Background: A 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 reelected 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. The 2014 presidential election was the country’s first to include a runoff which featured the top two vote-getters from the first round Abdullah ABDULLAH and Ashraf GHANI. Throughout the summer of 2014 their campaigns disputed the results and traded accusations of fraud leading to a US-led diplomatic intervention that included a full vote audit as well as political negotiations between the two camps. In September 2014 GHANI and ABDULLAH agreed to form the Government of National Unity with GHANI inaugurated as President and ABDULLAH elevated to the newly-created position of Chief Executive Officer. The day after the inauguration the Ghani administration signed the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement which provide the legal basis for the post-2014 international military presence in Afghanistan.

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N 65 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 652,230 km²
Land: 652,230 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 41
Comparative: almost six time the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 5,987 km
Border countries: (6) China 91 km; Iran 921 km; Pakistan 2,670 km; Tajikistan 1357 km; Turkmenistan 804 km; Uzbekistan 144 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 arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 58.1%: arable land: 11.9%; permanent crops: 0.2%; permanent pasture: 46%
Forest: 2.1%
Other: 39.8%

Irrigated land: 21,760 km² (2011)

Total renewable water resources: 65.33 km³ (2011)

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: 32,564,342 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 41
Growth rate: 2.32% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 39
Below poverty line: 36% (FY08/09 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Afghan
Adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups: 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

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 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

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 41.47%
15-24 years: 22.41%
25-54 years: 29.69%
55-64 years: 3.88%
65 years and over: 2.55% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 87%
Youth dependency ratio: 82.3%
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.6%
Potential support ratio: 21.7%

Median age
Total: 18.1 years
Male: 18.1 years
Female: 18.2 years

Population growth rate: 2.32% (2015 est.)
Rank: 39

Birth rate: 38.57 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 10

Death rate: 13.89 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 7

Net migration rate: -1.51 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 163

Urbanization
Urban population: 26.7% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 3.96% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: KABUL (capital) 4.635 million (2015)

Environment
Current issues: 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
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
0-14 years: 1.03 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male/female
Total population: 1.03 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 115.08 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 122.64 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 107.15 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 1

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 50.87 years
Male: 49.52 years
Female: 52.29 years
Rank: 221

Total fertility rate: 5.33 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 11

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 21.2% (2010/11)

Drinking water source: total: 44.7% of population (2015 est.)

Physicians density: 0.27 physicians/1000 population (2013)

Hospital bed density: 0.5 beds/1000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access: total: 68.1% of population (2015 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.03% (2013 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 118
People living with hivaids: 4,500 (2013 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 106
Deaths: 300 (2013 est.)
Deaths rank: 98

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial 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

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 2.4% (2014)
Rank: 182

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 38.2%
Male: 52%
Female: 24.2%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 7 years

Country name
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
Note: the name 'Afghan' originally refered to the Pashtun people while the suffix '-stan' means 'place of' or 'country'; so Afghanistan literally means the Land of the Afghans

Government type: Islamic republic

Capital
Name: Kabul
Geographic coordinates: 34 31 N 69 11 E
Time difference: UTC+4.5

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: several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004 signed 16 January 2004 ratified 26 January 2004 (2012)

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil customary and Islamic law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai ; 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 ; 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
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year 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 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%

Legislative branch
Description: the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders 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 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
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% ; women hold 69 seats

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Stera Mahkama
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

Political parties and leaders: note - the Ministry of Justice licensed 84 political parties as of December 2012

International organization participation: ADB CP ECO EITI (candidate country) FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) 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 SCO (dialogue member) SICA (observer) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Ramin MANAWI (since 20 April 2015)
In the us chancery: 2,341 Wyoming Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 483-6,410
In the us FAX: [1] 483-6,488
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles New York Washington DC
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador P. Michael MCKINLEY
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: [00 93] 0700 108 001
From the us FAX: [00 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 symbols: lion; national colors: red green black

National anthem
Name: 'Milli Surood'
Lyrics and 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' 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. 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. Newly elected President Ashraf GHANI is dedicated to instituting economic reforms. However the drawdown of international security forces that occurred in 2014 will negatively effect economic growth as a substantial portion of commerce especially in the services sector has catered to the ongoing international troop presence in the country.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $57.56 billion (2012 est.)
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 101

Real gdp growth rate: 14% (2012 est.)
Rank: 100

Gross national saving: 31.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 72

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 96.5%
Government consumption: 23.3%
Investment in fixed capital: 25.4%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 18.1%
Imports of goods and services: -63.4%: (2011 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 24.6%
Industry: 21.8%
Services: 53.5%
Note: data exclude opium production

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

Industries: 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

Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (2012 est.)
Rank: 24

Labor force: 7.512 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 62
By occupation agriculture: 78.6%
By occupation industry: 5.7%
By occupation services: 15.7%

Unemployment rate: 40% (2005 est.)
Rank: 188

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.8%
Highest 10: 24%

Budget
Revenues: $4.91 billion
Expenditures: $5.037 billion
Surplus or deficit: -0.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 54

Taxes and other revenues: 22.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 140

Fiscal year: 21 December - 20 December

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.2% (2012 est.)
Rank: 166

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 38

Stock of narrow money: $5.928 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 92

Stock of broad money: $6.351 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 118

Stock of domestic credit: $-520.2 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 187

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: -$743.9 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 109

Exports: $388.5 million (2011 est.)
Note: not including illicit exports or reexports
Rank: 132
Commodities: opium fruits and nuts handwoven carpets wool cotton hides and pelts precious and semi-precious gems
Partners: India 31.9% Pakistan 28.5% Tajikistan 7.5% US 6.2% (2013)

Imports: $5.154 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 120
Commodities: machinery and other capital goods food textiles petroleum products
Partners: Pakistan 28% US 18.6% Russia 7.6% India 6.3% Kazakhstan 4.5% China 4.3% (2013)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5.983 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 88

Debt external: $2.7 billion (FY08/09)
Rank: 157

Exchange rates: 46.45 (2010)

Electricity
Production: 833.1 million kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 152
Consumption: 3.021 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 132
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 99
Imports: 2.246 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 59
Installed generating capacity: 489,100 kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 143
Generation sources fossil fuels: 23.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 189
From nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
From nuclear fuels rank: 35
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 76.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 17
From other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
From other renewable sources rank: 149

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 1950 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Total petroleum production rank: 96

Crude oil
Exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 75
Imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 149
Proven reserves: NA bbl (1 January 2013 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 117
Products consumption: 50,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 100
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 148
Products imports: 36,250 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 84

Natural gas
Production: 140 million m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 79
Consumption: 140 million m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 105
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 52
Imports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 150
Proven reserves: 49.55 billion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 63

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 8.552 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 109

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 100,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1
Fixed lines rank: 145
Mobile cellular total: 23.4 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74
Mobile cellular rank: 51

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; 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

Broadcast media: 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)

Internet
Country code: .af
Users total: 1.9 million
Users percent of population: 5.9%
Users rank: 100

Military expenditures: NA% (2010)

Military service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Airports: 52 (2013)
Rank: 91
With paved runways total: 23
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 2
With unpaved runways total: 29
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways: 6 (2013)

Heliports: 9 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 466 km (2013)

Roadways
Total: 42,150 km
Paved: 12,350 km
Unpaved: 29,800 km
Rank: 84

Waterways: 1200 km; (chiefly Amu Darya which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2011)
Rank: 60

Ports and terminals
River port: Kheyrabad Shir Khan

Disputes international: Afghan Coalition and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps; 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 and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 241,641 (Pakistan) (2015)
IDPs: 948,000 (2015)

Illicit drugs: 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