Based on a variety of sources, the current (October 1, 2002) estimate
of the number of people living in Afghanistan is somewhere between 23
and 27 million people.  What is the real number?

I am aware that there has been a large number of repatriation of
refugees. The number is somewhere between 200,000 up to 2,000,000. 
What is the real number?

The questions about water (sources, systems, etc.) is #3.

1) What is the estimated population of Afghanistan, as of October 1,
2002?
     Please provide at least 3 sources.
     Obviously, this will be an estimate since they haven't had a real
census since about 1972.  Then, again, the USSR may have had some
numbers that are relevant.  Please provide a couple of methods for
estimating this population.  I will be satisfied with "last census" X
"birth rate", as long as you can provide documentation for the
variables.  However, I would like to get closer than a 4 million
difference.  It would be best if you could provide data by province. 
Am I dreaming?

2) How many refugees want to return to Afghanistan?  As of October 1,
2002.  Again, best statistical analysis:  By country, such as Iran,
Pakistan, Tajikistan, etc.
     Please provide at least 3 sources for each country.  I'm assuming
that Iran and Pakistan will have the largest numbers of refugees.  For
example, it would be great to know what the governing bodies of Iran,
Afghanistan and the UN, separately, have to say about the numbers of
people wanting to return from Iran.  It would also be great to have a
discussion about their different numbers.  Ditto, Pakistan,
Afghanistan and the UN, etc.  Ditto, Tajikistan.  India, Europe, USA?
    I would, also, be interested in knowing if there are any
significant numbers of people, again by country, who would like to
return, but haven't been able to, due to concerns about housing, food,
winter, 'other reasons', etc.


3) What are the sources of water in Afghanistan?
I have checked the rain, snow and precipitation statistics.  Even in
the best of times, it does not look hopeful.  What does the
under-ground situation really look like?
So, what is Afghanistan currently doing?
Please provide links and / or documents about what the international
community is doing.  I have spent hours searching water, water
systems, etc., in relationship to Afghanistan.  The best I can find is
that, the rain falls, the snow falls, it goes to a river, then gets
dried up during the summer.  A few people dig wells and irrigation
systems.  However, how will they ever be able to develop a system for
drinking, bathing and irrigation needs?  Please find the sources that
allude me!

4) I would also like to the see the details of the multi-million $
budget for the road between Kabul, Qandahar and Herat.  Seriously.

---

Request for Question Clarification by leli-ga on 21 Oct 2002 02:51 PDT

Hi - Thanks for asking an interesting question. I thought you might
like some kind of response, even though it's not an answer. To me, and
probably other researchers, your question looks as if researching it
would be full of interest  but daunting too - multiple parts,
questioner who obviously knows a lot already, various strict
requirements about accuracy and sources. No criticism of your desire
to get to the truth - that's admirable. Just a comment on why the
question's still standing - none of us wants to post a lame partial
answer that wouldn't meet your needs.
One option that's open to you is to repost your queries as separate
questions and see if you could get at least some of them answered. Of
course it's absolutely OK if you leave things as they stand in the
hope that a braver researcher than myself will get to grips with it.
Because I *do* find your question interesting I spent some time taking
a preliminary look at it. I think some of the information you want on
water is available to the determined digger, depending on what level
of detail you're looking for. As for the road, what do you mean by the
'details' of the road budget? Would the contributions of the various
countries funding it qualify as 'details'?
Hope this response isn't too frustrating - I realise you're already
very aware of the frustrations involved in trying to get accurate
information about Afghanistan.