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Afghanistan

                                                   Introduction


[Top of Page] 

Background: Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1979. The USSR was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-communist mujahidin forces
supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, but the fundamentalist Islamic
Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure,
and widespread live mines. 

                                                   Geography


[Top of Page] 

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

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E 

Map references: Asia 

Area: 
total: 652,000 sq km 
land: 652,000 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% 
permanent crops: 0% 
permanent pastures: 46% 
forests and woodland: 3% 
other: 39% (1993 est.) 

Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1993 est.) 

Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding 

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials);
desertification 

Environment - international agreements: 
party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban 
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation 

Geography - note: landlocked 

                                                     People


[Top of Page] 

Population: 25,838,797 (July 2000 est.) 

Age structure: 
0-14 years: 42.37% (male 5,598,403; female 5,371,054) 
15-64 years: 54.86% (male 7,362,961; female 6,839,914) 
65 years and over: 2.77% (male 378,741; female 337,724) (2000 est.) 

Population growth rate: 3.54% (2000 est.) 
note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran 

Birth rate: 41.82 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Death rate: 18.01 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Net migration rate: 11.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Sex ratio: 
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female 
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2000 est.) 

Infant mortality rate: 149.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) 

Life expectancy at birth: 
total population: 45.88 years 
male: 46.62 years 
female: 45.1 years (2000 est.) 

Total fertility rate: 5.87 children born/woman (2000 est.) 

Nationality: 
noun: Afghan(s) 
adjective: Afghan 

Ethnic groups: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 

Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1% 

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

Literacy: 
definition: age 15 and over can read and write 
total population: 31.5% 
male: 47.2% 
female: 15% (1999 est.) 

                                                   Government


[Top of Page] 

Country name: 
conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan; note - the self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 
conventional short form: Afghanistan 
local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan 
local short form: Afghanestan 
former: Republic of Afghanistan 

Data code: AF 

Government type: no functioning central government, administered by factions 

Capital: Kabul 

Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat,
Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol 
note: there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst 

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

National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August 

Constitution: none 

Legal system: a new legal system has not been adopted but all factions tacitly agree they will follow Shari'a (Islamic law) 

Suffrage: NA; previously males 15-50 years of age 

Executive branch: on 27 September 1996, the ruling members of the Afghan Government were displaced by members of the Islamic Taliban movement; the Islamic State
of Afghanistan has no functioning government at this time, and the country remains divided among fighting factions 
note: the Taliban have declared themselves the legitimate government of Afghanistan; however, the UN still recognizes the government of Burhanuddin RABBANI; the
Organization of the Islamic Conference has left the Afghan seat vacant until the question of legitimacy can be resolved through negotiations among the warring factions; the
country is essentially divided along ethnic lines; the Taliban controls the capital of Kabul and approximately two-thirds of the country including the predominately ethnic
Pashtun areas in southern Afghanistan; opposing factions have their stronghold in the ethnically diverse north 

Legislative branch: non-functioning as of June 1993 

Judicial branch: non-functioning as of March 1995, although there are local Shari'a (Islamic law) courts throughout the country 

Political parties and leaders: Harakat-i-Islami (Islamic Movement) [Mohammed Asif MOHSENI]; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement)
[Mohammad Nabi MOHAMMADI]; Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party) [Gulbuddin HIKMATYAR faction]; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party) [Yunis KHALIS
faction]; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party) [Mohammad Akbar AKBARI]; Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan (Islamic Union for the Liberation of
Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan (Afghanistan National Liberation Front) [Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI]; Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami
(National Islamic Front) [Sayed Ahamad GAILANI]; Taliban (Religious Students Movement) [Mohammad OMAR]; United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan
comprised of Jumbesh-i-Melli Islami (National Islamic Movement) [Abdul Rashid DOSTAM]; Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society) [Burhanuddin RABBANI and Ahmad
Shah MASOOD]; and Hizbi Wahdat-Khalili faction (Islamic Unity Party) [Abdul Karim KHALILI] 

Political pressure groups and leaders: Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Mellat (Social Democratic Party) [leader
NA]; Peshawar, Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National Unity and Understanding in Afghanistan or CUNUA [Ishaq GAILANI]; tribal elders
represent traditional Pashtun leadership; Writers Union of Free Afghanistan or WUFA [A. Rasul AMIN] 

International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC,
IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO 

Diplomatic representation in the US: 
note: embassy operations suspended 21 August 1997 
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) 
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 
telephone: [1] (202) 234-3770 
FAX: [1] (202) 328-3516 
consulate(s) general: New York 

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US embassy in Kabul has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns 

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like
structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two
crossed scimitars 
note: the Taliban uses a plain white flag 

                                                    Economy


[Top of Page] 

Economy - overview: Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations
have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during two decades of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February
1989). During that conflict one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more than 6 million refugees. In early 1999, 1.2
million Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan and about 1.4 million in Iran. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of the loss of labor
and capital and the disruption of trade and transport. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Inflation
remains a serious problem throughout the country. International aid can deal with only a fraction of the humanitarian problem, let alone promote economic development. The
economic situation did not improve in 1998-99, as internal civil strife continued, hampering both domestic economic policies and international aid efforts. Numerical data are
likely to be either unavailable or unreliable. Afghanistan was by far the largest producer of opium poppies in 1999, and narcotics trafficking is a major source of revenue. 

GDP: purchasing power parity - $21 billion (1999 est.) 

GDP - real growth rate: NA% 

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (1999 est.) 

GDP - composition by sector: 
agriculture: 53% 
industry: 28.5% 
services: 18.5% (1990) 

Population below poverty line: NA% 

Household income or consumption by percentage share: 
lowest 10%: NA% 
highest 10%: NA% 

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% 

Labor force: 8 million (1997 est.) 

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 68%, industry 16%, services 16% (1980 est.) 

Unemployment rate: 8% (1995 est.) 

Budget: 
revenues: $NA 
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA 

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

Electricity - production: 430 million kWh (1998) 

Electricity - production by source: 
fossil fuel: 41.86% 
hydro: 58.14% 
nuclear: 0% 
other: 0% (1998) 

Electricity - consumption: 510 million kWh (1998) 

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) 

Electricity - imports: 110 million kWh (1998) 

Agriculture - products: opium poppies, wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton 

Exports: $80 million (does not include opium) (1996 est.) 

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

Exports - partners: FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic 

Imports: $150 million (1996 est.) 

Imports - commodities: capital goods, food and petroleum products; most consumer goods 

Imports - partners: FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Germany 

Debt - external: $5.5 billion (1996 est.) 

Economic aid - recipient: US provided about $70 million in humanitarian assistance in 1997; US continues to contribute to multilateral assistance through the UN
programs of food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons 

Currency: 1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls 

Exchange rates: afghanis (Af) per US$1 - 4,700 (January 2000), 4,750 (February 1999), 17,000 (December 1996), 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019
(March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which was fixed at 50.600 afghanis to the dollar
until 1996, when it rose to 2,262.65 per dollar, and finally became fixed again at 3,000.00 per dollar in April 1996 

Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March 

                                                 Communications


[Top of Page] 

Telephones - main lines in use: 31,200 (1983); note - there were 21,000 main lines in use in Kabul in 1998 

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA 

Telephone system: 
domestic: very limited telephone and telegraph service; in 1997, telecommunications links were established between Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul
through satellite and microwave systems 
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); commercial satellite telephone center in
Ghazni 

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul), FM 1, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pushtu, Dari, Urdu, and English) (1999) 

Radios: 167,000 (1999) 

Television broadcast stations: at least 10 (one government run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 30 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) 

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA 

                                                  Transportation


[Top of Page] 

Railways: 
total: 24.6 km 
broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on
south bank of Amu Darya 

Highways: 
total: 21,000 km 
paved: 2,793 km 
unpaved: 18,207 km (1998 est.) 

Waterways: 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to about 500 DWT 

Pipelines: petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km 

Ports and harbors: Kheyrabad, Shir Khan 

Airports: 46 (1999 est.) 

Airports - with paved runways: 
total: 14 
over 3,047 m: 3 
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 
914 to 1,523 m: 1 
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.) 

Airports - with unpaved runways: 
total: 32 
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 
914 to 1,523 m: 3 
under 914 m: 11 (1999 est.) 

Heliports: 3 (1999 est.) 

                                                    Military


[Top of Page] 

Military branches: NA; note - the military does not exist on a national basis; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border
Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various groups 

Military manpower - military age: 22 years of age 

Military manpower - availability: 
males age 15-49: 6,401,980 (2000 est.) 

Military manpower - fit for military service: 
males age 15-49: 3,432,236 (2000 est.) 

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: 
males: 244,958 (2000 est.) 

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA 

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA% 

                                                Transnational Issues


[Top of Page] 

Disputes - international: support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's seat at the UN 

Illicit drugs: world's largest illicit opium producer, surpassing Burma (potential production in 1999 - 1,670 metric tons; cultivation in 1999 - 51,500 hectares, a 23%
increase over 1998); a major source of hashish; increasing number of heroin-processing laboratories being set up in the country; major political factions in the country profit
from drug trade 
³3summary³3*³2tscreate³2979671880³2keepts³2979671951³2id³2111³2host³2office.bomis.com³2revision³21³1username³2³2name³2text_default³2version³21³2ts³2979671951³2ip³2216.7.146.114³2data³2text³3Afghanistan

                                                   Introduction



Background: Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1979. The USSR was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-communist mujahidin forces
supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, but the fundamentalist Islamic
Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure,
and widespread live mines. 

