Two Country Comparison Pakistan vs. Afghanistan Country Comparison
First of all, I’d like to introduce before we Go Compare Utilities in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan. Here bellow is introduction of both countries Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, culture and religion same for both countries.
Introduction of Both Countries Pakistan and Afghanistan
Islamic Republic of Pakistan |
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |
|
|---|---|---|
| Background | The Indus vale civilization, one in every of the oldest within the world and chemical analysis back a minimum of five,000 years, touch abundant of what’s presently Asian country. throughout the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture united with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples.
The world underwent serial invasions in future centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished within the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; a people came to dominate the region within the eighteenth century. The separation in 1947 of British Republic of {india|Bharat|Asian country|Asian nation} into the Muslim state of Asian country (with West and East sections) and for the most part Hindu India was ne’er satisfactorily resolved, and Republic of India and Asian country fought 2 wars and a restricted conflict – in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 severally – over the controversial geographic area territory. a 3rd war between these countries in 1971 – during which Republic of India capitalized on Islamabad’s social process of Bengalis in Pakistani politics – resulted in Asian nation|Bangla Desh|East Pakistan|Asian country|Asian nation} turning into the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Asian country conducted its own tests in mid-1998. Republic of India-Pakistan relations improved within the mid-2000s however are rocky since the Gregorian calendar month 2008 metropolis attacks and are any strained by attacks in India by militants suspected of being primarily based in Asian country. Nawaz SHARIF took workplace as prime minister in 2013, marking the primary time in Pakistani history that a democratically electoral government completed a point and transitioned to a serial democratically electoral government. In July 2017, the Supreme Court disqualified SHARIF from post, and Shahid Khaqan ABBASI replaced him as prime minister in August. Asian country has been engaged in an exceedingly decades-long armed conflict with militant teams that focus on government establishments and civilians, as well as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Asian country (TTP) and different militant networks. Ahmad sovereign DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and supported Asian country in 1747. The country |
Ahmad crowned head DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and supported Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between country and Russian Empires till it won independence from notional British management in 1919. a short experiment in democracy resulted in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist coup d’etat. The Russia invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a protracted and damaging war. The Russia withdrew in 1989 underneath relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahadeen rebels.A series of resultant civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the religious movement, a uncompromising Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to finish the country’s warfare and lawlessness.
Following the eleven September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban United Front group action toppled the religious movement for sheltering Usama BIN Ladin. In Dec 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the primary democratically nonappointive president of Afghanistan, and also the National Assembly was inaugurated the subsequent Dec. KARZAI was reelected in August 2009 for a second term. The 2014 presidential election was the country’s initial to incorporate a runoff, that featured the highest 2 vote-getters from the primary spherical, Abdullah ABDULLAH and Ashraf GHANI. Throughout the summer of 2014, their campaigns controversial the results and listed accusations of fraud, resulting in a US-led diplomatic intervention that enclosed a full vote audit in addition as political negotiations between the 2 camps. In September 2014, GHANI and ABDULLAH in agreement to make the govt of National Unity, with GHANI inaugurated as president and ABDULLAH elevated to the newly-created position of chief military officer. The day when the inauguration, the GHANI administration signed the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and global organization standing of Forces Agreement, which give the legal basis for the post-2014 international military presence in Afghanistan. Despite gains toward building a stable central government, the religious movement remains a significant challenge for the Afghan Government in virtually each province. The religious movement still considers itself the rightful government of Afghanistan, and it remains a capable and assured insurgent force despite its last 2 religious leaders being killed; it continues to declare that it’ll pursue a peace cope with Kabul solely when foreign military forces depart. |
Geography in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north | Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran |
| Geographic coordinates | 30 00 N, 70 00 E | 33 00 N, 65 00 E |
| Map references | Asia | Asia |
| Area | total: 796,095 sq km land: 770,875 sq km water: 25,220 sq km |
total: 652,230 sq km land: 652,230 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area – comparative | slightly more than five times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of California | almost six times the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas |
