World Facts

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Capital: Kabul
Type of Government: Islamic republic-
Administrative Divisions: 34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, and Zabol
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 6,842,857/female 6,524,485)
Agriculture: opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
Airports: 47 (2004 est.)
With Paved Runways: total: 10
With Unpaved Runways:
Area: total: 647,500 sq km. slightly smaller than Texas
Background: Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, but withdrew 10 years later under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A civil war between mujahedin factions erupted following the 1992 fall of the Communist regime. The Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy, seized Kabul in 1996 and most of the country outside of opposition Northern Alliance strongholds by 1998. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. In late 2001, a conference in Bonn, Germany, established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution in 2003, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. On 9 October 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005.
Birth rate: 47.02 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget: revenues: $269 million
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Communications: in March 2003 'af' was established as Afghanistan's domain name; Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul that are part of a nationwide network proposed by the Transitional Authority for Internet access (2002)
Constitution: new constitution drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004
Currency: afghani (AFA)-
Current account balance:
Death rate: 20.75 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external: $8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004)-
Dependency status: -
Dependent areas:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
Disputes - international: the UN has been able to repatriate over two million Afghan refugees but several million more continue to reside in Iran and Pakistan in camps and elsewhere, many at their own choosing; Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to patrol remote tribal areas to control the borders and stem organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings between Pakistani and Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary encroachments; occasional conflicts over water-sharing arrangements with Amu Darya and Helmand River states-
Distribution of family income: -
Economic aid - donor:
Economic aid - recipient: international pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09
Economy - overview: Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 because of the infusion of over $4 billion in international assistance, recovery of the agricultural sector and growth of the service sector, and the reestablishment of market institutions. Real GDP growth is estimated to have slowed last fiscal year primarily because adverse weather conditions cut agricultural production, but is expected to rebound over 2005-06 because of foreign donor reconstruction and service sector growth. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from its current status, among the lowest in the world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the Afghan government and international donors remain committed to improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political stability and continued international commitment to Afghan reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for continuing improvements in the Afghan economy in 2006. Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade may account for one-third of GDP and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy challenges.
Electricity - consumption:
Electricity - exports:
Electricity - imports:
Electricity - production:
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping
Ethnic groups: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%
Exchange rates: afghanis per US dollar - NA (2005), 50 (2004), 50 (2003), 3,000 (2002), 3,000 (2001)
Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presides symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary
Exports: $471 million (not including illicit exports or reexports) (2005 est.)
Exports - partners: Pakistan 24%, India 21.3%, US 12.4%, Germany 5.5% (2004)
Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above
GDP (official exchange rate): NA
GDP (purchasing power parity): $21.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Geography - note: 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)-
Government - note:
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
Heliports: 9 (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium poppy reached unprecedented level of 206,700 hectares in 2004; counterdrug efforts largely unsuccessful; potential opium production of 4,950 metric tons; potential heroin production of 582 metric tons if all opium was processed; source of hashish; many narcotics-processing labs throughout the country; drug trade source of instability and some antigovernment groups profit from the trade; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through informal financial networks
Imports: $3.87 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - partners: Pakistan 25.5%, US 8.7%, India 8.5%, Germany 6.5%, Turkmenistan 5.3%, Kenya 4.7%, South Korea 4.2%, Russia 4.2% (2004)
Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Infant mortality rate: total: 163.07 deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.3% (2005 est.)
International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Internet country code: .af-
Internet hosts:
Internet users: 1,000 (2002)-
Investment (gross fixed):
Irrigated land: 23,860 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch: the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts (note - nine supreme court justices were appointed in the interim in January 2005 pending National Assembly selection of the Constitutionally mandated justices); there is also a Minister of Justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses and war crimes
Labor force: 15 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Land boundaries: total: 5,529 km
Land use: arable land: 12.13%
Languages: Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official) 35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Legal system: according to the new constitution, no law should be "contrary to Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive society based on social justice, protection of human dignity, protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and to ensure national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter, international treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Legislative branch:
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 42.9 years
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high
Manpower available for military service: males age 22-49: 4,952,812 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: males age 22-49: 2,662,946 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 275,362 (2005 est.)
Map references: Asia
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Median age: total: 17.56 years-
Merchant marine: -
Military - note:
Military branches: Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force), Afghan Militia Force (AMF) (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $188.4 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.6% (2004)
Military service age and obligation: 22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year term (2005)
National holiday: Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Nationality: noun: Afghan(s)
Natural gas - consumption: 220 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Natural gas - production: 220 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 49.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Net migration rate: 21.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2005)
Oil - imports: NA (2005)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002)
People - note: of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million have returned
Political parties and leaders: note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami Gond [Shah Mahmood Polal ZAI]; Harakat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Asif MOHSINEE]; Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Iihaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; Hezb-e-Aazadee Afghanistan [Abdul MALIK]; Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabeer MARZBAN]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil RAHEEMEE]; Hezb-e-Afghan Watan Islami Gond [leader NA]; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili Afghanistan [Latif PEDRAM]; Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad ZAREEF]; Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; Hezb-e-Hamnbatagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Nadir AATASH]; Hezb-e-Harak-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hssain ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqoq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATEE]; Hezb-e-Istiqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Gh. Farooq NIJZRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahan [Sibghatullah SANJAR]; Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiar OMID]; Hezb-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed AARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANEE]; Hezb-e-Nuhzhat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOUD]; Hezb-e-Paiwand-e-Mili Afghanistan [Said Mansoor NADIRI]; Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Said ZAHIR]; Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASEEQ]; Hezb-e-Risalat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEEN]; Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Wa Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Usman SALIGZADA]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Qahir SHARYATEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Qadir IMAMEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum-e-Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Ahamad SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed Jalili]; Jamahat-ul-Dahwat ilal Qurhan-wa-Sunat-ul-Afghanistan [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Jombesh-e Milli [Abdul Rashid DOSTAM]; Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Said Ahmad GAILANEE]; Majmah-e-Mili Fahaleen-e-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shams ul Haq Noor SHAMS]; Nuhzat-e-Aazadee Wa democracy Afghanistan [Abdul Raqeeb Jawid KUHISTANEE]; Nuhzat-e-Hambastagee Mili Afghanistan [Peer Said Ishaq GAILANEE]; Sazman-e-Islami Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Siad Jawad HUSSAINEE]; Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili [Sultan Mahmood DHAZI] (30 Sep 2004)
Political pressure groups and leaders: Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam) [former President Burhanuddin RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan), [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; there are also small monarchist, communist, and democratic groups
Population: 29,928,987 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line: 53% (2003)
Population growth rate: 4.77%
Ports and terminals: Kheyrabad, Shir Khan-
Public debt:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)-
Railways:
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 167,000 - 200,000 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2004)
Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%-
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Roadways: total: 34,789 km
Sex ratio:
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system: general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service
Telephones - main lines in use: 33,100 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 15,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations: at least 10 (one government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 32 provinces; the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan provinces) (1998)
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Total fertility rate: 6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)-
Transportation - note:
Unemployment rate: 40% NA (2005 est.)
Waterways: 1,200 km