Afghanistan

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
Afghanistan
    n 1: a mountainous landlocked country in central Asia; bordered
         by Iran to the west and Russia to the north and Pakistan to
         the east and south; "Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in
         1979" [syn: {Afghanistan}, {Islamic State of Afghanistan}]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Afghanistan \Afghanistan\ n.
   1. a mountainous country in central Asia.
      [WordNet 1.5]
    
from CIA World Factbook 2006
Afghanistan

Introduction

   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.

Geography

     Location:  Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

    Geographic  33 00 N, 65 00 E
  coordinates:

           Map  Asia
   references:

         Area:  total: 647,500 sq km
                land: 647,500 sq km
                water: 0 sq km

        Area -  slightly smaller than Texas
  comparative:

          Land  total: 5,529 km
   boundaries:  border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan
                2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km,
                Uzbekistan 137 km

    Coastline:  0 km (landlocked)

      Maritime  none (landlocked)
       claims:

      Climate:  arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

      Terrain:  mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

     Elevation  lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
     extremes:  highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

       Natural  natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc,
    resources:  barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious
                and semiprecious stones

     Land use:  arable land: 12.13%
                permanent crops: 0.21%
                other: 87.66% (2005)

     Irrigated  27,200 sq km (2003)
         land:

       Natural  damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
      hazards:  flooding; droughts

 Environment -  limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
       current  supplies of potable water; soil degradation;
       issues:  overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining
                forests are being cut down for fuel and building
                materials); desertification; air and water pollution

 Environment -  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
 international  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
   agreements:  Modification, Marine Dumping
                signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
                Sea, Marine Life Conservation

   Geography -  landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast
         note:  to southwest divide the northern provinces from the
                rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the
                northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)

People

   Population:  31,056,997 (July 2006 est.)

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.)

   Median age:  total: 17.6 years
                male: 17.6 years
                female: 17.6 years (2006 est.)

    Population  2.67% (2006 est.)
  growth rate:

   Birth rate:  46.6 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

   Death rate:  20.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

 Net migration  0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
         rate:

    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.)

        Infant  total: 160.23 deaths/1,000 live births
     mortality  male: 164.77 deaths/1,000 live births
         rate:  female: 155.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

          Life  total population: 43.34 years
 expectancy at  male: 43.16 years
        birth:  female: 43.53 years (2006 est.)

         Total  6.69 children born/woman (2006 est.)
     fertility
         rate:

    HIV/AIDS -  0.01% (2001 est.)
         adult
    prevalence
         rate:

    HIV/AIDS -  NA
 people living
with HIV/AIDS:

    HIV/AIDS -  NA
       deaths:

         Major  degree of risk: high
    infectious  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
     diseases:  diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
                vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide
                below 2,000 meters from March through November
                animal contact disease: rabies (2005)

  Nationality:  noun: Afghan(s)
                adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups:  Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%,
                Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

    Religions:  Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%

    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

     Literacy:  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
                total population: 36%
                male: 51%
                female: 21% (1999 est.)

People - note:  of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001,
                2.3 million have returned

Government

 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

    Government  Islamic republic
         type:

      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)

Administrative  34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan,
    divisions:  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

 Independence:  19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign
                affairs)

      National  Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
      holiday:

 Constitution:  new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January
                2004; signed 16 January 2004

 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

     Suffrage:  18 years of age; universal

     Executive  chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of
       branch:  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%

   Legislative  the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi
       branch:  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

      Judicial  the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera
       branch:  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

     Political  note - includes only political parties approved by the
   parties and  Ministry of Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI];
      leaders:  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)

     Political  Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam) [former President
      pressure  Burhanuddin RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union
    groups and  for the Liberation of Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul
      leaders:  SAYYAF]; there are also small monarchist, communist,
                and democratic groups

 International  AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  organization  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
participation:  IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
                OSCE (partner), SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
                WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

    Diplomatic  chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
representation  chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
    in the US:  telephone: [1] 202-483-6410
                FAX: [1] 202-483-6488
                consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

    Diplomatic  chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
representation  embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
  from the US:  mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA
                20189-6180
                telephone: [00 93] (20) 230-0436
                FAX: [00 93] (20) 230-1364

          Flag  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and
  description:  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

Economy

     Economy -  Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved
     overview:  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.

           GDP  $21.5 billion (2004 est.)
   (purchasing
power parity):

 GDP (official  $7.095 billion
      exchange
        rate):

    GDP - real  14% (2005 est.)
  growth rate:

     GDP - per  $800 (2004 est.)
 capita (PPP):

         GDP -  agriculture: 38%
composition by  industry: 24%
       sector:  services: 38%
                note: data exclude opium production (2005 est.)

