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 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.

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N 65 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 652,230 km²
Rank: 41
Land: 652,230 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 5,529 km
Border countries: (6) China 76 km; Iran 936 km; Pakistan 2,430 km; Tajikistan 1206 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
Extremes highest point: Noshak 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: 12.13%
Permanent crops: 0.21%
Other: 87.66% (2005)

Irrigated land: 27,200 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 65 km³ (1997)

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

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)

Population: 29,121,286
Rank: 41
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; a new Afghan census is scheduled to take place in 2010 (July 2010 est.)
Growth rate: 2.471% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 33
Below poverty line: 36% (FY08/09)

Nationality
Noun: Afghan
Adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups: Pashtun 42% Tajik 27% Hazara 9% Uzbek 9% Aimak 4% Turkmen 3% Baloch 2% other 4%

Languages: 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

Religions: Sunni Muslim 80% Shia Muslim 19% other 1%

Age structure
0-14 years: 43.6%
15-64 years: 54% (male 7,864,422/female 7,470,617)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 326,873/female 353,520) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 18 years
Male: 17.9 years
Female: 18 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.471% (2010 est.)
Rank: 33

Birth rate: 38.11 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 19

Death rate: 17.65 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 3

Net migration rate: 4.24 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 23

Urbanization
Urban population: 24% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Life Conservation

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 151.5 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 2
Male: 155.15 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 147.67 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 44.65 years
Rank: 221
Male: 44.45 years
Female: 44.87 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.5 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 13

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (2001 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 168
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria
Animal contact disease: rabies
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 28.1%
Male: 43.1%
Female: 12.6% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 8 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 5 years (2004)

Country name
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

Government type: Islamic republic

Capital
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)

Administrative divisions: 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

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

National holiday: Independence Day 19 August (1919)

Constitution: constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004; ratified 26 January 2004

Legal system: based on mixed civil and sharia law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI ; 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 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

Legislative branch: 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: NA

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; 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

Political parties and leaders: United Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Wasil RAHIMEE]; United Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Wahidullah SABAWOON]; Young Afghanistan's Islamic Organization [Sayed Jawad HUSSINEE]; Youth Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice

International organization participation: ADB CICA CP ECO FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt 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 UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Khojesta F. EBRAHIMKHEL
In the us chancery: 2,341 Wyoming Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 483-6,410
In the us fax: [1] (202) 483-6,488
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Karl W. EIKENBERRY
From the us embassy: The Great Masood Road Kabul
From the us mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul APO AE 9,806
From the us telephone: [93] 0700 108 001
From the us fax: [93] 0700 108 564

Flag description: 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

National anthem
Name: 'Milli Surood'
Lyricsmusic: 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

Economy overview: 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 agriculture and trade with neighboring countries. 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 inability to extend 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 four donors' conferences since 2002 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $22.34 billion (2008 est.)
Rank: 109
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 3.4% (2008 est.)
Rank: 6

Agriculture products: opium wheat fruits nuts; wool mutton sheepskins lambskins

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 15 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 39
By occupation agriculture: 78.6%
By occupation industry: 5.7%
By occupation services: 15.7% (FY08/09 est.)

Unemployment rate: 40% (2005 est.)
Rank: 183

Population below poverty line: 36% (FY08/09)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Inflation rate consumer prices: 20.7% (2008 est.)
Rank: 214

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.92% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 48

Stock of narrow money: $2.819 billion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 100

Stock of broad money: $2.915 billion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 125

Stock of domestic credit: $20.06 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 166

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: $85 million (2008 est.)
Rank: 160

Exports: $603 million (2008 est.); note - not including illicit exports or reexports
Rank: 164
Commodities: opium fruits and nuts handwoven carpets wool cotton hides and pelts precious and semi-precious gems
Partners: US 26.47% India 23.09% Pakistan 17.36% Tajikistan 12.51% (2009)

Imports: $4.5 billion (2007)
Rank: 109
Commodities: machinery and other capital goods food textiles petroleum products
Partners: Pakistan 26.78% US 24.81% India 5.15% Germany 5.06% Russia 4.04% (2009)

Debt external: $8 billion (2004)
Rank: 134

Exchange rates: afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50.23 (2009) 50.25 (2008) 50 (2007) 46 (2006) 47.7 (2005) 48 (2004)

Electricity
Production: 285.5 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 168
Consumption: 231.1 million kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 175
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 230 million kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 30 million m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 84
Consumption: 30 million m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 108
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 46
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 70
Proven reserves: 49.55 billion m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 65

Telephones
Main lines in use: 129,300 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 139
Mobile cellular: 12 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 57

Telephone system
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
International: country code - 93; multiple VSAT's provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (2009)

Broadcast media: state-owned broadcaster Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) operates a series of radio and television stations in Kabul and the provinces; an estimated 50 private radio stations 8 TV networks and about a dozen international broadcasters are available; more than 30 community-based radio stations broadcasting (2007)

Internet
Country code: .af
Hosts: 46 (2010)
Hosts rank: 211
Users: 1 million (2009)
Users rank: 98

Military expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 75

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

Airports: 53 (2010)
Rank: 89
With paved runways total: 19
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 34
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 14
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 9 (2010)

Heliports: 11 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 466 km (2009)

Roadways
Total: 42,150 km
Rank: 87
Paved: 12,350 km
Unpaved: 29,800 km (2006)

Waterways: 1200 km; (chiefly Amu Darya which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2008)
Rank: 59

Ports and terminals: Kheyrabad Shir Khan

Disputes international: Pakistan has built fences in some portions of its border with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to foreign terrorists and other illegal activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 132,246 (2007)

Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation decreased 22% to 157,000 hectares in 2008 but remains at a historically high level; less favorable growing conditions in 2008 reduced potential opium production to 5,500 metric tons down 31 percent from 2007; if the entire opium crop were processed 648 metric tons of pure heroin potentially could be produced; 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; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; regional source of hashish (2008)