Moving to Afghanistan: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

40,121,552

Population Growth Rate

2.22%

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

Urban Population

• population: 26.9% of total population rate of
• urbanization: 3.34% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

4.589 million KABUL (capital)

Population: Male/Female

• male: 20,301,066
• female: 19,820,486

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Age Structure

• years: 39.6% (male 8,062,407/female 7,818,897) 15-64
• years: 57.5% (male 11,702,734/female 11,372,249) 65 years and
• over: 2.9% (male 535,925/female 629,340)

Median Age

• total: 20 years
• male: 20 years
• female: 20.1 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

34

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

11.8

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

4.43

Gross reproduction rate

2

Child Marriage

women married by age 15: 4.2% women married by age 18: 28.3%

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

18.9%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

18.9%

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

70.3%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

19.9

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.9

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 0.85 male(s)/female total
• population: 1.02 male(s)/female

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-0.1

Ethnic Groups

• current, reliable statistical data on ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available
• Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution cited Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkman, Baluch, Pashaie, Nuristani, Aymaq, Arab, Qirghiz, Qizilbash, Gujur, and Brahwui ethnicities
• Afghanistan has dozens of other small ethnic groups

Language Note

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

Nationality Noun

• noun: Afghan(s)
• adjective: Afghan

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Literacy - total population

37.3%

Literacy - male

52.1%

Literacy - female

22.6%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

2.9%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 10 years
• male: 13 years
• female: 8 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 54.4 years
• male: 52.8 years
• female: 56.1 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 101.3 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 109.7 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 92.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 101.3 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 109.7 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 92.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

620

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

.25

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

.4

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

15.5%

Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk

• risk: intermediate food or waterborne
• diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne
• diseases: Crimea-Congo hemorrhagic fever
• 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%

Tobacco Use

• total: 23.3%
• male: 39.4%
• female: 7.2%

Alcohol consumption per capita

• total: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol
• beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol
• wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol
• spirits: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol other
• alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: improved:
• urban: 100% of population
• improved: rural: 68.3% of population
• improved: total: 76.5% of population
• unimproved: unimproved:
• urban: 0% of population
• unimproved: rural: 31.7% of population
• unimproved: total: 23.5% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• 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

Underweight - percent of children under five years

19.1%

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Economic Overview

Despite improvements in life expectancy, incomes, and literacy since 2001, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid.

Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs.

Corruption, insecurity, weak governance, lack of infrastructure, and the Afghan Government's difficulty in extending rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth.

Afghanistan's living standards are among the lowest in the world.

Since 2014, the economy has slowed, in large part because of the withdrawal of nearly 100,000 foreign troops that had artificially inflated the country’s economic growth.

The international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $83 billion at ten donor conferences between 2003 and 2016.

In October 2016, the donors at the Brussels conference pledged an additional $3.8 billion in development aid annually from 2017 to 2020.

Even with this help, the Government of Afghanistan still faces a number of challenges, including low revenue collection, anemic job creation, high levels of corruption, weak government capacity, and poor public infrastructure.

In 2017 Afghanistan's growth rate was only marginally above that of the 2014-2016 average.

The drawdown of international security forces that started in 2012 has negatively affected economic growth, as a substantial portion of commerce, especially in the services sector, has catered to the ongoing international troop presence in the country.

Afghan President Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai is dedicated to instituting economic reforms to include improving revenue collection and fighting corruption.

The government has implemented reforms to the budget process and in some other areas.

However, many other reforms will take time to implement and Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donor support over the next several years.

Industries

• small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement
• handwoven carpets
• natural gas, coal, copper

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,500.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

-20.74%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$60,802,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$1,500.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

-20.74%

GDP - real growth rate note

annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

GDP - official exchange rate

$20,240,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• Consumption: 81.6% Government
• Consumption: 12% Investment in Fixed
• Capital: 17.2% Investment in
• Inventories: 30% Exports of Goods and
• Services: 6.7% Imports of Goods and
• Services: -47.6%

GDP By Sector - note

data exclude opium production

GDP by Sector- agriculture

23%

GDP by Sector- Industry

21.1%

GDP by Sector- services

55.9%

Industrial Growth Rate

-12.81%

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Inflation Rate

5%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

7.87

Currency Name and Code

Afghan Afghani (AFN)

