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Original Data Rounded to whole integer
Example 1 43.2 4330.4 3026.4 26—— —100.0 99
Example 2 42.8 4331.6 3225.6 26—— —100.0 101
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@Afghanistan (South Asia)
Introduction ::Afghanistan
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, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. Despite gains toward building a stable central government, a resurgent Taliban and continuing provincial instability - particularly in the south and the east - remain serious challenges for the Afghan Government.
Geography ::Afghanistan
Location:
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 652,230 sq km country comparison to the world: 41 land: 652,230 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, 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 land:
27,200 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
65 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 23.26 cu km/yr (2%/0%/98%)
per capita: 779 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)
People ::Afghanistan
Population:
28.396 million (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43 note: this is a significantly revised figure; the previous estimate of 33,609,937 was extrapolated from the last Afghan census held in 1979, which was never completed because of the Soviet invasion; a new Afghan census is scheduled to take place in 2010
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.5% (male 7,664,670/female 7,300,446)
15-64 years: 53% (male 9,147,846/female 8,679,800)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 394,572/female 422,603) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 17.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.629% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28
Birth rate:
45.46 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4
Death rate:
19.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Net migration rate:
21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Urbanization:
urban population: 24% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 151.95 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 3 male: 156.01 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 147.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.64 years country comparison to the world: 214 male: 44.47 years
female: 44.81 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.53 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.01% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
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%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Languages:
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashto (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: 28.1%
male: 43.1%
female: 12.6% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years
male: 11 years
female: 4 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
Government ::Afghanistan
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 type:
Islamic republic
Capital:
name: Kabul
geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E
time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor,Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar,Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika,Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan,Wardak, Zabul
Independence:
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitution:
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004; ratified 26 January 2004
Legal system:
based on mixed civil and Sharia law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Ahmad Zia MASOOD; Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah held the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presided symbolically over certain occasions but lacked any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary; King ZAHIR Shah died on 23 July 2007
head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Ahmad Zia MASOOD; Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004)
cabinet: 25 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 20 August 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: Hamid KARZAI reelected president; percent of vote - Hamid KARZAI 54.6%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 27.8%, Ramazan BASHARDOST 9.2%, Ashraf GHANI 2.7% (as reported by the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan on 16 September 2009)
note: on 2 November 2009, following the cancellation of the planned 7 November election runoff, the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission officially declared Hamid KARZAI the winner of the 20 August presidential election
Legislative branch:
the bicameral National Assembly consists of 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, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms) and the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for five-year terms
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 election expected in 2010)
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 branch:
the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts; 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 parties and leaders:
Afghanistan Peoples' Treaty Party [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN];Afghanistan's Islamic Mission Organization [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF];Afghanistan's Islamic Nation Party [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI];Afghanistan's National Islamic Party [Rohullah LOUDIN];Afghanistan's Welfare Party [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan SocialDemocratic Party [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Afghan Society for the Call tothe Koran and Sunna [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; ComprehensiveMovement of Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party [SherMohammad BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Tawos ARAB];Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR]; Elites Peopleof Afghanistan Party [Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and DemocracyMovement of Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE]; FreedomParty of Afghanistan [Ilaj Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party ofAfghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e-Afghanistan[Qari Ahmad ALI]; Human Rights Protection and Development Party ofAfghanistan [Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan[Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [MohammadAli JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party [Mohammad MukhtarMUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI,Abdul Hadi ARGHANDIWAL]; Islamic Party of the Afghan Land [MohammadHassan FEROZKHEL]; Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan [IlhajSaid Hussain ANWARY]; Islamic Society of Afghanistan [UstadRABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party [QurbanAli URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad KarimKHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan [UstadMohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Labor and Progress of Afghanistan Party[Zulfiqar OMID]; Muslim People of Afghanistan Party [BesmellahJOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement Party of Afghanistan [Wazir MohammadWAHDAT]; National and Islamic Sovereignty Movement Party ofAfghanistan [Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI]; National Congress Party ofAfghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM]; National Country Party [GhulamMOHAMMAD]; National Development Party of Afghanistan [Dr. ArefBAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party [Abdul Hadi DABEER];National Independence Party of Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad WARDAK];National Islamic Fighters Party of Afghanistan [Amanat NINGARHAREE];National Islamic Front of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE];National Islamic Moderation Party of Afghanistan [Qara Bik EizedYAAR]; National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Sayed NOORULLAH]
National Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];National Movement of Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; NationalParty of Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; National Patch ofAfghanistan Party [Sayed Kamal SADAT]; National Peace Islamic Partyof Afghanistan [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; National Peace & IslamicParty of the Tribes of Afghanistan [Abdul Qaher SHARIATEE]; NationalPeace & Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Qader IMAMI]; NationalProsperity and Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad OsmanSALEKZADA]; National Prosperity Party [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE];National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed EshaqGAILANEE]; National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Sayed MansoorNADREEI]; National Sovereignty Party [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI];National Stability Party [Mohammad Same KHAROTI]; National StanceParty [Habibullah JANEBDAR]; National Tribal Unity Islamic Party ofAfghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANI]; National United Front[Burhanuddin RABBANI] (a coalition); National Unity Movement [SultanMohammad GHAZI]; National Unity Movement of Afghanistan [MohammadNadir AATASH]; National Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul RashidJALILI]; New Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Peace andNational Welfare Activists Society [Shamsul Haq Noor SHAMS]; PeaceMovement [Shahnawaz TANAI]; People's Aspirations Party ofAfghanistan [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; People's Freedom SeekersParty of Afghanistan [Feda Mohammad EHSAS]; People's Liberal FreedomSeekers Party of Afghanistan [Ajmal SUHAIL]; People's Message Partyof Afghanistan [Noor Aqa WAINEE]; People's Movement of the NationalUnity of Afghanistan [Abdul Hakim NOORZAI]; People's Party ofAfghanistan [Ahmad Shah ASAR]; People's Prosperity Party ofAfghanistan [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF]; People's Sovereignty Movementof Afghanistan [Hayatullah SUBHANEE]; People's Uprising Party ofAfghanistan [Sayed Zahir Qayed Omul BELADI]; People's Welfare Partyof Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASIQ]; People's Welfare Party ofAfghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Progressive Democratic Partyof Afghanistan [Wali ARYA]; Republican Party [Sebghatullah SANJAR];Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; TheAfghanistan's Mujahid Nation's Islamic Unity Movement [SaeedullahSAEED]; The People of Afghanistan's Democratic Movement [SharifNAZARI]; Tribes Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad ZarifNASERI]; Understanding and Democracy Party of Afghanistan [AhamadSHAHEEN]
United Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Wasil RAHIMEE]; United Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Wahidullah SABAWOON]; Young Afghanistan's Islamic Organization [Sayed Jawad HUSSINEE]; Youth Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: religious groups; tribal leaders; ethnically based groups
International organization participation:
ADB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO(guest), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr.
embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806
telephone: [93] 0700 108 001
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other two bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan
Economy ::Afghanistan
Economy - overview:
Afghanistan's economy is recovering from decades of conflict. The economy has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of international assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector, and service sector growth. Real GDP growth fell from the 10% level in 2006-07 to a little more than 3% in 2008. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and trade with neighboring countries. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the Afghan Government's inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. 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 level, among the lowest in the world. 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. While the international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $57 billion at three donors' conferences since 2002, Kabul will need to overcome a number of challenges. Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade generate roughly $3 billion in illicit economic activity and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy concerns. Other long-term challenges include: budget sustainability, job creation, corruption, government capacity, and rebuilding war torn infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$22.32 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $21.58 billion (2007 est.)
$19.25 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.71 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 12.1% (2007 est.)
8.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 219 $800 (2007 est.)
$700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31%
industry: 26%
services: 43%
note: data exclude opium production (2008 est.)
