The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

      Geographic coordinates:

       33 00 N, 65 00 E

      Map references:

       Asia

      Area:

       total: 647,500 sq km

       water: 0 sq km

       land: 647,500 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, chromite, talc, barites,

       sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

      Land use: arable land: 12.13% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 87.65% (2001)

      Irrigated land:

       23,860 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards:

       damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding;

       droughts

      Environment - current issues:

       limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of

       potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of

       the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building

       materials); desertification; air and water pollution

      Environment - international agreements:

       party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species,

       Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping

       signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of

       the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

      Geography - note:

       landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to

       southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the

       country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan

       Corridor)

      People Afghanistan

      Population:

       28,513,677 (July 2004 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 44.7% (male 6,525,929; female 6,222,497)

       15–64 years: 52.9% (male 7,733,707; female 7,346,226)

       65 years and over: 2.4% (male 334,427; female 350,891) (2004 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 17.5 years

       male: 17.5 years

       female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       4.92%

       note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and

       its continuing impact (2004 est.)

      Birth rate:

       47.27 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Death rate:

       21.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       23.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

       total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 165.96 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 160.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

       male: 170.85 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 42.46 years

       male: 42.27 years

       female: 42.66 years (2004 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       6.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       0.01% (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       NA

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       NA

      Nationality:

       noun: Afghan(s)

       adjective: Afghan

      Ethnic groups:

       Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%,

       Baloch 2%, other 4%

      Religions:

       Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%

      Languages:

       Pashtu (official) 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

       female: 21% (1999 est.)

       total population: 36%

       male: 51%

      People - note:

       of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million

       have returned

      Government Afghanistan

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

       conventional short form: Afghanistan

       local short form: Afghanestan

       former: Republic of Afghanistan

       local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan

      Government type:

       Islamic republic

      Capital:

       Kabul

      Administrative divisions:

       34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,

       Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr,

       Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar,

       Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan,

       Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar,

       Vardak,