|
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, touching off a long
and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under
relentless pressure by internationally supported
anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. Subsequently, a series of
civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a
hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994
to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, a US,
Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action
toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. The
UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process
for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a
new constitution and a presidential election in 2004, and
National Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004,
Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected
president of Afghanistan. The National Assembly was
inaugurated on 19 December 2005. |
|
Location:
|
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
|
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
33 00 N, 65 00 E
|
|
Map references:
|
Asia
|
|
Area:
|
total: 647,500 sq km
land: 647,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km
|
|
Area - comparative:
|
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)
|
|
Climate:
|
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
|
|
Terrain:
|
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
|
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
|
|
Natural resources:
|
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc,
barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
semiprecious stones |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 12.13%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 87.66% (2005)
|
|
Irrigated land:
|
27,200 sq km (2003)
|
|
Total renewable water resources:
|
65 cu km (1997)
|
|
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
total: 23.26 cu km/yr (2%/0%/98%)
per capita: 779 cu m/yr (2000)
|
|
Natural hazards:
|
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
flooding; droughts
|
|
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, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
|
|
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) |
|
Population:
|
32,738,376 (July 2008 est.)
|
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 44.6% (male 7,474,394/female 7,121,145)
15-64 years: 53% (male 8,901,880/female 8,447,983)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 383,830/female 409,144)
(2008 est.)
|
|
Median age:
|
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 17.6 years (2008 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate:
|
2.626% (2008 est.)
|
|
Birth rate:
|
45.82 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
|
|
Death rate:
|
19.56 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
|
|
Net migration rate:
|
21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
|
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: 154.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 158.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 150.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 44.21 years
male: 44.04 years
female: 44.39 years (2008 est.)
|
|
Total fertility rate:
|
6.58 children born/woman (2008 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.01% (2001 est.)
|
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
NA
|
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA
|
|
Major infectious diseases:
|
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been
identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with
extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have
close contact with birds (2008) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan
|
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%,
Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%
|
|
Religions:
|
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%
|
|
Languages:
|
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashto (official)
35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30
minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much
bilingualism |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 28.1%
male: 43.1%
female: 12.6% (2006 est.)
|
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
|
|
Government type:
|
Islamic republic
|
|
Capital:
|
name: Kabul
geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E
time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of
Washington, DC during Standard Time)
|
|
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, Zabol |
|
Independence:
|
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
|
|
National holiday:
|
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
|
|
Constitution:
|
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004;
signed 16 January 2004
|
|
Legal system:
|
based on mixed civil and Shari'a law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
|
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice
Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7
December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah held
the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presided
symbolically over certain occasions but lacked any governing
authority; the honorific is not hereditary; King ZAHIR Shah
died on 23 July 2007
head of government: President of the Islamic Republic
of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice
Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7
December 2004)
cabinet: 25 ministers; note - under the new
constitution, ministers are appointed by the president and
approved by the National Assembly
elections: the president and two vice presidents are
elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a
second term); if no candidate receives 50% or more of the
vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates with
the most votes will participate in a second round; a
president can only be elected for two terms; election last
held 9 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president;
percent of vote - Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANUNI 16.3%,
Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ 11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%,
Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda JALAL 1.2% |
|
Legislative branch:
|
the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi Jirga
or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly
elected for five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House
of Elders (102 seats, one-third elected from provincial
councils for four-year terms, one-third elected from local
district councils for three-year terms, and one-third
nominated by the president for five-year terms)
note: on rare occasions the government may convene a
Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence,
national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it can
amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute the
president; it is made up of members of the National Assembly
and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils
elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be
held for the Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held
for the provincial councils to the Meshrano Jirga by
September 2008)
election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV)
system used in the election did not make use of political
party slates; most candidates ran as independents |
|
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; 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 |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Afghanistan Peoples' Treaty Party (Hizb-e-Wolesi Tarhun
Afghanistan) [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN]; Afghanistan's Islamic
Mission Organization (Tanzim Daawat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan)
[Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF]; Afghanistan's Islamic Nation Party (Hezb-e-Umat-e-Islam-e-Afghanistan)
[Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI]; Afghanistan's National Islamic
Party (Hezb-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Rohullah LOUDIN];
Afghanistan's Welfare Party (Hezb-e-Refah-e-Afghanistan)
[Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social Democratic Party (Hezb-e-Afghan
Melat) [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Afghan Society for the Call to
the Koran and Sunna (Hezb-e-Jamahat-ul-Dawat ilal Quran-wa-Sunat-e-Afghanistan)
[Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Comprehensive Movement of
Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party (Hizb-e-Nahzat
Faragir Democracy wa Taraqi-e-Afghanistan) [Sher Mohammad
BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Democracy
Afghanistan) [Tawos ARAB]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Domcrat-e-Afghanistan)
[Abdul Kabir RANJBAR]; Elites People of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e-Nakhbagan-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan)
[Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and Democracy Movement of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Aazadee Wa
Democracy-e-Afghanistan) [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE];
Freedom Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Azadee-e-Afghanistan) [Ilaj
Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Isteqlal-e-Afghanistan)
[Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e-Afghanistan [Qari
Ahmad ALI]; Human Rights Protection and Development Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqooq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan)
[Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami
Afghanistan) [Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e Harakat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan)
[Mohammad Ali JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party
(Hizb-e-Nahzat-e-Melli Islami Afghanistan) [Mohammad Mukhtar
MUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan (Hizb-e-Islami
Afghanistan) [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI]; Islamic Party of the
Afghan Land (De Afghan Watan Islami Gond) [Mohammad Hassan
FEROZKHEL]; Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Islami
Mardom-e-Afghanistan) [Ilhaj Said Hussain ANWARY]; Islamic
Society of Afghanistan (Hezb-e Jamihat-e-Islami) [Ustad
RABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Melat-e-Afghanistan)
[Qurban Ali URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan)
[Mohammad Karim KHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People
of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan)
[Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Labor and Progress of Afghanistan
Party (Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan) [Zulfiqar OMID];
Muslim People of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e-Mardom-e-Mosalman-e-Afghanistan)
[Besmellah JOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-ul-Musimeen Afghanistan)
[Wazir Mohammad WAHDAT]; National and Islamic Sovereignty
Movement Party of Afghanistan (Hizb-e-Eqtedar-e-Melli wa
Islami Afghanistan) [Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI]; National Congress
Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Kangra-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan)
[Abdul Latif PEDRAM]; National Country Party (Hezb-e-Mili
Heward) [Ghulam MOHAMMAD]; National Development Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Taraqee Mili Afghanistan) [Dr. Aref
BAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party (Hezb-e-Aazaadi
Khwahan Maihan) [Abdul Hadi DABEER]; National Independence
Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e Esteqlal-e-Mili Afghanistan) [Taj
Mohammad WARDAK]; National Islamic Fighters Party of
Afghanistan (De Afghanistan De Mili Mubarizeeno Islami Gond)
[Amanat NINGARHAREE]; National Islamic Front of Afghanistan
(Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan) [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE];
National Islamic Moderation Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Eatedal-e-Mili
Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Qara Bik Eized YAAR]; National
Islamic Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Junbish Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan)
[Sayed NOORULLAH]; National Islamic Unity Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan)
[Mohammad AKBAREE]; National Movement of Afghanistan (Nahzat-e-Mili
Afghanistan) [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; National Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Mili Afghanistan) [Abdul Rashid ARYAN];
National Patch of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e Paiwand Mihahani
Afghanistan) [Sayed Kamal SADAT]; National Peace Islamic
Party of Afghanistan (De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami
Gond) [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; National Peace & Islamic
Party of the Tribes of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili
Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan) [Abdul Qaher SHARIATEE];
National Peace & Unity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Sulh Wa
Wahdat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan) [Abdul Qader IMAMI]; National
Prosperity and Islamic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili
Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad Osman SALEKZADA]; National
Prosperity Party (Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mili Afghanistan) [Mohammad
Hassan JAHFAREE]; National Solidarity Movement of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Hambastagee Mili-e-Afghanistan)
[Pir Sayed Eshaq GAILANEE]; National Solidarity Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Paiwand Mili Afghanistan) [Sayed Mansoor
NADREEI]; National Sovereignty Party (Hezb-e-Eqtedar-e-Mili)
[Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI]; National Stability Party (Hezb-e-Subat-e-Mili
Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad Same KHAROTI]; National
