The 1992 CIA World Factbook | Page 4

Minister-Counselor, Charge d'Affaires Abdul Ghafur JOUSHAN; Chancery at 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-3770 or 3771; a new representative has not yet been named US: Charge d'Affaires (vacant); Embassy at Ansari Wat, Wazir Akbar Khan Mina, Kabul; telephone 62230 through 62235 or 62436; note - US Embassy in Kabul was closed in January 1989 Flag: a new flag of unknown description reportedly has been adopted; previous flag consisted of three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green, with the national coat of arms superimposed on the hoist side of the black and red bands; similar to the flag of Malawi, which is shorter and bears a radiant, rising red sun centered in the black band
:Afghanistan Economy
Overview: Fundamentally, Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming (wheat especially) and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations, however, have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during more than 13 years of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). Over the past decade, one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan sheltering more than 3 million refugees and Iran about 1.3 million. Another 1 million probably moved into and around urban areas within Afghanistan. Although reliable data are unavailable, gross domestic product is lower than 12 years ago because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $3 billion, per capita $200; real growth rate 0% (1989 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): over 90% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues NA; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of NA Exports: $236 million (f.o.b., FY91 est.) commodities: natural gas 55%, fruits and nuts 24%, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides, and pelts partners: mostly former USSR Imports: $874 million (c.i.f., FY91 est.) commodities: food and petroleum products partners: mostly former USSR External debt: $2.3 billion (March 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 2.3% (FY91 est.); accounts for about 25% of GDP Electricity: 480,000 kW capacity; 1,450 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper Agriculture: largely subsistence farming and nomadic animal husbandry; cash products - wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts, wool, mutton Illicit drugs: an illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; world's second-largest opium producer (after Burma) and a major source of hashish Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $380 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $510 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $57 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $4.1 billion; net official Western disbursements (1985-89), $270 million Currency: afghani (plural - afghanis); 1 afghani (Af) = 100 puls
:Afghanistan Economy
Exchange rates: afghanis (Af) per US$1 - 550 (May 1992, free market exchange rate), 900 (free market exchange rate as of November 1991), 850 (1991), 700 (1989-90), 220 (1988-89); note - these rates reflect the bazaar rates rather than the official exchange rates Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March
:Afghanistan Communications
Railroads: 9.6 km (single track) 1.524-meter gauge from Kushka (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi and 15.0 km from Termez (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya Highways: 21,000 km total (1984); 2,800 km hard surface, 1,650 km bituminous-treated gravel and improved earth, 16,550 km unimproved earth and tracks Inland waterways: total navigability 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles steamers up to about 500 metric tons Pipelines: petroleum products - former USSR to Bagram and former USSR to Shindand; natural gas 180 km Ports: Shir Khan and Kheyrabad (river ports) Civil air: 2 Tu-154, 2 Boeing 727, 4 Yak-40, assorted smaller transports Airports: 41 total, 37 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 18 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: limited telephone, telegraph, and radiobroadcast services; television introduced in 1980; 31,200 telephones; broadcast stations - 5 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 satellite earth station
:Afghanistan Defense Forces
Branches: the military currently is being reorganized by the new government and does not yet exist on a national scale; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and Tribal Militias remain intact and are supporting the new government; the government has asked all military personnel to return to their stations; a large number of former resistance groups also field irregular military forces; the Ministry of State Security (WAD) has been disbanded Manpower availability: males 15-49, 3,989,232; 2,139,771 fit for military service; 150,572 reach military age (22) annually Defense expenditures: the new government has not yet adopted a defense budget
:Albania Geography
Total area: 28,750 km2 Land area: 27,400 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: 720 km total; Greece 282 km,