Afghanistan :: South Asia
Introduction
Background:
Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN.
++ A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan, and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. KARZAI was reelected in August 2009 for a second term. The 2014 presidential election was the country's first to include a runoff, which featured the top two vote-getters from the first round, Abdullah ABDULLAH and Ashraf GHANI. Throughout the summer of 2014, their campaigns disputed the results and traded accusations of fraud, leading to a US-led diplomatic intervention that included a full vote audit as well as political negotiations between the two camps. In September 2014, GHANI and ABDULLAH agreed to form the Government of National Unity, with GHANI inaugurated as president and ABDULLAH elevated to the newly-created position of chief executive officer. The day after the inauguration, the GHANI administration signed the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which provide the legal basis for the post-2014 international military presence in Afghanistan. After two postponements, the next presidential election was held in September 2019.
++ The Taliban remains a serious challenge for the Afghan Government in almost every province. The Taliban still considers itself the rightful government of Afghanistan, and it remains a capable and confident insurgent force fighting for the withdrawal of foreign military forces from Afghanistan, establishment of sharia law, and rewriting of the Afghan constitution. In 2019, negotiations between the US and the Taliban in Doha entered their highest level yet, building on momentum that began in late 2018. Underlying the negotiations is the unsettled state of Afghan politics, and prospects for a sustainable political settlement remain unclear.
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:
652,230 sq km
land:
652,230 sq km
water:
0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 42
Area - comparative:
almost six times the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total:
5,987 km
border countries (6):
China 91 km, Iran 921 km, Pakistan 2670 km, Tajikistan 1357 km, Turkmenistan 804 km, Uzbekistan 144 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:
mean elevation:
1,884 m
lowest point:
Amu Darya 258 m
highest point:
Noshak 7,492 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land
Land use:
agricultural land:
58.1%
(2016 est.)
arable land:
11.8%
(2016)
/
permanent crops:
0.3%
(2016)
/
permanent pasture:
46%
(2016)
forest:
2.07%
(2016 est.)
other:
39%
(2016)
Irrigated land:
32,080 sq km
(2012)
Population distribution:
populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated
Natural hazards:
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater 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 in overcrowded urban areas
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
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 and Society
Population:
36,643,815
(July 2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Nationality:
noun:
Afghan(s)
adjective:
Afghan
Ethnic groups:
Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, other (includes smaller numbers of Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, Pashai, and Kyrghyz)
(2015)
note: current statistical data on the sensitive subject of ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available, and ethnicity data from small samples of respondents to opinion polls are not a reliable alternative; Afghanistan's 2004 constitution recognizes 14 ethnic groups: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, and Pashai
Languages:
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 77% (Dari functions as the lingua franca), Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbek 11%, English 6%, Turkmen 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%
(2017 est.)
note: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language
++ note: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them
Religions:
Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other 0.3%
(2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
40.62%
(male 7,562,703/female 7,321,646)
15-24 years:
21.26%
(male 3,960,044/female 3,828,670)
25-54 years:
31.44%
(male 5,858,675/female 5,661,887)
55-64 years:
4.01%
(male 724,597/female 744,910)
65 years and over:
2.68%
(male 451,852/female 528,831)
(2020 est.)
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:
88.8
youth dependency ratio:
75.3
elderly dependency ratio:
4.8
potential support ratio:
21
(2020 est.)
