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Compare Mali (2004) - Afghanistan (2003)

Compare Mali (2004) z Afghanistan (2003)

 Mali (2004)Afghanistan (2003)
 MaliAfghanistan
Administrative divisions 8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 47.1% (male 2,835,378; female 2,801,578)


15-64 years: 49.9% (male 2,862,075; female 3,101,009)


65 years and over: 3% (male 163,927; female 192,821) (2004 est.)
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.)
Agriculture - products cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
Airports 27 (2003 est.) 47 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (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 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 19


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 8 (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 (2002)
Area total: 1.24 million sq km


land: 1.22 million sq km


water: 20,000 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 Texas slightly smaller than Texas
Background The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997, President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE. 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.
Birth rate 47.29 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 40.63 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $764 million


expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002 est.)
revenues: $200 million


expenditures: $550 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 plan est.)
Capital Bamako Kabul
Climate subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution adopted 12 January 1992 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
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Mali


conventional short form: Mali


local long form: Republique de Mali


local short form: Mali


former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
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
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States afghani (AFA)
Death rate 19.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 17.15 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $3.3 billion (2000) NA (1996 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE


embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako


mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako


telephone: [223] (2) 223-833


FAX: [223] (2) 223-712
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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP


chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950


FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603
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
Disputes - international none 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
Economic aid - recipient $596.4 million (2001) 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.
Economy - overview Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along with gold. The government has continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2002. Worker remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire. 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.
Electricity - consumption 446.6 million kWh (2001) 511.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 200 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 480.2 million kWh (2001) 334.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 36.3%


hydro: 63.7%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Senegal River 23 m


highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m


highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5% Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 10%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 13%, Uzbek 8%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999) 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
Executive branch chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30 April 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%
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
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities cotton, gold, livestock opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
Exports - partners Thailand 14%, China 12.1%, India 7.9%, Italy 7.5%, Bangladesh 6.1%, UK 6.1% (2003) 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)
Fiscal year calendar year 21 March - 20 March
Flag description three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia 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 purchasing power parity - $10.53 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $19 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 45%


industry: 17%


services: 38% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 60%


industry: 20%


services: 20% (1990 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $900 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.5% (2003 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 17 00 N, 4 00 W 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan 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 (2002)
Highways total: 15,100 km


paved: 1,827 km


unpaved: 13,273 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%: 1.8%


highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)
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
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Imports - partners France 15.4%, Senegal 7.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.1% (2003) Pakistan 25.1%, South Korea 14.4%, Japan 9.4%, US 9%, Kenya 5.8%, Germany 5.4% (2002)
Independence 22 September 1960 (from France) 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
Industrial production growth rate NA (FY96/97) NA%
Industries food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Infant mortality rate total: 117.99 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 124.51 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 111.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.5% (2002 est.) NA%
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 1,380 sq km (1998 est.) 23,860 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme the Bonn Agreement called for the establishment of a Supreme Court; there is also a Minister of Justice
Labor force 3.93 million (2001 est.) 10 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.) agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (1990 est.)
Land boundaries total: 7,243 km


border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 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: 3.82%


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 96.15% (2001)
arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.22%


other: 87.65% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, 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 customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 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
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30
nonfunctioning as of June 1993
Life expectancy at birth total population: 45.28 years


male: 44.7 years


female: 45.87 years (2004 est.)
total population: 46.97 years


male: 47.67 years


female: 46.23 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 46.4%


male: 53.5%


female: 39.6% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 36%


male: 51%


female: 21% (1999 est.)
Location Western Africa, southwest of Algeria Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Map references Africa Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Military branches Army, Air Force, National Guard 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
Military expenditures - dollar figure $51.1 million (2003) $525.2 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.3% (2003) 7.7% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 2,529,147 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 7,160,603 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,450,795 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 3,837,646 (2003 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, 22 September (1960) Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Nationality noun: Malian(s)


adjective: Malian
noun: Afghan(s)


adjective: Afghan
Natural hazards hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Natural resources gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower


note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Net migration rate -0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 10.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
People - note - large numbers of Afghan refugees create burdens on neighboring states
Pipelines - gas 651 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA [Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME, secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA, chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY] 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
Political pressure groups and leaders Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA NA; note - ministries formed under the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA) include former influential Afghans, diaspora members, and former political leaders
Population 11,956,788 (July 2004 est.) 28,717,213 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas; 70% of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.78% (2004 est.) 3.38%


note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and its continuing impact (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Koulikoro Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1


note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International (2001)
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)
Railways total: 729 km


narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
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)
Religions Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1% Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
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.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal NA; previously males 15-50 years of age
Telephone system general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving; provides only minimal service


domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress


international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
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
Telephones - main lines in use 56,600 (2002) 29,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 250,000 (2003) NA
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 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 mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Total fertility rate 6.58 children born/woman (2004 est.) 5.64 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.) NA%
Waterways 1,815 km (2004) 1,200 km


note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2001)
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