View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2000 CSV Excel Print All Years

Communications

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 7 (6 are inactive; the active station is in Kabul), FM 1, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pushtu, Dari, Urdu, and English) (1999)

Radios [time series]

167,000 (1999)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: very limited telephone and telegraph service; in 1997, telecommunications links were established between Mazar-e Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through satellite and microwave systems international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); commercial satellite telephone center in Ghazni

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

31,200 (1983); note - there were 21,000 main lines in use in Kabul in 1998

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

at least 10 (one government run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 30 provinces; the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan provinces) (1998)

Televisions [time series]

100,000 (1999)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

opium poppies, wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton

Budget [time series]

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls

Debt - external [time series]

$5.5 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

US provided about $70 million in humanitarian assistance in 1997; US continues to contribute to multilateral assistance through the UN programs of food aid, immunization, land mine removal, and a wide range of aid to refugees and displaced persons

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during two decades of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). During that conflict one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more than 6 million refugees. In early 1999, 1.2 million Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan and about 1.4 million in Iran. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Inflation remains a serious problem throughout the country. International aid can deal with only a fraction of the humanitarian problem, let alone promote economic development. The economic situation did not improve in 1998-99, as internal civil strife continued, hampering both domestic economic policies and international aid efforts. Numerical data are likely to be either unavailable or unreliable. Afghanistan was by far the largest producer of opium poppies in 1999, and narcotics trafficking is a major source of revenue.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

510 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

110 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

430 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 41.86% hydro: 58.14% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

afghanis (Af) per US$1 - 4,700 (January 2000), 4,750 (February 1999), 17,000 (December 1996), 7,000 (January 1995), 1,900 (January 1994), 1,019 (March 1993), 850 (1991); note - these rates reflect the free market exchange rates rather than the official exchange rate, which was fixed at 50.600 afghanis to the dollar until 1996, when it rose to 2,262.65 per dollar, and finally became fixed again at 3,000.00 per dollar in April 1996

Exports [time series]

$80 million (does not include opium) (1996 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Exports - partners [time series]

FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, India, UK, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic

Fiscal year [time series]

21 March - 20 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $21 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 53% industry: 28.5% services: 18.5% (1990)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $800 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$150 million (1996 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

capital goods, food and petroleum products; most consumer goods

Imports - partners [time series]

FSU, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea, Germany

Industries [time series]

small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Labor force [time series]

8 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 68%, industry 16%, services 16% (1980 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

8% (1995 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 652,000 sq km land: 652,000 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Texas

Climate [time series]

arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

33 00 N, 65 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

landlocked

Irrigated land [time series]

30,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 12% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 3% other: 39% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Map references [time series]

Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol note: there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst

Capital [time series]

Kabul

Constitution [time series]

none

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan; note - the self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan conventional short form: Afghanistan local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan local short form: Afghanestan former: Republic of Afghanistan

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US embassy in Kabul has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

note: embassy operations suspended 21 August 1997 chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3770 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3516 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

on 27 September 1996, the ruling members of the Afghan Government were displaced by members of the Islamic Taliban movement; the Islamic State of Afghanistan has no functioning government at this time, and the country remains divided among fighting factions note: the Taliban have declared themselves the legitimate government of Afghanistan; however, the UN still recognizes the government of Burhanuddin RABBANI; the Organization of the Islamic Conference has left the Afghan seat vacant until the question of legitimacy can be resolved through negotiations among the warring factions; the country is essentially divided along ethnic lines; the Taliban controls the capital of Kabul and approximately two-thirds of the country including the predominately ethnic Pashtun areas in southern Afghanistan; opposing factions have their stronghold in the ethnically diverse north

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars note: the Taliban uses a plain white flag

Government type [time series]

no functioning central government, administered by factions

Independence [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch [time series]

non-functioning as of March 1995, although there are local Shari'a (Islamic law) courts throughout the country

Legal system [time series]

a new legal system has not been adopted but all factions tacitly agree they will follow Shari'a (Islamic law)

Legislative branch [time series]

non-functioning as of June 1993

National holiday [time series]

Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Harakat-i-Islami (Islamic Movement) [Mohammed Asif MOHSENI]; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement) [Mohammad Nabi MOHAMMADI]; Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party) [Gulbuddin HIKMATYAR faction]; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party) [Yunis KHALIS faction]; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party) [Mohammad Akbar AKBARI]; Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan (Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan (Afghanistan National Liberation Front) [Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI]; Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami (National Islamic Front) [Sayed Ahamad GAILANI]; Taliban (Religious Students Movement) [Mohammad OMAR]; United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan comprised of Jumbesh-i-Melli Islami (National Islamic Movement) [Abdul Rashid DOSTAM]; Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society) [Burhanuddin RABBANI and Ahmad Shah MASOOD]; and Hizbi Wahdat-Khalili faction (Islamic Unity Party) [Abdul Karim KHALILI]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Mellat (Social Democratic Party) [leader NA]; Peshawar, Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National Unity and Understanding in Afghanistan or CUNUA [Ishaq GAILANI]; tribal elders represent traditional Pashtun leadership; Writers Union of Free Afghanistan or WUFA [A. Rasul AMIN]

Suffrage [time series]

NA; previously males 15-50 years of age

Introduction

Background [time series]

Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1979. The USSR 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, but the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread live mines.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

NA; note - the military does not exist on a national basis; some elements of the former Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard, Border Guard Forces, National Police Force (Sarandoi), and tribal militias still exist but are factionalized among the various groups

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 6,401,980 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 3,432,236 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

22 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 244,958 (2000 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 42.37% (male 5,598,403; female 5,371,054) 15-64 years: 54.86% (male 7,362,961; female 6,839,914) 65 years and over: 2.77% (male 378,741; female 337,724) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

41.82 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

18.01 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

149.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 45.88 years male: 46.62 years female: 45.1 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 31.5% male: 47.2% female: 15% (1999 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan

Net migration rate [time series]

11.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

25,838,797 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.54% (2000 est.) note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran

Religions [time series]

Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.87 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

support to Islamic militants worldwide by some factions; question over which group should hold Afghanistan's seat at the UN

Illicit drugs [time series]

world's largest illicit opium producer, surpassing Burma (potential production in 1999 - 1,670 metric tons; cultivation in 1999 - 51,500 hectares, a 23% increase over 1998); a major source of hashish; increasing number of heroin-processing laboratories being set up in the country; major political factions in the country profit from drug trade [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Transportation

Airports [time series]

46 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (1999 est.)

Heliports [time series]

3 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 21,000 km paved: 2,793 km unpaved: 18,207 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

petroleum products - Uzbekistan to Bagram and Turkmenistan to Shindand; natural gas 180 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Railways [time series]

total: 24.6 km broad gauge: 9.6 km 1.524-m gauge from Gushgy (Turkmenistan) to Towraghondi; 15 km 1.524-m gauge from Termiz (Uzbekistan) to Kheyrabad transshipment point on south bank of Amu Darya

Waterways [time series]

1,200 km; chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to about 500 DWT