This is the accessible text file for GAO report number GAO-03-634R entitled 'Central and Southwest Asian Countries: Trends in U.S. Assistance and Key Economic, Governance, and Demographic Characteristics' which was released on May 09, 2003. This text file was formatted by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) to be accessible to users with visual impairments, as part of a longer term project to improve GAO products' accessibility. Every attempt has been made to maintain the structural and data integrity of the original printed product. Accessibility features, such as text descriptions of tables, consecutively numbered footnotes placed at the end of the file, and the text of agency comment letters, are provided but may not exactly duplicate the presentation or format of the printed version. The portable document format (PDF) file is an exact electronic replica of the printed version. We welcome your feedback. Please E-mail your comments regarding the contents or accessibility features of this document to Webmaster@gao.gov. This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. Because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately. United States General Accounting Office: Washington, DC 20548: May 9, 2003: The Honorable Richard G. Lugar: Chairman: The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Ranking Minority Member: Committee on Foreign Relations: United States Senate: The Honorable Henry J. Hyde: Chairman: The Honorable Tom Lantos: Ranking Minority Member: Committee on International Relations: House of Representatives: Subject: Central and Southwest Asian Countries: Trends in U.S. Assistance and Key Economic, Governance, and Demographic Characteristics: Following the terrorist attacks of September 2001, prosecuting the global war on terrorism became the United States' primary foreign policy priority. The United States focused its initial efforts on Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom because the country harbored elements of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. As a result, countries in the region--Pakistan and the five Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-- became frontline states in the war on terrorism, raising the profile of U.S. relations with these countries. We performed this work under the authority of the Comptroller General; we are sending it to you because of your oversight responsibilities. This letter with its enclosures provides information on Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the five Central Asian republics. Specifically, this letter highlights changes in U.S. priorities, assistance, and presence in Central and Southwest Asian countries since September 2001, and the economic, political, and demographic environment in which these changes have occurred. Additionally, we prepared short profiles for the seven countries that address these changes and characteristics in more detail. Enclosure I presents our scope and methodology, and enclosures II through VIII include the country profiles. Enclosure IX provides the sources used to develop the country profiles. Summary: Since the attacks of September 2001, the United States has broadened its priorities and increased its assistance and presence in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the five Central Asian republics--countries with significant political and economic challenges that may affect the United States' priorities and programs in the region. While not specific to all countries in the region, the United States continues to focus on priorities that were in place prior to September 2001: political and economic reform, nonproliferation, energy development, counternarcotics, and trafficking. However, since that time, the United States has emphasized enhanced security and counterterrorism relationships accompanied by increased military and economic assistance and U.S. military presence. For example, in fiscal year 2001 the United States provided about $342 million in assistance to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the five Central Asian republics. In fiscal year 2002, the United States planned to provide about $1.9 billion in assistance for these countries, primarily for Afghanistan and Pakistan[Footnote 1]. Further, since September 2001, the United States has deployed forces to a number of military facilities in the region to support U.S. operations in Afghanistan. These expanded activities and investments occur in an environment generally marked by authoritarian regimes, poor economic outlooks, and large youth populations vulnerable to the appeal of radical movements. Background: U.S. security assistance to these countries is primarily channeled through the Departments of Defense and State and includes foreign military financing, international military education and training, drawdowns of U.S. equipment and services, and cooperative threat reduction funds. Economic assistance is primarily channeled through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State, and includes funds for child survival and disease programs; development assistance; peacekeeping operations; international narcotics and law enforcement; economic support; nonproliferation, antiterrorism, and demining; and assistance provided under the Freedom Support Act.[Footnote 2] Economic assistance also includes funding for the Peace Corps and food aid. The United States Has Expanded Its Priorities, Assistance, and Presence in a Region Characterized by Significant Challenges: According to Department of State officials, the United States has generally broadened its priorities in the countries of Central and Southwest Asia since September 2001. Before that time, U.S. priorities for the Central Asian republics, Afghanistan, and Pakistan generally included promoting nonproliferation, limiting narcotics production and trafficking, promoting economic and political reform, and in the case of the Central Asian republics, encouraging energy development. Since September 2001, the United States has continued to pursue these priorities while enhancing security relationships and emphasizing political and economic reform and development. In the cases of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United States has removed or waived sanctions and restrictions on assistance to carry out the war on terrorism. U.S. economic