                                                   Geography



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

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E 

Map references: Asia 

Area: 
total: 652,000 sq km 
land: 652,000 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% 
permanent crops: 0% 
permanent pastures: 46% 
forests and woodland: 3% 
other: 39% (1993 est.) 

Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1993 est.) 

Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding 

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials);
desertification 

Environment - international agreements: 
party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban 
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation 

Geography - note: landlocked 

                                                     People



Population: 25,838,797 (July 2000 est.) 

Age structure: 
0-14 years: 42.37% (male 5,598,403; female 5,371,054) 
15-64 years: 54.86% (male 7,362,961; female 6,839,914) 
65 years and over: 2.77% (male 378,741; female 337,724) (2000 est.) 

Population growth rate: 3.54% (2000 est.) 
note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran 

Birth rate: 41.82 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Death rate: 18.01 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Net migration rate: 11.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Sex ratio: 
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female 
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2000 est.) 

Infant mortality rate: 149.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) 

Life expectancy at birth: 
total population: 45.88 years 
male: 46.62 years 
female: 45.1 years (2000 est.) 

Total fertility rate: 5.87 children born/woman (2000 est.) 

Nationality: 
noun: Afghan(s) 
adjective: Afghan 

Ethnic groups: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 

Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1% 

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

Literacy: 
definition: age 15 and over can read and write 
total population: 31.5% 
male: 47.2% 
female: 15% (1999 est.) 

                                                   Government



Country name: 
conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan; note - the self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 
conventional short form: Afghanistan 
local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan 
local short form: Afghanestan 
former: Republic of Afghanistan 

Data code: AF 

Government type: no functioning central government, administered by factions 

Capital: Kabul 

Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat,
Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol 
note: there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst 

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

National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August 

Constitution: none 

Legal system: a new legal system has not been adopted but all factions tacitly agree they will follow Shari'a (Islamic law) 

Suffrage: NA; previously males 15-50 years of age 

Executive branch: on 27 September 1996, the ruling members of the Afghan Government were displaced by members of the Islamic Taliban movement; the Islamic State
of Afghanistan has no functioning government at this time, and the country remains divided among fighting factions 
note: the Taliban have declared themselves the legitimate government of Afghanistan; however, the UN still recognizes the government of Burhanuddin RABBANI; the
Organization of the Islamic Conference has left the Afghan seat vacant until the question of legitimacy can be resolved through negotiations among the warring factions; the
country is essentially divided along ethnic lines; the Taliban controls the capital of Kabul and approximately two-thirds of the country including the predominately ethnic
Pashtun areas in southern Afghanistan; opposing factions have their stronghold in the ethnically diverse north 

Legislative branch: non-functioning as of June 1993 

Judicial branch: non-functioning as of March 1995, although there are local Shari'a (Islamic law) courts throughout the country 

Political parties and leaders: Harakat-i-Islami (Islamic Movement) [Mohammed Asif MOHSENI]; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement)
[Mohammad Nabi MOHAMMADI]; Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party) [Gulbuddin HIKMATYAR faction]; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party) [Yunis KHALIS
faction]; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party) [Mohammad Akbar AKBARI]; Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan (Islamic Union for the Liberation of
Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan (Afghanistan National Liberation Front) [Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI]; Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami
(National Islamic Front) [Sayed Ahamad GAILANI]; Taliban (Religious Students Movement) [Mohammad OMAR]; United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan
comprised of Jumbesh-i-Melli Islami (National Islamic Movement) [Abdul Rashid DOSTAM]; Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society) [Burhanuddin RABBANI and Ahmad
Shah MASOOD]; and Hizbi Wahdat-Khalili faction (Islamic Unity Party) [Abdul Karim KHALILI] 

Political pressure groups and leaders: Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Mellat (Social Democratic Party) [leader
NA]; Peshawar, Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National Unity and Understanding in Afghanistan or CUNUA [Ishaq GAILANI]; tribal elders
represent traditional Pashtun leadership; Writers Union of Free Afghanistan or WUFA [A. Rasul AMIN] 

International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC,
IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO 

Diplomatic representation in the US: 
note: embassy operations suspended 21 August 1997 
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) 
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 
telephone: [1] (202) 234-3770 
FAX: [1] (202) 328-3516 
consulate(s) general: New York 

