The 1999 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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;

       Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day,

       19 August

      Constitution: none

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

      Suffrage: undetermined; previously males 15–50 years of age

      Executive branch: 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; the UN has deferred a decision on credentials and

       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

      Legislative branch: non-functioning as of June 1993

      Judicial branch: non-functioning as of March 1995, although there

       are local Shari'a (Islamic law) courts throughout the country

      Political parties and leaders: Taliban (Religious Students

       Afghanistan comprised of Jumbesh-i-Melli Islami (National Islamic

       other smaller parties are Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party)

       SAYYAF]; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement)

       GAILANI]; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party)

      Political pressure groups and leaders: tribal elders represent

       traditional Pashtun leadership; Afghan refugees in Pakistan,

       Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Peshawar,

       Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National

      International organization participation: 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

      Diplomatic representation in the US: note: embassy operations suspended 21 August 1997 chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York

      Diplomatic representation from the US: the US embassy in Kabul

       has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns

      Flag description: 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

      Economy

      Economy—overview: Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming