Afghanistan

theocratic; the United States does not recognize the Taliban Government

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

chief of state: Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada (since 15 August 2021) head of government: overall Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada is the [so-called] Amir-ul Momineen of the Taliban and is effectively the head of government cabinet: the Taliban have announced a cabinet for the caretaker government, including the acting prime minister, acting deputy prime ministers, and ministers who claim to represent 26 ministries election/appointment process: the 2004 Afghan constitution directed that the president should be elected by majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the Taliban have given no indication that they intend to reinstate elections or any other mechanism of democratic governance most recent election date: 28 September 2019 note: the United States has not yet made a decision whether to recognize the Taliban or any other entity as the government of Afghanistan

note: Afghanistan s bicameral National Assembly consisted of the House of Elders and House of the People but was dissolved after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021

highest court(s): the Taliban are purported to have appointed clerics, including a "Chief Justice," to Afghanistan's Supreme Court subordinate courts: provincial courts, religious courts, and specialty courts

history: several previous; latest ratified in 2004, but not currently enforced by the Taliban

Afghanistan is a member of the following organizations but Taliban representatives do not participate: 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

3.3% of GDP (2019) 3.2% of GDP (2018) 3.3% of GDP (2017) 3.1% of GDP (2016) 2.9% of GDP (2015)

the Taliban claims authority over a Ministry of Defense and a National Army (aka Army of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Islamic Emirate Army, or Afghan Army); it has also formed police forces under a Ministry of Interior (2025)

service is voluntary; there is no conscription (2023) note: the Taliban dismissed nearly all women from the former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, except those serving in detention facilities and assisting with body searches

the Taliban s key security priorities are border and internal security; specific issues have included tensions with Pakistan along their shared border, armed anti-Taliban resistance elements, and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Khorasan (ISIS-K) terrorist group (2025)

$82.238 billion (2023 est.) $80.416 billion (2022 est.) $85.768 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$2,000 (2023 est.) $2,000 (2022 est.) $2,100 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

2.3% (2023 est.) -6.2% (2022 est.) -20.7% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

-6.6% (2024 est.) -4.6% (2023 est.) 13.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

7.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

$1.476 billion (2020 est.) $1.516 billion (2019 est.) $1.609 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$6.983 billion (2020 est.) $7.371 billion (2019 est.) $7.988 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

13.3% (2024 est.) 14% (2023 est.) 14.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $9.093 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: $7.411 billion (2017 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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

wheat, milk, grapes, watermelons, potatoes, cantaloupes/melons, vegetables, rice, onions, maize (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 49,474,805 (2025 est.) male: 25,051,967 female: 24,422,838

2.86% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 39.6% (male 8,062,407/female 7,818,897) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 11,702,734/female 11,372,249) 65 years and over: 2.9% (2024 est.) (male 535,925/female 629,340)

35.99 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-1.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 54.4 years (2024 est.) male: 52.8 years female: 56.1 years

urban population: 26.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

current, reliable statistical data on ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available; Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution cited Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkman, Baluch, Pashaie, Nuristani, Aymaq, Arab, Qirghiz, Qizilbash, Gujur, and Brahwui ethnicities; Afghanistan has dozens of other small ethnic groups

Afghan Persian or Dari (official, lingua franca) 77%, Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbeki 11%, English 6%, Turkmani 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashaie 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other 1% (2020 est.) major-language sample(s): کتاب حقایق جهان، مرجعی ضروری برای اطلاعات اولیە (Dari) د دنیا د حقائېقو کتاب، بنیادی معلوماتو لپاره ضروری سرچینه- (Pashto) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note 1: percentages sum to more than 100% because many people are multilingual note 2: Uzbeki, Turkmani, Pashaie, Nuristani, Balochi, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them

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

total population: 37.3% (2021 est.) male: 52.1% (2021 est.) female: 26.6% (2022 est.)

natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land

Haqqani Network; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Islamic Jihad Union (IJU); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; al-Qa ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS); Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) note 1: as of 2024, Afghanistan was assessed to be a place of global significance for terrorism, with approximately 20 designated and non-designated terrorist groups operating in the country note 2: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

tier rating: Tier 3 Afghanistan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Afghanistan remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/afghanistan/

refugees: 21,236 (2024 est.) IDPs: 5,457,183 (2024 est.)

68 (2025)

total subscriptions: 25.6 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 18% (2023 est.)