Topic: Photos of Kyrgyzstan

Topic: Introduction
Background: A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of the territory of present-day Kyrgyzstan was formally annexed by the Russian Empire in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1926 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in 2005 and 2010 resulted in the ouster of the country’s first two presidents, Askar AKAEV and Kurmanbek BAKIEV. Interim President Roza OTUNBAEVA led a transitional government and following a nation-wide election, President Almazbek ATAMBAEV was sworn in as president in 2011. In 2017, ATAMBAEV became the first Kyrgyzstani president to step down after serving one full six-year term as required in the country’s constitution. Former prime minister and ruling Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan member Sooronbay JEENBEKOV replaced him after winning the 2017 presidential election that was the most competitive in the country’s history, although international and local election observers noted cases of vote buying and abuse of public resources. In October 2020, protests against legislative election results spread across Kyrgyzstan, leading to JEENBEKOV’s resignation from the presidency, and catapulting previously imprisoned Sadyr JAPAROV to acting president. In January 2021, Kyrgyzstanis formerly elected JAPAROV as president and approved a referendum to move Kyrgyzstan from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In April 2021, Kyrgyzstanis voted in favor of draft constitutional changes that consolidated power in the presidency. Pro-government parties won a majority in the Jogorku Kenesh (Kyrgyzstan’s legislature) in November 2021 elections. Continuing concerns for Kyrgyzstan include the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, a history of tense, and at times violent, interethnic relations, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats.A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of the territory of present-day Kyrgyzstan was formally annexed by the Russian Empire in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1926 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in 2005 and 2010 resulted in the ouster of the country’s first two presidents, Askar AKAEV and Kurmanbek BAKIEV. Interim President Roza OTUNBAEVA led a transitional government and following a nation-wide election, President Almazbek ATAMBAEV was sworn in as president in 2011. In 2017, ATAMBAEV became the first Kyrgyzstani president to step down after serving one full six-year term as required in the country’s constitution. Former prime minister and ruling Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan member Sooronbay JEENBEKOV replaced him after winning the 2017 presidential election that was the most competitive in the country’s history, although international and local election observers noted cases of vote buying and abuse of public resources. In October 2020, protests against legislative election results spread across Kyrgyzstan, leading to JEENBEKOV’s resignation from the presidency, and catapulting previously imprisoned Sadyr JAPAROV to acting president. In January 2021, Kyrgyzstanis formerly elected JAPAROV as president and approved a referendum to move Kyrgyzstan from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In April 2021, Kyrgyzstanis voted in favor of draft constitutional changes that consolidated power in the presidency. Pro-government parties won a majority in the Jogorku Kenesh (Kyrgyzstan’s legislature) in November 2021 elections. Continuing concerns for Kyrgyzstan include the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, a history of tense, and at times violent, interethnic relations, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Central Asia, west of China, south of Kazakhstan
Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 75 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 199,951 sq km

land: 191,801 sq km

water: 8,150 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota
Land boundaries: total: 4,573 km

border countries (4): China 1,063 km; Kazakhstan 1,212 km; Tajikistan 984 km; Uzbekistan 1,314 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
Terrain: peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and associated valleys and basins encompass the entire country
Elevation: highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m

mean elevation: 2,988 m
Natural resources: abundant hydropower; gold, rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc
Land use: agricultural land: 55.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 48.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 5.1% (2018 est.)

other: 39.5% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 10,233 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Ozero Issyk-Kul 6,240 sq km
note - second largest saline lake after the Caspian Sea; second highest mountain lake after Lake Titicaca; it is an endorheic mountain basin; although surrounded by snow capped mountains it never freezes
Major rivers (by length in km): Syr Darya river source (shared with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m] ) - 3,078 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
Population distribution: the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, southeast in the Tien Shan mountains
Natural hazards: major flooding during snow melt; prone to earthquakes
Geography - note: landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes
Map description: Kyrgyzstan showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries.Kyrgyzstan showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 6,071,750 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)

adjective: Kyrgyzstani
Ethnic groups: Kyrgyz 73.8%, Uzbek 14.8%, Russian 5.1%, Dungan 1.1%, other 5.2% (includes Uyghur, Tajik, Turk, Kazakh, Tatar, Ukrainian, Korean, German) (2021 est.)
Languages: Kyrgyz (official) 71.4%, Uzbek 14.4%, Russian (official) 9%, other 5.2% (2009 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Дүйнөлүк фактылар китеби, негизги маалыматтын маанилүү булагы. (Kyrgyz)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim 90% (majority Sunni), Christian 7% (Russian Orthodox 3%), other 3% (includes Jewish, Buddhist, Baha'i) (2017 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.39% (male 930,455/female 882,137)

15-24 years: 15.7% (male 475,915/female 460,604)

25-54 years: 40.02% (male 1,172,719/female 1,214,624)

55-64 years: 8.09% (male 210,994/female 271,480)

65 years and over: 5.8% (2020 est.) (male 132,134/female 213,835)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 59.7

youth dependency ratio: 52.1

elderly dependency ratio: 7.5

potential support ratio: 13.2 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 27.3 years

male: 26.1 years

female: 28.5 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.86% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 19.54 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 6.12 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, southeast in the Tien Shan mountains
Urbanization: urban population: 37.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 2.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.082 million BISHKEK (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.78 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 22.6 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 60 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 25.66 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 29.83 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 21.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.35 years

male: 68.27 years

female: 76.71 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 39.4% (2018)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 89.9% of population

total: 93.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 10.1% of population

total: 6.4% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 4.5% (2019)
Physicians density: 2.21 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density: 4.4 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,200 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <100
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 16.6% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 25.4% (2020 est.)

male: 48% (2020 est.)

female: 2.8% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.8% (2018)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0.3%

women married by age 18: 12.9% (2018 est.)
Education expenditures: 5.4% of GDP (2019)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.6%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.5% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2020)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 9.6%

male: 7.8%

female: 13.4% (2018 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices; air pollution due to rapid increase of traffic
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 18.12 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 9.79 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.47 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
Land use: agricultural land: 55.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 48.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 5.1% (2018 est.)

other: 39.5% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 37.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 2.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0.21% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,113,300 tons (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Ozero Issyk-Kul 6,240 sq km
note - second largest saline lake after the Caspian Sea; second highest mountain lake after Lake Titicaca; it is an endorheic mountain basin; although surrounded by snow capped mountains it never freezes
Major rivers (by length in km): Syr Darya river source (shared with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m] ) - 3,078 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 224 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 336 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 7.1 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 23.618 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan

local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form: Kyrgyzstan

former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology: a combination of the Turkic words "kyrg" (forty) and "-yz" (tribes) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) creating the meaning "Land of the Forty Tribes"; the name refers to the 40 clans united by the mythic Kyrgyz hero, Manas
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Bishkek

geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: founded in 1868 as a Russian settlement on the site of a previously destroyed fortress named "Pishpek"; the name was retained and overtime became "Bishkek"
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (oblustar, singular - oblus) and 2 cities* (shaarlar, singular - shaar); Batken Oblusu, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblusu (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblusu, Naryn Oblusu, Osh Oblusu, Osh Shaary*, Talas Oblusu, Ysyk-Kol Oblusu (Karakol)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence: 31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1991)
Constitution: history: previous 1993, 2007, 2010; latest approved by referendum in April 2021 that transitioned Kyrgyzstan from a parliamentary to a presidential system, and implemented changes that allow the president to serve for two 5-year terms rather that one 6-year term, reduced the number of seats in Kyrgyzstan's legislature from 120 to 90, and established a Kurultay - a public advisory council

amendments: proposed as a draft law by the majority of the Supreme Council membership or by petition of 300,000 voters; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Council membership in each of at least three readings of the draft two months apart; the draft may be submitted to a referendum if approved by two thirds of the Council membership; adoption requires the signature of the president
Legal system: civil law system, which includes features of French civil law and Russian Federation laws
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan

dual citizenship recognized: yes, but only if a mutual treaty on dual citizenship is in force

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Sadyr JAPAROV (since 28 January 2021)

head of government: President Sadyr JAPAROV (2021)

cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 January 2021 (next to be held in 2027)

election results: Sadyr JAPAROV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Sadyr JAPAROV 79.5%, Adakhan MADUMAROV 6.5%, other 14%
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Supreme Council or Jogorku Kenesh (90 seats statutory, current 88; 54 seats allocated for proportional division among political party lists from the national vote and 36 seats allocated for candidates running in single-seat constituencies; members serve 5-year terms; parties must receive 5% of the vote to win seats in the Council)

elections: last held on 28 November 2021 (next to be held in 2026)

election results: percent of vote by party - Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan 19.1%, Ishenim 15%, Yntymak 12.1%, Alliance 9.2%, Butun Kyrgyzstan 7.8%, Yiman Nuru 6.8%, other 30%; seats by party - Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan 15, Ishenim 12, Yntymak 9, Alliance 7, Butun Kyrgyzstan 6, Yiman Nuru 5, other 36; composition - men 70, women 18, percent of women 20.5%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 25 judges); Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (consists of the chairperson, deputy chairperson, and 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president; Supreme Court judges serve for 10 years, Constitutional Court judges serve for 15 years; mandatory retirement at age 70 for judges of both courts

subordinate courts: Higher Court of Arbitration; oblast (provincial) and city courts
Political parties and leaders: Alliance [Mirlan JEENCHOROEV]
Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan (Homeland) [Aybek MATKERIMOV]
Butun Kyrgyzstan (All Kyrgyzstan) [Adakhan MADUMAROV]
Ishenim (Trust in Kyrgyz) [Rysbat AMATOV]
Yntymak (Unity) [Marlen MAMATALIEV]
Yyman Nuru (Light of Faith) [Nurjigit KADYRBEKOV]
International organization participation: ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Baktybek AMANBAYEV (since 7 July 2021)

chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 449-9822

FAX: [1] (202) 449-8275

email address and website:
kgembassy.usa@mfa.gov.kg; kgconsulate.washington@mfa.gov.kg

https://mfa.gov.kg/en/dm/-Embassy-of-the-Kyrgyz-Republic-in-the-USA-and-Canada

honorary consulate(s): Maple Valley (WA)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sonata COULTER (September 2021)

embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

mailing address: 7040 Bishkek Place, Washington DC  20521-7040

telephone: [996] (312) 597-000

FAX: [996] (312) 597-744

email address and website:
ConsularBishkek@state.gov

https://kg.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of a "tunduk" - the crown of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt; red symbolizes bravery and valor, the sun evinces peace and wealth
National symbol(s): white falcon; national colors: red, yellow
National anthem: name: "Kyrgyz Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni" (National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic)

lyrics/music: Djamil SADYKOV and Eshmambet KULUEV/Nasyr DAVLESOV and Kalyi MOLDOBASANOV

note: adopted 1992
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain (c); Silk Roads: the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c); Western Tien Shan (n)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous, lower middle income country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only cotton is exported in any quantity. Other exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and - in some years - electricity. The country has sought to attract foreign investment to expand its export base, including construction of hydroelectric dams, but a difficult investment climate and an ongoing legal battle with a Canadian firm over the joint ownership structure of the nation’s largest gold mine deter potential investors. Remittances from Kyrgyz migrant workers, predominantly in Russia and Kazakhstan, are equivalent to more than one-quarter of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP.   Following independence, Kyrgyzstan rapidly implemented market reforms, such as improving the regulatory system and instituting land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. The government has privatized much of its ownership shares in public enterprises. Despite these reforms, the country suffered a severe drop in production in the early 1990s and has again faced slow growth in recent years as the global financial crisis and declining oil prices have dampened economies across Central Asia. The Kyrgyz government remains dependent on foreign donor support to finance its annual budget deficit of approximately 3 to 5% of GDP.   Kyrgyz leaders hope the country’s August 2015 accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will bolster trade and investment, but slowing economies in Russia and China and low commodity prices continue to hamper economic growth. Large-scale trade and investment pledged by Kyrgyz leaders has been slow to develop. Many Kyrgyz entrepreneurs and politicians complain that non-tariff measures imposed by other EAEU member states are hurting certain sectors of the Kyrgyz economy, such as meat and dairy production, in which they have comparative advantage. Since acceding to the EAEU, the Kyrgyz Republic has continued harmonizing its laws and regulations to meet EAEU standards, though many local entrepreneurs believe this process as disjointed and incomplete. Kyrgyzstan’s economic development continues to be hampered by corruption, lack of administrative transparency, lack of diversity in domestic industries, and difficulty attracting foreign aid and investment.Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous, lower middle income country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only cotton is exported in any quantity. Other exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and - in some years - electricity. The country has sought to attract foreign investment to expand its export base, including construction of hydroelectric dams, but a difficult investment climate and an ongoing legal battle with a Canadian firm over the joint ownership structure of the nation’s largest gold mine deter potential investors. Remittances from Kyrgyz migrant workers, predominantly in Russia and Kazakhstan, are equivalent to more than one-quarter of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan rapidly implemented market reforms, such as improving the regulatory system and instituting land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. The government has privatized much of its ownership shares in public enterprises. Despite these reforms, the country suffered a severe drop in production in the early 1990s and has again faced slow growth in recent years as the global financial crisis and declining oil prices have dampened economies across Central Asia. The Kyrgyz government remains dependent on foreign donor support to finance its annual budget deficit of approximately 3 to 5% of GDP. Kyrgyz leaders hope the country’s August 2015 accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will bolster trade and investment, but slowing economies in Russia and China and low commodity prices continue to hamper economic growth. Large-scale trade and investment pledged by Kyrgyz leaders has been slow to develop. Many Kyrgyz entrepreneurs and politicians complain that non-tariff measures imposed by other EAEU member states are hurting certain sectors of the Kyrgyz economy, such as meat and dairy production, in which they have comparative advantage. Since acceding to the EAEU, the Kyrgyz Republic has continued harmonizing its laws and regulations to meet EAEU standards, though many local entrepreneurs believe this process as disjointed and incomplete. Kyrgyzstan’s economic development continues to be hampered by corruption, lack of administrative transparency, lack of diversity in domestic industries, and difficulty attracting foreign aid and investment.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $31.02 billion (2020 est.)