| Land boundaries | total: 7,257 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 2,670 km, China 438 km, India 3,190 km, Iran 959 km |
total: 5,987 km border countries (6): China 91 km, Iran 921 km, Pakistan 2,670 km, Tajikistan 1,357 km, Turkmenistan 804 km, Uzbekistan 144 km |
| Coastline | 1,046 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
none (landlocked) |
| Climate | mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north | arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers |
| Terrain | divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands, the Indus River plain in the center and east, and the Balochistan Plateau in the south and west | mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest |
| Elevation extremes | mean elevation: 900 m elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m |
mean elevation: 1,884 m elevation extremes: lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m highest point: Noshak 7,492 m |
| Natural resources | arable land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone | natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land |
| Land use | agricultural land: 35.2% arable land 27.6%; permanent crops 1.1%; permanent pasture 6.5% forest: 2.1% other: 62.7% (2011 est.) |
agricultural land: 58.07% arable land 20.5%; permanent crops 0.37%; permanent pasture 79% forest: 2.07% other: 39.86% (2014 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 202,000 sq km (2012) | 32,080 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) | damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts |
| Environment – current issues | water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural freshwater resources; most of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification | limited natural freshwater 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
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 | controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent | 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) |
| Population distribution | the Indus River and its tributaries attract most of the settlement, with Punjab province the most densely populated | populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country’s interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled while the south is sparsely populated |
Demographics in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 204,924,861 (July 2017 est.) note: provisional results of Pakistan’s 2017 national census estimate the country’s total population to be 207,774,000 |
34,124,811 (July 2017 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 31.36% (male 33,005,623/female 31,265,463) 15-24 years: 21.14% (male 22,337,897/female 20,980,455) 25-54 years: 37.45% (male 39,846,417/female 36,907,683) 55-64 years: 5.57% (male 5,739,817/female 5,669,495) 65 years and over: 4.48% (male 4,261,917/female 4,910,094) (2017 est.) |
0-14 years: 40.92% (male 7,093,980/female 6,869,737) 15-24 years: 22.22% (male 3,859,696/female 3,723,679) 25-54 years: 30.35% (male 5,273,969/female 5,082,972) 55-64 years: 3.92% (male 659,635/female 678,942) 65 years and over: 2.59% (male 407,437/female 474,764) (2017 est.) |
| Median age | total: 23.8 years male: 23.7 years female: 23.8 years (2017 est.) |
total: 18.8 years male: 18.8 years female: 18.9 years (2017 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 1.43% (2017 est.) | 2.36% (2017 est.) |
| Birth rate | 21.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | 37.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) |
| Death rate | 6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | 13.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | -0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2016 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2016 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) |
total: 110.6 deaths/1,000 live births male: 118 deaths/1,000 live births female: 102.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 68.1 years male: 66.1 years female: 70.1 years (2017 est.) |
total population: 51.7 years male: 50.3 years female: 53.2 years (2017 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 2.62 children born/woman (2017 est.) | 5.12 children born/woman (2017 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate | 0.1% (2016 est.) | <.1% (2016 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani |
noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan |
| Ethnic groups | Punjabi 44.7%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.4%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.4%, Muhajirs 7.6%, Balochi 3.6%, other 6.3% | Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, other (includes smaller numbers of Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, Pashai, and Kyrghyz) note: current statistical data on the sensitive subject of ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available, and ethnicity data from small samples of respondents to opinion polls are not a reliable alternative; Afghanistan’s 2004 constitution recognizes 14 ethnic groups: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, and Pashai (2015) |
| HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS | 130,000 (2016 est.) | 7,500 (2016 est.) |
| Religions | Muslim (official) 96.4% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.6% (2010 est.) | Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 – 89.7%, Shia 10 – 15%), other 0.3% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS – deaths | 5,500 (2016 est.) | <500 (2016 est.) |