Fiscal Year

21 December - 20 December

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

15%

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Labor Force

8,804,000

Unemployment Rate

14.1%

Major 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

Agriculture Products

wheat, milk, watermelons, grapes, potatoes, cantaloupes/melons, vegetables, rice, onions, apples note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Population Below Poverty Line

54.5%

Child Labor - # of children ages 5-14

3,252,243

Child Labor - % of children ages 5-14

25%

Child Labor - note

note: data on child labor in Afghanistan is uncertain and may be higher than the estimated 25% of children ages 5-14 derived from 2011 survey results; UNICEF estimated that 30% of children ages 5-14 in 2011 were engaged in child labor

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

44.3%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

18.1%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

37.6%

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Annual Budget

$5,093,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

7%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-15.1%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

9.9%

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Full Country Name

formerly Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Country Name

Afghanistan

Local - Long

formerly Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan

Local - Short

Afghanistan

Former Name

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Etymology- history of name

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"

Independence

19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)

National Holiday

previous: Independence Day, 19 August (1919); under the Taliban Government, 15 August (2022) is declared a national holiday, marking the anniversary of the victory of the Afghan jihad

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Government Type

theocratic; the United States does not recognize the Taliban Government

Constitution

history: several previous

latest ratified in 2004, suspended by the Taliban after taking over the country in 2021

Legal System:

the Taliban is implementing its own interpretation of Islamic law, which partially based on the Hanifi school of Islamic jurisprudence; before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan had a mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic law (2021)

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: Overall Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada serves as the head of the Taliban government as Amir-ul Momineen note - on 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced Mohammad HASSAN Akhund as the “acting prime minister” of the "caretaker government”; as of November 2021, the group had announced three acting “deputy prime ministers” - Abdul Ghani BERADER, Abdul Salam HANAFI, and Abdul KABIR
• head of government: Overall Taliban Leader HAYBATULLAH Akhundzada serves as the head of the Taliban government as Amir-ul Momineen
• cabinet: includes the acting prime minister, acting deputy prime ministers, and 26 ministries
• elections/appointments: the 2004 Afghan constitution directed that the president should be elected by majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 September 2019

Legislative Branch:

• Description: the Taliban Government has not announced the formation of a legislative branch; before the 2021 Taliban takeover, Afghanistan had a bicameral National Assembly that consisted of the House of Elders and House of the People

Judicial Branch:

• Court: number of judges and organizational structure NA note - 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 Taliban Supreme Court judge selection and term of office NA note - before 15 August 2021, the Supreme 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: the Taliban Government has many provincial-level courts, religious courts, and specialty courts note - before 15 August 2021, consisted of Appeals Courts; Primary Courts; and Special Courts for issues including narcotics, security, property, family, and juveniles

Regions or States:

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

Political Parties and Leaders:

• the Taliban Government enforces an authoritarian state and has banned other political parties
• Note: before 15 August 2021, the Ministry of Justice had licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• 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

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Capital Name

Kabul

Capital - geographic coordinate

34 31 N, 69 11 E

Capital Time Difference

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

Daylight Savings Time

does not observe daylight savings time

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International Organization Participation:

• 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

International Law Organization Participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; formerly accepted ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: the United States does not maintain a presence in Afghanistan and bases the Department of State's Afghanistan Affairs Unit in Doha, Qatar note - the US Embassy in Kabul closed in August 2021
• Embassy: Embassy Kabul, operations have been suspended; Department of State’s Afghanistan Affairs Unit operates from Doha, Qatar.

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: none note - the Afghan Embassy closed in March 2022

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Geographic Location

Asia

Geographic Coordinates

33 00 N, 65 00 E

Total Area

251,826 Square Miles 652,230 Square Kilometers

Land Area

251,826 Square Miles 652,230 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

3,436 Miles 5,529 Kilometers

Border Countries

China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

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Terrain

Mostly rugged mountains; plains in the north and southwest

Highest Point

7,485 Meters

Highest Point Location

Nowshak 7,485 meters

Lowest Point

258 Meters

Lowest Point Location

Amu Darya 258 meters

Natural Resources

Natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

Irrigated Land

7,696 Square Miles 19,933 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

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

Daylight saving time

does not observe daylight savings time

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Climate

Afghanistan's climate compromises a cold, snowy winter and hot, dry summer.

