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 (1998 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 Airports: 46 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (1999 est.) Heliports: 3 (1999 est.) @Afghanistan: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: 6,401,980 (2000 est.) Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,432,236 (2000 est.) Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 244,958 (2000 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA% @Afghanistan:Transnational Issues Disputes - international: support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's seat at the UN 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 ______________________________________________________________________ ALBANIA @Albania:Introduction Background: In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with severe unemployment, the collapse of a fraudulent nationwide investment scheme, widespread gangsterism, and massive refugee influxes from neighboring Kosovo. @Albania:Geography Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 20 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland