The 1992 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

      "

      THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 1992

      :Afghanistan Geography

      Total area:

       647,500 km2

       Land area:

       647,500 km2

       Comparative area:

       slightly smaller than Texas

       Land boundaries:

       5,529 km total; China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan

       1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

       Coastline:

       none - landlocked

       Maritime claims:

       none - landlocked

       Disputes:

       Pashtunistan issue over the North-West Frontier Province with Pakistan;

       periodic disputes with Iran over Helmand water rights; Pakistan, Saudi

       Arabia, and Iran continue to support clients in country; power struggles

       among various groups for control of Kabul, regional rivalries among emerging

       warlords, and traditional tribal disputes continue

       Climate:

       arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

       Terrain:

       mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

       Natural resources:

       natural gas, crude oil, coal, copper, talc, barites, sulphur, lead, zinc,

       iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

       Land use:

       arable land 12%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 46%; forest and

       woodland 3%; other 39%; includes irrigated NEGL%

       Environment:

       damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; soil degradation,

       desertification, overgrazing, deforestation, pollution

       Note:

       landlocked

      :Afghanistan People

      Population:

       US Bureau of the Census - 16,095,664 (July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)

       and excludes 3,750,796 refugees in Pakistan and 1,607,281 refugees in Iran;

       note - another report indicates a July 1990 population of 16,904,904,

       including 3,271,580 refugees in Pakistan and 1,277,700 refugees in Iran

       Birth rate:

       44 births/1,000 population (1992)

       Death rate:

       20 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

       Net migration rate:

       0 migrants/1,000 population (1992); note - there are flows across the border

       in both directions, but data are fragmentary and unreliable

       Infant mortality rate:

       162 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

       Life expectancy at birth:

       45 years male, 43 years female (1992)

       Total fertility rate:

       6.4 children born/woman (1992)

       Nationality:

       noun - Afghan(s); adjective - Afghan

       Ethnic divisions:

       Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%; minor ethnic groups include

       Chahar 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:

       29% (male 44%, female 14%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

       Labor force:

       4,980,000; agriculture and animal husbandry 67.8%, industry 10.2%,

       construction 6.3%, commerce 5.0%, services and other 10.7%, (1980 est.)

       Organized labor:

       some small government-controlled unions existed under the former regime but

       probably now have disbanded

      :Afghanistan Government

      Long-form name:

       Islamic State of Afghanistan

       Type:

       transitional

       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 a new province of Nurestan (Nuristan)

       Independence:

       19 August 1919 (from UK)

       Constitution:

       the old Communist-era constitution probably will be replaced with an Islamic

       constitution

       Legal system:

       a new legal system has not been adopted but the transitional government has

       declared it will follow Islamic law (Shari`a)

       National holiday:

       28 April, Victory of the Muslim Nation; 4 May, Remembrance Day for Martyrs

       and Disabled; 19 August, Independence Day

       Executive branch:

       a 51-member transitional council headed by Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI rules

       Kabul; this body is to turn over power to a leadership council, which will

       function as the government and organize elections; Burhanuddin RABBANI will

       serve as interim President