Afghanistan Facts and Culture

What is Afghanistan famous for?

• Cultural Attributes: Afghanistan has a rich cultural heritage, covering more than 5,000 years. The mode of living for Afghans who live outside... More
• Family: The family unit is strong in Afghanistan and provides its members with identity, security, and social organization. The father is... More
• Personal Apperance: Although Western-style clothing is worn in urban Afghanistan, the national dress (Afghani dress) peran-n-tunban is also worn on national days... More
• Recreation: Afghans are very fond of sports and games. Northern Afghan men adore buzkashi (“grab the goat”), an ancient game that... More
• Diet: The mainstays of the Afghan diet are rice, lamb, and bread (nan). Islamic law forbids the consumption of pork and... More
• Food and Recipes: The traditional mode of eating in Afghanistan is on the floor. Everyone sits around on large colorful cushions, called "toshak".... More
• Visiting: The best possible food is prepared for guests even if other members of the family have to go without. A... More
• Dating: Dating, as practiced in the West, is not common in Afghanistan. Members of the opposite sex are rarely alone with... More

What is the capital of Afghanistan?

Capital	Kabul
Government Type	theocratic; the United States does not recognize the Taliban Government
Currency	Afghan Afghani (AFN)
Total Area	251,826 Square Miles 652,230 Square Kilometers
Location	Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Language	Pashtu (official) 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
GDP - real growth rate	-20.74%
GDP - per capita (PPP)	$1,500.00 (USD)

What is the population of Afghanistan?

Ethnic Groups	current, reliable statistical data on ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available; Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution cited Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkman, Baluch, Pashaie, Nuristani, Aymaq, Arab, Qirghiz, Qizilbash, Gujur, and Brahwui ethnicities; Afghanistan has dozens of other small ethnic groups
Languages	Afghan Persian or Dari (official, lingua franca) 77%, Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbeki 11%, English 6%, Turkmani 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashaie 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1%
Nationality Noun	noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan
Population	40,121,552
Population Growth Rate	2.22%
Population in Major Urban Areas	4.589 million KABUL (capital)
Urban Population	urban population: 26.9% of total population rate of urbanization: 3.34% annual rate of change
Population: Male/Female	male: 20,301,066 female: 19,820,486

What type of government does Afghanistan have?

Executive Branch	chief of state: Overall Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada serves as the head of the Taliban government as Amir-ul Momineen note - on 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced Mohammad HASSAN Akhund as the “acting prime minister” of the "caretaker government”; as of November 2021, the group had announced three acting “deputy prime ministers” - Abdul Ghani BERADER, Abdul Salam HANAFI, and Abdul KABIR head of government: Overall Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada serves as the head of the Taliban government as Amir-ul Momineen cabinet: includes the acting prime minister, acting deputy prime ministers, and 26 ministries elections/appointments: the 2004 Afghan constitution directed that the president should be elected by majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 September 2019
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal
Citizenship	citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
National Holiday	previous: Independence Day, 19 August (1919); under the Taliban Government, 15 August (2022) is declared a national holiday, marking the anniversary of the victory of the Afghan jihad
Constitution	history: several previous; latest ratified in 2004, suspended by the Taliban after taking over the country in 2021
Independence	19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)

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What environmental issues does Afghanistan have?