Stance Party (Hizb-e-Melli Dareez) [Habibullah JANEBDAR];
National Tribal Unity Islamic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Mili
Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad Shah
KHOGYANI]; National United Front (Jumbah-e Mutahed-e Milli)
[Burhanuddin RABBANI] (a coalition); National Unity Movement
(Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan) [Sultan
Mohammad GHAZI]; National Unity Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili
Wahdat-e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad Nadir AATASH]; National
Unity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili
Afghanistan) [Abdul Rashid JALILI]; New Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Naween)
[Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Peace and National Welfare
Activists Society (Hezb-e-Majmeh Mili
Faleen-Sulh-e-Afghanistan) [Shamsul Haq Noor SHAMS]; Peace
Movement (De Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond) [Shahnawaz
TANAI]; People's Aspirations Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan)
[Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; People's Freedom Seekers Party
of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Aazadee Khwahan Mardom-e-Afghanistan)
[Feda Mohammad EHSAS]; People's Liberal Freedom Seekers
Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Lebral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Afghanistan)
[Ajmal SUHAIL]; People's Message Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Resalat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan)
[Noor Aqa WAINEE]; People's Movement of the National Unity
of Afghanistan (De Afghanistan De Mili Wahdat Wolesi Tahreek)
[Abdul Hakim NOORZAI]; People's Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan)
[Ahmad Shah ASAR]; People's Prosperity Party of Afghanistan
(Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan) [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF];
People's Sovereignty Movement of Afghanistan (Nahzat-e-Hakemyat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan)
[Hayatullah SUBHANEE]; People's Uprising Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan) [Sayed
Zahir Qayed Omul BELADI]; People's Welfare Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan) [Mia Gul
WASIQ]; People's Welfare Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan)
[Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Progressive Democratic Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Taraqee Democrat Afghanistan) [Wali ARYA];
Republican Party (Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahane-Afghanistan) [Sebghatullah
SANJAR]; Solidarity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Hambastagee-e-Afghanistan)
[Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; The Afghanistan's Mujahid Nation's
Islamic Unity Movement (Da Afghanistan Mujahid Woles
Yaowaali Islami Tahreek) [Saeedullah SAEED]; The People of
Afghanistan's Democratic Movement (Hezb-e-Junbish Democracy
Mardom-e-Afghanistan) [Sharif NAZARI]; Tribes Solidarity
Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e Hambastagee Mili Aqwam-e-Afghanistan)
[Mohammad Zarif NASERI]; Understanding and Democracy Party
of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Tafahum Wa Democracy-e-Afghanistan) [Ahamad
SHAHEEN]; United Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid)
[Mohammad Wasil RAHIMEE]; United Islamic Party of
Afghanistan (Hizb-e-Mutahed Islami Afghanistan) [Wahidullah
SABAWOON]; Young Afghanistan's Islamic Organization (Hezb-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan-e-Jawan)
[Sayed Jawad HUSSINEE]; Youth Solidarity Party of
Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan)
[Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; note - includes only political
parties approved by the Ministry of Justice |
|
International organization participation:
|
ADB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
|
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD
embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806
telephone: [93] 700 108 001
FAX: [00 93] (20) 230-1364
|
|
Flag description:
|
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and
green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red
band and slightly overlapping the other two bands; the
center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags
on either side, below the mosque are numerals for the solar
year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of
Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is
circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the
left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription
of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the
rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God
is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the
name Afghanistan |
|
Economy - overview:
|
Afghanistan's economy is recovering from decades of
conflict. The economy has improved significantly since the
fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 largely because of the
infusion of international assistance, the recovery of the
agricultural sector, and service sector growth. Real GDP
growth exceeded 7% in 2007. Despite the progress of the past
few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and
highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and trade with
neighboring countries. Much of the population continues to
suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity,
medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the
Afghan Government's inability to extend rule of law to all
parts of the country pose challenges to future economic
growth. 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 level,
among the lowest in the world. 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. While the international community remains committed
to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $24 billion at
three donors' conferences since 2002, Kabul will need to
overcome a number of challenges. Expanding poppy cultivation
and a growing opium trade generate roughly $4 billion in
illicit economic activity and looms as one of Kabul's most
serious policy concerns. Other long-term challenges include:
budget sustainability, job creation, corruption, government
capacity, and rebuilding war torn infrastructure. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$35 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$8.842 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
12.4% (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$1,000 (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 38%
industry: 24%
services: 38%
note: data exclude opium production (2005 est.)
|
|
Labor force:
|
15 million (2004 est.)
|
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture: 80%
industry: 10%
services: 10% (2004 est.)
|
|
Unemployment rate:
|
40% (2005 est.)
|
|
Population below poverty line:
|
53% (2003)
|
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
13% (2007 est.)