and security assistance to countries in the region has increased since September 2001. As figure 1 shows, for fiscal year 2002, the United States planned to provide about $1.5 billion more in assistance than it provided in fiscal year 2001. Most of this increase- -about $1.3 billion--went to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Planned assistance in fiscal year 2002 to the five Central Asian countries more than doubled from assistance in the prior year--an increase of about $232 million. Requested assistance for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 is lower than amounts budgeted in fiscal year 2002, but these amounts are generally higher than assistance provided in each fiscal year from 1993 through 2001. Figure 1: U.S. Security and Economic Assistance to Central and Southwest Asian Countries, Fiscal Years 1993 through 2004: (Constant fiscal year 2002 dollars in millions): [See PDF for image] Source: Departments of Defense and State and U.S. Agency for International Development. [A] Budget authority amounts from U.S. Department of State budget documents. [B] Requested amounts from U.S. Department of State budget documents. Notes: GAO analysis of data from the Departments of Defense and State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Amounts for fiscal years 1993 through 2001 are taken from U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants, which, according to USAID, is the complete historical record of all loans and grants authorized by the U.S. government since 1945. However, in discussions with Department of State and USAID officials, we learned that it does not include all assistance to these countries. For example, other State Department reports show about $386 million in assistance to the Central Asian states for fiscal years 1992 through 2001, an amount we were unable to breakdown by year. [End of figure] Assistance funds are shown as obligations for fiscal years 1993 through 2001, as budget authority for fiscal year 2002, and as requests for fiscal years 2003 and 2004. Exceptions to this include $2 million and $150 million in fiscal years 2002 and 2003, respectively, to Afghanistan, which are for drawdowns for defense articles, services, education, and training. In addition to increases in U.S. assistance, U.S. military presence in the five Central Asian republics, Afghanistan, and Pakistan has expanded since September 2001. For instance, to conduct Operation Enduring Freedom, the United States used military facilities in Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and secured overflight rights from these countries, as well as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.[Footnote 3] Prior to September 2001, the United States did not have military forces based in these countries. Moreover, since September 2001, the United States has concluded several agreements and declarations with countries in the area for the use of military infrastructure, rights to transit territories, and cooperation on political, economic, and security issues. These Central and Southwest Asian countries are characterized by significant economic, political, and demographic challenges that could affect U.S. efforts in the area. These countries generally carry large amounts of debt and have demonstrated uneven progress in economic reform, despite some positive growth in both gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita GDP. Furthermore, various monitors of human rights and political freedoms, including the Department of State, have identified these countries as politically repressed and corrupt. For example, Freedom House rates all of these countries as not free for political rights and civil liberties. In addition, these countries have large youth populations; about 40 percent of the total population of these countries are under the age of 15, nearly twice that of the United States. According to National Intelligence Council documents and testimonies of U.S. officials, large youth populations, combined with poor economic prospects in politically repressive environments provide fertile ground for radical political movements and social unrest. In addition, China, India, Iran, and Russia have historic and current interests in these countries, which the United States must consider when pursuing its objectives. Scope and Methodology: To obtain information about changes in U.S. priorities, assistance, and presence, we analyzed documents from the Departments of Defense and State and USAID, including USAID's U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants. We also interviewed officials from these agencies. To obtain information on other bilateral and multilateral assistance we relied on data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. To analyze economic, governance, and demographic information, we obtained data from the Central Intelligence Agency, the Library of Congress, the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program, Freedom House, Global Insight, the Heritage Foundation, and Transparency International. We conducted our work from December 2002 to March 2003 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Agency Comments and our Evaluation: We discussed this report with officials of the Departments of Defense and State and USAID who generally concurred with the information provided in this correspondence. They also provided technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate. In particular, USAID emphasized its efforts in humanitarian assistance and social sector reform. We are sending copies of this report to other committees and Members of Congress; the Secretaries of Defense and State; the Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development; the Director, the Office of Management and Budget; and other interested parties. Copies will be made available to others on request. In addition, this report will be available at no charge on our Web site at http://www.gao.gov. If you have any questions about this report, please contact me at 202- 512-8979 or by E-mail at Christoffj@gao.gov. John Hutton, Muriel Forster, Michael Rohrback, Rebecca Gambler, Lynn Cothern, and Mary Moutsos made major contributions to this report. Sincerely yours, Joseph A. Christoff Director, International Affairs and Trade: Signed by Joseph A. Christoff: Enclosures: 9: Scope and Methodology: To describe U.S. priorities in these countries, we reviewed congressional testimonies of U.S. officials from the Departments of Defense and State and USAID. We also reviewed Department of Defense country profiles and security cooperation guidance and Department of State congressional budget justifications, fact sheets, and other informational documents. We interviewed officials from the Departments of Defense and State and from USAID. To describe U.S. presence in these countries, we reviewed information from Global Security Inc., the Peace Corps, and Department of Defense country profiles. We also interviewed officials from the Departments of Defense and State. To describe U.S. security and economic assistance for fiscal years 1993 through 2001, we analyzed data reported as obligations by USAID in U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants.[Footnote 4] According to U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants, economic assistance includes child survival and disease funds, development assistance, Freedom Support Act funds, Economic Support Funds, security supporting assistance, food aid, Peace Corps funds, and international narcotics control assistance. Security assistance includes foreign military financing, international military education and training, and transfers of excess defense articles. We used U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants because, according to USAID, it is the complete historical record of all loans and grants authorized by the U.S. government since 1945, and it provides the most consistent record of U.S. assistance to all seven countries in terms of obligations. However, in discussions with Department of State and USAID officials, we learned that U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants does not include all assistance to the countries we reviewed. For example, the Department of State's reports U.S. Government Assistance to and Cooperative Activities with Eurasia for fiscal year 2001 and U.S. Government Assistance to and Cooperative Activities with the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union for fiscal year 2000 identifies about $386 million in assistance over a 10-year period to the five Central Asian republics that is not included in U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants. For data on security and economic assistance for fiscal years 2002 through 2004, we reviewed the Department of State's fiscal year 2004 congressional budget justification. For fiscal year 2002, we used budget authority amounts as reported in the fiscal year 2004 budget justification. For fiscal years 2003 and 2004, we used requested amounts as reported in the same document.[Footnote 5] For assistance provided to Afghanistan in fiscal year 2003, State Department officials told us to use assistance provided in fiscal year 2002 supplemental appropriations as reported in the fiscal year 2004 budget justification. For security assistance, we also included data on obligations for cooperative threat reduction and U.S. equipment and services drawdowns for fiscal years 1993 through 2003, which was not included in U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants nor the Department of State's congressional budget justification. We obtained this data from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, respectively. In addition, we discussed and verified security and economic assistance amounts with State Department and USAID officials. To describe foreign and multilateral aid flows to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the five: Central Asian republics for 1993 through 2001, we reviewed data on official development assistance from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. At the time of our review, data on official development assistance for 2002 were not available. Official development assistance is defined as aid flows to a country provided by official agencies to promote economic development and welfare. In contrast to U.S. security and economic assistance, which is reported as obligations, official development assistance is reported as net disbursements (actual payments) and reflects total inflows of grants and loans minus total outflows of loan repayments. To describe the economic, political, and demographic characteristics of these countries, we relied on numerous sources. We obtained maps of the individual countries from Central Intelligence Agency publications, along with information about land area, population under the age of 15, life expectancy, literacy, ethnic groups (with the exception of Pakistan, which we obtained from a Library of Congress publication), religions, type of government and legal system, and key transnational issues. We obtained information on population, population growth rates, and most economic and trade data from Global Insight and information on Afghanistan's external debt from the Asian Development Bank. We obtained data on the percentage of women holding seats in lower or single houses of governments from the United Nations Development Program. We obtained information on political rights and religious freedom from Freedom House and its Center for Religious Freedom. We compiled information on economic freedom from the Heritage Foundation, and on corruption from Transparency International.[Footnote 6] In all cases, we used the most recently available data from these sources. Afghanistan: Afghanistan has been called the crossroads of Central Asia and is bordered by China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Following U.S. military action, the Taliban regime fell in Afghanistan in late 2001, and an interim government was installed to write a new constitution and prepare for national elections. The United States has removed sanctions affecting Afghanistan that were placed on the Taliban and Taliban-controlled areas of the country. U.S. priorities for Afghanistan are focused on conducting the war on terrorism, building security arrangements, fostering internal governance, and providing humanitarian and development assistance. Afghanistan's population is ethnically diverse. A majority of the population is Sunni Muslim, but the country has a significant Shi'a minority. Afghanistan's literacy rate is less than 50 percent for the total population, and is even lower among women. More than 40 percent of the population is under the age of 15. Afghanistan is economically underdeveloped and is the world's largest producer of opium. [End of table] U.S. Assistance: : From fiscal year 1993 to 2001, the United States obligated about $226 million in total assistance, about $224 million of which was economic aid. In fiscal year 2002, budgeted assistance totaled about $401 million. Requested assistance for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 totals about $964 million.; U.S. Security and Economic Assistance, Fiscal Years 1993-2004; (Total obligations, constant fiscal year 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). Sources: Departments of Defense and State and U.S. Agency for International Development.; Note: Fiscal year 2002 assistance amounts are budget authority levels and fiscal year 2003 and 2004 amounts are requested levels from Department of State budget documents. [See PDF for image] [End of table] International Aid Flows: : International aid flows totaled about $2.1 billion from 1993 to 2001. Aid from the United States and other countries totaled about $1.3 billion while multilateral aid totaled about $828 million. Primary donors include Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Commission, and the United Nations.; Bilateral and Multilateral Official Development Assistance, 1993-2001; (Net disbursements, constant 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.; Note: Official development assistance (ODA) is defined as aid flows to a country provided by official; agencies to promote economic development and welfare. ODA is reported as net disbursements and; reflects total inflows of grants and loans minus total outflows of loan repayments. [End of table] Demographics: [See PDF for image] [End of table] Sources: Global Insight, CIA, and United Nations Development Program. Note: N/A = not available. Governance, Rights, and Freedoms: [See PDF for image] Type of government: Transitional. Type of legal system: Is in the process of being rebuilt in accordance with Islamic principles, international standards, rule of law, and Afghan traditions. Source: CIA. [End of figure] Afghanistan was not rated for religious freedom by Freedom House's Center for Religious Freedom. Afghanistan was also not rated for economic freedom by the Heritage Foundation or for corruption by Transparency International. Afghanistan was rated for political rights and civil liberties by Freedom House in its survey, Freedom in the World, 2001-2002. However, because of political changes in Afghanistan over the past year, we did not include the rating. [End of table] Economics and Trade: [See PDF for image] Sources: Global Insight and Asian Development Bank. [End of table] Key Transnational Issues: * Major producer of opium and hashish. Political factions profit from the drug trade. * Close ties with Pashtuns in Pakistan make the long border between Afghanistan and Pakistan difficult to control. Source: CIA. Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan has the largest landmass of the Central Asian republics and shares its borders with China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Caspian Sea. After the September 2001 attacks, Kazakhstan provided overflight rights and allowed for the transshipment of supplies to U.S. forces based in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. U.S. priorities for the country include promoting security cooperation, nonproliferation, internal reform, and energy development. Kazakhstan has significant oil and gas reserves. State Department officials estimate that Kazakhstan has the potential to be one of the world's top five oil exporters in 15 years. Kazakhstan's population is highly literate and nearly one third are under the age of 15. Most are Kazakh, though the country has a significant Russian minority. Islam and Russian Orthodox are the predominant religions. Key transnational issues include cultivation and trafficking of drugs, border security, and water and environmental problems. U.S. embassy.; There was an average of 123 Peace Corps volunteers in Kazakhstan during fiscal year 2002.; Kazakhstan's land area is about 2,720,000 square kilometers (about four times the size of Texas). The county is landlocked. [End of table] U.S. Assistance: : From fiscal year 1993 to 2001, the United States obligated about $586 million in assistance. Of this amount, $193 million was for security assistance, including $180 million for cooperative threat reduction. In fiscal year 2002, budgeted aid totaled about $58 million. Requested assistance for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 totals $100 million.; U.S. Security and Economic Assistance, Fiscal Years 1993-2004; (Total obligations, constant fiscal year 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Sources: Departments of Defense and State and U.S. Agency for International Development.; Note: Fiscal year 2002 assistance amounts are budget authority levels and fiscal year 2003 and 2004 amounts are requested levels from Department of State budget documents. [End of table] International Aid Flows: [See PDF for image] International aid flows totaled about $1.2 billion from 1993 to 2001. Aid from the United States and other countries totaled about $1 billion while multilateral aid totaled about $221 million. Primary donors include Germany, Japan, the United States, and the European Commission.; Bilateral and Multilateral Official Development Assistance, 1993-2001; (Net disbursements, constant 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.; Note: Official development assistance (ODA) is defined as aid flows to a country provided by official; agencies to promote economic development and welfare. ODA is reported as net disbursements and; reflects total inflows of grants and loans minus total outflows of loan repayments. [End of table] Demographics: [See PDF for image] Sources: Global Insight, CIA, and United Nations Development Program. [End of table] Governance, Rights, and Freedoms: [See PDF for image] [End of table] Sources: Freedom House, Center for Religious Freedom, Heritage Foundation, and Transparency International. Economics and Trade: [See PDF for image] [End of table] Source: Global Insight. Key Transnational Issues: * Significant cultivation and trafficking of cannabis; transshipment point for drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and