The 2010 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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:

      constitution drafted 14 December 2003–4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004; ratified 26 January 2004

      Legal system:

      based on mixed civil and sharia law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

      Suffrage:

      18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

      chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Mohammad FAHIM Khan (since 19 November 2009); Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

      head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

       Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Mohammad

       FAHIM Khan (since 19 November 2009); Second Vice President Abdul

       Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004)

      cabinet: 25 ministers; note - ministers are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the president and two vice presidents elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a second round; election last held on 20 August 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

      election results: Hamid KARZAI reelected president; percent of vote (first round) - Hamid KARZAI 49.67%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 30.59%, Ramazan BASHARDOST 10.46%, Ashraf GHANI 2.94%; other 6.34%; note - ABDULLAH conceded the election to KARZAI following the first round vote

      Legislative branch:

      the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one-third of members elected from provincial councils for four-year terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year terms, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms) and the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 250 seats); members directly elected for five-year terms

      note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils

      elections: last held on 18 September 2010 (next election expected in 2015)

      election results: NA

      Judicial branch:

      the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a minister of justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses and war crimes

      Political parties and leaders:

      Afghanistan Peoples' Treaty Party [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN];

       Afghanistan's Islamic Mission Organization [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF];

       Afghanistan's Islamic Nation Party [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI];

       Afghanistan's National Islamic Party [Rohullah LOUDIN];

       Afghanistan's Welfare Party [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social

       Democratic Party [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Afghan Society for the Call to

       the Koran and Sunna [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Comprehensive

       Movement of Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party [Sher

       Mohammad BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Al-hajj Mohammad

       Tawos ARAB]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR];

       Elites People of Afghanistan Party [Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and

       Democracy Movement of Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE];

       Freedom Party of Afghanistan [Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party of

       Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e-Afghanistan

       [Qari Ahmad ALI]; Human Rights Protection and Development Party of

       Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan

       [Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Mohammad

       Ali JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Mukhtar

       MUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI,

       Abdul Hadi ARGHANDIWAL]; Islamic Party of the Afghan Land [Mohammad

       Hassan FEROZKHEL]; Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan [Al-haj

       Said Hussain ANWARY]; Islamic Society of Afghanistan [Ustad

       RABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party [Qurban

       Ali URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim

       KHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan [Haji

       Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Labor and Progress of Afghanistan Party

       [Zulfiqar OMID]; Muslim People of Afghanistan Party [Besmellah

       JOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement Party of Afghanistan [Wazir Mohammad

       WAHDAT]; National and Islamic Sovereignty Movement Party of

       Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI]; National Congress Party of

       Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM]; National Country Party [Ghulam

       MOHAMMAD]; National Development Party of Afghanistan [Dr. Assef

       BAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party [Abdul Hadi DABEER];

       National Independence Party of Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad WARDAK];

       National Islamic Fighters Party of Afghanistan [Amanat NINGARHAREE];

       National Islamic Front of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE];

       National Islamic Moderation Party of Afghanistan [Qara Baik

       IZADYAR]; National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Sayed NOORULLAH]

      National Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];

       National Movement of Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; National

       Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; National Patch of

       Afghanistan Party [Sayed Kamal SADAT]; National Peace Islamic Party

       of Afghanistan [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; National Peace & Islamic

       Party of the Tribes of Afghanistan [Abdul Qaher SHARIATEE]; National

       Peace & Unity Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Qader IMAMI]; National

       Prosperity and Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Osman

       SALEKZADA]; National Prosperity Party [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE];

       National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Eshaq

       GAILANEE]; National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan [Sayed Mansoor

       NADREEI]; National Sovereignty Party [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI];

       National Stability Party [Mohammad Same KHAROTI];