahmood Polal ZAI]; Harakat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Asif MOHSINEE]; Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Iihaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; Hezb-e-Aazadee Afghanistan [Abdul MALIK]; Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabeer MARZBAN]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil RAHEEMEE]; Hezb-e-Afghan Watan Islami Gond; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili Afghanistan [Latif PEDRAM]; Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad ZAREEF]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; Hezb-e-Hamnbatagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Nadir AATASH]; Hezb-e-Harak-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hssain ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqoq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATEE]; Hezb-e-Istiqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Gh. Farooq NIJZRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahan [Sibghatullah SANJAR]; Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiar OMID]; Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL]; Hezb-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed AARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANEE]; Hezb-e-Nuhzhat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOUD]; Hezb-e-Paiwand-e-Mili Afghanistan [Said Mansoor NADIRI]; Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Said ZAHIR]; Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASEEQ]; Hezb-e-Risalat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEEN]; Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Wa Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Usman SALIGZADA]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Qahir SHARYATEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Qadir IMAMEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum-e-Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Ahamad SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed JALILI]; Jamahat-ul-Dahwat ilal Qurhan-wa-Sunat-ul-Afghanistan [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Jombesh-e Milli [Abdul Rashid DOSTAM]; Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Said Ahmad GAILANEE]; Majmah-e-Mili Fahaleen-e-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shams ul Haq Noor SHAMS]; Nuhzat-e-Aazadee Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Abdul Raqeeb Jawid KUHISTANEE]; Nuhzat-e-Hambastagee Mili Afghanistan [Peer Said Ishaq GAILANEE]; Sazman-e-Islami Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Siad Jawad HUSSAINEE]; Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili [Sultan Mahmood DHAZI] (30 Sep 2004) Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam) [former President Burhanuddin RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; there are also small monarchist, communist, and democratic groups NA
Population 31,056,997 (July 2006 est.) 4,439,502 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 53% (2003) 80% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 2.67% (2006 est.) 0.13% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - none
Radio broadcast stations AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003) AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)
Railways - total: 1,300 km


broad gauge: 1,300 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)
Religions Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1% Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female


total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service


domestic: telephone service is improving with the licensing of four wireless telephone service providers by 2005; approximately 4 in 100 Afghans own a wireless telephone; telephone main lines remain limited.


international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way


domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced


international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik
Telephones - main lines in use 100,000 (2005) 627,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.2 million (2005) 2,200 (1997)
Television broadcast stations at least 10 (one government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 34 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) 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Total fertility rate 6.69 children born/woman (2006 est.) 1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 40% (2005 est.) 8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.)
Waterways 1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2005) 424 km (1994)
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