|
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $715 million
expenditures: $2.6 billion
note: Afghanistan has also received $273 million from
the Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law
and Order Trust Fund (2007 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins,
lambskins
|
|
Industries:
|
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes,
fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal,
copper |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
NA%
|
|
Electricity - production:
|
754.2 million kWh (2005)
|
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
801.4 million kWh (2005)
|
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh (2005)
|
|
Electricity - imports:
|
100 million kWh (2005)
|
|
Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day (2005)
|
|
Oil - consumption:
|
5,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports:
|
0 bbl/day (2004)
|
|
Oil - imports:
|
4,120 bbl/day (2004)
|
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - production:
|
19.18 million cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
19.18 million cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
0 cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
0 cu m (2005)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
47.53 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
|
|
Current account balance:
|
NA
|
|
Exports:
|
$274 million; note - not including illicit exports or
reexports (2006)
|
|
Exports - commodities:
|
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton,
hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
|
|
Exports - partners:
|
India 22.8%, Pakistan 21.7%, US 15.2%, UK 6.5%, Finland 4.4%
(2006)
|
|
Imports:
|
$3.823 billion (2006)
|
|
Imports - commodities:
|
capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
|
|
Imports - partners:
|
Pakistan 37.9%, US 12%, Germany 7.2%, India 5.1% (2006)
|
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$2.775 billion (2005)
|
|
Debt - external:
|
$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan
has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks
(2004) |
|
Market value of publicly traded shares:
|
$NA
|
|
Currency (code):
|
afghani (AFA)
|
|
Exchange rates:
|
afghanis per US dollar - NA (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005),
48 (2004), 49 (2003)
|
|
Fiscal year:
|
21 March - 20 March
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
280,000 (2005)
|
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
2.52 million (2006)
|
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment: limited landline telephone
service; an increasing number of Afghans utilize
mobile-cellular phone networks in major cities
domestic: aided by the presence of multiple
providers, mobile-cellular telephone service is improving
rapidly
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's
installed in Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and
Jalalabad provide international and domestic voice and data
connectivity (2007) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 21, FM 5, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashto, Dari (Afghan
Persian), Urdu, and English) (2006)
|
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
at least 7 (1 government-run central television station in
Kabul and regional stations in 6 of the 34 provinces) (2006)
|
|
Internet country code:
|
.af
|
|
Internet hosts:
|
21 (2007)
|
|
Internet users:
|
535,000 (2006)
|
|
Communications - note:
|
Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as
public "telekiosks" in Kabul (2005)
|
|
Airports:
|
46 (2007)
|
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
|
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 34
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (2007)
|
|
Heliports:
|
9 (2007)
|
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 466 km (2007)
|
|
Roadways:
|
total: 34,782 km
paved: 8,229 km
unpaved: 26,553 km (2004)
|
|
Waterways:
|
1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500
DWT) (2007)
|
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
|
|
Military branches:
|
Afghan Armed Forces: Afghan National Army (ANA, includes
Afghan National Army Air Corps) (2008)
|
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a
4-year term (2005)
|
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 7,431,147
females age 16-49: 7,004,819 (2008 est.)
|
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age 16-49: 4,234,180
females age 16-49: 3,946,685 (2008 est.)
|
|
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
|
males age 16-49: 371,451
females age 16-49: 351,295 (2008 est.)
|
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.9% (2006 est.)
|
|
Disputes - international:
|
Pakistan, with UN and other international assistance,
repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees with less than a
million still remaining, many at their own choosing;
Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction
of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their
border; Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to monitor
remote tribal areas to control the border with Afghanistan
and stem terrorist and other illegal activities |
|
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
|
IDPs: 132,246 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced
in south and west due to drought and instability) (2007)
|
|
Illicit drugs:
|
world's largest producer of opium; cultivation dropped 48%
to 107,400 hectares in 2005; better weather and lack of
widespread disease returned opium yields to normal levels,
meaning potential opium production declined by only 10% to
4,475 metric tons; if the entire poppy crop were processed,
it is estimated that 526 metric tons of heroin could be
processed; many narcotics-processing labs throughout the
country; drug trade is a source of instability and some
antigovernment groups profit from the trade; significant
domestic use of opiates; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in
Europe comes from Afghan opium; vulnerable to narcotics
money laundering through informal financial networks; source
of hashish |
This page was last updated on 19 June
2008
|
