Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
33,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
under the Taliban, independent media outlets have decreased and are probably self-censoring; the Ministry of Information and Culture monitors all mass media; television and radio are key media platforms; only about a fifth of Afghans use the internet, mostly through smartphones (2023)
Communications: Internet country code
.af
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
16.09% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
182,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
60 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
25.6 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
wheat, milk, grapes, watermelons, potatoes, cantaloupes/melons, vegetables, rice, onions, maize (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$7.411 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$9.093 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$5.095 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$3.233 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$4.193 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$2.708 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$3.555 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$3.897 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$3.792 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$3.137 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$3.393 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$2.717 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
76.8135 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
55.3775 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
57.2475 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
61.1435 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
67.8661 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
68.0269 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
72.0832 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
77.7379 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
76.8135 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
coal, grapes, tropical fruits, gum resins, other nuts (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$1.609 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$1.516 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$1.476 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$2.045 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$2.665 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$2.891 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
16.9% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
21.2% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
98.1% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-50.7% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
15.2% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
0.1% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
34.7% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
13.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
46.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$2,202 (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$17.152 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$91.272 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
wheat flours, tobacco, palm oil, broadcasting equipment, synthetic fabric (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$7.988 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$7.371 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$6.983 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$5.286 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$7.902 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$8.702 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
1.8% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
-0.66% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
4.38% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
4.98% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
0.63% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
2.30% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
5.60% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
5.13% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
13.71% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
-4.64% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
-6.60% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
9.133 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
47.10% (2019 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
7.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$72.947 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$77.274 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$76.799 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$83.362 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$97.801 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$100.094 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$85.768 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$80.416 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$82.238 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
1.45% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
2.26% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
2.65% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
1.19% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
3.91% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-2.35% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
-20.74% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
-6.24% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
2.27% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$2,224 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$2,284 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$2,213 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$2,336 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$2,583 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$2,562 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$2,144 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$2,123 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$2,202 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$347.2 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$253.4 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$348.6 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$788.9 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
2.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$6.977 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$7.282 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$8.097 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$8.207 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$8.498 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$9.749 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
9.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
11.19% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
11.71% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
12.01% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
14.10% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
14.01% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
13.69% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
27% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
15.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
16.7% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
503,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
265,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: production
767,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: proven reserves
66 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
81.7%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
85.3% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
95.9%
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
13.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
77% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
9.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
6.468 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
6.221 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
627,000 kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
725.652 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
3.38 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
80.2 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
80.2 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
49.554 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
58,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
930,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
6.827 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
7.757 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Environment: Environmental issues
limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution in urban areas
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
58.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 12% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 46% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
1.9% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
39.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
84 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
65.33 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
20 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
169.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
203.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
3.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
25.70% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
5.629 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
11.1% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
almost six times the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas
Geography: Area: land
652,230 sq km
Geography: Area: water
0 sq km
Geography: Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Noshak 7,492 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Amu Darya 258 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
1,884 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
33 00 N, 65 00 E
Geography: 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)
Geography: Irrigated land
24,930 sq km (2022)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
China 91 km; Iran 921 km; Pakistan 2,670 km; Tajikistan 1,357 km; Turkmenistan 804 km; Uzbekistan 144 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
5,987 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
58.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 12% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 46% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
1.9% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
39.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s)
Ab-e Istadah-ye Muqur (endorheic basin) - 520 sq km
Geography: Major rivers (by length in km)
Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km; Helmand river source (shared with Iran) - 1,130 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage
Indus (1,081,718 sq km)
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage
Amu Darya (534,739 sq km); Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Asia
Geography: Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Geography: Natural hazards
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Geography: 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
Geography: Terrain
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Government: 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
Government: Capital: daylight saving time
does not observe daylight savings time
Government: Capital: etymology
named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
34 31 N, 69 11 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Government: Constitution: history
several previous; latest ratified in 2004, but not currently enforced by the Taliban
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Afghanistan
Government: Country name: etymology
the name "Afghan" originally referred to the Pashtun people, but today it is understood to include all the country's ethnic groups; the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so Afghanistan literally means the "Land of the Afghans"
Government: Country name: local long form
Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan (prior to 15 August 2021; current country name is disputed)
Government: Country name: local short form
Afghanistan
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
the United States does not maintain a presence in Afghanistan and its diplomatic mission to Afghanistan has relocated to Doha, Qatar
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US
