Statistical information Afghanistan 1993

Afghanistan in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: South Asia, between Iran and Pakistan
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 647,500 km²
Land: 647,500 km²
Land boundaries: total 5,529 km, 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
ElevationNatural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, talc, barites, sulphur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Land useArable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 46%
Forest and woodland: 3%
Other: 39%
Irrigated land: 26,600 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 16,494,145 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.45% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Afghan(s)
Adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groups: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others)
Languages:
Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and
Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.45% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 43.83 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 19.33 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; soil degradation, desertification, overgrazing, deforestation, pollution, flooding
Current issues note: landlocked
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 44.41 years
Male: 45.09 years
Female: 43.71 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.34 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 29%
Male: 44%
Female: 14%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan
Conventional short form: Afghanistan
Former: Republic of Afghanistan
Government type: transitional government
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
there may be a new province of Nurestan (Nuristan)
Dependent areasIndependence: 19 August 1919 (from UK)
National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August
Constitution:
the old Communist-era constitution has been suspended; a new
Islamic constitution has yet to be ratified
Legal system: a new legal system has not been adopted but the transitional government has declared it will follow Islamic law (Shari'a)
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: undetermined; previously universal, male ages 15-50
Executive branch: president, prime minister; Afghan leaders are still in the process of choosing a cabinet (May 1993)
Legislative branch: a unicameral parliament consisting of 205 members was chosen by the shura in January 1993; non-functioning as of June 1993
Judicial branch: an interim Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has been appointed, but a new court system has not yet been organized
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
AsDB (has previously been a member of), CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, IOC, ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Abdul RAHIM
In the us chancery: 2,341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 234-3,770 or 3,771
From the us chief of mission: (vacant)
From the us embassy: Ansari Wat, Wazir Akbar Khan Mina, Kabul
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone:62,230 through 62,235 or 62,436
US Embassy in Kabul was closed in January 1989
Flag description
: a new flag of unknown description reportedly has been adopted; previous flag consisted of three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green, with the national coat of arms superimposed on the hoist side of the black and red bands; similar to the flag of Malawi, which is shorter and bears a radiant, rising red sun centered in the black band
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Fundamentally, Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming (wheat especially) and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during more than 13 years of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). Over the past decade, one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan sheltering more than 3 million refugees and Iran about 1.3 million. Another 1 million probably moved into and around urban areas within Afghanistan. Although reliable data are unavailable, gross domestic product is lower than 12 years ago because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: largely subsistence farming and nomadic animal husbandry; cash products - wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts, wool, mutton
Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 2.3% (FY91 est.; accounts for about 25% of GDP
Labor force: 4.98 million
By occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 67.8%, industry 10.2%, construction 6.3%, commerce 5.0%, services and other 10.7% (1980 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 21 March - 20 March
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $236 million (f.o.b., FY91 est.) wool, cotton, hides, and pelts
Partners: former USSR, Pakistan
Imports: $874 million (c.i.f., FY91 est.)
Commodoties: food and petroleum products
Partners: former USSR, Pakistan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: afghanis (Af) per US$1 - 1,019 (March 1993), 900 (November 1991), 850 (1991), 700 (1989-90), 220 (1988-89; note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rates
top of pageElectricityProduction: 480,000 kW capacity; 1,000 million kWh produced, 60 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: the new government has not yet adopted a defense budget
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirportsHeliportsPipelines:
petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and Turkmenistan to
Shindand; natural gas 180 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: total navigability 1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to about 500 metric tons
Merchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: periodic disputes with Iran over Helmand water rights; Iran supports clients in country, private Pakistani and Saudi sources may also be active; power struggles among various groups for control of Kabul, regional rivalries among emerging warlords, traditional tribal disputes continue; support to Islamic fighters in Tajikistan's civil war; border dispute with Pakistan (Durand Line)
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: an illicit producer of opium poppy and cannabis for the international drug trade; world's second-largest opium producer (after Burma) and a major source of hashish