North America. * Working with China and Russia to settle boundaries, control migration, and limit illegal activities and trade. * Water and environmental disputes with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan (as a result of the shrinking of the Aral Sea); dispute with Kyrgyzstan over water and hydroelectric power. Source: CIA. Kyrgyzstan: Bordered by China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan has played an important regional role in the war on terrorism, providing base access and overflight rights for U.S. and coalition forces. U.S. priorities for Kyrgyzstan have focused on expanding security relationships and support for political and economic reform. Kyrgyzstan's population is highly literate and a majority is Kyrgyz. More than a third of the population is under the age of 15, and a majority of the population is Muslim. According to State Department officials, Kyrgyzstan is more politically advanced than most of its Central Asian neighbors but still has a poor human rights record. Kyrgyzstan is the only Central Asian republic to accede to the World Trade Organization, having done so in 1998. Kyrgyzstan has increasingly become a transshipment point for drugs; has periodically dealt with Islamic insurgents from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; and has ongoing water and territorial disputes with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. [See PDF for image] U.S. embassy; There was an average of 68 Peace Corps volunteers in Kyrgyzstan during fiscal year 2002.; ®The U.S. has access to military facilities in Manas and Osh.; Kyrgyzstan's land area is about 200,000 square kilometers (slightly smaller than South Dakota). The country is landlocked. [End of table] U.S. Assistance: : From fiscal year 1993 to 2001, the United States obligated about $317 million in assistance, about $309 million of which was economic aid. In fiscal year 2002, budgeted assistance totaled about $85 million. Requested assistance for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 totals about $92 million.; U.S. Security and Economic Assistance, Fiscal Years 1993- 2004; (Total obligations, constant fiscal year 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Sources: Departments of Defense and State and U.S. Agency for International Development.; Note: Fiscal year 2002 assistance amounts are budget authority levels and fiscal year 2003 and 2004 amounts are requested levels from Department of State budget documents. [End of table] International Aid Flows: : Between 1993 and 2001, international aid flows totaled about $2.1 billion. Aid from the United States and other countries totaled about $906 million while multilateral assistance totaled over $1.2 billion. Primary donors include Japan, the United States, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank.; Bilateral and Multilateral Official Development Assistance, 1993-2001; (Net disbursements, constant 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.; Note: Official development assistance (ODA) is defined as aid flows to a country provided by official; agencies to promote economic development and welfare. ODA is reported as net disbursements and; reflects total inflows of grants and loans minus total outflows of loan repayments. [End of table] Demographics: [See PDF for image] Sources: Global Insight, CIA, and United Nations Development Program. [End of table] Governance, Rights, and Freedoms: [See PDF for image] Type of government: Republic. Type of legal system: Based on civil law system. Source: CIA. Political rights and civil liberties; . Religious freedom. Economic freedom. Corruption. [End of table] Sources: Freedom House, Center for Religious Freedom, Heritage Foundation, and Transparency International. Economics and Trade: [See PDF for image]: Source: Global Insight. [End of table] Key Transnational Issues: * Increasingly used as a transshipment point for drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe. * Periodic target of Islamic insurgents from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. * Water and hydroelectric power disputes with Kazakhstan; territorial disputes with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Source: CIA. Pakistan: : Pakistan shares its borders with Afghanistan, China, India, and Iran. Pakistan has become an important U.S. partner in the war on terrorism, providing basing and overflight rights for U.S. and coalition forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. The United States has waived sanctions imposed on Pakistan for its development and testing of nuclear weapons and in response to the 1999 military coup. U.S. priorities for Pakistan include promoting enhanced security cooperation and nonproliferation and encouraging political reform and economic development. Pakistan's population is predominantly Muslim and nearly 40 percent are under the age of 15. Pakistan has a poor economic outlook and is highly indebted. Key transitional issues include its continued conflict with India over Kashmir, drug trafficking, and its long border with Afghanistan that is difficult to control. U.S. embassy; U.S. consulates; ®The U.S. has access to military facilities in Jacobabad and other locations.; Pakistan's land area is about 800,000 square kilometers (about twice the size of California). [End of table] U.S. Assistance: : From fiscal year 1993 to 2001, the United States obligated about $384 million in total assistance, all of which was economic assistance. In fiscal year 2002, budgeted assistance totaled about $1 billion. Requested assistance for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 totals about $686 million.; U.S. Security and Economic Assistance, Fiscal Years 1993- 2004; (Total obligations, constant fiscal year 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Sources: Departments of Defense and State and U.S. Agency for International Development.; Note: Fiscal year 2002 assistance amounts are budget authority levels and fiscal year 2003 and 2004 amounts are requested levels from Department of State budget documents. [End of table] International Aid Flows: : International aid flows totaled more than $10 billion from 1993 to 2001. Aid from the United States and other countries totaled about $4.5 billion while multilateral aid totaled about $5.7 billion. Primary donors include