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Compare Swaziland (2001) - Afghanistan (2001)

Compare Swaziland (2001) z Afghanistan (2001)

 Swaziland (2001)Afghanistan (2001)
 SwazilandAfghanistan
Administrative divisions 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni 30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol; note - there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst
Age structure 0-14 years:
45.53% (male 250,327; female 252,479)

15-64 years:
51.88% (male 276,186; female 296,728)

65 years and over:
2.59% (male 11,687; female 16,936) (2001 est.)
0-14 years:
42.2% (male 5,775,921; female 5,538,836)

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

65 years and over:
2.79% (male 394,444; female 353,046) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep opium poppies, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, karakul pelts
Airports 18 (2000 est.) 45 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 (2000 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 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
17

914 to 1,523 m:
7

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
total:
35

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
15

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
12 (2000 est.)
Area total:
17,363 sq km

land:
17,203 sq km

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

land:
647,500 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly smaller than Texas
Background Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1979. The USSR was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, but the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines.
Birth rate 40.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 41.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues:
$400 million

expenditures:
$450 million, including capital expenditures of $115 million (FY96/97)
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital Kabul
Climate varies from tropical to near temperate arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted none
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form:
Swaziland
conventional long form:
Islamic State of Afghanistan; note - the self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

conventional short form:
Afghanistan

local long form:
Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan

local short form:
Afghanestan

former:
Republic of Afghanistan
Currency lilangeni (SZL) afghani (AFA)
Death rate 21.84 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 17.72 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $281 million (2000 est.) $5.5 billion (1996 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Gregory L. JOHNSON

embassy:
Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane

mailing address:
P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

telephone:
[268] 404-6441 through 404-6445

FAX:
[268] 404-5959
the US embassy in Kabul has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA

chancery:
3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 362-6683

FAX:
[1] (202) 244-8059
none; note - embassy operations suspended 21 August 1997

consulate(s) general:
New York
Disputes - international Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's seat at the UN
Economic aid - recipient $55 million (1995) US provided about $70 million in humanitarian assistance in 1997; US continues to contribute to multilateral assistance through the UN programs of food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons
Economy - overview In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives four-fifths of its imports and to which it sends two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. Prospects for 2001 are strengthened by government millennium projects for a new convention center, additional hotels, an amusement park, a new airport, and stepped-up roadbuilding and factory construction plans. Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during two decades of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). During that conflict one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more than 6 million refugees. In early 2000, 2 million Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan and about 1.4 million in Iran. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport; severe drought added to the nation's difficulties in 1998-2000. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Inflation remains a serious problem throughout the country. International aid can deal with only a fraction of the humanitarian problem, let alone promote economic development. In 1999-2000, internal civil strife continued, hampering both domestic economic policies and international aid efforts. Numerical data are likely to be either unavailable or unreliable. Afghanistan was by far the largest producer of opium poppies in 2000, and narcotics trafficking is a major source of revenue.
Electricity - consumption 198 million kWh (1999) 480.6 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 852 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 701 million kWh

note:
supplied by South Africa (1999)
90 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 375 million kWh (1999) 420 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
53.33%

hydro:
46.67%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
35.71%

hydro:
64.29%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Great Usutu River 21 m

highest point:
Emlembe 1,862 m
lowest point:
Amu Darya 258 m

highest point:
Nowshak 7,485 m
Environment - current issues limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
Desertification, Law of the Sea
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 African 97%, European 3% Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 12%, Uzbek 6%
Exchange rates emalangeni per US dollar - 7.7803 (January 2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand; emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni afghanis per US dollar - 4,700 (January 2000), 4,750 (February 1999), 17,000 (December 1996), 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019 (March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which was fixed at 50.600 afghanis to the dollar until 1996, when it rose to 2,262.65 per dollar, and finally became fixed again at 3,000.00 per dollar in April 1996
Executive branch chief of state:
King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

head of government:
Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996)

cabinet:
Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
on 27 September 1996, the ruling members of the Afghan Government were displaced by members of the Islamic Taliban movement; the Islamic State of Afghanistan has no functioning government at this time, and the country remains divided among fighting factions

note:
the Taliban have declared themselves the legitimate government of Afghanistan; however, the UN still recognizes the government of Burhanuddin RABBANI; the Organization of the Islamic Conference has left the Afghan seat vacant until the question of legitimacy can be resolved through negotiations among the warring factions; the country is essentially divided along ethnic lines; the Taliban controls the capital of Kabul and approximately two-thirds of the country including the predominately ethnic Pashtun areas in southern Afghanistan; opposing factions have their stronghold in the ethnically diverse north
Exports $881 million (f.o.b., 2000) $80 million (does not include opium) (1996 est.)
Exports - commodities soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
Exports - partners South Africa 65%, EU 12%, Mozambique 11%, US 5% (1998) FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 21 March - 20 March
Flag description three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars

note:
the Taliban uses a plain white flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $21 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
10%

