2006 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 44.6% (male 7,095,117/female 6,763,759) 15-64 years: 53% (male 8,436,716/female 8,008,463) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 366,642/female 386,300) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins

Airports

46 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1

total

11

under 914 m

1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 4

total

35

under 914 m

9 (2006)

Area

land

647,500 sq km

total

647,500 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Texas

Background

Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, but withdrew 10 years later under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A civil war between mujahedin factions erupted following the 1992 fall of the Communist regime. The Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy, seized Kabul in 1996 and most of the country outside of opposition Northern Alliance strongholds by 1998. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. In late 2001, a conference in Bonn, Germany, established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution 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. Geography Afghanistan

Birth rate

46.6 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$561 million; including capital expenditures of $41.7 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.)

revenues

$269 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

34 31 N, 69 12 E

name

Kabul

time difference

UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Communications - note

in March 2003, 'af' was established as Afghanistan's domain name; Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul (2002) Transportation Afghanistan

Constitution

new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004

Country name

conventional long form

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

conventional short form

Afghanistan

former

Republic of Afghanistan

local long form

Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan

local short form

Afghanestan

Currency (code)

afghani (AFA)

Currency code

AFA

Death rate

20.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN

embassy

The Great Masood Road, Kabul

mailing address

6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180

telephone

[00 93] (20) 230-0436

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD

telephone

[1] 202-483-6410

Disputes - international

most Afghan refugees in Pakistan have been repatriated, but thousands still remain in Iran, many at their own choosing; Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to patrol remote tribal areas to control the borders and stem organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings between Pakistani and Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary encroachments; regional conflicts over water-sharing arrangements with Amu Darya and Helmand River states

Economic aid - recipient

international pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09

Economy - overview

Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 because of the infusion of over $8 billion in international assistance, recovery of the agricultural sector and growth of the service sector, and the reestablishment of market institutions. Real GDP growth is estimated to have slowed in the last fiscal year primarily because adverse weather conditions cut agricultural production, but is expected to rebound over 2005-06 because of foreign donor reconstruction and service sector growth. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from its current status, among the lowest in the world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the Afghan government and international donors remain committed to improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political stability and continued international commitment to Afghan reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for continuing improvements in the Afghan economy in 2006. Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade may account for one-third of GDP and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy challenges. Other long-term challenges include: boosting the supply of skilled labor, reducing vulnerability to severe natural disasters, expanding health services, and rebuilding a war torn infrastructure.

Electricity - consumption

1.042 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

200 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

905 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

36.3%

hydro

63.7%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Nowshak 7,485 m

lowest point

Amu Darya 258 m

Environment - current issues

limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping

signed, but not ratified

Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Ethnic groups

Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

Exchange rates

afghanis per US dollar - 541 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003), 41 (2002), 66 (2001)

note

in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002, the market rate varied widely from the official rate

Executive branch

cabinet

27 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly

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

election results

Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote - Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANOONI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ 11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda JALAL 1.2%

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)

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); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Exports

$471 million; note - not including illicit exports or reexports (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Exports - partners

US 25.3%, Pakistan 20.9%, India 20.8%, Finland 4% (2005)

FAX

[1] 202-483-6488

[00 93] (20) 230-1364

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

Fiscal year

21 March - 20 March Communications Afghanistan

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 Afghanistan

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

38%

industry

24%

note

data exclude opium production (2005 est.)

services

38%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$800 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

14% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.095 billion

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$21.5 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

33 00 N, 65 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor) People Afghanistan

Government type

Islamic republic

Heliports

9 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

IDPs

200,000-300,000 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2005)

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; source of hashish; many narcotics-processing labs throughout the country; drug trade source of instability and some antigovernment groups profit from the trade; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through informal financial networks This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

Imports

$3.87 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Imports - partners

Pakistan 23.9%, US 11.8%, Germany 6.8%, India 6.5%, Turkey 5.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Russia 4.7%, Kenya 4.4% (2005)

Independence

19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper

Infant mortality rate

female

155.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

164.77 deaths/1,000 live births

total

160.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

16.3% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Internet country code

.af

Internet hosts

22 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

30,000 (2005)

Irrigated land

27,200 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts (note - nine supreme court justices were appointed in the interim in January 2005 pending National Assembly selection of the constitutionally mandated justices); there is also a minister of justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses and war crimes

