United States. Central Intelligence Agency
The 1992 CIA World Factbook
Published by Good Press, 2021
EAN 4064066096489
Table of Contents
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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