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 increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. 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 mujahidin 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, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN.

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 652,230 km²
Land: 652,230 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 42
Comparative: almost six times 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
Note: (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Elevation
Mean elevation: 1884 m
Lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
Highest point: Noshak 7,492 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%
Date: (2016)
Arable land: 11.8%
Permanent crops: 0.3%
Permanent pasture: 46%
Forest: 2.07%
Other: 39%

Irrigated land: 32,080 km²
Date: (2012)

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
Distribution: populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated: 34,940,837
Date: (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 39
Growth rate: 2.37%
Growth rate date: (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 29
Below poverty line: 54.5%
Below poverty line date: (2017 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Afghan(s)
Adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups: note: current statistical data on the sensitive subject of ethnicity in Afghanistan are 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
Date: (2015)

Languages: note: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language
Date: (2017 est.)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 40.92%
Note: (male 420,445 /female 491,085)
15-24 years: 21.85%
25-54 years: 30.68%
55-64 years: 3.95%
65 years and over: 2.61%
Date: (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 88.8
Date: (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 84.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.7
Potential support ratio: 21.2

Median age
Total: 19 years
Date: (2018 est.)
Male: 19 years
Female: 19.1 years
Rank: 203

Population growth rate: 2.37%
Date: (2018 est.)
Rank: 29

Birth rate: 37.5 births/1000 population
Date: (2018 est.)
Rank: 12

Death rate: 13.2 deaths/1000 population
Date: (2018 est.)
Rank: 9

Net migration rate: -0.6 migrant(s)/1000 population
Date: (2018 est.)
Rank: 128

Population distribution: populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated

Urbanization
Urban population: 25.8% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 3.37% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 4.114 million KABUL (capital)
Population date: (2019)

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 in overcrowded urban areas
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(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
Date: (2018 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Date: (2015 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 108.5 deaths/1000 live births
Date: (2018 est.)
Male: 115.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 100.9 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 1

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 52.1 years
Date: (2018 est.)
Male: 50.6 years
Female: 53.6 years
Rank: 223

Total fertility rate: 5.02 children born/woman
Date: (2018 est.)
Rank: 11

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 22.5%
Date: (2015/16)

Drinking water source
Urban: 21.8% of population
Rural: 53% of population
Total: 44.7% of population
Date: (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 10.2%
Date: (2016)

Physicians density: 0.28 physicians/1000 population
Date: (2016)

Hospital bed density: 0.5 beds/1000 population
Date: (2014)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 54.9% of population
Date: (2015 est.)
Rural: 73% of population
Total: 68.1% of population

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: <.1%
Adult prevalence rate date: (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids: 7,200
People living with hivaids date: (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 113
Deaths note: <500
Deaths date: (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Date: (2019)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: Crimea-Congo hemorrhagic fever, malaria

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 5.5%
Date: (2016)
Rank: 176

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 25%
Date: (2013)
Rank: 17

Education expenditures: 4.1% of GDP
Date: (2017)
Rank: 95

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 43%
Male: 55.5%
Female: 29.8%
Date: (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 10 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 8 years
Date: (2014)

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

Government type: presidential 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)
Daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time: etymology: named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin

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
History: several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004, signed 16 January 2004, ratified 26 January 2004
Amendments: proposed by a commission formed by presidential decree followed by the convention of a Grand Council (Loya Jirga) decreed by the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Loya Jirga membership and endorsement by the president
Date: (2017)

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic (sharia) law

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

Citizenship
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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: 

President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ; 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, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ

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 (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 September 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
Election results: NA

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:: note: the constitution allows the government to convene a constitutional Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it consists of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils; a Loya Jirga can amend provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; no constitutional Loya Jirga has ever been held, and district councils have never been elected; the president appointed 34 members of the Meshrano Jirga that the district councils should have indirectly elected

Judicial branch
Highest courts: 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

Political parties and leaders: note - the Ministry of Justice licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019 

International organization participation: ADB, CICA, 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, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
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: Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador John BASS (since December 2017)
From the us telephone: [00 93] 0700 108 001
From the us embassy: Bibi Mahru, Kabul
From the us mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO AE 9,806
From the us FAX: [00 93] 0700 108 564

Flag description: note: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century - 19 by one count - 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 (National Anthem)
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 Greatest) and mentioning the names of Afghanistan's ethnic groups