none note : the Afghan Embassy closed in March 2022
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
the Taliban have announced a “cabinet” for the “caretaker government,” including the “acting prime minister,” “acting deputy prime ministers,” and “ministers” who claim to represent 26 ministries
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada (since 15 August 2021)
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
the 2004 Afghan constitution directed that the president should be elected by majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the Taliban have given no indication that they intend to reinstate elections or any other mechanism of democratic governance
Government: Executive branch: head of government
overall Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada is the [so-called] Amir-ul Momineen of the Taliban and is effectively the head of government
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
28 September 2019
Government: Flag
description: three equal vertical bands of black (left), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other bands; the emblem shows a mosque with a 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); a border of wheat sheaves circles the mosque; above the mosque is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed), with rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"); under the mosque is a scroll with the name Afghanistan meaning: black stands for the past, and red for the blood shed for independence; green can represent hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam history: 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
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; formerly accepted ICCt jurisdiction
Government: International organization participation
Afghanistan is a member of the following organizations but Taliban representatives do not participate: 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
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
the Taliban are purported to have appointed clerics, including a "Chief Justice," to Afghanistan's Supreme Court
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
provincial courts, religious courts, and specialty courts
Government: Legal system
the Taliban is implementing its own interpretation of Islamic law, which is partially based on the Hanifi school of Islamic jurisprudence and have enforced strict punishments; before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan had a mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic law (2021)
Government: Legislative branch
note: Afghanistan’s bicameral National Assembly consisted of the House of Elders and House of the People but was dissolved after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 2006
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA
Government: National color(s)
red, green, black
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Minaret of Jam; Buddhas of Bamyan
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
2 (both cultural)
Government: National holiday
previous: Independence Day, 19 August (1919); under the Taliban Government, 15 August (2022) is declared a national holiday, marking the anniversary of the victory of the Afghan jihad
Government: National symbol(s)
lion
Government: Political parties
the Taliban Government enforces an authoritarian state and has banned other political parties the Taliban have banned other political parties but have allowed some party leaders, including the head of Hezb-e-Islami, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, to continue to live and work in Afghanistan; Hekmatyar likely continues to enjoy some political support from loyalists; leaders of other parties, including Jamiat-e-Islami’s Salahuddin Rabbani and Jumbesh’s Rashid Dostum, operate from abroad but likely also command some following within Afghanistan
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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. Internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels forced the USSR to withdraw in 1989. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US and Allied 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 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan, and he was reelected in 2009. Ashraf Ghani AHMADZAI succeeded him as president in 2014 following a disputed election. The Taliban conducted an insurgency for two decades against the Afghan Government and forces from the United States and other countries. In February 2020, the US and the Taliban signed an agreement that led to the withdrawal of international forces in exchange for commitments on counterterrorism and other assurances. The Taliban took over Afghanistan on 15 August 2021. The Taliban established an all-male interim leadership structure dominated by Pashtun clerics under the leadership of Haivatrullah AKHUNDZADA. The Taliban issued numerous edicts that constrained women's mobility, ability to study and work, and access to education beyond primary school. To date, no country has recognized the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.
Military and Security: Military - note
the Taliban’s key security priorities are border and internal security; specific issues have included tensions with Pakistan along their shared border, armed anti-Taliban resistance elements, and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Khorasan (ISIS-K) terrorist group (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
the Taliban claims authority over a Ministry of Defense and a National Army (aka Army of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Islamic Emirate Army, or Afghan Army); it has also formed police forces under a Ministry of Interior (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
the Taliban claims to have 190,000 under the Ministry of Defense and 215,000 under the Ministry of Interior (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Taliban military and security forces are equipped with armaments captured in 2021 from the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, which were largely equipped with Russian/Soviet-era and US material (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
2.9% of GDP (2015)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
3.1% of GDP (2016)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
3.3% of GDP (2017)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
3.2% of GDP (2018)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
3.3% of GDP (2019)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
1.36% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
1.83% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
service is voluntary; there is no conscription (2023)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
39.6% (male 8,062,407/female 7,818,897)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
57.5% (male 11,702,734/female 11,372,249)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
2.9% (2024 est.) (male 535,925/female 629,340)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
35.99 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: men married by age 18
7.3% (2015)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
9.6% (2023)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
28.7% (2023)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
18.4% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
14.99% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
65.9% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
5.79 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
5.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
19 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
82.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
77 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 76.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 82.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 99% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 23.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 17.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
15.7% national budget (2017 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
4.34% (2017 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
current, reliable statistical data on ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available; Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution cited Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkman, Baluch, Pashaie, Nuristani, Aymaq, Arab, Qirghiz, Qizilbash, Gujur, and Brahwui ethnicities; Afghanistan has dozens of other small ethnic groups
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
2.39 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
21.8% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
1.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.10% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
0.3 beds/1,000 population (2023 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
92.5 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
109.7 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
48.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Afghan Persian or Dari (official, lingua franca) 77%, Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbeki 11%, English 6%, Turkmani 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashaie 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1% (2020 est.)
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
کتاب حقایق جهان، مرجعی ضروری برای اطلاعات اولیە (Dari) د دنیا د حقائېقو کتاب، بنیادی معلوماتو لپاره ضروری سرچینه- (Pashto) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
67.8 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
64.7 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: female
26.6% (2022 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: male
52.1% (2021 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
37.27% (2021 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
4.589 million KABUL (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
521 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
20.1 years
People and Society: Median age: male
20 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
19.9 years (2015 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Afghan
People and Society: Net migration rate
-1.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
5.5% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
0.32 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
People and Society: Population
42,647,492 (2024 est.)
People and Society: 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
People and Society: Population growth rate
2.84% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
24,422,838
People and Society: Population: male
25,051,967
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 58.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 68% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 93% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 41.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 32% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
8 years (2018 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
13 years (2018 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
11 years (2018 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.03 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.03 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.85 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
5.2% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
36.5% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
20.8% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
4.76 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
3.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
25.70% (2024 est.)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Haqqani Network; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Islamic Jihad Union (IJU); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/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 (AQIS); Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
Transnational Issues: Illicit drugs: USG identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
5,457,183 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
21,236 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Trafficking in persons: tier rating
Tier 3 — Afghanistan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Afghanistan remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/afghanistan/
Transportation: Airports
68 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
YA
Transportation: Heliports
8 (2025)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.