Japan, the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations, and the World Bank.; Bilateral and Multilateral Official Development Assistance, 1993-2001; (Net disbursements, constant 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.; Note: Official development assistance (ODA) is defined as aid flows to a country provided by official; agencies to promote economic development and welfare. ODA is reported as net disbursements and; reflects total inflows of grants and loans minus total outflows of loan repayments. [End of table] Demographics: [See PDF for image] Key indicators; Ethnic groups; Religions. Population (millions); Key indicators: 144.7 . Growth rate (percentage); Key indicators: 2.4. Under 15 years old (percentage); Key indicators: 39.9. Life expectancy at birth (years); Key indicators: 61.8. Literacy (percentage); male; female; Key indicators: 144.7: 2.4: 39.9: 61.8: 43.0; 55.0; 29.0. Seats in lower or single house held by women (percentage); Key indicators: 21.1. [End of table] Sources: Global Insight, CIA, Library of Congress, and United Nations Development Program. Governance, Rights, and Freedoms: [See PDF for image] Type of government: Federal republic. Type of legal system: Based on English common law with certain added provisions to accommodate its status as; an Islamic state. Source: CIA. Political rights and civil liberties; . Religious freedom. Economic freedom. Corruption. [End of table] Sources: Freedom House, Center for Religious Freedom, Heritage Foundation, and Transparency International. Economics and Trade: [See PDF for image] [End of table] Source: Global Insight. Key Transnational Issues: * Key transshipment point for heroin from Southwest Asia to western markets. * Continuing armed dispute with India over the status and sovereignty of Kashmir and disputes with India over maritime boundaries and Indus River water sharing. * Close ties between Pashtuns in Afghanistan and Pakistan make long border difficult to control. Source: CIA. Tajikistan: Tajikistan shares its borders with Afghanistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Tajikistan provided access to bases for U.S. forces in the war on terrorism. U.S. priorities for Tajikistan include expanding security cooperation and encouraging political and economic reform. The country's 5-year civil war ended with a powersharing peace accord implemented in 2000. As a result, Tajikistan is the only Central Asian country in which a religiously affiliated political party is represented in parliament. Tajikistan is the poorest of the former Soviet republics, and international aid flows are an important source of economic support for the country. Like the other Central Asian republics, Tajikistan's population is highly literate, and a large percentage is under the age of 15. Majorities of the population are Tajik and Muslim. Tajikistan is a major transshipment point for drugs and has been used as a staging ground for Islamic insurgents into Uzbekistan. [See PDF for image] U.S. embassy; ®The U.S. has access to military facilities in Dushanbe, Khujand, Kulyab, and Kurgan-Tyube.; Tajikistan's land area is about 140,000 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Wisconsin). The country is landlocked. [End of table] U.S. Assistance: [See PDF for image] From fiscal year 1993 to 2001, the U.S. obligated about $195 million in total assistance, of which about $193 million was economic assistance. In fiscal year 2002, budgeted assistance totaled about $94 million. Requested assistance for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 totals about $68 million.; U.S. Security and Economic Assistance, Fiscal Years 1993- 2004; (Total obligations, constant fiscal year 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). Sources: Departments of Defense and State and U.S. Agency for International Development.; Note: Fiscal year 2002 assistance amounts are budget authority levels and fiscal year 2003 and 2004 amounts are requested levels from Department of State budget documents. [End of table] International Aid Flows: : Between 1993 and 2001, international aid totaled about $1 billion. Aid from the United States and other countries totaled about $382 million. Multilateral assistance totaled about $621 million. Primary donors include Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Commission, and the World Bank.; Bilateral and Multilateral Official Development Assistance, 1993-2001; (Net disbursements, constant 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.; Note: Official development assistance (ODA) is defined as aid flows to a country provided by official; agencies to promote economic development and welfare. ODA is reported as net disbursements and; reflects total inflows of grants and loans minus total outflows of loan repayments. [End of table] Demographics: [See PDF for image] Key indicators; Ethnic groups; Religions. Population (millions); Key indicators: 6.6 . Growth rate (percentage); Key indicators: 2.1. Under 15 years old (percentage); Key indicators: 40.4. Life expectancy at birth (years); Key indicators: 64.3. Literacy (percentage); male; female; Key indicators: 98.0; 99.0; 97.0. Seats in lower or single house held by women (percentage); Key indicators: 12.7. [End of table] Sources: Global Insight, CIA, and United Nations Development Program. Governance, Rights, and Freedoms: [See PDF for image] Type of government: Republic. Type of legal system: Based on civil law system. Source: CIA. Political rights and; civil liberties; . Religious freedom. Not rated: Economic freedom. Corruption; Not rated. [End of table] Sources: Freedom House, Center for Religious Freedom, Heritage Foundation, and Transparency International. Economics and Trade: [See PDF for image] . [End of table] Source: Global Insight. Key Transnational Issues: * Major transshipment point for drugs from Afghanistan to Russia and Western Europe. * Water and environmental disputes with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan (as a result of the shrinking of the Aral Sea). * Unresolved border and territorial disputes with China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Source: CIA. Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan borders Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the Caspian Sea. A former Soviet republic, Turkmenistan has declared itself as permanently neutral and has not provided formal military assistance in the war on terrorism. However, it aided the international community in transporting humanitarian relief to Afghanistan. U.S. priorities for Turkmenistan are focused on encouraging internal reform, strengthening security relationships, and promoting energy development. Turkmenistan has the world's fifth largest natural gas reserves, and it is the world's tenth largest producer of cotton. The country's population is highly literate. More than one-third of the population is under age 15, and more than three-quarters are Turkmen and Muslim. The country is not politically free--independent and opposition political activity are prohibited--and corruption is pervasive. It faces problems with drug trafficking and environmental disputes with its neighbors. [See PDF for image] U.S. embassy; There was an average of 54 Peace Corps volunteers in Turkmenistan during fiscal year 2002.; Turkmenistan's land area is about 490,000 square kilometers (slightly larger than California). The country is landlocked. [End of table] U.S. Assistance: From fiscal year 1993 to 2001, the United States obligated about $153 million in assistance, about $149 million of which was economic aid. In fiscal year 2002, budgeted assistance totaled about $20 million. Requested assistance for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 totals about $20 million.; U.S. Security and Economic Assistance, Fiscal Years 1993- 2004; (Total obligations, constant fiscal year 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Sources: Departments of Defense and State and U.S. Agency for International Development.; Note: Fiscal year 2002 assistance amounts are budget authority levels and fiscal year 2003 and 2004 amounts are requested levels from Department of State budget documents. [End of table] International Aid Flows: [See PDF for image]: International aid flows totaled about $294 million from 1993 to 2001. Aid from the United States and other countries totaled about $218 million while multilateral flows totaled about $76 million. Primary donors include Japan, Turkey, the United States, the European Commission, and the United Nations.; Bilateral and Multilateral Official Development Assistance, 1993-2001; (Net disbursements, constant 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.; Note: Official development assistance (ODA) is defined as aid flows to a country provided by official; agencies to promote economic development and welfare. ODA is reported as net disbursements and; reflects total inflows of grants and loans minus total outflows of loan repayments. [End of table] Demographics: [See PDF for image]: Key indicators; Ethnic groups; Religions. Population (millions); Key indicators: 4.9 . Growth rate (percentage); Key indicators: 1.9. Under 15 years old (percentage); Key indicators: 37.3. Life expectancy at birth (years); Key indicators: 61.1. Literacy (percentage); male; female; Key indicators: 98.0; 99.0; 97.0. Seats in lower or single house held by women (percentage); Key indicators: 26.0. [End of table] Sources: Global Insight, CIA, and United Nations Development Program. Governance, Rights, and Freedoms: [See PDF for image] Type of government: Republic. Type of legal system: Based on civil law system. Source: CIA. Political rights and; civil liberties; . [See PDF for image] Religious freedom. Economic freedom. Corruption; Not rated. [End of table] Sources: Freedom House, Center for Religious Freedom, Heritage Foundation, and Transparency International. [See PDF for image] [End of table] Source: Global Insight. Key Transnational Issues: * Increasing transshipment point for drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe. * Water and environmental disputes with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (as a result of the shrinking of the Aral Sea). * Dispute with Iran about seabed and maritime boundaries in the Caspian Sea. Source: CIA. : Uzbekistan: : Uzbekistan is Central Asia's most populated country and borders Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. After the September 2001 attacks, it became an important U.S. strategic partner in the war on terrorism, allowing the U.S. to base forces at its military facilities. In March 2002, the United States and Uzbekistan signed the Declaration on the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Framework, which affirms a joint commitment to establish stability and security in Central Asia. U.S. priorities for Uzbekistan include enhancing security cooperation and encouraging political and economic reform. A former Soviet republic, Uzbekistan is strategically placed but politically repressed. The country carries a large amount of debt. Uzbekistan's population is highly literate, predominantly Uzbek and Muslim, and more than a third of the population is under age 15. Key transnational issues include increased drug trafficking, radical Islamic groups, and severe water and environmental problems. [See PDF for image] U.S. embassy; There was an average of 54 Peace Corps volunteers in Uzbekistan during fiscal year 2002.; ®The U.S. has access to military facilities in Chirchik, Khanabad, and Tuzel.; Uzbekistan's land area is about 450,000 square kilometers (slightly larger than California). The country is landlocked. [End of table] U.S. Assistance: [See PDF for image] From fiscal year 1993 to 2001, the United States obligated about $208 million in assistance, about $188 million of this in economic aid. In fiscal year 2002, budgeted assistance totaled about $160 million. Requested assistance for fiscal years 2003 and 2004 totals about $100 million.; U.S. Security and Economic Assistance, Fiscal Years 1993- 2004; (Total obligations, constant fiscal year 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). Sources: Departments of Defense and State and U.S. Agency for International Development.; Note: Fiscal year 2002 assistance amounts are budget authority levels and fiscal year 2003 and 2004 amounts are requested levels from Department of State budget documents. [End of table] International Aid Flows: Between 1993 and 2001, international aid to Uzbekistan totaled about $1.1 billion. Aid from the United States and other countries totaled about $975 million and multilateral aid totaled about $161 million. Primary donors include Germany, Japan, the United States, the