Afghanistan

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

33.00° N, 65.00° E

total: 652,230 sq km

land: 652,230 sq km

water: 0 sq km

almost six time the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas

total: 5,987 km

border countries (6): China 91 km, Iran 921 km, Pakistan 2,670 km, Tajikistan 1,357 km, Turkmenistan 804 km, Uzbekistan 144 km

0 km (landlocked)

none (landlocked)

arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

mean elevation: 1,884 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m

highest point: Noshak 7,485 m

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

agricultural land: 58.1%

arable land 11.9%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 46%

forest: 2.1%

other: 39.8% (2011 est.)

32,080 sq km (2012)

65.33 cu km (2011)

total: 20.28 cu km/yr (1%/1%/98%)

per capita: 823.1 cu m/yr (2005)

damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts

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

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

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)

noun: Afghan(s)

adjective: Afghan

Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, other (includes smaller numbers of Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, Pashai, and Kyrghyz)

note: current statistical data on the sensitive subject of ethnicity in Afghanistan is not available, and ethnicity data from small samples of respondents to opinion polls are not a reliable alternative; Afghanistan's 2004 constitution recognizes 14 ethnic groups: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, and Pashai (2015)

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, but Dari functions as the lingua franca

note: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashai, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them

Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other 0.3% (2009 est.)

32,564,342 (July 2015 est.)

0-14 years: 41.47% (male 6,861,021/female 6,644,780)

15-24 years: 22.41% (male 3,716,738/female 3,579,701)

25-54 years: 29.69% (male 4,928,181/female 4,741,601)

55-64 years: 3.88% (male 621,970/female 641,307)

65 years and over: 2.55% (male 384,267/female 444,776) (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 87%

youth dependency ratio: 82.3%

elderly dependency ratio: 4.6%

potential support ratio: 21.7% (2015 est.)

total: 18.4 years

male: 18.3 years

female: 18.4 years (2015 est.)

2.32% (2015 est.)

38.57 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

13.89 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

-1.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

urban population: 26.7% of total population (2015)

rate of urbanization: 3.96% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

KABUL (capital) 4.635 million (2015)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

20.1

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2010 est.)

396 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

total: 115.08 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 122.64 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 107.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

total population: 50.87 years

male: 49.52 years

female: 52.29 years (2015 est.)

5.33 children born/woman (2015 est.)

21.2% (2010/11)

8.1% of GDP (2013)

0.27 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

0.5 beds/1,000 population (2012)

improved:

urban: 78.2% of population

rural: 47% of population

total: 55.3% of population

unimproved:

urban: 21.8% of population

rural: 53% of population

total: 44.7% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 45.1% of population

rural: 27% of population

total: 31.9% of population

unimproved:

urban: 54.9% of population

rural: 73% of population

total: 68.1% of population (2015 est.)

0.04% (2014 est.)

6,700 (2014 est.)

300 (2014 est.)

2.4% (2014)

NA

total: 9 years

male: 11 years

female: 7 years (2011)

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

conventional short form: Afghanistan

local long form: Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan

local short form: Afghanistan

former: Republic of Afghanistan

etymology: the name "Afghan" originally refered to the Pashtun people (today it is understood to include all the country's ethnic groups), while the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country"; so Afghanistan literally means the "Land of the Afghans"

Islamic republic

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)

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

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

Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004, signed 16 January 2004, ratified 26 January 2004 (2015)

mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai (since 29 September 2014 ); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014 ); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai (since 29 September 2014 ); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014 ); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014)

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 25 ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held in 2 rounds on 5 April and 14 June 2014 (next to be held in 2019)

election results: percent of vote in first round - Abdullah ABDULLAH (National Coalition of Afghanistan) 45%, Ashraf GHANI (independent) 31.6%, Zalmai RASSOUL 11.4%, other 12%; percent of vote in second round - Ashraf GHANI 56.4%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 43.6%

description: the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by district councils to serve 3-year terms, 34 indirectly elected by provincial councils to serve 4-year terms, and 34 nominated by the president of which 17 must be women, 2 must represent the disabled, and 2 must be Kuchi nomads; members serve 5-year terms) and the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 250 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)

note: the constitution allows the government to convene a constitutional 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; no Loya Jirga of this type has ever been held, and district councils have never been elected

elections: last held on 18 September 2010 (15 October 2016)

election results: results by party - NA; note - ethnicity is the main factor influencing political alliances; approximate percentage of seats by ethnic group - Pashtun 39%, Hazara 24%, Tajik 21%, Uzbek 6%, other 10% (including Aimak, Arab, Baloch, Nuristani, Pahhai, Turkmen, Turkic); women hold 69 seats

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Stera Mahkama (consists of the Supreme Court Chief and 8 justices organized into criminal, public security, civil, and commercial divisions or dewans)

judge selection and term of office: court chief and justices appointed by the president with the approval of the Wolesi Jirga; court chief and justices serve single 10-year terms

subordinate courts: Appeals Courts; Primary Courts; Special Courts for issues including narcotics, security, property, family, and juveniles

note - the Ministry of Justice licensed 84 political parties as of December 2012

other: religious groups, tribal leaders, ethnically based groups, Taliban

ADB, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NATO (pending), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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; black signifies the past, red is for the blood shed for independence, and green can represent either hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam

note: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century than any other country; the colors black, red, and green appeared on most of them

lion; national colors: red, green, black

name: "Milli Surood" (National Anthem)

lyrics/music: Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA

note: adopted 2006; the 2004 constitution of the post-Taliban government mandated that a new national anthem should be written containing the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great) and mentioning the names of Afghanistan's ethnic groups

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, lack of infrastructure, 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.