$33.95 billion (2019 est.)

$32.46 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 4.6% (2017 est.)

4.3% (2016 est.)

3.9% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $4,700 (2020 est.)

$5,300 (2019 est.)

$5,100 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $8.442 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (2019 est.)

1.5% (2018 est.)

3.1% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Moody's rating: B2 (2015)

Standard & Poors rating: NR (2016)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 14.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 31.2% (2017 est.)

services: 54.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 85.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 18.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 33.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.8% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 39.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -79% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: milk, potatoes, sugar beet, maize, wheat, barley, tomatoes, watermelons, onions, carrots/turnips
Industries: small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, lumber, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Industrial production growth rate: 10.9% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 2.841 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 48%

industry: 12.5%

services: 39.5% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3.18% (2019 est.)

2.59% (2018 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 9.6%

male: 7.8%

female: 13.4% (2018 est.)
Population below poverty line: 20.1% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 27.7 (2018 est.)

29 (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4%

highest 10%: 22.9% (2014 est.)
Budget: revenues: 2.169 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 2.409 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 56% of GDP (2017 est.)

55.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 28.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$306 million (2017 est.)

-$792 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $3.11 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.73 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.352 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - partners: United Kingdom 56%, Kazakhstan 13%, Russia 13%, Uzbekistan 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, precious metals, various beans, refined petroleum, scrap copper (2019)
Imports: $5.67 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$5.86 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$4.953 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - partners: China 53%, Russia 17%, Kazakhstan 7%, Uzbekistan 7%, Turkey 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, footwear, clothing and apparel, broadcasting equipment, walnuts (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.177 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.97 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $8.372 billion (2019 est.)

$8.066 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: soms (KGS) per US dollar -

68.35 (2017 est.)

69.914 (2016 est.)

69.914 (2015 est.)

64.462 (2014 est.)

53.654 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - production: 13.04 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 10.52 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 184 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports: 331 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 4.046 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 24% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 76% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 1,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 4,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 40 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 6,996 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 37,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 2,290 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 34,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 28.32 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 186.9 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 169.9 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 299,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 8.511 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 130 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the country’s telecom sector (specifically the mobile segment) has likewise been able to prosper; ongoing political tension, increasing repression of the media and information, and continuing problems with corporate governance may be putting a strain on further growth by reducing the country’s appeal to much-needed foreign investors; Kyrgyzstan has been reasonably successful in its attempts to liberalize its economy and open up its telecom market to competition; the privatization of state-owned entities particularly the fixed-line incumbent provider Kyrgyztelecom and the mobile operator Alfa Telecom has been less well received, with government ownership continuing despite repeated attempts to offload its stakes in those companies; they simply haven’t been able to generate enough interest from the private sector; the mobile market has achieved high levels of penetration (140% in 2021) along with a fairly competitive operating environment with four major players; mobile broadband has come along strongly, reaching over 125% penetration in 2019 before falling back slightly during the Covid-19 crisis; slow-to-moderate growth is expected for both segments in coming years, supported by the anticipated rollout of 5G services starting from late 2022.  (2022)

domestic: fixed-line penetration at nearly 5 per 100 persons remains low and concentrated in urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership up to over 134 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States, 9 members post-Soviet Republics in EU) countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: state-funded public TV broadcaster KTRK has nationwide coverage; also operates Ala-Too 24 news channel which broadcasts 24/7 and 4 other educational, cultural, and sports channels; ELTR and Channel 5 are state-owned stations with national reach; the switchover to digital TV in 2017 resulted in private TV station growth; approximately 20 stations are struggling to increase their own content up to 50% of airtime, as required by law, instead of rebroadcasting primarily programs from Russian channels or airing unlicensed movies and music; 3 Russian TV stations also broadcast; state-funded radio stations and about 10 significant private radio stations also exist (2019)
Internet country code: .kg
Internet users: total: 3,355,749 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 51% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 289,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 5 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 17

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 709,198 (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: EX
Airports: total: 28 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 18

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

under 914 m: 3 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 8 (2021)
Pipelines: 4,195 km gas (2022), 16 km oil (2022) (2022)
Railways: total: 424 km (2022)

broad gauge: 424 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge
Roadways: total: 34,000 km (2022)
Waterways: 576 km (2022)
Ports and terminals: lake port(s): Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)(Lake Ysyk-Kol)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Kyrgyz Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Defense Forces, National Guard; Internal Troops; State Committee for National Security (GKNB): Border Service (2022)
Military expenditures: 2.3% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $410 million)

2.3% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $400 million)

2.3% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $390 million)

2.6% of GDP (2016 est.) (approximately $380 million)