| Languages | Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8% | Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 80% (Dari functions as the lingua franca), Pashto (official) 47%, Uzbek 11%, English 5%, Turkmen 2%, Urdu 2%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi, Shughni, Pamiri, Hindi, Russian, German, French <.5% each, don’t know/refused <1% note 1: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language note 2: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them (2017 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 69.5% female: 45.8% (2015 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.2% male: 52% female: 24.2% (2015 est.) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria animal contact disease: rabies (2016) |
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2016) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 7 years (2015) |
total: 11 years male: 13 years female: 8 years (2014) |
| Education expenditures | 2.7% of GDP (2015) | 3.4% of GDP (2015) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 39.7% of total population (2017) rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) |
urban population: 27.6% of total population (2017) rate of urbanization: 3.77% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 93.9% of population rural: 89.9% of population total: 91.4% of population unimproved: urban: 6.1% of population rural: 10.1% of population total: 8.6% of population (2015 est.) |
improved: urban: 78.2% of population rural: 47% of population total: 55.3% of population unimproved: urban: 21.8% of population rural: 53% of population total: 44.7% of population (2015 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 83.1% of population rural: 51.1% of population total: 63.5% of population unimproved: urban: 16.9% of population rural: 48.9% of population total: 36.5% of population (2015 est.) |
improved: urban: 45.1% of population rural: 27% of population total: 31.9% of population unimproved: urban: 54.9% of population rural: 73% of population total: 68.1% of population (2015 est.) |
| Major cities – population | Karachi 16.618 million; Lahore 8.741 million; Faisalabad 3.567 million; Rawalpindi 2.506 million; Multan 1.921 million; ISLAMABAD (capital) 1.365 million (2015) | KABUL (capital) 4.635 million (2015) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 178 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | 396 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 31.6% (2012) | 25% (2013) |
| Health expenditures | 2.6% of GDP (2014) | 8.2% of GDP (2014) |
| Physicians density | 0.81 physicians/1,000 population (2014) | 0.3 physicians/1,000 population (2014) |
| Hospital bed density | 0.6 beds/1,000 population (2012) | 0.5 beds/1,000 population (2012) |
| Obesity – adult prevalence rate | 8.6% (2016) | 5.5% (2016) |
| Mother’s mean age at first birth | 23.4 years note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2012/13 est.) |
19.9 years note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2015 est.) |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 35.4% (2012/13) | 22.5% (2015/16) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 65.3 youth dependency ratio: 57.9 elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 potential support ratio: 13.5 (2015 est.) |
total dependency ratio: 88.8 youth dependency ratio: 84.1 elderly dependency ratio: 4.7 potential support ratio: 21.2 (2015 est.) |
Government in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | “conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan etymology: the word “”pak”” means “”pure”” in Persian or Pashto, while the Persian suffix “”-stan”” means “”place of”” or “”country,”” so the word Pakistan literally means “”Land of the Pure”” “ |
“conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan conventional short form: Afghanistan local long form: Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan local short form: Afghanistan former: Republic of Afghanistan etymology: the name “”Afghan”” originally referred to the Pashtun people (today it is understood to include all the country’s ethnic groups), while the suffix “”-stan”” means “”place of”” or “”country””; so Afghanistan literally means the “”Land of the Afghans”” “ |
| Government type | federal parliamentary republic | presidential Islamic republic |
| Capital | name: Islamabad geographic coordinates: 33 41 N, 73 03 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
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 | 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North-West Frontier Province), Punjab, Sindh note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of 2 administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan |
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 | 14 August 1947 (from British India) | 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) |
| National holiday | Pakistan Day (also referred to as Pakistan Resolution Day or Republic Day), 23 March (1940); note – commemorates both the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the All-India Muslim League during its 22-24 March 1940 session, which called for the creation of independent Muslim states, and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 during the transition to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan | Independence Day, 19 August (1919) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times) amendments: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership of both houses; amended many times, last in 2015 (2017) |
history: several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 – 4 January 2004, signed 16 January 2004, ratified 26 January 2004 amendments: proposed by a commission formed by presidential decree followed by the convention of a Grand Council (Loya Jirga) decreed by the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Loya Jirga membership and endorsement by the president (2017) |
