Religious Freedom Page

Key Demographic Features of Afghanistan*

Location: Southern Asia, north of Pakistan
Map references: Asia

People

Population: 22,664,136 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 4,972,469; female 4,784,900)
15-64 years: 54% (male 6,377,231; female 5,916,954)
65 years and over: 3% (male 325,808; female 286,774) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 4.78% (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 149.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 45.85 years
male: 46.43 years
female: 45.24 years (1996 est.)
Ethnic divisions: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (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: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 31.5%
male: 47.2%
female: 15%

Government

Country Abbreviation: AF
Type of government: transitional government
Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK)
National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August
Constitution: none
Legal system: a new legal system has not been adopted but the transitional government has declared it will follow Islamic law (Shari'a)
Suffrage: undetermined; previously males 15-50 years of age

Economy

Economic overview:
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.8 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: NA%
GDP per capita: $554 (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%

Communications

Telephones: 31,200 (1983 est.)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 0, shortwave 2
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
note: several television stations run by factions and local councils which provide intermittent service
Televisions: 100,000 (1993 est.)

*Source: World Factbook 1996, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency

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