2.6% of GDP (2015 est.) (approximately $360 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 12,000 active duty troops (8,500 Land Forces; 2,500 Air Force/Air Defense; 1,000 National Guard) (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Kyrgyz Armed Forces' inventory is comprised of mostly older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; Kyrgyzstan relies on donations of military equipment, which come mostly from Russia under a 2013 agreement between Bishkek and Moscow (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary male military service in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry; 1-year service obligation (9 months for university graduates), with optional fee-based 3-year service in the call-up mobilization reserve; women may volunteer at age 19; 16-17 years of age for military cadets, who cannot take part in military operations (2022)
Military - note: Kyrgyzstan has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and contributes troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Kyrgyzstan-China: a 2009 treaty settled a border dispute, with Kyrgyzstan receiving the Khan Tengri Peak and Kyrgyzstan ceding to China the Uzengi-Kush area Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan: in January 2019, Kyrgyzstan ratified the 2017 agreement on the demarcation of the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan: as the last major Central Asian boundary dispute with lengthy undelimited sections, the lowland (NE part) of the Kyrgz-Tajik line seems intractable despite recent Kyrgyz-Uzbek compromises and agreements on delimitation and demarcation Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan: delimitation of approximately 15% or 200 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over enclaves and other areas; Kyrgyz and Uzbek officials signed an agreement in March 2021 on the final delimitation and demarcation of the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border; the accord included several land swaps that gave Kyrgyzstan more territory but was offset by Uzbekistan retaining use of reservoirs on Kyrgyz land; although a Kyrgyz official returned from the March 2021 meetings and said the decades-old border dispute was 100% resolved, his talks with residents in some affected areas showed that agreement had not been reached on all border segmentsKyrgyzstan-China: a 2009 treaty settled a border dispute, with Kyrgyzstan receiving the Khan Tengri Peak and Kyrgyzstan ceding to China the Uzengi-Kush areaKyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan: in January 2019, Kyrgyzstan ratified the 2017 agreement on the demarcation of the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan borderKyrgyzstan-Tajikistan: as the last major Central Asian boundary dispute with lengthy undelimited sections, the lowland (NE part) of the Kyrgz-Tajik line seems intractable despite recent Kyrgyz-Uzbek compromises and agreements on delimitation and demarcationKyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan: delimitation of approximately 15% or 200 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over enclaves and other areas; Kyrgyz and Uzbek officials signed an agreement in March 2021 on the final delimitation and demarcation of the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border; the accord included several land swaps that gave Kyrgyzstan more territory but was offset by Uzbekistan retaining use of reservoirs on Kyrgyz land; although a Kyrgyz official returned from the March 2021 meetings and said the decades-old border dispute was 100% resolved, his talks with residents in some affected areas showed that agreement had not been reached on all border segments
Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons: 16 (mid-year 2021)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Kyrgyzstan and Kyrgyzstanis abroad; Kyrgyz men, women, and children are exploited in forced labor in Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey and other European countries specifically in agriculture, construction, textiles, domestic service, and childcare; sex traffickers exploit Kyrgyz women and girls domestically and in India, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates; problems with police misconduct and corruption include allegations that police threaten and extort sex trafficking victims and accept bribes from alleged traffickers to drop cases; street children who beg or do domestic work are vulnerable to traffickers

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Kyrgyzstan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government adopted a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) that established formal policies on victim identification and the provision of social services;  the government established an interagency focus group to accelerate implementation of the NRM and improve law enforcement investigations; authorities increased investigations but did not prosecute or convict any traffickers; the government conducted limited training on the NRM; some officials reportedly  dropped charges or tipped off suspects and allowed victims to be pressured or paid to drop charges against alleged traffickers; the government’s written plan, if implemented, would meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, Kyrgyzstan was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 (2020)
Illicit drugs: a prime transshipment location; illegal drugs move from Afghanistan to Russia, and sometimes into Europe  a prime transshipment location; illegal drugs move from Afghanistan to Russia, and sometimes into Europe


Topic: Photos of Afghanistan

Topic: Introduction
Background: Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN. A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and was reelected in August 2009. In February 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed the “US-Taliban Agreement,” which contained commitments by the United States related to the withdrawal from Afghanistan of military forces of the United States, its allies, and Coalition partners, as well as commitments by the Taliban related to counterterrorism, among other topics. Following a US drawdown of virtually all its troops, a summer 2021 Taliban offensive quickly overran the country and the Taliban took over Kabul in August of 2021. Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN.A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and was reelected in August 2009. In February 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed the “US-Taliban Agreement,” which contained commitments by the United States related to the withdrawal from Afghanistan of military forces of the United States, its allies, and Coalition partners, as well as commitments by the Taliban related to counterterrorism, among other topics. Following a US drawdown of virtually all its troops, a summer 2021 Taliban offensive quickly overran the country and the Taliban took over Kabul in August of 2021. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 652,230 sq km

land: 652,230 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: almost six times the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,987 km

border countries (6): China 91 km; Iran 921 km; Pakistan 2,670 km; Tajikistan 1,357 km; Turkmenistan 804 km; Uzbekistan 144 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Elevation: highest point: Noshak 7,492 m

lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m

mean elevation: 1,884 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 58.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.8% (2018)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018)

permanent pasture: 46% (2018)

forest: 1.85% (2018 est.)

other: 40.1% (2018)
Irrigated land: 32,080 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Ab-e Istadah-ye Muqur (endorheic basin) - 520 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km; Helmand river source (shared with Iran) - 1,130 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage: Indus (1,081,718 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Amu Darya (534,739 sq km); Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km)
Population distribution: populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated
Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Geography - note: landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)
Map description: Afghanistan map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries.Afghanistan map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 38,346,720 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Afghan(s)

adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groups: Current, reliable statistical data on ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available; Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution cited Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkman, Baluch, Pachaie, 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%, Pachaie 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1% (2020 est.)

major-language sample(s):
 کتاب حقایق جهان، مرجعی ضروری برای اطلاعات اولیە (Dari) د دنیا د حقائېقو کتاب، بنیادی معلوماتو لپاره ضروری سرچینه- (Pashto)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note 1: percentages sum to more than 100% because many people are multilingual

note 2: Uzbeki, Turkmani, Pachaie, Nuristani, Balochi, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks themکتاب حقایق جهان، مرجعی ضروری برای اطلاعات اولیە (Dari)
Religions: Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other <0.3% (2009 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.62% (male 7,562,703/female 7,321,646)

15-24 years: 21.26% (male 3,960,044/female 3,828,670)

25-54 years: 31.44% (male 5,858,675/female 5,661,887)

55-64 years: 4.01% (male 724,597/female 744,910)

65 years and over: 2.68% (2020 est.) (male 451,852/female 528,831)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 88.8

youth dependency ratio: 75.3

elderly dependency ratio: 4.8

potential support ratio: 21 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 19.5 years

male: 19.4 years

female: 19.5 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.3% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 35.46 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 12.33 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated
Urbanization: urban population: 26.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 4.458 million KABUL (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.9 years (2015 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 638 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 104.89 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 113.33 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 96.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.65 years

male: 52.1 years

female: 55.28 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.62 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 18.9% (2018)

note:  percent of women aged 12-49
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 68.3% of population

total: 76.5% of population 70.2%

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 31.7% of population

total: 23.5% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 13.2% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 88.2% of population

rural: 52% of population

total: 61.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 11.8% of population

rural: 48% of population

total: 38.6% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: (2020 est.) <.1%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 12,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <1,000
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: Crimea-Congo hemorrhagic fever, malaria

note: Afghanistan is one of two countries with endemic wild polio virus (the other is Pakistan) and considered high risk for international spread of the disease; before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 5.5% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 23.3% (2020 est.)

male: 39.4% (2020 est.)

female: 7.2% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 19.1% (2018)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 4.2%

women married by age 18: 28.3% (2017 est.)
Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2019)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 37.3%

male: 52.1%

female: 22.6% (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 10 years

male: 13 years

female: 8 years (2018)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 16.2%

male: 14.5%

female: 21.1% (2020)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: limited natural freshwater 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 in overcrowded urban areas
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 53.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 8.67 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 90.98 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Land use: agricultural land: 58.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.8% (2018)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018)

permanent pasture: 46% (2018)

forest: 1.85% (2018 est.)

other: 40.1% (2018)
Urbanization: urban population: 26.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.2% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0.45% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: Crimea-Congo hemorrhagic fever, malaria

note: Afghanistan is one of two countries with endemic wild polio virus (the other is Pakistan) and considered high risk for international spread of the disease; before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Food insecurity: severe localized food insecurity: due to civil conflict, population displacement, and economic slowdown - between November 2021 and March 2022, during the winter lean season, the food insecurity situation is expected to deteriorate and the number of people in "Crisis" or above is likely to increase to 22.8 million, about 35% more than during the same season in 2020/21; following the developments of August 2021 in the country, the international aid flows, an important element of public spending, were halted; the food security situation and agricultural livelihoods in the country is likely to significantly deteriorate in the coming months due to cumulative and cascading impact of multiple shocks, including weather, conflict, economic crisis and the lingering effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 5,628,525 tons (2016 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Ab-e Istadah-ye Muqur (endorheic basin) - 520 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km; Helmand river source (shared with Iran) - 1,130 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage: Indus (1,081,718 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Amu Darya (534,739 sq km); Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 203.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 169.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 20 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 65.33 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: formerly Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

conventional short form: Afghanistan

local long form: formerly Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan

local short form: Afghanistan

former: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

etymology: the name "Afghan" originally referred to the Pashtun people (today it is understood to include all the country's ethnic groups), while the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country"; so Afghanistan literally means the "Land of the Afghans"
Government type: the United States does not recognize the Taliban governmentthe United States does not recognize the Taliban government
Capital: name: Kabul

geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E

time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time

etymology: named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin
Administrative divisions: 34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Zabul
Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holiday: Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitution: history: last ratified in 2004

amendments: formerly proposed by a commission formed by presidential decree followed by the convention of a Grand Council (Loya Jirga) decreed by the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Loya Jirga membership and endorsement by the president
Legal system: before the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, Afghanistan had a mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic (sharia) law; after August 2021, the Taliban’s so-called “interim government” has claimed to be implementing its own interpretation of Islamic law, partially based on the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence. (2021)before the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, Afghanistan had a mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic (sharia) law; after August 2021, the Taliban’s so-called “interim government” has claimed to be implementing its own interpretation of Islamic law, partially based on the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence.
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; formerly accepted ICCt jurisdiction
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: president (vacant); note – before 15 August, 2021, the president was both chief of state and head of government; President Ashraf GHANI departed the country on 15 August 2021; on 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced Mullah Mohammad HASSAN Akhund as the so-called “acting Prime Minister” of a so-called “interim government”; as of November 2021, the group had announced three acting so-called “Deputy Prime Ministers”: Mullah Abdul Ghani BERADER, Mullah Abdul Salam HANAFI, and Maulawi Abdul KABIR

head of government: president (vacant); note - President Ashraf GHANI departed the country on 15 August 2021; on 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced Mullah Mohammad HASSAN Akhund as the acting Prime Minister of an interim Taliban government; the US does not recognize the Taliban government; as of November 2021, the group had announced three acting Deputy Prime Ministers: Mullah Abdul Ghani BERADER, Mullah Abdul Salam HANAFI, and Maulawi Abdul KABIR

cabinet: before 15 August 2021, the cabinet formerly consisted of 25 ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly; the Taliban have announced a so-called “cabinet” which includes 33 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

election results: no elections have been held since 2019; in that election, Ashraf GHANI was declared winner by the Independent Election Commission on 18 February 2020; the IEC declared Ashraf GHANI the winner with 50.6% of the vote, Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. 39.5%, other 0.9%president (vacant); note – before 15 August, 2021, the president was both chief of state and head of government; President Ashraf GHANI departed the country on 15 August 2021; on 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced Mullah Mohammad HASSAN Akhund as the so-called “acting Prime Minister” of a so-called “interim government”; as of November 2021, the group had announced three acting so-called “Deputy Prime Ministers”: Mullah Abdul Ghani BERADER, Mullah Abdul Salam HANAFI, and Maulawi Abdul KABIR
Legislative branch: description: before 15 August, 2021, Afghanistan had a bicameral National Assembly that consisted of a House of Elders and a House of People; since August 15, the Taliban’s so-called “interim government” has not purported to announce the formation of a legislative branch

elections: before 15 August, 2021:  House of Elders - district councils - held within 5 days of installation; provincial councils - within 15 days of installation; and presidential appointees - within 2 weeks after the presidential inauguration; note - in early 2016, former President Ashraf Ghani extended their mandate until parliamentary and district elections could be held; former House of People - last held on 20 October 2018

election results: before 15 August 2021, House of Elders - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 85, women 17, percent of women 16.7%
before 15 August 2021, House of People - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 179, women 69, percent of women 27.7%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 24.4%
Judicial branch: highest courts: the Taliban’s so-called “interim government” has a “Supreme Court” (consisting of a supreme court chief and an unknown number of justices); before 15 August, 2021, Afghanistan had a Supreme Court (consisting of a supreme court chief and 8 justices organized into criminal, public security, civil, and commercial divisions)

judge selection and term of office: the court chief and justices were appointed by the president with the approval of the Wolesi Jirga; court chief and justices served single 10-year terms