Economy overview: Despite improvements in life expectancy, incomes, and literacy since 2001, 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. Corruption, 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. Since 2014, the economy has slowed, in large part because of the withdrawal of nearly 100,000 foreign troops that had artificially inflated the country’s economic growth.The international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $83 billion at ten donors' conferences between 2003 and 2016. In October 2016, the donors at the Brussels conference pledged an additional $3.8 billion in development aid annually from 2017 to 2020. Even with this help, Government of Afghanistan still faces number of challenges, including low revenue collection, anemic job creation, high levels of corruption, weak government capacity, and poor public infrastructure.In 2017 Afghanistan's growth rate was only marginally above that of the 2014-2016 average. The drawdown of international security forces that started in 2012 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 Ahmadzai is dedicated to instituting economic reforms to include improving revenue collection and fighting corruption. The government has implemented reforms to the budget process and in some other areas. However, many other reforms will take time to implement and Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donor support over the next several years.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: note: data are in 2017 dollars
Date: (2015 est.)
Rank: 101

Real gdp growth rate: 1%
Date: (2015 est.)
Rank: 124

Gross national saving: 21.4% of GDP
Date: (2015 est.)
Rank: 78

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 81.6%
Date: (2016 est.)
Government consumption: 12%
Investment in fixed capital: 17.2%
Investment in inventories: 30%
Exports of goods and services: 6.7%
Imports of goods and services: -47.6%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 23%
Date: (2016 est.)
Industry: 21.1%
Services: 55.9%: note: data exclude opium production

Agriculture products: opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins, poppies

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: -1.9%
Date: (2016 est.)
Rank: 181

Labor force: 8.478 million
Date: (2017 est.)
Rank: 61
By occupation agriculture: 44.3%
By occupation industry: 18.1%
By occupation services: 37.6%
By occupation date: (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate: 22.6%
Date: (2016 est.)
Rank: 194

Population below poverty line: 54.5%
Date: (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.8%
Highest 10: 24%
Date: (2008)

Distribution of family income gini index: 29.4
Date: (2008)
Rank: 136

Budget
Revenues: 2.276 billion
Date: (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 5.328 billion
Surplus or deficit: -15.1% (of GDP)
Surplus or deficit  date: (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit  rank: 217

Taxes and other revenues: 11.2% (of GDP)
Date: (2017 est.)
Rank: 210

Public debt: 7.8% of GDP
Date: (2016 est.)
Rank: 202

Fiscal year: 21 December - 20 December

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.4%
Date: (2016 est.)
Rank: 171

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15%
Date: (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 37

Stock of narrow money: $6.192 billion
Date: (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 94

Stock of broad money: $6.544 billion
Date: (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 95

Stock of domestic credit: -$240.6 million
Date: (31 December 2016 est.)
Rank: 192

Market value of publicly traded shares: NA

Current account balance: $1.409 billion
Date: (2016 est.)
Rank: 48

Exports: note: not including illicit exports or reexports
Date: (2016 est.)
Rank: 171
Partners: India 56.5%, Pakistan 29.6%
Partners date: (2017)
Commodities: opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems, and medical herbs

Imports: $6.16 billion
Date: (2016 est.)
Rank: 114
Commodities: machinery and other capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Partners: China 21%, Iran 20.5%, Pakistan 11.8%, Kazakhstan 11%, Uzbekistan 6.8%, Malaysia 5.3%
Partners date: (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.901 billion
Date: (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 85

Debt external: $2.84 billion
Date: (FY/)
Rank: 144

Exchange rates: 57.25
Date: (2013 est.)

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 18,999,254
Access date: (2016)
Access electrification  total population: 84.1%
Access electrification  urban areas: 98%
Access electrification  rural areas: 79%
Production: 1.211 billion kWh
Production date: (2016 est.)
Production rank: 146
Consumption: 5.526 billion kWh
Consumption date: (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 119
Exports: 0 kWh
Exports date: (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 96
Imports: 4.4 billion kWh
Imports date: (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 42
Installed generating capacity: 634,100 kW
Installed generating capacity date: (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 138
Generation sources fossil fuels: 45% of total installed capacity
Generation sources fossil fuels date: (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 159
From nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity
From nuclear fuels date: (2017 est.)
From nuclear fuels rank: 32
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 52% of total installed capacity
Generation sources hydroelectricity date: (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 34
From other renewable sources: 4% of total installed capacity
From other renewable sources date: (2017 est.)
From other renewable sources rank: 111

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day
Total petroleum production date: (2018 est.)
Total petroleum production rank: 101

Crude oil
Exports: 0 bbl/day
Exports date: (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 82
Imports: 0 bbl/day
Imports date: (2015 est.)
Imports rank: 84
Proven reserves: 0 bbl
Proven reserves date: (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 99

