| Official
name: |
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |
|
President: |
President H.E Mr. Hamid KARZAI |
| National
Day: |
19th
August (Independence
Day-1919) |
| Capital: |
Kabul |
| Area: |
652,090
sq km |
| Border
countries: |
China
(76 km), Iran (936 km), Pakistan (2,430 km), Tajikistan
(1,206 km), Turkmenistan
(744) km, Uzbekistan (137 km).
|
| Coastline: |
None
(landlocked)
|
| Climate: |
Arid
to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers.
|
| Natural
resources: |
Natural
gas, petroleum, coal,
talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
semi-precious stones.
|
| Land
use: |
| Arable
land: |
12.13% |
| Meadows
and pastures: |
46% |
| Forest
and woodland: |
3% |
| Other: |
39% |
|
| Agricultural
products:
|
Wheat,
corn, rice, barley, cotton, tobacco, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton.
|
| Population:
|
23.3 million (2002)
|
| Ethnic
composition:
|
| Pashtuns
|
40% |
| Tajiks
|
25% |
| Uzbeks
|
6%
|
| Hazaras
|
17%
|
| minor
ethnic groups (Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloochs and others):
|
12%
|
|
| Religions:
|
| Sunni Muslim
|
84%
|
| Shi'i Muslim
|
15% |
| Other |
other
(1%) |
|
| Languages:
|
| Pashtu |
about
50% |
| Dari
[Afghan Persian] |
about
34% |
| Turkic
(Uzbek and Turkmen) and others |
about
16% |
|
| Literacy: |
| Total |
29.0% |
| Male |
54.0% |
| Female |
25% |
|
|
Currency
:
|
Afghani (AFA) |
|
Exchange
Rate:
|
49,40 AFA
for 1 US$ (Annual Average 2005) |
| GDP:
|
$6.853
million US$ (2005) |
| GDP
per capita:
|
$290 (2005) |
| GDP
growth rate:
|
14.5 %
(2005) |
|
Inflation rate(%):
|
11.4
(2005) |
|
Unemployment rate(%): |
n.a |
|
Total Imports : |
2471
million US $ (2005) |
|
Total Exports : |
384 million
US $ (2005) |
|
Foreign Direct Investment :
|
173.7
million US $ (2005) |
|
Total External Debt : |
558.6
million US $ (2005) |