industry:
46%

services:
44% (1998 est.)
agriculture:
53%

industry:
28.5%

services:
18.5% (1990)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.4% (2000 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 26 30 S, 31 30 E 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa landlocked
Heliports - 3 (2000 est.)
Highways total:
3,000 km

paved:
850 km

unpaved:
2,150 km (1997)
total:
21,000 km

paved:
2,793 km

unpaved:
18,207 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

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

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - world's largest illicit opium producer, surpassing Burma (potential production in 1999 - 1,670 metric tons; cultivation in 1999 - 51,500 hectares, a 23% increase over 1998); a major source of hashish; increasing number of heroin-processing laboratories being set up in the country; major political factions in the country profit from drug trade
Imports $928 million (f.o.b., 2000) $150 million (1996 est.)
Imports - commodities motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals capital goods, food and petroleum products; most consumer goods
Imports - partners South Africa 84%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2% (1998) FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Germany
Independence 6 September 1968 (from UK) 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
Industrial production growth rate 3.7% (FY95/96) -
Industries mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper
Infant mortality rate 109.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 147.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.4% (2000 est.) NA%
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 670 sq km (1993 est.) 30,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch upper courts were non-functioning as of March 1995 (local Shari'a or Islamic law courts are functioning throughout the country)
Labor force NA 10 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation private sector 70%, public sector 30% agriculture 70%, industry 15%, services 15% (1990 est.)
Land boundaries total:
535 km

border countries:
Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 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:
11%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
62%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
20% (1993 est.)
arable land:
12%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
46%

forests and woodland:
3%

other:
39% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official) 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 South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction a new legal system has not been adopted but all factions tacitly agree they will follow Shari'a (Islamic law)
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
House of Assembly - last held 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results:
House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
non-functioning as of June 1993
Life expectancy at birth total population:
38.62 years

male:
37.86 years

female:
39.4 years (2001 est.)
total population:
46.24 years

male:
46.97 years

female:
45.47 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
76.7%

male:
78%

female:
75.6% (1995 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
31.5%

male:
47.2%

female:
15% (1999 est.)
Location Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Map references Africa Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Military branches Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force NA; note - the military does not exist on a national basis; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various groups
Military expenditures - dollar figure $19.198 million (FY00/01) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.75% (FY00/01) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
248,084 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
6,645,023 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
143,618 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
3,561,957 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 22 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
252,869 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 6 September (1968) Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Nationality noun:
Swazi(s)

adjective:
Swazi
noun:
Afghan(s)

adjective:
Afghan
Natural hazards NA damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Natural resources asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc 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 (2001 est.) 11.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km
Political parties and leaders Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]; Swaziland Progressive Party or SPP [J. J. NQUKU, president]; Swaziland United Front or SUF [Matsapa SHONGWE, leader]

note:
political parties are banned by the constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings; the organizations listed are political associations
Taliban (Religious Students Movement) [Mullah Mohammad OMAR]; United National Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan or UNIFSA [Burhanuddin RABBANI, chairman; Gen. Abdul Rashid DOSTAM, vice chairman; Ahmad Shah MASOOD, military commander; Mohammed Yunis QANUNI, spokesman]; note - made up of 13 parties opposed to the Taliban including Harakat-i-Islami Afghanistan (Islamic Movement of Afghanistan), Hizb-i-Islami (Islamic Party), Hizb-i-Wahdat-i-Islami (Islamic Unity Party), Jumaat-i-Islami Afghanistan (Islamic Afghan Society), Jumbish-i-Milli (National Front), Mahaz-i-Milli-i-Islami (National Islamic Front)
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Mellat (Social Democratic Party) [leader NA]; Peshawar, Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National Unity and Understanding in Afghanistan or CUNUA [Ishaq GAILANI]; tribal elders represent traditional Pashtun leadership; Writers Union of Free Afghanistan or WUFA [A. Rasul AMIN]
Population 1,104,343

note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
26,813,057 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.83% (2001 est.) 3.48% (2001 est.)

note:
this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran
Ports and harbors none Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Radio broadcast stations AM 7, FM 6 (2000) AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul), FM 1, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pushtu, Dari, Urdu, and English) (1999)
Radios 155,000 (1997) 167,000 (1999)
Railways total:
297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use

narrow gauge:
297 km 1.067-m gauge
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
Religions Protestant 55%, Muslim 10%, Roman Catholic 5%, indigenous beliefs 30% Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
0.99 male(s)/female

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

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

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

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age NA; previously males 15-50 years of age
Telephone system general assessment:
not a modern system

domestic:
system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic 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 33,500 (2000) 29,000 (1996)

note:
there were 21,000 main lines in service in Kabul in 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular 30,000 (2000) NA
Television broadcast stations 10 (2000) at least 10 (one government run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 30 provinces; the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan provinces) (1998)
Terrain mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Total fertility rate 5.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) 5.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 22% (1995 est.) NA%
Waterways none 1,200 km

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