Labor force:
15 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry: 10%
services: 10% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
40% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 40% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
53% (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $890 million
expenditures: $2.7 billion
note: Afghanistan has also received $2.6 billion from the Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law and Order Trust Fund (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.92% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 18.14% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.688 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 73 $1.426 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.219 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 92 $958.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$363.6 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 119 $12.04 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
Industries:
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
839 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Electricity - consumption:
1.01 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
230 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 209
Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Oil - imports:
4,404 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Natural gas - production:
30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Natural gas - consumption:
30 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 206
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Natural gas - proved reserves:
49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65
Current account balance:
-$67 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Exports:
$327 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 173 $274 million (2006); note - not including illicit exports or reexports
Exports - commodities:
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
Exports - partners:
India 20.5%, Pakistan 18.5%, US 17.2%, Tajikistan 13.3%, Netherlands 7.2% (2008)
Imports:
$4.85 billion (2007) country comparison to the world: 116 $3.823 billion (2006)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
Pakistan 36.9%, US 9.5%, Germany 7.7%, India 5.2% (2008)
Debt - external:
$8 billion (2004) country comparison to the world: 90
Exchange rates:
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Communications ::Afghanistan
Telephones - main lines in use:
460,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 100
Telephones - mobile cellular:
8.45 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 69
Telephone system:
general assessment: limited landline telephone service; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks in major cities
domestic: aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service is improving rapidly
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 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 5, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashto, Dari (AfghanPersian), Urdu, and English) (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
at least 7 (1 government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in 6 of the 34 provinces) (2006)
Internet country code:
.af
Internet hosts:
47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 208
Internet users:
500,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 107
Communications - note:
Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul (2005)
Transportation ::Afghanistan
Airports:
51 (2009) country comparison to the world: 90
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 9 (2009)
Heliports:
11 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 466 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 42,150 km country comparison to the world: 87 paved: 12,350 km
unpaved: 29,800 km (2006)
Waterways:
1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2008) country comparison to the world: 59
Ports and terminals:
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Military ::Afghanistan
Military branches:
Afghan Armed Forces: Afghan National Army (ANA, includes AfghanNational Army Air Corps) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year term (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,431,147
females age 16-49: 7,004,819 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,371,193
females age 16-49: 4,072,945 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 382,720
female: 361,733 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Transnational Issues ::Afghanistan
Disputes - international:
Pakistan has built fences in some portions of its border with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to foreign terrorists and other illegal activities
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 132,246 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation decreased 22% to 157,000 hectares in 2008 but remains at a historically high level; less favorable growing conditions in 2008 reduced potential opium production to 5,500 metric tons, down 31 percent from 2007; if the entire opium crop were processed, 648 metric tons of pure heroin potentially could be produced; the Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit from the opiate trade, which is a key source of revenue for the Taliban inside Afghanistan; widespread corruption and instability impede counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; regional source of hashish (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Akrotiri (Europe)
Introduction ::Akrotiri
Background:
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area.
Geography ::Akrotiri
Location:
Eastern Mediterranean, peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 123 sq km country comparison to the world: 223 note: includes a salt lake and wetlands
Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 47.4 km
border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km
Coastline:
56.3 km
Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Environment - current issues:
hunting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base
Geography - note:
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several smalloff-post sites scattered across Cyprus; of the Sovereign Base Area(SBA) land, 60% is privately owned and farmed, 20% is owned by theMinistry of Defense, and 20% is SBA Crown land
People ::Akrotiri
Population:
approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK-based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents country comparison to the world: 218
Languages:
English, Greek
Government ::Akrotiri
Country name:
conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri
Dependency status:
a special form of UK overseas territory; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Capital:
name: Episkopi Cantonment (base administrative center for Akrotiri and Dhekelia)
geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Constitution:
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document
Legal system:
the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Major General Jamie GORDON (since October 2008); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defense
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
the flag of the UK is used
Economy ::Akrotiri
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827
note: on 1 January 2008 Akrotiri and Dhekelia adopted the euro along with the rest of Cyprus
Communications ::Akrotiri
Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006)
Military ::Akrotiri
Military - note:
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British ForcesCyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit
page last updated on July 2, 2009
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@Albania (Europe)
Introduction ::Albania
Background:
Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997; however, there have been claims of electoral fraud in every one of Albania's post-communist elections. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges to reduce crime and corruption, promote economic growth, and decrease the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and is a potential candidate for EU accession. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure.
Geography ::Albania
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 28,748 sq km country comparison to the world: 144 land: 27,398 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 717 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Kosovo 112 km
Coastline:
362 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 20.1%
permanent crops: 4.21%
other: 75.69% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,530 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
41.7 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%)
per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, 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
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
People ::Albania
Population:
3,639,453 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.1% (male 440,528/female 400,816)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,251,001/female 1,190,841)
65 years and over: 9.8% (male 165,557/female 190,710) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.9 years
male: 29.3 years
female: 30.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.546% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Birth rate:
15.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Death rate:
5.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Net migration rate:
-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Urbanization:
urban population: 47% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)