Overview	Afghanistan is a landlocked country. Because of its geographic location, it has served as a crossroads for traders and conquerors from all points on the compass, and its people reflect the diversity resulting from these major migrations and invasions. Afghanistan's recorded history begins about 2000 B.C. and traces of its history can still be seen in its ancient cities of Kabul, Kandahar, Mazar-I-Sharif, and Herat. Afghanistan's geography consists of irrigated land, small but fertile river valleys, deep gorges, deserts, high plateaus, and snow-covered mountains. The eastern portion of the country is divided by the towering mountain ranges of the Hindu Kush and Pamirs, with peaks rising about 24,000 feet. The principal rivers drain to the southwest into the Helmand and Arghandab Valleys and then into a desolate, marshy area on the Afghan Iranian border called Seistan. Other rivers, including the Kabul River, flow southeast into the Indus River. The Amu Darya (or Oxus of ancient times) forms a large part of the northern boundary with the Central Asian republics.
Climate	Afghanistan's climate compromises a cold, snowy winter and hot, dry summer. Extreme temperature changes occur from night to day, season to season, and from place to place. During summer in Kabul (altitude 5,800 feet) the temperature may be 50°F at sunrise but reach 100°F by noon. In the Jalalabad Plains (1,800 feet and 90 miles from Kabul) and southwestern parts of the country, summer temperatures can reach 115°F. The chief characteristic of Afghanistan's climate is a blue cloudless sky with over 300 days of sunshine yearly. Even during the winter, skies usually remain clear between snowfalls. Since rainfall is scarce from May to November, this period can be extremely dry and dusty. In recent years, drought has impaired agricultural production in some areas.
Border Countries	China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
Environment - Current Issues	Limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution
Environment - International Agreements	Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Terrain	Mostly rugged mountains; plains in the north and southwest

How big is the Afghanistan economy?

Economic Overview	Despite improvements in life expectancy, incomes, and literacy since 2001, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Corruption, insecurity, weak governance, lack of infrastructure, and the Afghan Government's difficulty in extending rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. Afghanistan's living standards are among the lowest in the world. Since 2014, the economy has slowed, in large part because of the withdrawal of nearly 100,000 foreign troops that had artificially inflated the country’s economic growth. The international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $83 billion at ten donor conferences between 2003 and 2016. In October 2016, the donors at the Brussels conference pledged an additional $3.8 billion in development aid annually from 2017 to 2020. Even with this help, the Government of Afghanistan still faces a number of challenges, including low revenue collection, anemic job creation, high levels of corruption, weak government capacity, and poor public infrastructure. In 2017 Afghanistan's growth rate was only marginally above that of the 2014-2016 average. The drawdown of international security forces that started in 2012 has negatively affected economic growth, as a substantial portion of commerce, especially in the services sector, has catered to the ongoing international troop presence in the country. Afghan President Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai is dedicated to instituting economic reforms to include improving revenue collection and fighting corruption. The government has implemented reforms to the budget process and in some other areas. However, many other reforms will take time to implement and Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donor support over the next several years.
Industries	small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Currency Name and Code	Afghan Afghani (AFN)
Export Partners	Pakistan 57%, India 28%, China 3%, UAE 2%, Turkey 2% note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Import Partners	UAE 21%, Kazakhstan 17%, Pakistan 17%, China 9%, Uzbekistan 9% note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

What current events are happening in Afghanistan?
Source: Google News

What makes Afghanistan a unique country to travel to?

Country Description

Afghanistan has made significant progress since the Taliban were deposed in 2001, but still faces daunting challenges, including fighting an insurgency, preventing the return or resurgence of al-Qaida, recovering from over three decades of civil strife, and rebuilding a shattered physical, economic, and political infrastructure. NATO and International Security Assistance (ISAF) forces work in partnership with Afghan security forces to combat violent extremist elements that terrorize the population and challenge all levels of a government authority. Violent extremists continue to pursue a strategy of terrorist attacks, relying largely on assassinations, suicide bombings, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

As Afghanistan prepares for presidential and provincial elections in April 2014, internal problems following years of war and an ongoing, violent insurgency continue to compromise efforts by the Afghan government to improve governance and stability. The government faces challenges in trying to develop a more effective police force, a more effective and accessible legal system, and sub-national institutions that work in partnership with traditional and local leaders to meet the needs of the population. Afghan security forces took over responsibility for security nationwide in June 2013, but the United States works closely with the international community to support and bolster Afghan government capacity on national and sub-national levels.

Crime

A large portion of the Afghan population is unemployed, and many among the unemployed have moved to urban areas. These factors may directly contribute to crime and lawlessness. Diplomats and international relief workers have reported incidents of robberies and household burglaries as well as kidnappings and assaults. Any U.S. citizen who enters Afghanistan should remain vigilant for possible banditry, including violent attacks.

Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, but if you purchase them, you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Afghanistan, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own and may not afford the protections available to you under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. In some areas of Afghanistan, you could be detained for questioning if you do not have your passport with you. Taking pictures of military installations or personnel may result in questioning or detention. Possession of alcohol and certainly driving under the influence of alcohol could land you in jail for three to six months. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Afghanistan are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. If you break local laws in Afghanistan, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It is very important to know what constitutes legal and illegal actions in the area where you are traveling. Persons violating Afghan laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Although the Afghan constitution allows the free exercise of religion, proselytizing may be viewed as contrary to the beliefs of Islam and considered harmful to society. Authorities take these matters very seriously. Afghan law carries a maximum penalty of death for those charged with proselytizing if convicted. Evidence may consist of possession of non-Islamic religious material, especially in local languages. Allegations of conversion of Afghan citizens are taken particularly seriously. The testimony of three individuals or a group is enough to convict someone of proselytizing. The same penalty exists in law for Afghan citizens who convert to another religion. All Afghan citizens are considered Muslim from birth. Converts are subject to arrest regardless of where the conversion took place, and Afghan-U.S. dual nationals are also subject to this law.

U.S. citizens have also been arrested by police in cases involving debt to Afghans. In Afghanistan, debts, and business disputes are not exclusively civil matters as may be the case in the United States. Instead, the aggrieved party may successfully have a U.S. citizen arrested in cases where a debt is alleged to be owed to an Afghan. The Ministries of Commerce and Interior, Afghan Investment Support Agency, the Afghan National Police, and the courts have all played roles in recent disputes involving U.S. citizens. If involved in a commercial dispute, hiring an Afghan attorney early can be beneficial. A list of English-speaking attorneys in the consular district of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul can be found on the Embassy’s website. The list comprises attorneys in Afghanistan officially registered with the Afghan Ministry of Justice who have expressed a willingness to carry out legal services for U.S. citizens. The Embassy does not endorse any particular attorney and the list is not comprehensive; we encourage those seeking legal advice in Afghanistan to utilize other means of finding an attorney.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained.

Languages

Afghan Persian or Dari (official, lingua franca) 77%, Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbeki 11%, English 6%, Turkmani 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashaie 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1%

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Well-equipped medical facilities are few and far between throughout Afghanistan. European and American medicines are available in limited quantities and may be expensive or difficult to locate. There is a shortage of basic medical supplies. Basic medicines manufactured in Iran, Pakistan, China, and India are available, but their reliability can be questionable. Several Western-style private clinics have opened in Kabul: the DK-German Medical Diagnostic Center (ph. 079-913-6210), French Children’s Hospital (ph. 020-250-0531), and CURE International Hospital (ph. 079-988-3830) offer a variety of basic and routine-type care but are not always open; if you are seeking treatment you should request U.S. or Western health practitioners.

Afghan public hospitals should be avoided. Individuals without government licenses or even medical degrees often operate private clinics; there is no public agency that monitors their operations. You will not be able to find Western-trained medical personnel in most parts of the country outside Kabul, although there are some international aid groups temporarily providing basic medical assistance in various cities and villages. For any medical treatment, payment is required in advance. Commercial medical evacuation capability from Afghanistan is limited and could take days to arrange. Even medevac companies that claim to serve the world may not agree to come to Afghanistan. If you have medevac insurance, you should confirm with the insurance provider that medevac assistance is available in Afghanistan and which clinics they recommend for evaluation.

You can find detailed information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in Afghanistan.

Safety and Security

The latest Travel Warning for Afghanistan warns U.S. citizens against traveling to Afghanistan and states clearly that the security situation remains critical. No province in Afghanistan should be considered immune from violence, and the potential exists throughout the country for hostile acts, either targeted or random, against the U.S. and other Western nationals at any time. Insurgent elements including the Haqqani Network, Taliban, and Taj Mir Jawad networks remain violently opposed to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Additionally, criminal organizations such as weapons and narco-traffickers undermine peace and stability. These groups aim to weaken or bring down the Government of Afghanistan, and often, to drive Westerners out of the country. They do not hesitate to use violence to achieve their aims. Terrorist actions may include but are not limited to, suicide operations, bombings -- including vehicle-borne explosives and improvised explosive devices -- assassinations, carjackings, rocket attacks, assaults, or kidnappings. Violence has spiked during the first six months of 2013, and despite numerous interdiction operations by Afghan and coalition forces, insurgents have conducted thirteen high-profile attacks in Kabul City. These attacks have consisted of complex assaults, IED detonations, and suicide bombings. Insurgents continue to target various U.S. and Afghan government facilities in Kabul City, including the June 25, 2013 attack against a U.S. government facility adjacent to the Afghan Presidential Palace and the U.S. Embassy.

