earth stations and ·the e:xtension of the PANAFTEL network (see table IV.E.2). 193. As fa.r as the eYpansion of technical facilities is concern­ ed, the most important single programme continues to be the con­ struction of the PANAFTEL network. Its principal objective is the provision of high-quality telegraph, telex and video circuits in African countries to overcome the problem of routinf intra- African traffic through foreif!l centres, a problem which ac­ versely affects intra-African communications anc trade. The programme was started several years ago and many of its com­ ponents are now operational, including 360,000 kilometres of raciio relay routes, trope-scatter systems and coaxial and sub­ marine cable. In acoition to the transmission routes, 34 auto­ matic international telephone switching centres were expected to be operational by the end of 1982. 194. Table IV.E.2 also shows the physical distribution of tele_rhcnes in each country of the rerion, ana the total number of ci rect excha.nee lines in each country. ·Analysis of the data shows that 16 per cent of the countries listed average less than 5,000 telephones, 36 per cent have 5,000 but less than 20,009 telephones, 32 per cent have more than 20,000 but less than 100,000, and the remaining 16 per cent have above 100,000. 195. The over-all avera.ee telephone density in Africa is 0.76 telephones per 100 people. In North Africa the density ranges from 1 . 1 3 to 6. 37 per 100, while south of the Sahara the ranre is from 0.09 to 2.9, except for Seychelles, which has 10.87 telephones for every 100 people. Telephone density has increased at an annual growth rate of about 14 per cent for the past four years, from 0.40 to 0.76 per 100 people, but the density is still the lowest of any region in the world. · 
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the development of telecommunication infrastructure in Africa, specifically the construction of the PANAFTEL network and its impact on telephone density. The text also provides statistics on the number of telephones and telephone density in each country. This suggests that the category that best fits the text is likely to be related to "Transport and communication" or "Industry".

**Category**
Transport and communication, Industry