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day
Products production date: (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 110
Products consumption: 35,000 bbl/day
Products consumption date: (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 117
Products exports: 0 bbl/day
Products exports date: (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 124
Products imports: 34,210 bbl/day
Products imports date: (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 97

Natural gas
Production: 164.2 million m³
Production date: (2017 est.)
Production rank: 79
Consumption: 164.2 million m³
Consumption date: (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 108
Exports: 0 m³
Exports date: (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 57
Imports: 0 m³
Imports date: (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 81
Proven reserves: 49.55 billion m³
Proven reserves date: (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 62

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 9.067 million Mt
From consumption of energy date: (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 111

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 118,769
Fixed lines date: (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 138
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 23,929,713
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70
Mobile cellular date: (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 51

Telephone system
General assessment: progress has been made on Afghanistans first limited fixed-line telephone service and nationwide optical fibre backbone; aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service continues to improve swiftly; the Afghan Ministry of Communications and Information claims that more than 90% of the population live in areas with access to mobile-cellular services
Date: (2019)
Domestic: less than 1 per 100 for fixed-line teledensity; 70 per 100 for mobile-cellular; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks
International: country code - 93; multiple VSATs 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 174 private radio stations, 83 TV stations, and about a dozen international broadcasters are available
Date: (2019)

Internet
Country code: .af
Users date: (July 2016 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 16,810
Date: (2017 est.)
Rank: 156

Military expenditures: 1.33% of GDP
Date: (2014)
Rank: 116

Military and security forces: Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) comprised of military, police, and other security elements: Afghan National Army ((ANA), Afghan Air Force, Afghan Special Security Forces, Afghanistan National Army Territorial Forces (ANA-TF)), Afghan National Police (Ministry of Interior), Afghan Local Police (Ministry of Interior), and the National Directorate of Security
Date: (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription
Date: (2017)

Terrorist groups
Home based alQaida:
Home based date: (2019)
Home based Islamic Jihad Union:
Home based Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan:
Home based Islamic State of Iraq and ashShamKhorasan:
Home based TehrikeTaliban Pakistan:
Foreign based alQaida in the Indian Subcontinent:
Foreign based date: (2019)
Foreign based Haqqani Taliban Network:
Foreign based Harakat ulMujahidin:
Foreign based Harakat ulJihadiIslami:
Foreign based Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps  Qods Force:
Foreign based JaisheMohammed:
Foreign based Jaysh al Adl:
Foreign based Lashkar i Jhangvi: aim(s): enhance its networks and paramilitary training in Afghanistan; exterminate Shia Muslims, rid the Afghanistan-Pakistan region of Western influencearea(s) of operation: headquartered in the east; operates paramilitary training camps near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border across from the central area of Pakistans Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region; operatives conduct operations mostly against targets in Pakistan, but also in Afghanistan; ties with al-Qaida and the Taliban
Foreign based Lashkare Tayyiba: aim(s): annex the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan and foment Islamic insurgency in India; attack Western, Indian, and Afghan interests in Afghanistan; support the Talibans return to power; enhance its recruitment networks and paramilitary training in Afghanistan, and, ultimately, install Islamic rule throughout South Asiaarea(s) of operation: mostly focused on Indian troops and civilian targets, particularly in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, but has also targeted Coalition forces in Afghanistan; maintains several facilities, such as paramilitary training camps, medical clinics serving locals, and schools for youths; targets Pashtun youth for recruitment in the Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 4
Date: (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 20
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,929,907
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 33,102,038
Note: mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: YA
Date: (2016)

Airports: 43
Date: (2016)
Rank: 99
With paved runways total: 25
With paved runways date: (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 14
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 18
With unpaved runways date: (2016)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 5

Heliports: 9
Date: (2013)

Pipelines: 466 km gas
Date: (2013)

Roadways
Total: 34,903 km
Date: (2017)
Paved: 17,903 km
Unpaved: 17,000 km
Rank: 92

Waterways: 1200 km
Note: (chiefly Amu Darya which handles vessels up to 500 DWT)
Date: (2011)
Rank: 58

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 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 and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 72,194 (Pakistan) (2018)
IDPs: 2.598 million (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to natural disasters and political instability) (2018)

Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation increased 63 percent, to 328,304 hectares in 2017; while eradication increased slightly, it still remains well below levels achieved in 2015; the 2017 crop yielded an estimated 9,000 mt of raw opium, a 88% increase over 2016; 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; a 2015 national drug use survey found that roughly 11% of the population tested positive for one or more illicit drugs; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; illicit cultivation of cannabis and regional source of hashish
Date: (2018)