Extreme temperature changes occur from night to day, season to season, and from place to place.

During summer in Kabul (altitude 5,800 feet) the temperature may be 50°F at sunrise but reach 100°F by noon.

In the Jalalabad Plains (1,800 feet and 90 miles from Kabul) and southwestern parts of the country, summer temperatures can reach 115°F.

The chief characteristic of Afghanistan's climate is a blue cloudless sky with over 300 days of sunshine yearly.

Even during the winter, skies usually remain clear between snowfalls.

Since rainfall is scarce from May to November, this period can be extremely dry and dusty.

In recent years, drought has impaired agricultural production in some areas.

Terrain

Mostly rugged mountains; plains in the north and southwest

Location

Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Total Area

251,826 Square Miles 652,230 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Environment - Current Issues

• Limited natural fresh water resources
• inadequate supplies of potable water
• soil degradation
• overgrazing
• deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials)
• desertification
• air and water pollution

Environment - International Agreements

Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

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Exports

$1,476,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$6,983,000,000 (USD)

Exports - note

balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - note

balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Major Exports

coal, cotton, grapes, gum resins, nuts note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Major Imports

wheat, tobacco, palm oil, packaged medicine, rice note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Top Export Partners

Pakistan 57%, India 28%, China 3%, UAE 2%, Turkey 2% note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Top Import Partners

UAE 21%, Kazakhstan 17%, Pakistan 17%, China 9%, Uzbekistan 9% note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Export Partners

Pakistan 57%, India 28%, China 3%, UAE 2%, Turkey 2% note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Import Partners

UAE 21%, Kazakhstan 17%, Pakistan 17%, China 9%, Uzbekistan 9% note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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Country Description

Afghanistan has made significant progress since the Taliban were deposed in 2001, but still faces daunting challenges, including fighting an insurgency, preventing the return or resurgence of al-Qaida, recovering from over three decades of civil strife, and rebuilding a shattered physical, economic, and political infrastructure.

NATO and International Security Assistance (ISAF) forces work in partnership with Afghan security forces to combat violent extremist elements that terrorize the population and challenge all levels of a government authority.

Violent extremists continue to pursue a strategy of terrorist attacks, relying largely on assassinations, suicide bombings, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

As Afghanistan prepares for presidential and provincial elections in April 2014, internal problems following years of war and an ongoing, violent insurgency continue to compromise efforts by the Afghan government to improve governance and stability.

The government faces challenges in trying to develop a more effective police force, a more effective and accessible legal system, and sub-national institutions that work in partnership with traditional and local leaders to meet the needs of the population.

Afghan security forces took over responsibility for security nationwide in June 2013, but the United States works closely with the international community to support and bolster Afghan government capacity on national and sub-national levels.

Safety & Security

The latest Travel Warning for Afghanistan warns U.S. citizens against traveling to Afghanistan and states clearly that the security situation remains critical.

No province in Afghanistan should be considered immune from violence, and the potential exists throughout the country for hostile acts, either targeted or random, against the U.S. and other Western nationals at any time.

Insurgent elements including the Haqqani Network, Taliban, and Taj Mir Jawad networks remain violently opposed to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Additionally, criminal organizations such as weapons and narco-traffickers undermine peace and stability.

These groups aim to weaken or bring down the Government of Afghanistan, and often, to drive Westerners out of the country.

They do not hesitate to use violence to achieve their aims.

Terrorist actions may include but are not limited to, suicide operations, bombings -- including vehicle-borne explosives and improvised explosive devices -- assassinations, carjackings, rocket attacks, assaults, or kidnappings.

Violence has spiked during the first six months of 2013, and despite numerous interdiction operations by Afghan and coalition forces, insurgents have conducted thirteen high-profile attacks in Kabul City.

These attacks have consisted of complex assaults, IED detonations, and suicide bombings.

Insurgents continue to target various U.S. and Afghan government facilities in Kabul City, including the June 25, 2013 attack against a U.S. government facility adjacent to the Afghan Presidential Palace and the U.S.

Embassy.

There is an elevated risk of kidnapping and assassinations targeting U.S. citizens and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) employees throughout the country.

In May 2012, insurgents with vehicle-borne explosives and suicide vests targeted Green Village, a compound on Jalalabad Road in Kabul that houses primarily international security contractors.