  Labor force:  15 million (2004 est.)

 Labor force -  agriculture: 80%
by occupation:  industry: 10%
                services: 10% (2004 est.)

  Unemployment  40% (2005 est.)
         rate:

    Population  53% (2003)
 below poverty
         line:

     Household  lowest 10%: NA%
     income or  highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
    percentage
        share:

Inflation rate  16.3% (2005 est.)
     (consumer
      prices):

       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.)

 Agriculture -  opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins,
     products:  lambskins

   Industries:  small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture,
                shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural
                gas, coal, copper

    Industrial  NA%
    production
  growth rate:

 Electricity -  905 million kWh (2003)
   production:

 Electricity -  fossil fuel: 36.3%
 production by  hydro: 63.7%
       source:  nuclear: 0%
                other: 0% (2001)

 Electricity -  1.042 billion kWh (2003)
  consumption:

 Electricity -  0 kWh (2003)
      exports:

 Electricity -  200 million kWh (2003)
      imports:

         Oil -  0 bbl/day (2003)
   production:

         Oil -  5,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
  consumption:

Oil - exports:  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:  NA bbl/day

  Oil - proved  0 bbl (1 January 2002)
     reserves:

 Natural gas -  50 million cu m (2003 est.)
   production:

 Natural gas -  50 million cu m (2003 est.)
  consumption:

 Natural gas -  0 cu m (2001 est.)
      exports:

 Natural gas -  0 cu m (2001 est.)
      imports:

 Natural gas -  99.96 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
        proved
     reserves:

      Exports:  $471 million; note - not including illicit exports or
                reexports (2005 est.)

     Exports -  opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool,
  commodities:  cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious
                gems

     Exports -  US 25.3%, Pakistan 20.9%, India 20.8%, Finland 4%
     partners:  (2005)

      Imports:  $3.87 billion (2005 est.)

     Imports -  capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
  commodities:

     Imports -  Pakistan 23.9%, US 11.8%, Germany 6.8%, India 6.5%,
     partners:  Turkey 5.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Russia 4.7%, Kenya 4.4%
                (2005)

        Debt -  $8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia;
     external:  Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral
                Development Banks (2004)

Economic aid -  international pledges made by more than 60 countries
    recipient:  and international financial institutions at the Berlin
                Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March
                2004 reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09

      Currency  afghani (AFA)
       (code):

Currency code:  AFA

      Exchange  afghanis per US dollar - 541 (2005), 48 (2004), 49
        rates:  (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

  Fiscal year:  21 March - 20 March

Communications

  Telephones -  100,000 (2005)
 main lines in
          use:

  Telephones -  1.2 million (2005)
        mobile
     cellular:

     Telephone  general assessment: very limited telephone and
       system:  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

         Radio  AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan
     broadcast  Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)
     stations:

       Radios:  167,000 (1999)

    Television  at least 10 (one government-run central television
     broadcast  station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the
     stations:  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)

  Televisions:  100,000 (1999)

      Internet  .af
 country code:

      Internet  22 (2006)
        hosts:

      Internet  1 (2000)
       Service
     Providers
       (ISPs):

      Internet  30,000 (2005)
        users:

Communications  in March 2003, 'af' was established as Afghanistan's
       - note:  domain name; Internet access is growing through
                Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul
                (2002)

Transportation

     Airports:  46 (2006)

    Airports -  total: 11
    with paved  over 3,047 m: 3
      runways:  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)

    Airports -  total: 35
  with unpaved  over 3,047 m: 1
      runways:  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)

    Heliports:  9 (2006)

    Pipelines:  gas 466 km (2006)

     Roadways:  total: 34,789 km
                paved: 8,231 km
                unpaved: 26,558 km (2003)

    Waterways:  1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up
                to 500 DWT) (2005)

     Ports and  Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
    terminals:

Military

      Military  Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force) (2006)
     branches:

      Military  22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service
   service age  for a 4-year term (2005)
           and
   obligation:

      Manpower  males age 22-49: 4,952,812
 available for  females age 22-49: 4,663,963 (2005 est.)
      military
      service:

  Manpower fit  males age 22-49: 2,662,946
  for military  females age 22-49: 2,508,574 (2005 est.)
      service:

      Manpower  males age 18-49: 275,362
      reaching  females age 22-49: 259,935 (2005 est.)
      military
   service age
     annually:

      Military  $122.4 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:

      Military  1.7% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
    percent of
          GDP:

Transnational
Issues

    Disputes -  most Afghan refugees in Pakistan have been repatriated,
international:  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

  Refugees and  IDPs: 200,000-300,000 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis
    internally  displaced in south and west due to drought and
     displaced  instability) (2005)
      persons:

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





                                        
    

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