The 1992 CIA World Factbook | Page 3

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THE 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 Legislative branch: previous bicameral legislature
has been abolished Judicial branch: an interim Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court has been appointed, but a new court system has not yet
been organized Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government:
Interim President Burhanuddin RABBANI; First Vice President Abdul
Wahed SORABI (since 7 January 1991); Prime Minister Fazil Haq
KHALIQYAR (since 21 May 1990) Political parties and leaders: the
former resistance parties represent the only current political
organizations and include Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society),
Burhanuddin RABBANI; Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party),
Gulbuddin Hikmatyar Faction; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party)
Yunis Khalis Faction; Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan
(Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan), Abdul Rasul
SAYYAF; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement),
Mohammad Nabi MOHAMMADI; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan
(Afghanistan National Liberation Front), Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI;
Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami (National Islamic Front), Sayed Ahamad
GAILANI; Jonbesh-i-Milli Islami (National Islamic Movement),
Ahmad Shah MASOOD and Rashid DOSTAM; Hizbi Wahdat (Islamic
Unity Party), and a number of minor resistance parties; the former
ruling Watan Party has been disbanded Suffrage: undetermined;
previously universal, male ages 15-50 Elections: the transition
government has promised elections in October 1992 Communists: the
former ruling Watan (Homeland) Party has been disbanded
:Afghanistan Government
Other political or pressure groups: the former resistance commanders
are the major power brokers in the countryside; shuras (councils) of
commanders are now administering most cities outside Kabul; ulema
(religious scholars); tribal elders Member of: Has previously been a
member of AsDB,