In May 2013, insurgents conducted a complex attack against the office of the International Organization of Migration (IOM) headquarters.

Several insurgents occupied an adjacent building, and from an elevated position, fired small arms and rocket-propelled grenades on nearby buildings.

This attack resulted in several deaths and wounded a number of security personnel, IOM staff, and Afghan civilians.

Riots -- sometimes violent -- have occurred in response to various political and social tensions.

U.S. citizens should avoid rallies and demonstrations; even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.

Crime, including violent crime, remains a significant problem.

The country faces a difficult period in the near term and U.S. citizens could be targeted or placed at risk by unpredictable local events.

There is also a real danger from the presence of millions of unexploded land mines and other ordnance.

Terrorists continue to use roadside or vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.

Private U.S. citizens should not come to Afghanistan unless they have made arrangements in advance to address security concerns.

The absence of records for ownership of property, differing laws from various regimes, and the chaos that comes from decades of civil strife have left property issues in great disorder.

Afghan-Americans returning to Afghanistan to recover property have become involved in complicated real estate disputes and have faced threats of retaliatory action, including kidnapping for ransom and death.

Similarly, U.S. citizens involved in business disputes -- a common legal problem in Afghanistan -- have reported that adversaries in the disputes have threatened detention, arrest, imprisonment, and at times, have successfully carried out the threats.

U.S. citizens who find themselves in such situations should not assume that either local law enforcement or the U.S.

Embassy will be able to assist them in resolving these disputes.

Large parts of Afghanistan are extremely isolated.

The few roads th

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Crime

A large portion of the Afghan population is unemployed, and many among the unemployed have moved to urban areas.

These factors may directly contribute to crime and lawlessness.

Diplomats and international relief workers have reported incidents of robberies and household burglaries as well as kidnappings and assaults.

Any U.S. citizen who enters Afghanistan should remain vigilant for possible banditry, including violent attacks.

Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, but if you purchase them, you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Afghanistan, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own and may not afford the protections available to you under U.S. law.

Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

In some areas of Afghanistan, you could be detained for questioning if you do not have your passport with you.

Taking pictures of military installations or personnel may result in questioning or detention.

Possession of alcohol and certainly driving under the influence of alcohol could land you in jail for three to six months.

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Afghanistan are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

If you break local laws in Afghanistan, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It is very important to know what constitutes legal and illegal actions in the area where you are traveling.

Persons violating Afghan laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Although the Afghan constitution allows the free exercise of religion, proselytizing may be viewed as contrary to the beliefs of Islam and considered harmful to society.

Authorities take these matters very seriously.

Afghan law carries a maximum penalty of death for those charged with proselytizing if convicted.

Evidence may consist of possession of non-Islamic religious material, especially in local languages.

Allegations of conversion of Afghan citizens are taken particularly seriously.

The testimony of three individuals or a group is enough to convict someone of proselytizing.

The same penalty exists in law for Afghan citizens who convert to another religion.

All Afghan citizens are considered Muslim from birth.

Converts are subject to arrest regardless of where the conversion took place, and Afghan-U.S. dual nationals are also subject to this law.

U.S. citizens have also been arrested by police in cases involving debt to Afghans.

In Afghanistan, debts, and business disputes are not exclusively civil matters as may be the case in the United States.

Instead, the aggrieved party may successfully have a U.S. citizen arrested in cases where a debt is alleged to be owed to an Afghan.

The Ministries of Commerce and Interior, Afghan Investment Support Agency, the Afghan National Police, and the courts have all played roles in recent disputes involving U.S. citizens.

If involved in a commercial dispute, hiring an Afghan attorney early can be beneficial.

A list of English-speaking attorneys in the consular district of the U.S.

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Medical Facilities

Well-equipped medical facilities are few and far between throughout Afghanistan.

European and American medicines are available in limited quantities and may be expensive or difficult to locate.

There is a shortage of basic medical supplies.

Basic medicines manufactured in Iran, Pakistan, China, and India are available, but their reliability can be questionable.

Several Western-style private clinics have opened in Kabul: the DK-German Medical Diagnostic Center (ph. 079-913-6210), French Children’s Hospital (ph. 020-250-0531), and CURE International Hospital (ph. 079-988-3830) offer a variety of basic and routine-type care but are not always open; if you are seeking treatment you should request U.S. or Western health practitioners.