| Legal system | common law system with Islamic law influence | mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; note – there are joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Mamnoon HUSSAIN (since 9 September 2013) head of government: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan ABBASI (since 1 August 2017); Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz SHARIF resigned 7/28/17 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president upon the advice of the prime minister elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Electoral College consisting of members of the Senate, National Assembly, and provincial assemblies for a 5-year term (limited to 2 consecutive terms); election last held on 9 September 2013 (next to be held in 2018); prime minister elected by the National Assembly election results: Mamnoon HUSSAIN elected president; Mamnoon HUSSAIN (PML-N) 432 votes, Wajihuddin AHMED (PTI) 77 votes |
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ; note – the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ cabinet: Cabinet consists of 27 ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held in 2 rounds on 5 April and 14 June 2014 (next to be held in 2018) election results: Ashraf GHANI elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round – Abdullah ABDULLAH (National Coalition of Afghanistan) 45%, Ashraf GHANI (independent) 31.6%, Zalmai RASSOUL 11.4%, other 12%; percent of vote in second round – Ashraf GHANI 56.4%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 43.6% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (104 seats; members indirectly elected by the 4 provincial assemblies and the territories’ representatives by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members – 60 women and 10 non-Muslims – directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate – last held on 5 March 2015 (next to be held in March 2018); National Assembly – last held on 11 May 2013 (next to be held by 2018) election results: Senate – percent of vote by party – NA; seats by party – PPPP 27, PML-N 26, MQM 8, ANP 6, PTI 7, JUI-F 5, PML-Q 4, BNP-A 2, NP 1, PML-F 1, other 7, independent 10; National Assembly – percent of votes by party – NA; general seats by party – PML-N 126, PPPP 31, PTI 28, MQM 18, JUI-F 10, PML-F 5, other 22, independent 25, unfilled seats 7; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; seats by party as of December 2017 (includes women and non-Muslim seats) – PML-N 188, PPPP 47, PTI 33, MQM 24, JUI-F 13, PML-F 5, other 20, independent 10 |
description: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by district councils to serve 3-year terms, 34 indirectly elected by provincial councils to serve 4-year terms, and 34 nominated by the president of which 17 must be women, 2 must represent the disabled, and 2 must be Kuchi nomads; members serve 5-year terms) and the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (249 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) note: the constitution allows the government to convene a constitutional 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 consists of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils; no constitutional Loya Jirga has ever been held, and district councils have never been elected; the president appointed 34 members of the Meshrano Jirga that the district councils should have indirectly elected elections: Meshrano Jirga – last held 10 January 2015 (next to be held in 2018); Wolesi Jirga – last held on 18 September 2010 (next originally scheduled on 15 October 2016 but postponed to 7 July 2018) election results: Meshrano Jirga – percent of vote by party – NA; seats by party – NA; Meshrano Jirga – percent of vote by party NA; seats by party – NA |
| Judicial branch | highest court(s): Supreme Court of Pakistan (consists of the chief justice and 16 judges) judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by an 8-member parliamentary committee upon the recommendation of the Judicial Commission (a 9-member body of judges and other judicial professionals), and appointed by the president of Pakistan; justices can serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Courts; Federal Shariat Court; provincial and district civil and criminal courts; specialized courts for issues such as taxation, banking, customs, etc. |
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Stera Mahkama (consists of the supreme court chief and 8 justices organized into criminal, public security, civil, and commercial divisions or dewans) judge selection and term of office: court chief and justices appointed by the president with the approval of the Wolesi Jirga; court chief and justices serve single 10-year terms subordinate courts: Appeals Courts; Primary Courts; Special Courts for issues including narcotics, security, property, family, and juveniles |
| Political parties and leaders | Awami National Party or ANP [Mian Iftikhar HUSSAIN] Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Mir Israr Ullah ZEHRI] Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Akhtar Jan MENGAL] Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Sirajul HAQ] Jamiat-i Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN] Muttahida Quami Movement or MQM [Farooq SATTAR] Muttahida Quami Movement-London or MQM-L [Nadeem NUSRAT] Pakhtun khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI] Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO or Syed Shah Mardan SHAH-II] Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Nawaz SHARIF] Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Bilawal Bhutto ZARDARI and Asif Ali ZARDARI] Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) [Imran KHAN] Pak Sarzameen Party or PSP [Mustafa KAMAL] Quami Watan Party or QWP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]note: political alliances in Pakistan shift frequently | note – the Ministry of Justice licensed 57 political parties as of September 2016 |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Pakistan Ulema Council or PUC other: military; landowners; industrialists; small merchants |
religious groups, tribal leaders, ethnically based groups, Taliban |
