@Afghanistan—————
Geography
Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 647,500 sq km
land: 647,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
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
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
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, talc,
barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
semiprecious stones
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 39% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding
Environment—current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification
Environment—international agreements: 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
Geography—note: landlocked
People
Population: 25,824,882 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 43% (male 5,640,841; female 5,422,460)
15–64 years: 54% (male 7,273,681; female 6,776,750)
65 years and over: 3% (male 374,666; female 336,484) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.95% (1999 est.)
note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees
Birth rate: 41.93 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 17.02 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 14.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
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 (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 140.55 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.33 years male: 47.82 years female: 46.82 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.94 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groups: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others)
Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Languages: Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 31.5%
male: 47.2%
female: 15% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
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: AF
Government type: transitional government
Capital: Kabul
Administrative divisions: 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
Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign
affairs)
National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April;
