ne system:
domestic: very limited telephone and telegraph service; 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

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6 (5 are inactive), FM 1, shortwave
3 (1998)

Radios: 1.67 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: NA
note: in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four
northern Afghanistan provinces; also, the government ran a central
television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 30
provinces; it is unknown if any of these stations currently operate

Televisions: 100,000 (1998 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
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

Highways:
total: 21,000 km
paved: 2,793 km
unpaved: 18,207 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up
to about 500 DWT

Pipelines: petroleum products--Uzbekistan to Bagram and
Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km

Ports and harbors: Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Merchant marine:
total: 1 container ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,982
GRT/14,101 DWT (1998 est.)

Airports: 44 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 33
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 10 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 3 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: 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 manpower--military age: 22 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 6,326,135 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,392,336 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching mili