Afghan public hospitals should be avoided.

Individuals without government licenses or even medical degrees often operate private clinics; there is no public agency that monitors their operations.

You will not be able to find Western-trained medical personnel in most parts of the country outside Kabul, although there are some international aid groups temporarily providing basic medical assistance in various cities and villages.

For any medical treatment, payment is required in advance.

Commercial medical evacuation capability from Afghanistan is limited and could take days to arrange.

Even medevac companies that claim to serve the world may not agree to come to Afghanistan.

If you have medevac insurance, you should confirm with the insurance provider that medevac assistance is available in Afghanistan and which clinics they recommend for evaluation.

You can find detailed information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) website.

For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website.

The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in Afghanistan.

Traffic Safety

While in Afghanistan, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Afghanistan is provided for general reference only and may not be accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

All drivers face the potential danger of encountering land mines that may have been planted on or near roadways.

An estimated 5-7 million land mines and large quantities of unexploded ordnance exist throughout the countryside and alongside roads, posing a danger to travelers.

Robbery and crime, particularly kidnappings, are also prevalent on highways outside Kabul.

The transportation system in Afghanistan is marginal, although the international community is constructing modern highways and provincial roads.

Vehicles are poorly maintained, often overloaded, and traffic laws are not enforced.

Roadside assistance is non-existent.

Vehicular traffic is chaotic and must contend with numerous pedestrians, bicyclists, and animals.

Many urban streets have large potholes and are not well lit.

Rural roads are not paved.

With congested roads and abundant pedestrian traffic, vehicle accidents are a serious concern and can escalate into violent confrontations.

We strongly urge all drivers to drive defensively and pay close attention to their surroundings.

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Airports - total

52

Airports with Paved Runways

23

Heliports

9

Railways

211 Miles 339 Kilometers

Roadways- total

26,191 Miles 42,150 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

7,674 Miles 12,350 Kilometers

Waterways

746 Miles 1,200 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

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Pipelines: Gas

290 Miles 466 Kilometers

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Telephones

1,293

Cell Phones

12

Internet Users

58

Internet Country Code

.af

Internet Hosts

48

Broadcast Media

State-owned broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), operates a series of radio and television stations in Kabul and the provinces; an estimated 150 private radio stations, 50 TV stations, and about a dozen international broadcasters are available

Telephone System

• Assessment: limited fixed-line telephone service; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks
• Domestic: aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service continues to improve rapidly; the Afghan Ministry of Communications and Information claims that more than 90 percent of the population live in areas with access to mobile-cellular services
• International: country code - 93; multiple VSATs provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity

7 facts — expand for details.

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

231,100,000

Electricity Imports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

203,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

285,500,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

140,000,000

Natural Gas Production- Cubic Meters (cu m)

140,000,000

Natural Gas Reserves- Cubic Meters (cu m)

49,550,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

4,229

3 facts — expand for details.

Anthem History

Adopted in 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

Anthem Lyrics

"Milli Surood" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA Daa watan afghanistan do daa ezzat de har afghan di Kor de soli kor de tori har bachi ye qahraman di Daa watan di tolo kor di de balocho, de uzbako De pashtoon aw hazarwoo de turkmano de tajeko Worsara arab, gojar di pamirian, noristanian Barahawi di, qizilbash di ham aimaq, ham pashaiyean Daa hiwad ba til zaligi laka limar pa eshna aasman Pa sina ki de asia laka zera wi jawidan Noom de haq mo di rahbar Wayoo Allah o Akbar, Wayoo Allah o Akbar, Wayoo Allah o Akbar

Anthem Lyrics English

"Milli Surood" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA This land is Afghanistan – It is the pride of every Afghan The land of peace, the land of the sword – Its sons are all brave This is the country of every tribe – Land of Baluch, and Uzbeks Pashtoons, and Hazaras – Turkman and Tajiks with them, Arabs and Gojars, Pamirian, Nooristanis Barahawi, and Qizilbash – Also Aimaq, and Pashaye This Land will shine for ever – Like the sun in the blue sky In the chest of Asia – It will remain as the heart for ever We will follow the one God We all say, Allah is great, we all say, Allah is great, we all say, Allah is great