 |
Afghanistan Reference Map and Information
Note -- This Afghanistan reference map and supplemental information have been modified and reformatted from the CIA World Factbook -- available in the public domain.
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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. |
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Location:
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Southern
Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
33
00 N, 65 00 E |
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Map references:
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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:
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27,200
sq km (2003) |
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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 |
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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 |
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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:
|
31,889,923
(July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 44.6% (male 7,282,600/female 6,940,378)
15-64 years: 53% (male 8,668,170/female
8,227,387)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 374,426/female
396,962) (2007 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
17.6 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 17.6 years (2007 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.625%
(2007 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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46.21
births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Death rate:
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19.96
deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
|
0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 43.77 years
male: 43.6 years
female: 43.96 years (2007 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and
protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk
countrywide below 2,000 meters from March through November
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza
has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region;
it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US
citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan |
|
Ethnic groups:
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Pashtun
42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%,
other 4% |
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Religions:
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Sunni
Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1% |
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Languages:
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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 |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 28.1%
male: 43.1%
female: 12.6% (2000 est.) |
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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 |
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Government type:
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Islamic
republic |
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Capital:
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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) |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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19
August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day, 19 August (1919) |
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Constitution:
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new
constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January
2004 |
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Legal system:
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based
on mixed civil and Shari'a law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18
years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presides
symbolically over certain occasions but lacks any governing authority;
the honorific is not hereditary
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% |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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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 |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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 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 |
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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 |
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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: [00 93] (20) 230-0436
FAX: [00 93] (20) 230-1364 |
|
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 |
|
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. 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 $3 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):
|
$21.5
billion (2004 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$9.782
billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
7.5%
(2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$800
(2004 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):
|
16.3%
(2005 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$269 million
expenditures: $561 million
note: Afghanistan has also received $273
million from the Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law
and Order Trust Fund (FY04/05 budget 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 - production by
source:
|
fossil
fuel: 36.3%
hydro: 63.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
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.) |
|
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 21.8%, 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 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 (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) |
|
Currency code:
|
AFA
|
|
Exchange rates:
|
afghanis
per US dollar - NA (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and
the currency stabilized at about 40 to 50 afghanis to the US dollar;
before 2002, the market rate varied widely from the official rate |
|
Fiscal year:
|
21
March - 20 March |
| Communications |
Afghanistan |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
280,000
(2005) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
2.52
million (2006) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service;
many Afghans utilize growing cellular phone coverage in major cities
domestic: telephone service is improving with
the licensing of several wireless telephone service providers in 2005
and 2006; approximately 8 in 100 Afghans own a wireless telephone;
telephone main lines remain limited
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 Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari),
Urdu, and English) (2006) |
|
Radios:
|
167,000
(1999) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
at
least 7 (1 government-run central television station in Kabul and
regional stations in 6 of the 34 provinces) (2006) |
|
Televisions:
|
100,000
(1999) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.af
|
|
Internet hosts:
|
21
(2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
1
(2000) |
|
Internet users:
|
535,000
(2006) |
|
Communications - note:
|
Internet
access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks"
in Kabul (2005) |
| Transportation |
Afghanistan |
|
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
National Army (includes Afghan Air Force) (2006) |
|
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 22-49: 4,952,812
females age 22-49: 4,663,963 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 22-49: 2,662,946
females age 22-49: 2,508,574 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military
service age annually:
|
males
age 18-49: 275,362
females age 22-49: 259,935 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent
of GDP:
|
1.9%
(2006 est.) |
| Transnational Issues |
Afghanistan |
|
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:
136,565 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and west due to
drought and instability) (2006) |
|
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 7 February, 2008
|
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