Median age:
total:
19.5 years
male:
19.4 years
female:
19.5 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
Population growth rate:
2.38%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Birth rate:
36.7 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
Death rate:
12.7 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
Net migration rate:
-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Population distribution:
populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated
Urbanization:
urban population:
26% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
3.37% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
4.222 million KABUL (capital)
(2020)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.85 male(s)/female
total population:
1.03 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
19.9 years
(2015 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality rate:
638 deaths/100,000 live births
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Infant mortality rate:
total:
104.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
111.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
96.9 deaths/1,000 live births
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
52.8 years
male:
51.4 years
female:
54.4 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 227
Total fertility rate:
4.82 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
18.9%
(2018)
note: percent of women aged 12-49
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban:
95.9% of population
rural:
61.4% of population
total:
70.2% of population
unimproved:
urban:
3.2% of population
rural:
38.6% of population
total:
38.6% of population
(2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure:
11.8%
(2017)
Physicians density:
0.28 physicians/1,000 population
(2016)
Hospital bed density:
0.4 beds/1,000 population
(2017)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban:
83.6% of population
rural:
43% of population
total:
53.2% of population
unimproved:
urban:
16.4% of population
rural:
57% of population
total:
46.8% of population
(2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
<.1%
(2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
11,000
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<500
(2019 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk:
intermediate
(2020)
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
Crimea-Congo hemorrhagic fever, malaria
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
5.5%
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 176
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
19.1%
(2018)
country comparison to the world: 25
Education expenditures:
4.1% of GDP
(2017)
country comparison to the world: 91
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
43%
male:
55.5%
female:
29.8%
(2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:
10 years
male:
13 years
female:
8 years
(2018)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:
17.6%
male:
16.3%
female:
21.4%
(2017)
country comparison to the world: 75
Government
Country name:
conventional long form:
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form:
Afghanistan
local long form:
Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan
local short form:
Afghanistan
former:
Republic of Afghanistan
etymology:
the name "Afghan" originally referred to the Pashtun people (today it is understood to include all the country's ethnic groups), while the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country"; so Afghanistan literally means the "Land of the Afghans"
Government type:
presidential Islamic republic
Capital:
name:
Kabul
geographic coordinates:
34 31 N, 69 11 E
time difference:
UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
does not observe daylight savings time
etymology: named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin
Administrative divisions:
34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, 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:
history:
several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004, signed 16 January 2004, ratified 26 January 2004
amendments:
proposed by a commission formed by presidential decree followed by the convention of a Grand Council (Loya Jirga) decreed by the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Loya Jirga membership and endorsement by the president
Legal system:
mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic (sharia) law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan
dual citizenship recognized:
no
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ
cabinet:
Cabinet consists of 25 ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly
elections/appointments:
president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 September 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
election results:
Ashraf GHANI declared winner by the Independent Election Commission on 18 February 2020; Ashraf GHANI 50.6%, Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. 39.5%, other 0.9%
Legislative branch:
description:
bicameral National Assembly consists of: Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by district councils to serve 3-year terms, 34 indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by provincial councils to serve 4-year terms, and 34 appointed by the president from nominations by civic groups, political parties, and the public, of which 17 must be women, 2 must represent the disabled, and 2 must be Kuchi nomads; presidential appointees serve 5-year terms) ++
Wolesi Jirga or House of People (250 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections: Meshrano Jirga - district councils - within 5 days of installation; provincial councils - within 15 days of installation; presidential appointees - within 2 weeks after the presidential inauguration ++ Wolesi Jirga - last held on 20 October 2018) (next to be held in 2023)
election results: Meshrano Jirga - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 84, women 18, percent of women 17.6% ++ Wolesi Jirga - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA
note: the constitution allows the government to convene a constitutional Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it consists of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils; a Loya Jirga can amend provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; no constitutional Loya Jirga has ever been held, and district councils have never been elected; the president appointed 34 members of the Meshrano Jirga that the district councils should have indirectly elected
Judicial branch:
highest courts:
Supreme Court or Stera Mahkama (consists of the supreme court chief and 8 justices organized into criminal, public security, civil, and commercial divisions or dewans)
judge selection and term of office:
court chief and justices appointed by the president with the approval of the Wolesi Jirga; court chief and justices serve single 10-year terms
subordinate courts:
Appeals Courts; Primary Courts; Special Courts for issues including narcotics, security, property, family, and juveniles
Political parties and leaders:
note - the Ministry of Justice licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019
International organization participation:
ADB, CICA, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Roya RAHMANI (since 24 November 2018)
chancery:
2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 483-6410
FAX:
[1] (202) 483-6488
consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ross WILSON (since 18 January 2020)
telephone:
[00 93] 0700 108 001
embassy:
Bibi Mahru, Kabul
mailing address:
U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO AE 09806
FAX:
[00 93] 0700 108 564
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other 2 bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are Eastern Arabic numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan; black signifies the past, red is for the blood shed for independence, and green can represent either hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam
note: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century - 19 by one count - than any other country; the colors black, red, and green appeared on most of them
National symbol(s):
lion; national colors: red, green, black
National anthem:
name:
"Milli Surood" (National Anthem)
lyrics/music:
Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA
note: adopted 2006; the 2004 constitution of the post-Taliban government mandated that a new national anthem should be written containing the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) and mentioning the names of Afghanistan's ethnic groups
Economy
Economic overview:
Prior to 2001, Afghanistan was an extremely poor, landlocked, and foreign aid-dependent country. Increased domestic economic activity occurred following the U.S.-led invasion, as well as significant international economic development assistance. This increased activity expanded access to water, electricity, sanitation, education, and health services, and fostered consistent growth in government revenues since 2014. While international security forces have been drawing down since 2012, with much higher U.S. forces' drawdowns occurring since 2017, economic progress continues, albeit uneven across sectors and key economic indicators. After recovering from the 2018 drought and growing 3.9% in 2019, political instability, expiring international financial commitments, and the COVID-19 pandemic have wrought significant adversity on the Afghan economy, with a projected 5% contraction.
