Afghanistan:: Population: 30,419,928
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Background
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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. A
series of subsequent 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 and Washington, D.C., 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, a presidential election in 2004, and National
Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI
became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and the National Assembly was
inaugurated the following December. KARZAI was re-elected in August 2009 for
a second term. Despite gains toward building a stable central government, a
resurgent Taliban and continuing provincial instability - particularly in the
south and the east - remain serious challenges for the Afghan Government. In
January 2011, Afghanistan assumed a nonpermanent seat on
the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term.
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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)
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Location:
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Southern
Asia,
north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
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Geographic
coordinates:
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33 00 N,
65 00 E
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Area:
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total:
652,230 sq km land: 652,230 sq km water: 0 sq km
Size comparison: slightly smaller than Texas |
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Land
Boundaries:
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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
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime
claims:
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none
(landlocked)
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Climate:
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arid to
semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
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Terrain:
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mostly
rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
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Elevation
extremes:
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lowest
point: Amu
Darya 258 m highest point: Noshak 7,485 m
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Natural
resources:
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natural
gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc,
iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
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Land
use:
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arable
land: 12.13% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 87.66% (2005)
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Irrigated
land:
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31,990 sq
km (2003)
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Natural
hazards:
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damaging
earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
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Current
Environment Issues:
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limited
natural freshwater 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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International
Environment Agreements:
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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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Population:
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30,419,928
(July 2012 est.) note: this is a significantly revised figure; the previous
estimate of 33,609,937 was extrapolated from the last Afghan census held in
1979, which was never completed because of the Soviet invasion
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Age
structure:
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0-14
years: 42.3% (male 6,464,070/female 6,149,468) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male
8,460,486/female 8,031,968) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 349,349/female
380,051) (2011 est.)
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Median
age:
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total:
17.9 years male: 17.8 years female: 17.9 years (2012 est.)
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Population
growth rate:
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2.22%
(2012 est.)
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Birth
rate:
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39.3
births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
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Death
rate:
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14.59
deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
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Net
migration rate:
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-2.51
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
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Sex
ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04
male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.03
male(s)/female (2011 est.)
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Infant
mortality rate:
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total:
121.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 129.51 deaths/1,000 live births female:
113.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
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Life
expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 49.72 years male: 48.45 years female: 51.05 years (2012 est.)
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Total
fertility rate:
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5.64
children born/woman (2012 est.)
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HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate:
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0.01%
(2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS
- deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun:
Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan
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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%, Shia 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:
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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:
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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 (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh,
Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan,
Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar,
Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul,
Takhar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Zabul
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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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Constitution:
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sixth
constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January
2004;
signed 16 January 2004; ratified 26 January 2004
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Legal
system:
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mixed
legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic law
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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); First Vice President Mohammad FAHIM Khan (since 19 November
2009); Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head
of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI
(since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Mohammad FAHIM Khan (since 19
November 2009); Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December
2004) cabinet: 25 ministers; note - ministers are appointed by the president
and approved by the National Assembly (For more information visit the World
Leaders website ) elections: the president and two vice presidents
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;
election last held on 20 August 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election
results: Hamid KARZAI reelected president; percent of vote (first round) -
Hamid KARZAI 49.67%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 30.59%, Ramazan BASHARDOST 10.46%,
Ashraf GHANI 2.94%; other 6.34%; note - ABDULLAH conceded the election to
KARZAI following the first round vote
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Legislative
branch:
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the
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders
(102 seats, one-third of members 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) and the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 250 seats);
members directly elected 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 on 18 September 2010 (next election
expected in 2015) election results: results by party - NA; note - ethnicity
is the main factor influencing political alliances; composition of Loya Jirga
seats by ethnic groups - Pashtun 96, Hazara 61, Tajik 53, Uzbek 15, Aimak 8,
Arab 8, Turkmen 3, Nuristani 2, Baloch 1, Pahhai 1, Turkic 1; women hold 68
seats
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Judicial
branch:
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highest
courts: Supreme Court; consists of nine judges judge selection & term of
office: judges appointed by president for up to two nonrenewable four-year
terms subordinate courts: Cassation and sharia note: new constitution of
January 2004 specifies as many as 12 Supreme Court judges
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Political
parties and leaders:
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Afghanistan's
Islamic Mission Organization [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF]; Afghanistan's Welfare
Party [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social Democratic Party [Anwarul Haq AHADI];
Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Sayed Hussain ANWARI]; Islamic Party of
Afghanistan [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI, Abdul Hadi ARGHANDIWAL]; Islamic
Society of Afghanistan [Salahuddin RABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of
Afghanistan Party [Qurban Ali URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan
[Mohammad Karim KHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan
[Haji Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Law and Justice Party [Hanif ATMAR]; National
Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE]; National Islamic
Movement of Afghanistan [Sayed NOORULLAH]; National Solidarity Movement of
Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Eshaq GAILANEE]; National Linkage Party of Afghanistan
[Sayed Mansoor NADERY]; United Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad
AKBARI]; note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of
Justice
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Political
pressure groups and leaders:
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other:
religious groups; tribal leaders; ethnically based groups; Taliban
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International
organization participation:
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ADB,
CICA, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNSC
(temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
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Diplomatic
representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Eklil Ahmad HAKIMI 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:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador James B. CUNNINGHAM embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806 telephone: [93] 0700
108 001 FAX: [93] 0700 108 564
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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.
Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked,
and highly dependent on foreign aid. Much of the population continues to
suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and
jobs. Criminality, insecurity, weak governance, and the Afghan Government's
difficulty in extending rule of law to all parts of the country pose
challenges to future economic growth. Afghanistan's living standards are among the
lowest in the world. While the international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $67
billion at nine donors' conferences between 2003-10, the Government of
Afghanistan will need to overcome a number of challenges, including low
revenue collection, anemic job creation, high levels of corruption, weak
government capacity, and poor public infrastructure.
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GDP
(purchasing power parity):
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GDP
(purchasing power parity): $30.11 billion (2011 est.) $28.48 billion (2010
est.) $26.26 billion (2009 est.) note: data are in 2011 US dollars
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GDP
(official exchange rate):
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GDP
(official exchange rate): $18.18 billion (2011 est.)
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GDP -
real growth rate:
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5.7%
(2011 est.) 8.4% (2010 est.) 21% (2009 est.)
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GDP -
per capita (PPP):
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GDP - per
capita (PPP): $1,000 (2011 est.) $900 (2010 est.) $900 (2009 est.) note: data
are in 2011 US dollars
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GDP -
composition by sector:
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agriculture:
34.9% industry: 25% services: 40% note: data exclude opium production (2008
est.)
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Labor
force:
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15
million (2004 est.)
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Labor
force - by occupation:
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agriculture:
78.6% industry: 5.7% services: 15.7% (FY08/09 est.)
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Unemployment
rate:
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35% (2008
est.) 40% (2005 est.)
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Population
below poverty line:
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36%
(FY08/09)
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Household
income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 3.8% highest 10%: 24% (2008)
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Inflation
rate (consumer prices):
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Inflation
rate (consumer prices): 7.7% (2011 est.) 0.9% (2010 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues:
$1.58 billion expenditures: $3.3 billion note: Afghanistan received $15.7 billion in
2010/2011 (2011 est.)
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Agriculture
- products:
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opium,
wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
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Industries:
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small-scale
production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel,
food-products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven
carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
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Industrial
production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity
- production:
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285.5
million kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity
- consumption:
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231.1
million kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity
- exports:
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0 kWh
(2009 est.)
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Electricity
- imports:
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120
million kWh (2008 est.)
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Oil -
production:
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0 bbl/day
(2010 est.)
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Oil -
consumption:
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4,800
bbl/day (2010 est.)
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Oil -
exports:
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0 bbl/day
(2009 est.)
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Oil -
imports:
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4,512
bbl/day (2009 est.)
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Oil -
proved reserves:
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0 bbl (1
January 2011 est.)
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Natural
gas - production:
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30
million cu m (2009 est.)
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Natural
gas - consumption:
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30
million cu m (2009 est.)
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Natural
gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2009 est.)
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Natural
gas - imports:
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0 cu m
(2009 est.)
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Natural
gas - proved reserves:
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49.55
billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
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Current
account balance:
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-$736
million (2010 est.) -$2.475 billion (2009 est.)
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Exports:
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$2.625
billion (2010 est.) $547 million (2009 est.) note: not including illicit
exports or reexports
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Exports
- commodities:
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opium,
fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious
and semi-precious gems
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Exports
- partners:
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Pakistan
31.4%, India 28.8%, Tajikistan 8.3%, Russia 5.2%, Bangladesh 4.7% (2011)
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Imports:
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$9.152
billion (2010 est.) $5.3 billion (2008 est.)
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Imports
- commodities:
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machinery
and other capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
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Imports
- partners:
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US 31.4%, Pakistan 20.8%, Russia 8.4%, India 5.6%, Germany 4.1% (2011)
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Debt -
external:
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$1.28
billion (FY10/11) $2.7 billion (FY08/09)
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Market
value of publicly traded shares:
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$NA
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Exchange
rates:
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afghanis
(AFA) per US dollar - 45.37 (2011) 46.45 (2010)
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Fiscal
year:
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21 March
- 20 March
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Telephones
in use:
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140,000
(2009) country comparison to the world: 137
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Cellular
Phones in use:
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13
million (2009)
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Telephone
system:
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general
assessment: limited fixed-line telephone service; an increasing number of
Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks domestic: aided by the
presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service continues
to improve rapidly; 55% of Afghans have access to mobile-cellular telephone
service, and 85% live in areas covered by one of Afghanistan's four largest
mobile-cellular telephone service providers international: country code - 93;
multiple VSAT's provide international and domestic voice and data
connectivity (2009)
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Radio
broadcast stations:
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Television
broadcast stations:
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Internet
country code:
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.af
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Internet
hosts:
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121
(2010)
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Internet
users:
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1 million
(2009)
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Airports:
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52 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 90
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Airports
(paved runways):
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total: 23
over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3
(2012)
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Airports
(unpaved runways):
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total: 29
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 6
(2012)
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Heliports:
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10 (2012)
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Pipelines:
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gas 466 km (2010)
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Roadways:
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total: 42,150
km paved: 12,350 km unpaved: 29,800
km (2006)
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Waterways:
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1,200 km; (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500
DWT) (2011)
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Ports
and terminals:
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Kheyrabad,
Shir Khan
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Military
branches:
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Afghan
Armed Forces: Afghan National Army (ANA, includes Afghan Air Force (AAF))
(2011)
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Military
service age and obligation:
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22 years
of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year term (2005)
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Manpower
available for military service:
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males age
16-49: 7,056,339 females age 16-49: 6,653,419 (2010 est.)
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Manpower
fit for military service:
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males age
16-49: 4,050,222 females age 16-49: 3,797,087 (2010 est.)
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