Map
Location: 33 00 N, 65 00 E -- Southern Asia, north of Pakistan
|| View GIF (26 KB) || Download TIFF (388 KB) || Download PDF (28 KB) ||
Flag
Description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars
½" Thumbnails
View GIF (1 KB) || Download TIFF (4 KB)
3" Full Size
View GIF (19 KB) || Download TIFF (163 KB)
Geography
Location:
Southern Asia, north of Pakistan
Geographic coordinates:
33 00 N, 65 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total area:
647,500 sq km
land area:
647,500 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total:
5,529 km
border countries:
China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
International disputes:
periodic disputes with Iran over Helmand water rights; Iran supports clients in country, private Pakistani and Saudi sources also are active; power struggles among various groups for control of Kabul, regional rivalries among emerging warlords, traditional tribal disputes continue; support to Islamic fighters in Tajikistan's civil war; border dispute with Pakistan (Durand Line); support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions
Climate:
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
lowest point:
Amu Darya 258 m
highest point:
Nowshak 7,485 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Land use:
arable land:
12%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
46%
forest and woodland:
3%
other:
39%
Irrigated land:
26,600 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification
natural hazards:
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geographic note:
landlocked
People
Population:
22,664,136 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
43% (male 4,972,469; female 4,784,900)
15-64 years:
54% (male 6,377,231; female 5,916,954)
65 years and over:
3% (male 325,808; female 286,774) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate:
4.78% (1996 est.)
Birth rate:
43.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate:
18.16 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate:
22.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1.14 male(s)/female
all ages:
1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
149.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
45.85 years
male:
46.43 years
female:
45.24 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.14 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Afghan(s)
adjective:
Afghan
Ethnic divisions:
Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Languages:
Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population:
31.5%
male:
47.2%
female:
15%
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Islamic State of Afghanistan
conventional short form:
Afghanistan
local long form:
Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form:
Afghanestan
former:
Republic of Afghanistan
Data code:
AF
Type of government:
transitional government
Capital:
Kabul
Administrative divisions:
30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol
note:
there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst
Independence:
19 August 1919 (from UK)
National holiday:
Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August
Constitution:
none
Legal system:
a new legal system has not been adopted but the transitional government has declared it will follow Islamic law (Shari'a)
Suffrage:
undetermined; previously males 15-50 years of age
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Burhanuddin RABBANI (interim president July-December 1992, president since 2 January 1993) was elected to a two-year term (later amended by multi-party agreement to 18 months) by a national shura (council); election last held 31 December 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote NA; Vice President Mohammad NABI MOHAMMADI (since NA) was appointed by the president; note - in June 1994 failure to agree on a transfer mechanism resulted in RABBANI's extending his term to 28 December 1994; following the expiration of the term and while negotiations on the formation of a new government go on, RABBANI continues in office
head of government:
Prime Minister Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI (since NA) was appointed by President RABBANI as de facto prime minister, but does not have any real authority; First Deputy Prime Minister Qutbuddin HELAL (since 17 March 1993) and Deputy Prime Minister Arsala RAHMANI (since 17 March 1993)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; note - term of present government expired 28 December 1994; factional fighting since 1 January 1994 has kept government officers from actually occupying ministries and discharging government responsibilities; the government's authority to remove cabinet members, including the prime minister, following the expiration of their term is questionable
Legislative branch:
a unicameral parliament consisting of 205 members was chosen by a national shura (council) in January 1993; non-functioning as of June 1993
Judicial branch:
an interim Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has been appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister, but a new court system has not yet been organized
Political parties and leaders:
current political organizations include Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society), Burhanuddin RABBANI, Ahmad Shah MASOOD; Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party), Gulbuddin HIKMATYAR faction; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party), Yunis KHALIS faction; Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan (Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan), Abdul Rasul SAYYAF; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement), Mohammad Nabi MOHAMMADI; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan (Afghanistan National Liberation Front), Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI; Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami (National Islamic Front), Sayed Ahamad GAILANI; Hizbi Wahdat-Khalili faction (Islamic Unity Party), Abdul Karim KHALILI; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party), Mohammad Akbar AKBARI; Harakat-i-Islami (Islamic Movement), Mohammed Asif MOHSENI; Jumbesh-i-Milli Islami (National Islamic Movement), Abdul Rashid DOSTAM; Taliban (Religious Students Movement), Mohammad OMAR
note:
the former ruling Watan Party has been disbanded
Other political or pressure groups:
the former resistance commanders are the major power brokers in the countryside and their shuras (councils) are now administering most cities outside Kabul; tribal elders and religious students are trying to wrest control from them; ulema (religious scholars); tribal elders; religious students (talib)
International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Abdul RAHIM
chancery:
2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-3770, 3771
FAX:
[1] (202) 328-3516
consulate(s) general:
New York
consulate(s):
Washington, DC
US diplomatic representation:
the US does not have an embassy in Afghanistan (embassy closed January 1989)
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars
Economy
Economic overview:
Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming (wheat especially) and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during more than 16 years of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). Over the past decade, one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering more than 6 million refugees. Now, only 1.0 million Afghan refugees remain in Pakistan and about 1.3 million in Iran. Another 1 million probably moved into and around urban areas within Afghanistan. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 15 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport. Millions of people continue to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and lack of medical care. Numerical data are extremely shaky.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $12.8 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate:
NA%
GDP per capita:
$600 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture:
65%
industry:
15%
services:
20%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Labor force:
4.98 million
by occupation:
agriculture and animal husbandry 67.8%, industry 10.2%, construction 6.3%, commerce 5.0%, services and other 10.7% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$NA
expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries:
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper
Electricity:
capacity:
480,000 kW
production:
550 million kWh
consumption per capita:
39 kWh (1993)
Agriculture:
wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton
Illicit drugs:
an illicit cultivator of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; world's second-largest opium producer after Burma (1,250 metric tons in 1995) and a major source of hashish
Exports:
$188.2 million (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
partners:
FSU countries, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia
Imports:
$616.4 million (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
food and petroleum products; most consumer goods
partners:
FSU countries, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Germany
External debt:
$2.3 billion (March 1991 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient:
ODA, $NA
note:
US provided $450 million assistance (1985-93); the UN provides assistance in the form of food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons
Currency:
1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls
Exchange rates:
afghanis (Af) per US$1 - 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019 (March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which is a fixed rate of 50.600 afghanis to the dollar
Fiscal year:
21 March - 20 March
Transportation
Railways:
total:
24.6 km
broad gauge:
9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1,524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya
Highways:
total:
21,000 km
paved:
2,800 km
unpaved:
18,200 km (1984 est.)
Waterways:
1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to about 500 DWT
Pipelines:
petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km
Ports:
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Airports:
total:
35
with paved runways over 3 047 m:
3
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m:
4
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
2
with paved runways under 914 m:
7
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m:
3
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
13
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
3 (1995 est.)
Heliports:
3 (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones:
31,200 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic:
very limited telephone and telegraph service; 1 public telephone in Kabul
international:
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 0, shortwave 2
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
NA
note:
several television stations run by factions and local councils which provide intermittent service
Televisions:
100,000 (1993 est.)
Defense
Branches:
NA; note - the military still does not exist on a national scale; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various mujahedin and former regime leaders
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49:
5,549,602
males fit for military service:
2,976,741
males reach military age (22) annually:
220,532 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
