Government- Type – Islamic

Republic- Capital – Kabul- Independence

- 19 August 1919

Until 2004, Afghanistan had no stable formof rule due to the presence of tyrannicalwarlords, foreign colonization, or other

oppressive nations controlling it. A US ledinvasion in late 2001 led to the removal of

the Taliban institution and later to thecreation of an official and structured

government and constitution. Courtesy ofAmerican intervention and monitoring, the

new constitution constructed threebranches: A legislative, executive, and

judicial; yet it still contains many figurehead

elements and other variances pertaining toIslamic Law

Quick Facts- Suffrage – 18 Years of

Age

- 34 Provinces (see right)

- Constitution dated

- 16 January 2004

PoliticsHistorically, Politics in

Afghanistan has been marked by power struggles, bloody coups, and highly unstable

transfers of power. In the past 100 years it has been rules by almost every major system of

government, including a monarchy, republic,

theocracy, communist state, and now an Islamic Republic created by the United States.

Currently, Afghanistan withholds a President, Hamid Karzai, elected in 2004, and a

diversified Parliament containing former

Mujahadeen and Taliban members, communists,

reformists, Islamic fundamentalists, and 28%

women.

Economy- Population Below

Poverty Line – 53%- Inflation Rate

- 16.3%

- Current Budget- $260 Million in

Revenues

- $561 Million in Expenditures

- Currency – Afghani- Imports - $3.87 Bil.- Exports - $471 Mil. - Bilateral Debt

- $8 Billion

- GDP – $8.8 Mil- GDP Growth Rate

- 8%

- Labor Force - 15 Milion

- Unemployment- 40%

- Electricity Production

- 754.2 Million KWh

- Electricity Consumption

- 801.4 Million KWh

Quick Facts

Agricultural Products: Opium, wheat, fruit, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins

Industries: Small scale production of textiles, soap, fertilizer, furniture, shoes, cement; hand-woven carpets; natural gas, copper, coal

Exports: Opium, fruits, nuts, hand-woven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semiprecious gems

Imports: Capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Afghanistan’s economy has only since been recuperating. Ravaged by civil war, anarchy, corruption, and a flourishing illegal opium trade, recently made efforts to establish a marketable economy have been unsuccessful. Economic growth faces other problems: Afghanistan is exceptionally poor, highly dependent on foreign agriculture, aid, and

trade from foreign nations and is landlocked. Insufficient jobs, healthcare, clean water, and electricity plague any further

development. The US monitored regime in Kabul often contemplates the future of the Afghan economy.

History

Hotaki Dynasty and Durrani Empire

Under the Hotaki Dynasty, Afghanistan removed foreign invaders from power, repelled a Persian

invasion and later overtook the Persian capital in present day Iran while massacring civilians in Ishafan. After various inner power struggles,

Ahmad Shah united the Afghan people to fight and control all of present day Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has been a centralized crossroads of culture and often a thoroughfare for warring empires throughout time.

Located relatively near to one of the birthplaces of civilization, Afghanistan has seen much change,

development, and intervention over the course of its History. Note that in the Middle Ages until the 19th century,

Afghanistan was known as Khorasan.

Islamic Conquest

Perhaps the largest presence of a single idea in Afghanistan was the spread of Islam. The Majority of the conquerors within Afghanistan were Muslim and thus increased its influence across the land.

Empires from the time of the Samanids to the Timurids in the first two centuries are considered to be the most brilliant eras of Afghanistan's history.

Under leaders such as Babur and the Mughal Empire, Muslim culture was further solidified and

Kabul made the capital.

Amir Abdur Rahman Khan

History

During the Nineteenth Century, Great Britain fought a series of three wars,

known as the Anglo-Afghan wars, creating a sporadic influence in

Afghanistan. It was not until 1919 that complete independence was

achieved.

International miscommunication and treaty violations sparked an invasion by the USSR in the last days of 1979. Over 200,000 Soviet troops poured into Afghanistan, exiling 5 million

civilians and killing at least 600,000. Eventually, the US supplied

Mujahideen rebels and mounting international pressure force the

Soviets to withdraw in 1989.

The destruction of the nation's economy, leadership, and

infrastructure by the Soviet Invasion created anarchy, civil war, and

spontaneous power struggles for over a decade. Finally, in 1996, the

Taliban regime formed and stabilized the country. Though, the Taliban

ruled oppressively, eradicating civil rights, personal and economic

freedom, and even almost the entire opium trade.