++ Current political parties' power-sharing agreement following the September 2019 presidential elections as well as ongoing Taliban attacks and peace talks have led to Afghan economic instability. This instability, coupled with expiring international grant and assistance, endangers recent fiscal gains and has led to more internally displaced persons. In November 2020, Afghanistan secured $12 billion in additional international aid for 2021-2025, much of which is conditional upon Taliban peace progress. Additionally, Afghanistan continues to experience influxes of repatriating Afghanis, mostly from Iran, significantly straining economic and security institutions.
++ Afghanistan's trade deficit remains at approximately 31% of GDP and is highly dependent on financing through grants and aid. While Afghan agricultural growth remains consistent, recent industrial and services growth have been enormously impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and trade cessations. While trade with the People's Republic of China has rapidly expanded in recent years, Afghanistan still relies heavily upon India and Pakistan as export partners but is more diverse in its import partners. Furthermore, Afghanistan still struggles to effectively enforce business contracts, facilitate easy tax collection, and enable greater international trade for domestic enterprises. ++ Current Afghan priorities focus on the following goals:
Securing international economic agreements, many of which are contingent on Taliban peace progress;
Increasing exports to $2 billion USD by 2023;
Continuing to expand government revenue collection
Countering corruption and navigating challenges from the power-sharing agreement; and
Developing a strong private sector that can empower the economy.
GDP real growth rate:
2.7%
(2017 est.)
2.2%
(2016 est.)
1%
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5%
(2017 est.)
4.4%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$69.45 billion
(2017 est.)
$67.65 billion
(2016 est.)
$66.21 billion
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$20.24 billion
(2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,000
(2017 est.)
$2,000
(2016 est.)
$2,000
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 191
Gross national saving:
22.7% of GDP
(2017 est.)
25.8% of GDP
(2016 est.)
21.4% of GDP
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
23%
(2016 est.)
industry:
21.1%
(2016 est.)
services:
55.9%
(2016 est.)
note: data exclude opium production
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:
81.6%
(2016 est.)
government consumption:
12%
(2016 est.)
investment in fixed capital:
17.2%
(2016 est.)
investment in inventories:
30%
(2016 est.)
exports of goods and services:
6.7%
(2016 est.)
imports of goods and services:
-47.6%
(2016 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
Overall Ease of Doing Business score:
44.1
(2020)
Starting a Business score:
92.0
(2020)
Trading Across Borders score:
30.6
(2020)
Enforcing Contracts score:
31.8
(2020)
Agriculture - products:
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins, poppies
Industries:
small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Industrial production growth rate:
-1.9%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Labor force:
8.478 million
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
44.3%
industry:
18.1%
services:
37.6%
(2017 est.)
Unemployment rate:
23.9%
(2017 est.)
22.6%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Population below poverty line:
54.5%
(2017 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
3.8%
highest 10%:
24%
(2008)
Budget:
revenues:
2.276 billion
(2017 est.)
expenditures:
5.328 billion
(2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
11.2% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-15.1% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
Public debt:
7% of GDP
(2017 est.)
7.8% of GDP
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
Fiscal year:
21 December - 20 December
Current account balance:
$1.014 billion
(2017 est.)
$1.409 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Exports:
$784 million
(2017 est.)
$614.2 million
(2016 est.)
note: not including illicit exports or reexports
country comparison to the world: 169
Exports - partners:
India 56.5%, Pakistan 29.6%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems, and medical herbs
Imports:
$7.616 billion
(2017 est.)
$6.16 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Imports - commodities:
machinery and other capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
China 21%, Iran 20.5%, Pakistan 11.8%, Kazakhstan 11%, Uzbekistan 6.8%, Malaysia 5.3%
(2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.187 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$6.901 billion
(31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Debt - external:
$284 million
(FY10/11)
country comparison to the world: 185
Exchange rates:
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar -
7.87
(2017 est.)
68.03
(2016 est.)
67.87
(2015)
61.14
(2014 est.)
