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Compare Madagascar (2005) - Afghanistan (2005)

Compare Madagascar (2005) z Afghanistan (2005)

 Madagascar (2005)Afghanistan (2005)
 MadagascarAfghanistan
Administrative divisions 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara 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, and Zabol
Age structure 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,051,832/female 4,038,837)


15-64 years: 52.1% (male 4,657,346/female 4,745,971)


65 years and over: 3% (male 247,146/female 299,209) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 6,842,857/female 6,524,485)


15-64 years: 52.9% (male 8,124,077/female 7,713,603)


65 years and over: 2.4% (male 353,193/female 370,772) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
Airports 116 (2004 est.) 47 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 29


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
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 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 87


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 42


under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)
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 (2004 est.)
Area total: 587,040 sq km


land: 581,540 sq km


water: 5,500 sq km
total: 647,500 sq km


land: 647,500 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Arizona slightly smaller than Texas
Background Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. Afghanistan's recent history is a story of war and civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces. The Communist regime in Kabul collapsed in 1992. Fighting that subsequently erupted among the various mujahidin factions eventually helped to spawn the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that fought to end the warlordism and civil war that gripped the country. The Taliban seized Kabul in 1996 and were able to capture most of the country outside of Northern Alliance strongholds primarily in the northeast. 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 ultimately resulted in the adoption of a new constitution and presidential election in 2004. On 9 October 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The new Afghan government's next task is to hold National Assembly elections, tentatively scheduled for April 2005.
Birth rate 41.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 47.02 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $783.7 million


expenditures: $1.079 billion, including capital expenditures of $331 million (2004 est.)
revenues: $300 million


expenditures: $609 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY04-05 budget)
Capital Antananarivo Kabul
Climate tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Coastline 4,828 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 19 August 1992 by national referendum new constitution drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar


conventional short form: Madagascar


local long form: Republique de Madagascar


local short form: Madagascar


former: Malagasy Republic
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
Death rate 11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 20.75 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $4.6 billion (2002) $8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT


embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101


mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo


telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56


FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39
chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD


embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul


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


telephone: [00] (2) 230-0436


FAX: [0093] (2) 230-1364
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA


chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526


FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603


consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD


chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] 202-483-6410


FAX: [1] 202-483-6488


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Disputes - international claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France) the UN has been able to repatriate over two million Afghan refugees but several million more continue to reside in Iran and Pakistan in camps and elsewhere, 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; occasional conflicts over water-sharing arrangements with Amu Darya and Helmand River states
Economic aid - recipient $354 million (2001) 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
Economy - overview Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the United States. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years. Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 because of the infusion of over $2 billion in international assistance, recovery of the agricultural sector, and the reestablishment of market institutions. Agriculture boomed in 2003 with the end of a four-year drought, but drought conditions returned for the southern half of the country in 2004. 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 raise Afghanistan's living standards up 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 maintaining improvements in the Afghan economy in 2005. 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.
Electricity - consumption 781.4 million kWh (2002) 652.2 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 150 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 840.2 million kWh (2002) 540 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m


highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Environment - current issues soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered 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
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%
Exchange rates Malagasy francs per US dollar - 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001), 1,353.5 (2000) afghanis per US dollar - 3,000 (2004), 3,000 (2003), 3,000 (2002), 3,000 (2001), 3,000 (2000)


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
Executive branch chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (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); 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; 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%
Exports NA NA
Exports - commodities coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
Exports - partners US 35.8%, France 30.8%, Germany 7.7% (2004) Pakistan 24%, India 21.3%, US 12.4%, Germany 5.5% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year 21 March - 20 March
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side 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
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 29.3%


industry: 16.7%


services: 54% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 60%


industry: 20%


services: 20% (1990 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.5% (2004 est.) 7.5% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 20 00 S, 47 00 E 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Geography - note world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel 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)
Heliports - 5 (2004 est.)
Highways total: 49,827 km


paved: 5,780 km


unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)
total: 21,000 km


paved: 2,793 km


unpaved: 18,207 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 29% (1999)
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium poppy reached unprecedented level of 206,700 hectares in 2004; counterdrug efforts largely unsuccessful; potential opium production of 4,950 metric tons; potential heroin production of 582 metric tons if all opium was 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
Imports NA NA
Imports - commodities capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Imports - partners France 17.2%, China 9.7%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Iran 6.4%, Mauritius 6.2%, South Africa 5.6% (2004) Pakistan 25.5%, US 8.7%, India 8.5%, Germany 6.5%, Turkmenistan 5.3%, Kenya 4.7%, South Korea 4.2%, Russia 4.2% (2004)
Independence 26 June 1960 (from France) 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
Industrial production growth rate 3% (2000 est.) NA
Industries meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Infant mortality rate total: 76.83 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 163.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 167.79 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 158.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.5% (2004 est.) 10.3% (2003)
International organization participation ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO
Irrigated land 10,900 sq km (2000 est.) 23,860 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle the new 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; 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
Labor force 7.3 million (2000) 11.8 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (2004 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 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
Land use arable land: 5.07%


permanent crops: 1.03%


other: 93.91% (2001)
arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.22%


other: 87.65% (2001)
Languages French (official), Malagasy (official) 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
Legal system based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 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
Legislative branch bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats appointed by the president; all members will serve four-year terms)


elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, others 3, independents 22
nonfunctioning as of January 2004; government is empowered by the constitution to issue legislation by decree until the new assembly is seated; under the new constitution, the bicameral National Assembly will consist of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for a five-year term, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one third elected from provincial councils for a four-year term, one third elected from local district councils for a three-year term, and one third presidential appointees for a five-year term; the presidential appointees will include two representatives of Kuchis and two representatives of the disabled; half of the presidential appointees will be women)


note: on rare occasions the government may convene the Loya Jirga 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: scheduled for spring 2005
Life expectancy at birth total population: 56.95 years


male: 54.57 years


female: 59.4 years (2005 est.)
total population: 42.9 years


male: 42.71 years


female: 43.1 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 68.9%


male: 75.5%


female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 36%


male: 51%


female: 21% (1999 est.)
Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Map references Africa Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT


by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2


registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
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Military branches People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval (Navy and Air) Force; National Gendarmerie Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force), Afghan Militia Force (AMF) (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $44.6 million (2004) $188.4 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (2004) 2.6% (2004)
National holiday Independence Day, 26 June (1960) Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Nationality noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)


adjective: Malagasy
noun: Afghan(s)


adjective: Afghan
Natural hazards periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Natural resources graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 21.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
People - note - of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million have returned
Pipelines - gas 387 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON] 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 [leader NA]; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili Afghanistan [Latif PEDRAM]; Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad ZAREEF]; Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL]; 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-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)
Political pressure groups and leaders Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM 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
Population 18,040,341 (July 2005 est.) 29,928,987 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2004 est.) 53% (2003)
Population growth rate 3.03% (2005 est.) 4.77%


note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and its continuing impact (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Radio broadcast stations AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001) AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)
Railways total: 732 km


narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
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Religions indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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 (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: system is above average for the region


domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions


international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service


domestic: telephone service improving with the establishment of two mobile phone operators by 2003; telephone main lines remain weak with only 0.1 line per 10 people


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
Telephones - main lines in use 59,600 (2003) 33,100 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 279,500 (2003) 15,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001) 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)
Terrain narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Total fertility rate 5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.) 6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate - NA
Waterways 600 km (2004) 1,200 km


note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2004)
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