European Commission, and the United Nations.; Bilateral and Multilateral Official Development Assistance, 1993-2001; (Net disbursements, constant 2002 U.S. dollars in millions). [See PDF for image] Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.; Note: Official development assistance (ODA) is defined as aid flows to a country provided by official; agencies to promote economic development and welfare. ODA is reported as net disbursements and; reflects total inflows of grants and loans minus total outflows of loan repayments. [End of table] Demographics: [See PDF for image] Key indicators; Ethnic groups; Religions. Population (millions); Key indicators: 25.8 . Growth rate (percentage); Key indicators: 1.6. Under 15 years old (percentage); Key indicators: 35.5. Life expectancy at birth (years); Key indicators: 63.9. Literacy (percentage); male; female; Key indicators: 99.0; 99.0; 99.0. Seats in lower or single house held by women (percentage); Key indicators: 7.2. [End of table] Sources: Global Insight, CIA, and United Nations Development Program. Governance, Rights, and Freedoms: [See PDF for image] Type of government: Republic. Type of legal system: Evolution of Soviet civil law. Source: CIA. Political rights and civil liberties; . [See PDF for image] Religious freedom. Economic freedom. Corruption. [End of table] Sources: Freedom House, Center for Religious Freedom, Heritage Foundation, and Transparency International. Economics and Trade: [See PDF for image] [End of table] Source: Global Insight. Key Transnational Issues: * Increasing transshipment point for drugs from Afghanistan to Russia and Western Europe. * Periodic incursions by radical Islamic groups based in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. * Water and environmental disputes with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan (as a result of the shrinking of the Aral Sea); border disputes with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Source: CIA. Sources: Map and land area: CIA World Factbook 2002, http://www.cia.gov/cia/ publications/factbook/index.html.; Peace Corps volunteers: http:// www.peacecorps.gov/indexf.cfm.; U.S. access to military facilities: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/centcom.htm. U.S. Assistance: U.S. security and economic assistance: U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants Online (the Greenbook), http://qesdb.cdie.org/gbk/index.html, Department of State Congressional Budget Justifications for fiscal years 2003 and 2004, http://www.state.gov/m/rm/c6112.htm, and the Department of Defense. International Aid Flows: U.S., other countries', and multilateral official development assistance (ODA): Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, net disbursements of official development assistance and official aid, http://www.oecd.org/htm/M00005000/M00005347.htm. Demographics: Population and growth rate: Global Insight, international online analysis, detailed forecast files, 2002, http:// www.globalinsight.com.; Percent of population under 15 years old, life expectancy at birth, and literacy rates: CIA World Factbook 2002, http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html.; Percent of seats in lower or single house held by women: UNDP Human Development Indicators 2002, http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2002/en/indicator/ indicator.cfm?File=indic_513_1_1.html.; Major ethnic groups: CIA World Factbook 2002, http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ index.html.; Pakistan: Pakistan: A Country Study, Library of Congress, 1994, http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/pktoc.html.; Major religions: CIA World Factbook 2002, http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ index.html. Governance, Rights, and Freedoms: Type of government and legal system: CIA World Factbook 2002, http:// www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html.; Political rights and civil liberties: Freedom House Freedom in the World 2001-2002, http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2002/countries.htm.; Religious freedom: Freedom House Center for Religious Freedom, Religious Freedom in the World: A Global Report on Freedom and Persecution, 2002, http://www.freedomhouse.org/religion/publications/ rfiw/fig1.htm.; Economic freedom: The Heritage Foundation, Index of Economic Freedom, 2003 http://www.heritage.org/research/features/ index.; Corruption: Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 2002, http://www.transparency.org/cpi/index.html#cpi.; Kyrgyzstan: Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 1999, http://www.transparency.org/cpi/index.html#cpi. Economics and Trade: Economic and trade data: Global Insight, international online analysis, detailed forecast files, http://www.globalinsight.com.; Afghanistan external debt: Asian Development Bank, Key Indicators of Developing Asian and Pacific Countries, 2002, http://www.adb.org/Documents/Books/ Key_Indicators/2002/default.asp. Key Transnational Issues: CIA World Factbook 2002, http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ index.html. (320169): FOOTNOTES [1] At the time of our review, obligations data were not available for fiscal year 2002 assistance to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the five Central Asian republics. [2] The Freedom Support Act (P.L. 102-511) provides funds, in part, to support freedom and open markets in the independent states of the former Soviet Union, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. [3] According to congressional testimony by a Department of Defense official, overflight rights granted by Turkmenistan were for humanitarian assistance in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. [4] The President's budget for fiscal year 2004 defines an obligation as a binding agreement that will result in the immediate or future payment of funds. [5] The President's budget for fiscal year 2004 defines budget authority as the authority provided by law to incur financial obligations that will result in outlays. [6] Transparency International's corruption index is a 10-point numerical scale with extremes of highly corrupt (0) and highly clean (10), but does not identify degrees of corruption within that scale. We therefore identified as corrupt all countries rated with scores of less than 3 on this 10-point index.