57.25
(2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access:
electrification - total population:
99%
(2018)
electrification - urban areas:
100%
(2018)
electrification - rural areas:
98%
(2018)
Electricity - production:
1.211 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Electricity - consumption:
5.526 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Electricity - imports:
4.4 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
634,100 kW
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
45% of total installed capacity
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
52% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
4% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
35,000 bbl/day
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Refined petroleum products - imports:
34,210 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Natural gas - production:
164.2 million cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Natural gas - consumption:
164.2 million cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
Natural gas - proved reserves:
49.55 billion cu m
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
9.067 million Mt
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
125,232
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
less than 1
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:
21,239,280
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
59.36
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Telecommunication systems:
general assessment:
progress has been made on Afghanistan's first limited fixed-line telephone service and nationwide optical fiber backbone; aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service continues to improve swiftly; the Afghan Ministry of Communications and Information claims that more than 90% of the population live in areas with access to mobile cellular service; moderate growth through 2024, assuming stable governance and improving economic environment
(2020)
domestic:
less than 1 per 100 for fixed-line teledensity; 59 per 100 for mobile-cellular; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks
(2019)
international:
country code - 93; multiple VSAT's provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity
(2019)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media:
state-owned broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), operates a series of radio and television stations in Kabul and the provinces; an estimated 174 private radio stations, 83 TV stations, and about a dozen international broadcasters are available
(2019)
Internet country code:
.af
Internet users:
total:
4,717,013
percent of population:
13.5%
(July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
total:
15,999
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
less than 1
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Transportation
National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers:
3
(2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
13
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
1,722,612
(2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
29.56 million
mt-km
(2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
YA
(2016)
Airports:
46
(2020)
country comparison to the world: 94
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
29
(2020)
over 3,047 m:
4
2,438 to 3,047 m:
8
1,524 to 2,437 m:
12
914 to 1,523 m:
2
under 914 m:
3
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total:
17
(2020)
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
7
914 to 1,523 m:
4
under 914 m:
5
Heliports:
1
(2020)
Pipelines:
466 km gas
(2013)
Roadways:
total:
34,903 km
(2017)
paved:
17,903 km
(2017)
unpaved:
17,000 km
(2017)
country comparison to the world: 93
Waterways:
1,200 km
(chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT)
(2011)
country comparison to the world: 58
Ports and terminals:
river port(s):
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Military and Security
Military and security forces:
Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) are comprised of military, police, and other security elements: Ministry of Defense: Afghan National Army ((ANA), Afghan Air Force, Afghan Army Special Security Forces (includes ANA Special Operations Command), Afghanistan National Army Territorial Forces (ANA-TF)); Afghan Border Force (ABF); Afghan National Civil Order Force (ANCOF) ++ Ministry of Interior: Afghan Uniform (National) Police (AUP); Public Security Police (PSP); Afghan Border Police (ABP); Afghan Anti-Crime Police; Afghan Local Police; Afghan Public Protection Force; Special Security Forces ++ National Directorate of Security ((NDS), intelligence service)
(2020)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP
(2019)
1% of GDP
(2018)
0.9% of GDP
(2017)
1% of GDP
(2016)
1% of GDP
(2015)
country comparison to the world: 99
Military and security service personnel strengths:
Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have approximately 290,000 active personnel; Ministry of Defense: 185,000; Ministry of Interior: 105,000
(2020)
note: the authorized strength of the ANDSF, the force level that the international community is willing to fund, is 352,000 personnel
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:
the Afghan Army and Air Force inventory is mostly a mix of Soviet-era and more modern US equipment; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of arms to Afghanistan, followed by Russia
(2020)
Military service age and obligation:
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2017)
Military - note:
since early 2015, the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan known as Resolute Support Mission (RSM) has focused on training, advising, and assisting Afghan government forces; as of mid-2020, RSM includes about 16,000 troops from 38 countries
(June 2020)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s):
Haqqani Taliban Network; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent; Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan
(2020)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix T
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:
Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps and since 2014 have met to discuss collaboration on the Taliban insurgency and counterterrorism efforts; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey; Iran protests Afghanistan's restricting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities; Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin):
72,191 (Pakistan) (2019)
IDPs:
2.993 million (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to natural disasters and political instability) (2019)
Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation increased 63 percent, to 328,304 hectares in 2017; while eradication increased slightly, it still remains well below levels achieved in 2015; the 2017 crop yielded an estimated 9,000 mt of raw opium, a 88% increase over 2016; the Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit from the opiate trade, which is a key source of revenue for the Taliban inside Afghanistan; widespread corruption and instability impede counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; Afghanistan is also struggling to respond to a burgeoning domestic opiate addiction problem; a 2015 national drug use survey found that roughly 11% of the population tested positive for one or more illicit drugs; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; illicit cultivation of cannabis and regional source of hashish
(2018)