Justice

Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami Gond [Shah Mahmood Polal ZAI]; Harakat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Asif MOHSINEE]; Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Iihaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; Hezb-e-Aazadee Afghanistan [Abdul MALIK]; Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabeer MARZBAN]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil RAHEEMEE]; Hezb-e-Afghan Watan Islami Gond; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili Afghanistan [Latif PEDRAM]; Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad ZAREEF]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; Hezb-e-Hamnbatagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Nadir AATASH]; Hezb-e-Harak-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hssain ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqoq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATEE]; Hezb-e-Istiqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Gh. Farooq NIJZRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahan [Sibghatullah SANJAR]; Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiar OMID]; Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL]; Hezb-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed AARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANEE]; Hezb-e-Nuhzhat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOUD]; Hezb-e-Paiwand-e-Mili Afghanistan [Said Mansoor NADIRI]; Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Said ZAHIR]; Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASEEQ]; Hezb-e-Risalat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEEN]; Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Wa Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Usman SALIGZADA]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Qahir SHARYATEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Qadir IMAMEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum-e-Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Ahamad SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed JALILI]; Jamahat-ul-Dahwat ilal Qurhan-wa-Sunat-ul-Afghanistan [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Jombesh-e Milli [Abdul Rashid DOSTAM]; Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Said Ahmad GAILANEE]; Majmah-e-Mili Fahaleen-e-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shams ul Haq Noor SHAMS]; Nuhzat-e-Aazadee Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Abdul Raqeeb Jawid KUHISTANEE]; Nuhzat-e-Hambastagee Mili Afghanistan [Peer Said Ishaq GAILANEE]; Sazman-e-Islami Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Siad Jawad HUSSAINEE]; Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili [Sultan Mahmood DHAZI] (30 Sep 2004)

Labor force

15 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

80%

industry

10%

services

10% (2004 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

total

5,529 km

Land use

arable land

12.13%

other

87.66% (2005)

permanent crops

0.21%

Languages

Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official) 35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Legal system

according to the new constitution, no law should be "contrary to Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive society based on social justice, protection of human dignity, protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and to ensure national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter, international treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Legislative branch

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 - provincial councils elected temporary members to fill these seats until district councils are formed, and one-third presidential appointees for five-year terms; the presidential appointees will include 2 representatives of Kuchis and 2 representatives of the disabled; half of the presidential appointees will be women)

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

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)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

43.53 years (2006 est.)

male

43.16 years

total population

43.34 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

21% (1999 est.)

male

51%

total population

36%

Location

Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2005)

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

Manpower available for military service

females age 22-49

4,663,963 (2005 est.)

males age 22-49

4,952,812

Manpower fit for military service

females age 22-49

2,508,574 (2005 est.)

males age 22-49

2,662,946

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 22-49

259,935 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

275,362

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

17.6 years (2006 est.)

male

17.6 years

total

17.6 years

Military branches

Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force) (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$122.4 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.7% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Afghanistan

Military service age and obligation

22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year term (2005)

National holiday

Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Nationality

adjective

Afghan

noun

Afghan(s)

Natural gas - consumption

50 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

50 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

99.96 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Natural hazards

damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts

Natural resources

natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

Net migration rate

0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

5,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2002)

People - note

of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million have returned Government Afghanistan

Pipelines

gas 466 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of

Political pressure groups and leaders

Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam) [former President Burhanuddin RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; there are also small monarchist, communist, and democratic groups

Population

31,056,997 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

53% (2003)

Population growth rate

2.67% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Kheyrabad, Shir Khan Military Afghanistan

Radio broadcast stations

AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)

Radios

167,000 (1999)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%

Roadways

paved

8,231 km

total

34,789 km

unpaved

26,558 km (2003)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

telephone service is improving with the licensing of four wireless telephone service providers by 2005; approximately 4 in 100 Afghans own a wireless telephone; telephone main lines remain limited.

general assessment

very limited telephone and telegraph service

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

Telephones - main lines in use

100,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.2 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

at least 10 (one government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 34 provinces; the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e-Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan provinces) (1998)

Televisions

100,000 (1999)

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Total fertility rate

6.69 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

40% (2005 est.)

Waterways

1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2005)