| International organization participation | ADB, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), C, CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-11, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ADB, CICA, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad CHAUDHRY (since 24 April 2017) chancery: 3517 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Louisville (KY), San Francisco |
chief of mission: Ambassador Hamdullah MOHIB (since 17 September 2015) chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador David M. HALE (since 3 December 2015) embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: 8100 Islamabad Place, Washington, DC 20521-8100 telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000/[92] (51) 201-4000 FAX: [92] (51) 233-8071 consulate(s) general: Karachi, Lahore consulate(s): Peshawar |
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Special Charge d’Affaires Hugo LLORENS (since December 2016) embassy: Bibi Mahru, Kabul mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806 telephone: [00 93] 0700 108 001 FAX: [00 93] 0700 108 564 |
| Flag description | green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam | “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 2 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; black signifies the past, red is for the blood shed for independence, and green can represent either hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam note: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century – 19 by one count – than any other country; the colors black, red, and green appeared on most of them “ |
| National anthem | “name: “”Qaumi Tarana”” (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez JULLANDHURI/Ahmed Ghulamali CHAGLA note: adopted 1954; also known as “”Pak sarzamin shad bad”” (Blessed Be the Sacred Land) “ |
“name: “”Milli Surood”” (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA note: adopted 2006; the 2004 constitution of the post-Taliban government mandated that a new national anthem should be written containing the phrase “”Allahu Akbar”” (God is Greatest) and mentioning the names of Afghanistan’s ethnic groups “ |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | star and crescent, jasmine; national colors: green, white | lion; national colors: red, green, black |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent: at least one parent must be a citizen of Pakistan dual citizenship recognized: yes, but limited to select countries residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years and including the 12 months preceding application |
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must have been born in – and continuously lived in – Afghanistan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy – overview | Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to slow growth and underdevelopment in Pakistan. Pakistan has a large English-speaking population. Nevertheless, a challenging security environment, electricity shortages, and a burdensome investment climate have deterred investors. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles and apparel account for most of Pakistan’s export earnings; Pakistan’s failure to diversify its exports has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Pakistan’s GDP growth has gradually increased since 2012. Official unemployment was 6% in 2017, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Human development continues to lag behind most of the region.
In 2013, Pakistan embarked on a $6.3 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, which focused on reducing energy shortages, stabilizing public finances, increasing revenue collection, and improving its balance of payments position. The program concluded in September 2016. Although Pakistan missed several structural reform criteria, it restored macroeconomic stability, improved its credit rating, and boosted growth. The Pakistani rupee, after heavy depreciation in 2013, remained relatively stable against the US dollar in 2015-17. Low global oil prices in 2016 contributed to a narrowing current account deficit and lower inflation. Remittances from overseas workers continued to be a key revenue source, also mitigating the impact of the lack of foreign investment and a growing trade deficit on the country’s current account. Pakistan must continue to address several longstanding issues, including expanding investment in education and healthcare, adapting to the effects of climate change and natural disasters, improving the country’s business environment, reducing dependence on foreign donors, and widening the country’s tax base. Given demographic challenges, Pakistan’s leadership will be pressed to implement economic reforms, promote further development of the energy sector, and attract foreign investment to support sufficient economic growth necessary to employ its growing and rapidly urbanizing population, much of which is under the age of 25. In an effort to boost development, Pakistan and China are implementing the “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,” a $46 billion investment program targeted towards the energy sector and other infrastructure projects that Islamabad and Beijing had agreed on in early 2013. |
Afghanistan is gradually recovering from decades of conflict. Before 2014, the economy had sustained nearly a decade of strong growth, largely because of international assistance. Since 2014, however, the economy has slowed, in large part because of the withdrawal of nearly 100,000 foreign troops that had artificially inflated the country’s economic growth. Despite improvements in life expectancy, incomes, and literacy since 2001, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Corruption, insecurity, weak governance, lack of infrastructure, and the Afghan Government’s difficulty in extending rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. Afghanistan’s living standards are among the lowest in the world.