There is an elevated risk of kidnapping and assassinations targeting U.S. citizens and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) employees throughout the country. In May 2012, insurgents with vehicle-borne explosives and suicide vests targeted Green Village, a compound on Jalalabad Road in Kabul that houses primarily international security contractors. In May 2013, insurgents conducted a complex attack against the office of the International Organization of Migration (IOM) headquarters. Several insurgents occupied an adjacent building, and from an elevated position, fired small arms and rocket-propelled grenades on nearby buildings. This attack resulted in several deaths and wounded a number of security personnel, IOM staff, and Afghan civilians.

Riots -- sometimes violent -- have occurred in response to various political and social tensions. U.S. citizens should avoid rallies and demonstrations; even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. Crime, including violent crime, remains a significant problem. The country faces a difficult period in the near term and U.S. citizens could be targeted or placed at risk by unpredictable local events. There is also a real danger from the presence of millions of unexploded land mines and other ordnance. Terrorists continue to use roadside or vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. Private U.S. citizens should not come to Afghanistan unless they have made arrangements in advance to address security concerns.

The absence of records for ownership of property, differing laws from various regimes, and the chaos that comes from decades of civil strife have left property issues in great disorder. Afghan-Americans returning to Afghanistan to recover property have become involved in complicated real estate disputes and have faced threats of retaliatory action, including kidnapping for ransom and death. Similarly, U.S. citizens involved in business disputes -- a common legal problem in Afghanistan -- have reported that adversaries in the disputes have threatened detention, arrest, imprisonment, and at times, have successfully carried out the threats. U.S. citizens who find themselves in such situations should not assume that either local law enforcement or the U.S. Embassy will be able to assist them in resolving these disputes.

Large parts of Afghanistan are extremely isolated. The few roads that exist are mostly in poor condition. Cell phone signals are irregular and none of the basic physical infrastructure found in Kabul or larger cities exist. U.S. citizens traveling in these areas who find themselves in trouble may be completely unable to communicate their difficulties to the outside world.

U.S. citizens should be aware that in March 2013, an Afghan government-controlled security force, the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF), assumed authority over the provision of most commercial security services in Afghanistan from private security companies. In August 2010, President Karzai issued Presidential Decree 62 ordering the disbandment of private security companies in Afghanistan. As a result, all security guard services being performed by private security companies, with the exception of diplomatic missions, have been transferred to the APPF. Only embassies and other accredited diplomatic missions are permitted to continue using private security companies after March 2013.

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Traffic Safety and Road Conditions

While in Afghanistan, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Afghanistan is provided for general reference only and may not be accurate in a particular location or circumstance. All drivers face the potential danger of encountering land mines that may have been planted on or near roadways.

An estimated 5-7 million land mines and large quantities of unexploded ordnance exist throughout the countryside and alongside roads, posing a danger to travelers. Robbery and crime, particularly kidnappings, are also prevalent on highways outside Kabul. The transportation system in Afghanistan is marginal, although the international community is constructing modern highways and provincial roads. Vehicles are poorly maintained, often overloaded, and traffic laws are not enforced.

Roadside assistance is non-existent. Vehicular traffic is chaotic and must contend with numerous pedestrians, bicyclists, and animals. Many urban streets have large potholes and are not well lit. Rural roads are not paved. With congested roads and abundant pedestrian traffic, vehicle accidents are a serious concern and can escalate into violent confrontations. We strongly urge all drivers to drive defensively and pay close attention to their surroundings.