subordinate courts: before 15 August 2021, consisted of Appeals Courts; Primary Courts; and Special Courts for issues including narcotics, security, property, family, and juveniles
Political parties and leaders: the Taliban’s so-called “interim government” includes mostly Taliban members and not other political parties; before 15 August, 2021, the Ministry of Justice had licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019
International organization participation: before 15 August, 2021, Afghanistan was a member or participant in the following organizations: ADB, CICA, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: the Afghan Embassy closed in March 2022

chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410

FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488

email address and website:
info@afghanembassy.us

https://www.afghanembassy.us/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires: Ian MCCARY (since August 2021); note – since 15 August 2021, the United States has not yet made a decision whether to recognize the Taliban or any other entity as the Government of Afghanistan

embassy: Embassy Kabul, operations have been suspended; Department of State’s Afghanistan Affairs Unit operates from Doha, Qatar.
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other 2 bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are Eastern Arabic numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan; black signifies the past, red is for the blood shed for independence, and green can represent either hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam

note 1: the United States has not recognized the Taliban or any other entity as the government of Afghanistan and, accordingly, continues to display the flag of Afghanistan as set forth in the country's constitution

note 2: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century - 19 by one count - than any other country; the colors black, red, and green appeared on most of them

National symbol(s): lion; national colors: red, green, black
National anthem: name: "Milli Surood" (National Anthem)

lyrics/music: Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA

note: adopted 2006; the 2004 constitution of the post-Taliban government mandated that a new national anthem should be written containing the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) and mentioning the names of Afghanistan's ethnic groups
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Minaret of Jam, Buddhas of Bamyan

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Prior to 2001, Afghanistan was an extremely poor, landlocked, and foreign aid-dependent country. Increased domestic economic activity occurred following the US-led invasion, as well as significant international economic development assistance. This increased activity expanded access to water, electricity, sanitation, education, and health services, and fostered consistent growth in government revenues since 2014. While international security forces have been drawing down since 2012, with much higher U.S. forces’ drawdowns occurring since 2017, economic progress continues, albeit uneven across sectors and key economic indicators. After recovering from the 2018 drought and growing 3.9% in 2019, political instability, expiring international financial commitments, and the COVID-19 pandemic have wrought significant adversity on the Afghan economy, with a projected 5% contraction. Current political parties’ power-sharing agreement following the September 2019 presidential elections as well as ongoing Taliban attacks and peace talks have led to Afghan economic instability. This instability, coupled with expiring international grant and assistance, endangers recent fiscal gains and has led to more internally displaced persons. In November 2020, Afghanistan secured $12 billion in additional international aid for 2021-2025, much of which is conditional upon Taliban peace progress. Additionally, Afghanistan continues to experience influxes of repatriating Afghanis, mostly from Iran, significantly straining economic and security institutions. Afghanistan’s trade deficit remains at approximately 31% of GDP and is highly dependent on financing through grants and aid. While Afghan agricultural growth remains consistent, recent industrial and services growth have been enormously impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and trade cessations. While trade with the People’s Republic of China has rapidly expanded in recent years, Afghanistan still relies heavily upon India and Pakistan as export partners but is more diverse in its import partners. Furthermore, Afghanistan still struggles to effectively enforce business contracts, facilitate easy tax collection, and enable greater international trade for domestic enterprises.

Current Afghan priorities focus on the following goals:  Securing international economic agreements, many of which are contingent on Taliban peace progress; Increasing exports to $2 billion USD by 2023; Continuing to expand government revenue collection; Countering corruption and navigating challenges from the power-sharing agreement; and Developing a strong private sector that can empower the economy. Prior to 2001, Afghanistan was an extremely poor, landlocked, and foreign aid-dependent country. Increased domestic economic activity occurred following the US-led invasion, as well as significant international economic development assistance. This increased activity expanded access to water, electricity, sanitation, education, and health services, and fostered consistent growth in government revenues since 2014. While international security forces have been drawing down since 2012, with much higher U.S. forces’ drawdowns occurring since 2017, economic progress continues, albeit uneven across sectors and key economic indicators. After recovering from the 2018 drought and growing 3.9% in 2019, political instability, expiring international financial commitments, and the COVID-19 pandemic have wrought significant adversity on the Afghan economy, with a projected 5% contraction.Current political parties’ power-sharing agreement following the September 2019 presidential elections as well as ongoing Taliban attacks and peace talks have led to Afghan economic instability. This instability, coupled with expiring international grant and assistance, endangers recent fiscal gains and has led to more internally displaced persons. In November 2020, Afghanistan secured $12 billion in additional international aid for 2021-2025, much of which is conditional upon Taliban peace progress. Additionally, Afghanistan continues to experience influxes of repatriating Afghanis, mostly from Iran, significantly straining economic and security institutions.Afghanistan’s trade deficit remains at approximately 31% of GDP and is highly dependent on financing through grants and aid. While Afghan agricultural growth remains consistent, recent industrial and services growth have been enormously impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and trade cessations. While trade with the People’s Republic of China has rapidly expanded in recent years, Afghanistan still relies heavily upon India and Pakistan as export partners but is more diverse in its import partners. Furthermore, Afghanistan still struggles to effectively enforce business contracts, facilitate easy tax collection, and enable greater international trade for domestic enterprises.

Current Afghan priorities focus on the following goals:
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $77.04 billion (2020 est.)

$78.56 billion (2019 est.)

$75.6 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 2.7% (2017 est.)

2.2% (2016 est.)

1% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $2,000 (2020 est.)

$2,100 (2019 est.)

$2,000 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $20.24 billion (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2017 est.)

4.4% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 23% (2016 est.)

industry: 21.1% (2016 est.)

services: 55.9% (2016 est.)

note: data exclude opium production
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 81.6% (2016 est.)

government consumption: 12% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories: 30% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services: 6.7% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services: -47.6% (2016 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, milk, grapes, vegetables, potatoes, watermelons, melons, rice, onions, apples
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
Industrial production growth rate: -1.9% (2016 est.)
Labor force: 8.478 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 44.3%

industry: 18.1%

services: 37.6% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate: 23.9% (2017 est.)

22.6% (2016 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 16.2%

male: 14.5%

female: 21.1% (2020)
Population below poverty line: 54.5% (2016 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 29.4 (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.8%

highest 10%: 24% (2008)
Budget: revenues: 2.276 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 5.328 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -15.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 7% of GDP (2017 est.)

7.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 11.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: 21 December - 20 December
Current account balance: $1.014 billion (2017 est.)