The international community remains committed to Afghanistan’s development, pledging over $83 billion at ten donors’ conferences between 2003 and 2016. In October 2016, the donors at the Brussels conference pledged an additional $3.8 billion in development aid annually from 2017 to 2020. Despite this help, the Government of Afghanistan will need to overcome a number of challenges, including low revenue collection, anemic job creation, high levels of corruption, weak government capacity, and poor public infrastructure. In 2017 Afghanistan’s growth rate was only marginally above that of the 2014-2016 average. The drawdown of international security forces that started in 2012 has negatively affected economic growth, as a substantial portion of commerce, especially in the services sector, has catered to the ongoing international troop presence in the country. Afghan President Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai is dedicated to instituting economic reforms to include improving revenue collection and fighting corruption. However, the reforms will take time to implement and Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donor support over the next several years. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $1.056 trillion (2017 est.) $1.003 trillion (2016 est.) $960.2 billion (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars data are for fiscal years |
$69.51 billion (2017 est.) $67.81 billion (2016 est.) $66.25 billion (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP – real growth rate | 5.3% (2017 est.) 4.5% (2016 est.) 4.1% (2015 est.) note: data are for fiscal years |
2.5% (2017 est.) 2.4% (2016 est.) 1.3% (2015 est.) |
| GDP – per capita (PPP) | $5,400 (2017 est.) $5,200 (2016 est.) $5,100 (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars data are for fiscal years |
$1,900 (2017 est.) $2,000 (2016 est.) $2,100 (2015 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP – composition by sector | agriculture: 24.7% industry: 19.1% services: 56.3% (2017 est.) |
agriculture: 22% industry: 22% services: 56% note: data exclude opium production (2015 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 29.5% (FY2013 est.) | 35.8% (2011 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 26.1% (FY2013) |
lowest 10%: 3.8% highest 10%: 24% (2008) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.1% (2017 est.) 2.9% (2016 est.) |
6% (2017 est.) 4.4% (2016 est.) |
| Labor force | 63.89 million note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2017 est.) |
7.983 million (2013 est.) |
| Labor force – by occupation | agriculture: 42.3% industry: 22.6% services: 35.1% (FY2015 est.) |
agriculture: 78.6% industry: 5.7% services: 15.7% (FY08/09 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 6% (2017 est.) 6% (2016 est.) note: substantial underemployment exists |
35% (2008 est.) 40% (2005 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $45.64 billion expenditures: $59.28 billion note: data are for fiscal years (2017 est.) |
revenues: $1.992 billion expenditures: $6.636 billion (2016 est.) |
| Industries | textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp | small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper |
| Industrial production growth rate | 5% (2017 est.) | 2.4% (2014 est.) |
| Agriculture – products | cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs | opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins, poppies |
| Exports | $21.7 billion (2017 est.) $21.71 billion (2016 est.) |
$619.2 million (2016 est.) $580 million (2015 est.) note: not including illicit exports or reexports |
| Exports – commodities | textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sporting goods, chemicals, manufactures, surgical instruments, carpets and rugs | opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems |
| Exports – partners | US 16.3%, China 7.6%, UK 7.4%, Afghanistan 6.5%, Germany 5.7% (2016) | Pakistan 46.3%, India 37.6% (2016) |
| Imports | $48.21 billion (2017 est.) $41.62 billion (2016 est.) |
$6.16 billion (2016 est.) $7.034 billion (2015 est.) |
| Imports – commodities | petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea | machinery and other capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products |
| Imports – partners | China 29.1%, UAE 13.2%, Indonesia 4.4%, US 4.3%, Japan 4.2% (2016) | Iran 19.3%, Pakistan 18.3%, China 16.7%, Kazakhstan 9.5%, Uzbekistan 6.1%, Turkmenistan 5.4%, Malaysia 4% (2016) |
| Debt – external | $75.66 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $70.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
$1.28 billion (FY10/11) $2.7 billion (FY08/09) |
| Exchange rates | Pakistani rupees (PKR) per US dollar – 105.1 (2017 est.) 104.769 (2016 est.) 104.769 (2015 est.) 102.769 (FY2014 est.) 101.1 (FY2013 est.) |
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar – 67.87 (2016 est.) 67.87 (2016 est.) 67.87 (2015) 61.14 (2014 est.) 57.25 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | 1 July – 30 June | 21 December – 20 December |
| Public debt | 59.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 59.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
8.3% of GDP (2016 est.) 9.3% of GDP (2015 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $20.02 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $22.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
$6.477 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $6.232 billion (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$11.67 billion (2017 est.) -$4.867 billion (2016 est.) |
$999 million (2017 est.) $1.372 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $278.9 billion (2015 est.) | $21.06 billion (2016 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | $43.68 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $32.76 billion (31 December 2011 est.) $38.17 billion (31 December 2010 est.) |
$NA |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 7% (31 December 2017 est.) 6.94% (31 December 2016 est.) |
15% (31 December 2016 est.) 15% (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Stock of domestic credit | $165.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $145.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
$-240.6 million (31 December 2016 est.) $-240.6 million (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Stock of narrow money | $117.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $103.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
