NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Islamic State of Afghanistan
Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 but 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, giving rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban. Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001. The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002, and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran |
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Geographic coordinates:
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33 00 N, 65 00 E |
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Map references:
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Asia |
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Area:
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total: 647,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 647,500 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Texas |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m |
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Natural resources:
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natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones |
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Land use:
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arable land: 12.13%
permanent crops: 0.22% other: 87.65% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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23,860 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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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) |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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27,755,775 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 42% (male 5,953,291; female 5,706,542)
15-64 years: 55.2% (male 7,935,101; female 7,382,101) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 410,278; female 368,462) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.43%
note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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41.03 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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17.43 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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144.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 46.6 years
female: 45.85 years (2002 est.) male: 47.32 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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5.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.01% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 10%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 13%, Uzbek 8% |
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Religions:
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Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1% |
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Languages:
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Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
male: 51% female: 21% (1999 est.) total population: 36% |
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People - note:
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large numbers of Afghan refugees create burdens on neighboring states |