European Presence, Soviet Invasion, Civil War

US War in Afghanistan

The Taliban fell in 2001 with the US and Allied invasion of Afghanistan, which is still ongoing. The US has helped to reorganize the ravaged country by

implementing an entirely new Islamic Republic and a stronger economy.

Video: The Taliban in Afghanistan

http://www.xaffinity.com/godspeed/Videos/WHEN_THE_TALIBAN_RULED_AFGHANISTA

N_asf.asf

Geography

- Area - 250,000 mi²- Approx the size of TX- Lowest Point: 856 ft- Highest Point: 24 577

ft- 12.1% of land is

arable

- 3 436 miles of borders- Borders Iran,

Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China, & Pakistan

Quick Stats

Climate: Arid to Semiarid; cold winters + hot summers

Terrain: Mostly rugged mountains; plains in N and SW

Natural Hazards: Earthquakes in Hindu Kush Mts.,

Flooding and Droughts

Natural Resources: Natural gas, petroleum, coal,

copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

Environmental Issues: Limited freshwater, soil degradation, overgrazing, deforestation, desertification, and air and water pollution

- Afganistan is a Landlocked country -

Military

Much like the Economy and Government, the Afghan Military has undergone

many sudden changes since US intervention. Formerly bands of rebels, militias, and tribes, the Afghan Army is now fully organized and regulated as the Afghan National Army. Within the

same military sector, over 60,000 Police officers have been trained to help

combat insurgency, crime, and anarchy.

- Known as the Afghan National Army (ANA)

- Includes the Afghan Air Force

- Military Service age and obligation- 22 Years of Age- Contracted to Four Year term

- Manpower fit for military service- Males Age 22-49

- 2 662 946

- Females Age 22-49- 2 508 574

- Military expenditures- 1.9 % of GDP

Demographics

- Age Structure- 0 – 14 Years:- 44.6%- 15-64 Years:- 53%- 65+ Years:- 2.4%

- Infant Mortality- 157.43/1000

- Fertility Rate- 6.64/Woman

- Population- 31 889 923

- P Growth Rate- 2.625%

- Birth Rate- 46.21/1000

- Death Rate- 19.96/1000

- Life Expectancy

- 43.77 Years

- Literacy- 28.1%

Quick Facts

Ethnicities: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%

Languages: Afghan Persian 50%, Pashto 35%, Turkic languages 11%, 30 Minor languages 4%

Major Infectious Diseases:

Degree of Risk – High

Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever, Malaria, Rabies

Afghani Children

Culture• Afghans display pride in their religion, country,

ancestry, and above all, their independence. Like other highlanders, Afghans are regarded with mingled apprehension and condescension, for their high regard for personal honor, for their clan loyalty and for their readiness to carry and use arms to settle disputes. As clan warfare and internecine feuding has been one of their chief occupations since time immemorial, this individualistic trait has made it difficult for foreign invaders to hold the region.

• Buzkashi is a national sport in Afghanistan. It is similar to polo and played by horsemen in two teams, each trying to grab and hold off a goat carcass. Afghan hounds (a type of running dog) also originated from Afghanistan.

• Although literacy levels are very low, classic Persian poetry plays a very important role in the Afghan culture. Poetry has always been one of the major educational pillars in Iran and Afghanistan, to the level that it has integrated itself into culture. Persian culture has, and continues to, exert a great influence over Afghan culture. Private poetry competition events known as “musha’era” are quite common even among ordinary people. Almost every home owns one or more poetry collection of some sort, even if it is not read often.

Foreign Relations

• Despite past conflicts with nations like Russia and

• Iran, Afghanistan's largest influence comes from

• the United States. With the Afghan government

• practically in their control, the US has piloted most

• of Afghanistan's relations with neighboring

• countries, like Pakistan, to fight against Terrorism

• and Islamic Extremists. The US military has

• become practically a part of everyday life for some

• Afghan citizens, and America's leaders consult the

• Afghan government often in handling

• communication with other countries.

Bibliography

1. "Afghanistan." Wikipedia. 09 December 2007. Wikipedia. 12 Dec 2007

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan#Communications_and_technology>.2. "Afghanistan." CIA World Factbook. 06 December 2007. CIA. 12 Dec 2007

<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html>.