$6.644 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $6.192 billion (31 December 2013 est.) |
| Stock of broad money | $142 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $126.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
$6.945 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $6.544 billion (31 December 2013 est.) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 14.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | 9.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -4.5% of GDP (2016 est.) | -22.1% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| GDP – composition, by end use | household consumption: 81.8% government consumption: 11.9% investment in fixed capital: 14.2% investment in inventories: 1.6% exports of goods and services: 8.3% imports of goods and services: -17.8% (2017 est.) |
household consumption: 108.6% government consumption: 12.8% investment in fixed capital: 18.2% investment in inventories: 0% exports of goods and services: 6.6% imports of goods and services: -46.2% (2014 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 11.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 13.8% of GDP (2016 est.) 14.7% of GDP (2015 est.) note: data are for fiscal years |
22.7% of GDP (2017 est.) 25.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 21.4% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy Comparison in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity – production | 104.5 billion kWh (2015 est.) | 1.034 billion kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity – consumption | 85.9 billion kWh (2015 est.) | 4.741 billion kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity – exports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity – imports | 452 million kWh (2016 est.) | 3.779 billion kWh (2015 est.) |
| Oil – production | 85,500 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Oil – imports | 166,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2014 est.) |
| Oil – exports | 493.2 bbl/day (2014 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2014 est.) |
| Oil – proved reserves | 350.6 million bbl (1 January 2017 es) | 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) |
| Natural gas – proved reserves | 542.5 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | 49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) |
| Natural gas – production | 39.3 billion cu m (2015 est.) | 189 million cu m (2015 est.) |
| Natural gas – consumption | 48.06 billion cu m (2015 est.) | 816 million cu m (2015 est.) |
| Natural gas – exports | 0 cu m (2016 est.) | 0 cu m (2013 est.) |
| Natural gas – imports | 1.37 billion cu m (2015 est.) | 0 cu m (2013 est.) |
| Electricity – installed generating capacity | 22.83 million kW (2015 est.) | 599,100 kW (2015 est.) |
| Electricity – from fossil fuels | 61.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | 44.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) |
| Electricity – from hydroelectric plants | 31.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | 55.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) |
| Electricity – from nuclear fuels | 3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) |
| Electricity – from other renewable sources | 5.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | 0.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products – production | 259,500 bbl/day (2014 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2014 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products – consumption | 517,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 130,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products – exports | 20,720 bbl/day (2014 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2014 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products – imports | 247,300 bbl/day (2014 est.) | 127,200 bbl/day (2014 est.) |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 145 million Mt (2013 est.) | 7.4 million Mt (2013 est.) |
| Electricity access | population without electricity: 49,500,000 electrification – total population: 73% electrification – urban areas: 91% electrification – rural areas: 62% (2013) |
population without electricity: 18,999,254 electrification – total population: 43% electrification – urban areas: 83% electrification – rural areas: 32% (2012) |
Telecommunications in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones – main lines in use | total subscriptions: 3,067,911 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (July 2016 est.) |
total subscriptions: 114,192 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (July 2016 est.) |
| Telephones – mobile cellular | total: 136,489,014 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 68 (July 2016 est.) |
total: 21,602,982 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 65 (July 2016 est.) |
| Telephone system | general assessment: the telecommunications infrastructure is improving, with investments in mobile-cellular networks increasing, but fixed-line subscriptions declining; system consists of microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks; 3G and 4G mobile services introduced domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has skyrocketed; more than 90% of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage; fiber-optic networks are being constructed throughout the country to increase broadband access, though broadband penetration in Pakistan is still relatively low international: country code – 92; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable systems that provide links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations – 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2015) |
general assessment: limited fixed-line telephone service; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks domestic: aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service continues to improve rapidly; the Afghan Ministry of Communications and Information claims that more than 90 percent of the population live in areas with access to mobile-cellular services international: country code – 93; multiple VSAT’s provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (2016) |
| Internet country code | .pk | .af |