$1.409 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $1.48 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.52 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.61 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

note: not including illicit exports or reexports
Exports - partners: United Arab Emirates 45%, Pakistan 24%, India 22%, China 1% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, grapes, opium, fruits and nuts, insect resins, cotton, handwoven carpets, soapstone, scrap metal (2019)
Imports: $6.98 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.37 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.98 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: United Arab Emirates 23%, Pakistan 17%, India 13%, China 9%, United States 9%, Uzbekistan 7%, Kazakhstan 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: wheat flours, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, rolled tobacco, aircraft parts, synthetic fabrics (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $7.187 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.901 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Debt - external: $284 million (FY10/11)
Exchange rates: afghanis (AFA) per US dollar -

7.87 (2017 est.)

68.03 (2016 est.)

67.87 (2015)

61.14 (2014 est.)

57.25 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 99% (2018)

electrification - urban areas: 100% (2018)

electrification - rural areas: 98% (2018)
Electricity - production: 1.211 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 5.526 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 4.4 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 634,100 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 45% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 52% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 35,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 34,210 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 164.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 164.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 145,787 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2020 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 22,678,024 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 58 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: before 15 August 2021, Afghanistan had successfully rebuilt infrastructure to create a functional telecom sector that covered nearly all of the population; due to mountainous geography, Afghanistan relies on its mobile network; mobile broadband penetration growing, but is still low compared to other countries in Asia; operator launched LTE in Kabul; World Bank and other donors support development of a nationwide fiber backbone; terrestrial cable connectivity to five neighboring countries; work on the ‘Wakhan Corridor Fiber Optic Survey Project’ to connect to China is nearing completion; major importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2021)

domestic: before 15 August 2021, less than 1 per 100 for fixed-line teledensity; 59 per 100 for mobile-cellular; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks (2021)

international: country code - 93; multiple VSAT's provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (2019)
Broadcast media: since 15 August 2021, independent media outlets have decreased in number due to financial hardships, departure of staff from the country, and restrictions placed by the Taliban; media workers report self-censoring criticism of the Taliban; before 15 August 2021, the former Afghan Government-owned broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), operated a series of radio and television stations in Kabul and the provinces and the country had an estimated 174 private radio stations and 83 TV stations; television and radio are key media platforms; only about a fifth of Afghans in urban areas use the internet, mostly through smartphones, and young adults are significantly more likely to use the internet (2021)
Internet country code: .af
Internet users: total: 7,007,101 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 18% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 26,570 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.07 (2020 est.) less than 1

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 13

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,722,612 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 29.56 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: YA
Airports: total: 46 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 29

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 3 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 5 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 466 km gas (2013)
Roadways: total: 34,903 km (2017)

paved: 17,903 km (2017)

unpaved: 17,000 km (2017)
Waterways: 1,200 km (2011) (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT)
Ports and terminals: river port(s): Hairatan, Qizil Qal`ah (Amu Darya)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: as of 2022, the Taliban had established a Ministry of Defense and named commanders and deputy commanders for 8 regional corps; in December 2021, it announced the formation of a police force (2022)
Military expenditures: 3.3% of GDP (2019) (approximately $2.35 billion)

3.2% of GDP (2018) (approximately $2.31 billion)

3.3% of GDP (2017) (approximately $2.34 billion)

3.1% of GDP (2016) (approximately $2.6 billion)

2.9% of GDP (2015) (approximately $2.22 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 58,000 to 100,000 Taliban fighters, with numbers fluctuating based on the time of year and battlefield operations; in 2022, the Taliban announced intentions to form a military of approximately 110,000 personnel (2022)

note - as of 2022, there were also up to 10,000 foreign fighters in Afghanistan, most of whom were aligned with the Taliban
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the former Afghan military's inventory was mostly a mix of Soviet-era and more modern US and Russian equipment (2021)
Military service age and obligation: not available
Military - note: as of early 2022, the Taliban’s primary security objective was maintaining public order in urban areas, especially Kabul, fighting ISIS-K, and maintaining border securityas of early 2022, the Taliban’s primary security objective was maintaining public order in urban areas, especially Kabul, fighting ISIS-K, and maintaining border security

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Haqqani Taliban Network; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; al-Qa’ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent; Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Afghanistan-China: None identified

Afghanistan-Iran: Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey; Iran protests Afghanistan's restricting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought

Afghanistan-Pakistan: Pakistan has built fences in some portions of its border with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to terrorist and other illegal activities. Their alignments may not always be in conformance with Durand Line and original surveyed definitions of the boundary. Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps and since 2014 have met to discuss collaboration on the Taliban insurgency and counterterrorism efforts.

Afghanistan-Tajikistan: None identified

Afghanistan-Turkmenistan: None identified

Afghanistan-Uzbekistan: None identified. Boundary follows Amu Darya river as delimited in the Afghan-Soviet treaties and not by the river's current course. The boundary was delimited and possibly demarcated during Soviet times (pre-1991). No current negotiations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan to redelimit the boundary have been identified.

Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countriesAfghanistan-China: None identified

Afghanistan-Iran: Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey; Iran protests Afghanistan's restricting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought

Afghanistan-Pakistan: Pakistan has built fences in some portions of its border with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to terrorist and other illegal activities. Their alignments may not always be in conformance with Durand Line and original surveyed definitions of the boundary. Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps and since 2014 have met to discuss collaboration on the Taliban insurgency and counterterrorism efforts.

Afghanistan-Tajikistan: None identified

Afghanistan-Turkmenistan: None identified

Afghanistan-Uzbekistan: None identified. Boundary follows Amu Darya river as delimited in the Afghan-Soviet treaties and not by the river's current course. The boundary was delimited and possibly demarcated during Soviet times (pre-1991). No current negotiations between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan to redelimit the boundary have been identified.

Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 72,188 (Pakistan) (mid-year 2021)

IDPs: 4.314 million (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to natural disasters and political instability) (2021)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims and returning Afghan migrants and exploit Afghan victims abroad; internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking; traffickers exploit men, women, and a large number of children domestically; victims are subjected to forced labor in agriculture, brick kilns, carpet weaving, domestic servitude, commercial sex, begging, poppy cultivation and harvesting, salt mining, transnational drug smuggling, and truck driving; Afghan security forces and non-state armed groups, including the pro-government militias and the Taliban, continue to unlawfully recruit and use child soldiers; sexual exploitation of boys remains pervasive nationwide, and traffickers subject some boys to sexual exploitation abroad

tier rating: Tier 3 — Afghanistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government decreased law enforcement efforts against civilian and official perpetrators of trafficking, and officials complicit in recruitment and use of child soldiers and the sexual exploitation of boys continued to operate with impunity; authorities continued to arrest, detain, and penalize many trafficking victims, including punishing sex trafficking victims for “moral crimes”; the judiciary remained underfunded, understaffed, and undertrained (2020)Tier 3 — Afghanistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government decreased law enforcement efforts against civilian and official perpetrators of trafficking, and officials complicit in recruitment and use of child soldiers and the sexual exploitation of boys continued to operate with impunity; authorities continued to arrest, detain, and penalize many trafficking victims, including punishing sex trafficking victims for “moral crimes”; the judiciary remained underfunded, understaffed, and undertrained (2020)
Illicit drugs: the world’s largest producer of illicit opiates but it is not a major supplier to the United States; 215,000 hectares (ha) of opium poppy cultivated in Afghanistan in 2020; also produces methamphetamine and cannabis products; one of the highest domestic substance abuse rates in the world (2022)the world’s largest producer of illicit opiates but it is not a major supplier to the United States; 215,000 hectares (ha) of opium poppy cultivated in Afghanistan in 2020; also produces methamphetamine and cannabis products; one of the highest domestic substance abuse rates in the world


Topic: Photos of Wake Island

Topic: Introduction
Background: Wake Island was probably visited by Micronesian and Polynesian settlers, and oral legends tell of periodic voyages to the islands by people from the Marshall Islands. Wake Island was uninhabited when Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana de NEYRA became the first European to see it in 1568 and still had no human inhabitants when English captain Samuel WAKE sailed by it in 1796. The United States Exploring Expedition visited the island in 1841 and the US annexed it in 1899 to use as a cable and refueling station between its newly acquired Pacific territories of Hawaii and the Philippines and Guam. In the 1930s, Pan American Airways built facilities on Wake Island so that it could be used as a stopover for flights from the US to China. In January 1941, the US began to install military assets on Wake Island and in early December of that year, Japan attacked Wake Island, capturing it by the end of the month after a heroic resistance. Japan held Wake Island until the end of World War II, and in 1946, commercial airlines once again used Wake Island as a refueling stop.

In 1973, the Marshall Islands claimed Wake Island based on the oral legends, although the US has not recognized these claims. In 1974, the US military took exclusive control of the island’s airstrip and restricted visitors. In 1978, Bikini Islanders from the Marshall Islands, who were evacuated in the 1950s and 1960s because of US nuclear tests, considered rehoming on Wake Island, but the US military rejected that plan. Since the 1970s, the island has been important for missile defense testing. In 2009, Wake Island was included in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.Wake Island was probably visited by Micronesian and Polynesian settlers, and oral legends tell of periodic voyages to the islands by people from the Marshall Islands. Wake Island was uninhabited when Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana de NEYRA became the first European to see it in 1568 and still had no human inhabitants when English captain Samuel WAKE sailed by it in 1796. The United States Exploring Expedition visited the island in 1841 and the US annexed it in 1899 to use as a cable and refueling station between its newly acquired Pacific territories of Hawaii and the Philippines and Guam. In the 1930s, Pan American Airways built facilities on Wake Island so that it could be used as a stopover for flights from the US to China. In January 1941, the US began to install military assets on Wake Island and in early December of that year, Japan attacked Wake Island, capturing it by the end of the month after a heroic resistance. Japan held Wake Island until the end of World War II, and in 1946, commercial airlines once again used Wake Island as a refueling stop.

In 1973, the Marshall Islands claimed Wake Island based on the oral legends, although the US has not recognized these claims. In 1974, the US military took exclusive control of the island’s airstrip and restricted visitors. In 1978, Bikini Islanders from the Marshall Islands, who were evacuated in the 1950s and 1960s because of US nuclear tests, considered rehoming on Wake Island, but the US military rejected that plan. Since the 1970s, the island has been important for missile defense testing. In 2009, Wake Island was included in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Geographic coordinates: 19 17 N, 166 39 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 7 sq km

land: 6.5 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 11 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 19.3 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Elevation: highest point: unnamed location 8 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (2012)
Natural hazards: subject to occasional typhoons
Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights
Map description: Wake Island map showing the three component islands and surrounding reef that make up the US territory in the North Pacific Ocean.Wake Island map showing the three component islands and surrounding reef that make up the US territory in the North Pacific Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: (2018 est.) no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 100 military personnel and civilian contractors maintain and operate the airfield and communications facilities
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA

15-24 years: NA

25-54 years: NA

55-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: NA

youth dependency ratio: NA

elderly dependency ratio: NA

potential support ratio: NA
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
Current Health Expenditure: NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: potable water obtained through a catchment rainwater system and a desalinization plant for brackish ground water; hazardous wastes moved to an accumulation site for storage and eventual transport off site via barge
Climate: tropical
Land use: agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Wake Island

etymology: although first discovered by British Captain William WAKE in 1792, the island is named after British Captain Samuel WAKE, who rediscovered the island in 1796
Dependency status: unincorporated unorganized territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities in the atoll are currently conducted by the 11th US Air Force and managed from Pacific Air Force Support Center
Independence: none (territory of the US)
Legal system: US common law
Citizenship: see United States
Flag description: the flag of the US is used

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: Installed generating capacity: 0 kW (2020 est.)

Consumption: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

Exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

Imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
Coal: Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

Consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 9,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas: Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.275 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 1.275 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 0 Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: satellite communications; 2 Defense Switched Network circuits off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS); located in the Hawaii area code - 808 (2018)
Broadcast media: American Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) provides satellite radio/TV broadcasts (2018)

Topic: Transportation
Airports: total: 1 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2021)
Ports and terminals: none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Transportation - note: there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from Wake Island, except in direct support of island missions; emergency landing is available

Topic: Military and Security
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; the US Air Force is responsible for overall administration and operation of the island facilities; the launch support facility is administered by the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: US-Marshall Islands: in May 2016, the Marshall Islands filed a declaration of authority with the UN over Wake Island, which is currently a US territory, reaffirming that it considers Wake Island part of its territory; control over Wake Island would drastically increase the Marshall Islands’ exclusive economic zone; the US State Department is assembling a group of experts from both countries to discuss the maritime boundaryUS-Marshall Islands: in May 2016, the Marshall Islands filed a declaration of authority with the UN over Wake Island, which is currently a US territory, reaffirming that it considers Wake Island part of its territory; control over Wake Island would drastically increase the Marshall Islands’ exclusive economic zone; the US State Department is assembling a group of experts from both countries to discuss the maritime boundary