The 1992 CIA World Factbook | Page 3

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, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO; note - the new government has not yet announced whether it will continue to be a member of these bodies; the former resistance government in exile (Afghan Interim Government) was given membership in the OIC in 1989 Diplomatic representation: previous