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US embassy in Kabul has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns 

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like
structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two
crossed scimitars 
note: the Taliban uses a plain white flag 

                                                    Economy



Economy - overview: Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations
have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during two decades of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February
1989). During that conflict one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more than 6 million refugees. In early 1999, 1.2
million Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan and about 1.4 million in Iran. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of the loss of labor
and capital and the disruption of trade and transport. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Inflation
remains a serious problem throughout the country. International aid can deal with only a fraction of the humanitarian problem, let alone promote economic development. The
economic situation did not improve in 1998-99, as internal civil strife continued, hampering both domestic economic policies and international aid efforts. Numerical data are
likely to be either unavailable or unreliable. Afghanistan was by far the largest producer of opium poppies in 1999, and narcotics trafficking is a major source of revenue. 

GDP: purchasing power parity - $21 billion (1999 est.) 

GDP - real growth rate: NA% 

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (1999 est.) 

GDP - composition by sector: 
agriculture: 53% 
industry: 28.5% 
services: 18.5% (1990) 

Population below poverty line: NA% 

Household income or consumption by percentage share: 
lowest 10%: NA% 
highest 10%: NA% 

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% 

Labor force: 8 million (1997 est.) 

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 68%, industry 16%, services 16% (1980 est.) 

Unemployment rate: 8% (1995 est.) 

Budget: 
revenues: $NA 
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA 

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

Electricity - production: 430 million kWh (1998) 

Electricity - production by source: 
fossil fuel: 41.86% 
hydro: 58.14% 
nuclear: 0% 
other: 0% (1998) 

Electricity - consumption: 510 million kWh (1998) 

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) 

Electricity - imports: 110 million kWh (1998) 

Agriculture - products: opium poppies, wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton 

Exports: $80 million (does not include opium) (1996 est.) 

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

Exports - partners: FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic 

Imports: $150 million (1996 est.) 

Imports - commodities: capital goods, food and petroleum products; most consumer goods 

Imports - partners: FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Germany 

Debt - external: $5.5 billion (1996 est.) 

Economic aid - recipient: US provided about $70 million in humanitarian assistance in 1997; US continues to contribute to multilateral assistance through the UN
programs of food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons 

Currency: 1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls 

Exchange rates: afghanis (Af) per US$1 - 4,700 (January 2000), 4,750 (February 1999), 17,000 (December 1996), 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019
(March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which was fixed at 50.600 afghanis to the dollar
until 1996, when it rose to 2,262.65 per dollar, and finally became fixed again at 3,000.00 per dollar in April 1996 

Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March 

                                                 Communications

 

Telephones - main lines in use: 31,200 (1983); note - there were 21,000 main lines in use in Kabul in 1998 

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA 

Telephone system: 
domestic: very limited telephone and telegraph service; in 1997, telecommunications links were established between Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul
through satellite and microwave systems 
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); commercial satellite telephone center in
Ghazni 

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul), FM 1, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pushtu, Dari, Urdu, and English) (1999) 

Radios: 167,000 (1999) 

Television broadcast stations: at least 10 (one government run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 30 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) 

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA 

                                                  Transportation



Railways: 
total: 24.6 km 
broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on
south bank of Amu Darya 

Highways: 
total: 21,000 km 
paved: 2,793 km 
unpaved: 18,207 km (1998 est.) 

Waterways: 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to about 500 DWT 

Pipelines: petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km 

Ports and harbors: Kheyrabad, Shir Khan 

Airports: 46 (1999 est.) 

Airports - with paved runways: 
total: 14 
over 3,047 m: 3 
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 
914 to 1,523 m: 1 
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.) 

Airports - with unpaved runways: 
total: 32 
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 
914 to 1,523 m: 3 
under 914 m: 11 (1999 est.) 

Heliports: 3 (1999 est.) 

                                                    Military


[Top of Page] 

Military branches: NA; note - the military does not exist on a national basis; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border
Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various groups 

Military manpower - military age: 22 years of age 

Military manpower - availability: 
males age 15-49: 6,401,980 (2000 est.) 

Military manpower - fit for military service: 
males age 15-49: 3,432,236 (2000 est.) 

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: 
males: 244,958 (2000 est.) 

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA 

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA% 

                                                Transnational Issues

 

Disputes - international: support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's seat at the UN 

Illicit drugs: world's largest illicit opium producer, surpassing Burma (potential production in 1999 - 1,670 metric tons; cultivation in 1999 - 51,500 hectares, a 23%
increase over 1998); a major source of hashish; increasing number of heroin-processing laboratories being set up in the country; major political factions in the country profit
from drug trade 
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