




Afghanistan Index

The growth of Sufism (from suf, Arabic for wool; possibly referring to woolen robes worn by early ascetics) was another important development in the history of Islam. The great Sufi orders or brotherhoods (tariqa) were first established in the twelfth century by scholars disillusioned in their search for Truth through the intellectual application of the austere practices advocated by the various schools of Islamic doctrine. A belief in the oneness of man with God is central to Sufism. Sufis seek to achieve a personal communion with God during mystic moments of union brought about by various methods, including meditation, recitation of sacred phrases, breathing exercises, dancing, hymn singing, music, and physical gyrations.

Sufi religious life centers around a learned religious leader or spiritual guide referred to as shaykh (in Persian, pir) whose mystical teachings guide students (murids) along the path (tariqa) that leads each to the ecstacy of his own moment of intimacy with God. Relationships between the master and disciple are very close. Many famous Sufi shaykh attracted large bodies of followers, and the sites of their brotherhoods became not only renowned spiritual institutions, but also popular social and cultural community centers providing medical, educational, and welfare services, including soup kitchens for the poor and hungry. These centers oftentimes amassed considerable wealth from gifts from pilgrims and from endowments (awaqf; singular, waqf), an important institution providing community social services. With wealth they acquired social and political power. This building of a sense of an alternative community within Sufism threatened the status of established religious authorities (ulama), undermining their institutionalized perceptions of an universal, unified Islamic community (ummah) following the Shariah, the "straight path" of Islamic law. The orthodox ulama initially declared Sufism heretical, but over time came to tolerate it as long as its adherents abided by Islamic laws.

Sufi practices are found today among both Sunni and Shia communities, although it tends to be more widespread among Sunnis, perhaps because Shia attach great value to the intercession of saints and most Shia embrace mysticism and encourage emotional responses to God and to Shia martyrs, especially those connected with the tragedy of Karbala which is commemorated on Ashura, the 10th day of Moharram, when dramatic recitations, passion plays (taziya) and street processions, which include self-flagellation, take place.

Sufis describe their personal experiences in a vast variety of poetic expression. The poetry of the Sufis is considered the best in the Persian language, and among the most notable of all poetic styles. Particularly honored are Sadi and Hafiz of Shiraz in Iran, and Baydil from the Persian-speaking Moghal court of Delhi. Universally acclaimed Afghan Sufi poets include Ansari (eleventh century) and Jami (fifteenth century) of Herat, Sanayi of Ghazni (twelfth century) , and Rumi of Balkh (thirteenth century), the founder of the order of whirling dervishes, whose Mathnawi is considered by many to be the greatest poem ever written in Persian.

Data as of 1997

LocationSouthern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Area(sq km)total: 652,230 sq km
land: 652,230 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Geographic coordinates33 00 N, 65 00 E
Land boundaries(km)total: 5,529 km

Coastline(km)0 km (landlocked)

Climatearid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Elevation extremes(m)lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Noshak 7,485 m
Land use(%)arable land: 12.13%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 87.66% (2005)

Irrigated land(sq km)27,200 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources(cu km)65 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)total: 23.26 cu km/yr (2%/0%/98%)
per capita: 779 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazardsdamaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
Population28.396 million (July 2009 est.)
Age structure(%)0-14 years: 44.5% (male 7,664,670/female 7,300,446)
15-64 years: 53% (male 9,147,846/female 8,679,800)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 394,572/female 422,603) (2009 est.)
Median age(years)total: 17.6 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 17.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate(%)2.629% (2009 est.)
Birth rate(births/1,000 population)45.46 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Death rate(deaths/1,000 population)19.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population)21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Urbanization(%)urban population: 24% of total population (2008)
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births)total: 151.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 156.01 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 147.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth(years)total population: 44.64 years
male: 44.47 years
female: 44.81 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate(children born/woman)6.53 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groups(%)Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

Religions(%)Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%

Country nameconventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
Government typeIslamic republic
Capitalname: Kabul
geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E

Legal systembased on mixed civil and sharia law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Fahim KHAN (since 19 November 2009); Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004) note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah held the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presided symbolically over certain occasions but lacked any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary; King ZAHIR Shah died on 23 July 2007
election results: Hamid KARZAI reelected president; percent of vote - Hamid KARZAI 49.67%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 30.59%, Ramazan BASHARDOST 10.46%, Ashraf GHANI 2.94%; other 6.34%

elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next election expected in 2010)


Political pressure groups and leadersother: religious groups; tribal leaders; ethnically based groups; Taliban

GDP (purchasing power parity)$22.32 billion (2008 est.)
$21.58 billion (2007 est.)
$19.25 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)$11.71 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate(%)3.4% (2008 est.)
12.1% (2007 est.)
8.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$800 (2008 est.)
$800 (2007 est.)
$700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector(%)agriculture: 31%
industry: 26%
services: 43%
note: data exclude opium production (2008 est.)
Labor force15 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation(%)agriculture: 80%
industry: 10%
services: 10% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate(%)40% (2008 est.)
40% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line(%)53% (2003)
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP)NA% of GDP
Budgetrevenues: $890 million
expenditures: $2.7 billion
Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%)13% (2007 est.)

Stock of money$1.688 billion (31 December 2008)
$1.426 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money$1.219 billion (31 December 2008)
$958.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit$363.6 million (31 December 2008)
$12.04 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares$NA
Economic aid - recipient$2.775 billion (2005)

Public debt(% of GDP)NA% of GDP
Agriculture - productsopium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins

Industrial production growth rate(%)NA%

Current account balance-$67 million (2007 est.)
Exports$327 million (2007)
$274 million (2006); note - not including illicit exports or reexports

Exports - commodities(%)opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
Exports - partners(%)India 20.5%, Pakistan 18.5%, US 17.2%, Tajikistan 13.3%, Netherlands 7.2% (2008)
Imports$4.85 billion (2007)
$3.823 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities(%)capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Imports - partners(%)Pakistan 36.9%, US 9.5%, Germany 7.7%, India 5.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$NA
Debt - external$8 billion (2004)


Currency (code)afghani (AFA)

Telephones - main lines in use460,000 (2008)
Telephones - mobile cellular8.45 million (2008)
Telephone systemgeneral assessment: limited landline telephone service; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks
Internet country code.af
Internet users500,000 (2008)
Airports51 (2009)
Pipelines(km)gas 466 km (2008)
Roadways(km)total: 42,150 km
paved: 12,350 km
unpaved: 29,800 km (2006)

Ports and terminalsKheyrabad, Shir Khan
Military branchesAfghan Armed Forces: Afghan National Army (ANA, includes Afghan National Army Air Corps) (2009)
Military service age and obligation(years of age)22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year term (2005)
Manpower available for military servicemales age 16-49: 7,431,147
females age 16-49: 7,004,819 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military servicemales age 16-49: 4,371,193
females age 16-49: 4,072,945 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annuallymale: 382,720
female: 361,733 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures(% of GDP)1.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Disputes - internationalPakistan has built fences in some portions of its border with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to foreign terrorists and other illegal activities

Refugees and internally displaced personsIDPs: 132,246 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2007)
Electricity - production(kWh)839 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source(%)fossil fuel: 36.3%
hydro: 63.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption(kWh)1.01 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports(kWh)230 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption(bbl/day)5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Oil - imports(bbl/day)4,404 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m)49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%)0.01% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSNA
HIV/AIDS - deathsNA
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: high
vectorborne disease: malaria
animal contact disease: rabies
total population: 28.1%
male: 43.1%
female: 12.6% (2000 est.)

male: 11 years
female: 4 years (2004)
Education expenditures(% of GDP)NA

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