| Internet users | total: 31,338,715 percent of population: 15.5% (July 2016 est.) |
total: 3,531,770 percent of population: 10.6% (July 2016 est.) |
| Broadcast media | media is government regulated; 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster, Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), operates a network consisting of 8 channels; private TV broadcasters are permitted; to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational; the state-owned radio network operates more than 30 stations; nearly 200 commercially licensed, privately owned radio stations provide programming mostly limited to music and talk shows (2017) | state-owned broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), operates a series of radio and television stations in Kabul and the provinces; an estimated 150 private radio stations, 50 TV stations, and about a dozen international broadcasters are available (2007) |
Transportation
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Roadways | total: 263,942 km paved: 185,063 km (includes 708 km of expressways) unpaved: 78,879 km (2014) |
total: 42,150 km paved: 12,350 km unpaved: 29,800 km (2006) |
| Pipelines | gas 12,646 km; oil 2,576 km; refined products 1,087 km (2013) | gas 466 km (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim container port(s) (TEUs): Karachi (1,545,434) LNG terminal(s) (import): Port Qasim |
river port(s): Kheyrabad, Shir Khan |
| Airports | 151 (2013) | 43 (2016) |
| Airports – with paved runways | total: 108 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 43 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 10 (2017) |
total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2017) |
| Airports – with unpaved runways | total: 43 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 24 (2013) |
total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2016) |
| Heliports | 23 (2013) | 9 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 4 inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 67 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 8,467,827 annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 183,177,313 mt-km (2015) |
number of registered air carriers: 4 inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 20 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,929,907 annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 33,102,038 mt-km (2015) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | AP (2016) | YA (2016) |
Military in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Pakistan Army (includes National Guard), Pakistan Navy (includes Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza’ya) (2015) | Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF): Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force), Afghan National Police, Afghan Local Police (2016) |
| Military service age and obligation | 16-23 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age 18; women serve in all three armed forces; reserve obligation to age 45 for enlisted men, age 50 for officers (2017) | 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2016) |
| Military expenditures – percent of GDP | 3.56% of GDP (2016) 3.54% of GDP (2015) 3.48% of GDP (2014) 3.47% of GDP (2013) 3.48% of GDP (2012) |
0.89% of GDP (2016) 0.99% of GDP (2015) 1.33% of GDP (2014) 1.06% of GDP (2013) 1.14% of GDP (2012) |
Transnational Issues in two Country Comparison Pakistan vs Afghanistan
| Pakistan | Afghanistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes – international | various talks and confidence-building measures cautiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world’s largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan’s ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease-fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed standoff in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India’s fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India’s Gujarat State; since 2002, with UN assistance, Pakistan has repatriated 3.8 million Afghan refugees, leaving about 2.6 million; Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan, which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities; Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps | Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps and since 2014 have met to discuss collaboration on the Taliban insurgency and counterterrorism efforts; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey; Iran protests Afghanistan’s restricting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities; Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries |
| Illicit drugs | significant transit area for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Iran, Western markets, the Gulf States.
Africa, and Asia; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems; opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 930 hectares in 2015; federal and provincial authorities continue to conduct anti-poppy campaigns that utilizes forced eradication, fines, and arrests |
world’s largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation increased 10 percent, to 201,000 hectares in 2016, while eradication declined significantly; the 2016 crop yielded an estimated 4,800 mt of raw opium, a 43% increase over 2015. The Taliban and other anti government 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; Afghanistan is also struggling to respond to a burgeoning domestic opiate addiction problem; a 2015 national drug use survey found that roughly 11% of the population tested positive for one or more illicit drugs; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; illicit cultivation of cannabis and regional source of hashish |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 2 – 2.4 million (1.4 million registered, 600,000 – 1.0 million undocumented) (Afghanistan) (2017) IDPs: 464,000 (primarily those who remain displaced by counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and violent conflict between armed non-state groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Paktunkwa Province; more than 1 million displaced in northern Waziristan in 2014; individuals also have been displaced by repeated monsoon floods) (2016) |
refugees (country of origin): 59,737 (Pakistan) (2016) IDPs: 1.553 million (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to natural disasters and political instability) (2016) |