The international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $67 billion at nine donors' conferences between 2003-10. In July 2012, the donors at the Tokyo conference pledged an additional $16 billion in civilian aid through 2015. Despite this help, 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.

Afghanistan's growth rate slowed markedly in 2014-15. The drawdown of international security forces that started in 2014 has negatively affected economic growth, as a substantial portion of commerce, especially in the services sector, has catered to the ongoing international troop presence in the country. Afghan President Ashraf GHANI is dedicated to instituting economic reforms to include improving revenue collection and fighting corruption. However, the reforms will take time to implement and Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donor support over the next several years.

$62.79 billion (2015 est.)

$61.53 billion (2014 est.)

$59.46 billion (2013 est.)

note: data are in 2015 US dollars

$20.84 billion (2015 est.)

2% (2015 est.)

2% (2014 est.)

3.9% (2013 est.)

$2,000 (2015 est.)

$1,900 (2014 est.)

$1,900 (2013 est.)

note: data are in 2015 US dollars

25.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

27.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

30% of GDP (2013 est.)

household consumption: 108.7%

government consumption: 12.8%

investment in fixed capital: 15.8%

investment in inventories: 0%

exports of goods and services: 6.5%

imports of goods and services: -43.9%

(2014 est.)

agriculture: 24%

industry: 21%

services: 55%

note: data exclude opium production (2014 est.)

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

small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper

1.2% (2014 est.)

7.983 million (2012 est.)

agriculture: 78.6%

industry: 5.7%

services: 15.7% (FY08/09 est.)

35% (2008 est.)

40% (2005 est.)

36% (FY08/09 est.)

lowest 10%: 3.8%

highest 10%: 24% (2008)

revenues: $1.7 billion

expenditures: $6.639 billion (2013 est.)

8.2% of GDP (2013 est.)

-23.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

21 December - 20 December

-1.9% (2015 est.)

4.6% (2014 est.)

15% (31 December 2014 est.)

15.08% (31 December 2013 est.)

$6.644 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.192 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$6.945 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.544 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$-454 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$-767.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)

$NA

$918 million (2015 est.)

$1.252 billion (2014 est.)

$2.679 billion (2013 est.)

$2.785 billion (2012 est.)

note: not including illicit exports or reexports

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

India 33.5%, Pakistan 27%, US 8.7%, Tajikistan 7.1%, Germany 4.2% (2014)

$12.19 billion (2013 est.)

$11.66 billion (2012 est.)

machinery and other capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Pakistan 30.4%, Russia 13%, US 10.7%, India 6.1%, China 5.4%, Turkmenistan 4.8%, Kazakhstan 4.6% (2014)

$6.681 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.443 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$1.28 billion (FY10/11)

$2.7 billion (FY08/09)

afghanis (AFA) per US dollar -

63 (2015 est.)

57.25 (2014 est.)

57.25 (2013 est.)

46.75 (2011 est.)

46.45 (2010)

884.1 million kWh (2012 est.)

3.893 billion kWh (2012 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

3.071 billion kWh (2012 est.)

621,000 kW (2012 est.)

35.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

64.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

NA bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

43,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

42,640 bbl/day (2012 est.)

159.6 million cu m (2013 est.)

159.6 million cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

8.552 million Mt (2012 est.)

total subscriptions: 100,000

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2014 est.)

total: 23.4 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74 (2014 est.)

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; the Afghan Ministry of Communications and Information claims that more than 90 percent of the population live in areas with access to mobile-cellular services

international: country code - 93; multiple VSAT's provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (2012)

state-owned broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), operates a series of radio and television stations in Kabul and the provinces; an estimated 150 private radio stations, 50 TV stations, and about a dozen international broadcasters are available (2007)

48 (station types NA) (2009)

16 (1 state-run station and 15 registered private stations) (2009)

.af

223 (2012)

total: 1.9 million

percent of population: 5.9% (2014 est.)

52 (2013)

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2013)

total: 29

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 6 (2013)

9 (2013)

gas 466 km (2013)

total: 42,150 km

paved: 12,350 km

unpaved: 29,800 km (2006)

1,200 km; (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2011)

river port(s): Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Afghan National Security Forces: Afghan National Army, Afghan Air Force, Afghan National Police, Afghan Local Police (2016)

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2016)

28.09% of GDP (2016)

4.74% of GDP (2011)

Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps and since 2014 have met to discuss collaboration on the Taliban insurgency and counterterrorism efforts; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey; Iran protests Afghanistan's restricting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities; Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries

refugees (country of origin): 241,641 (Pakistan) (2015)

IDPs: 1,116,546 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to drought and political instability) (2015)

world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation increased 7 percent, to a record 211,000 hectares in 2014 from 198,000 hectares in 2013 while eradication dropped sharply; relatively low opium yields due to poor weather kept potential opium production—6,300 metric tons—below the record set in 2007; the Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit from the opiate trade, which is a key source of revenue for the Taliban inside Afghanistan; widespread corruption and instability impede counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; Afghanistan is also struggling to respond to a burgeoning domestic opiate addiction problem; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; illicit cultivation of cannabis and regional source of hashish