| General background: Afghanistan's
recent history is characterized by war and civil unrest.
The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 but was forced to withdraw
10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied
and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others.
Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin
factions, giving rise to a state of warlordism that
eventually spawned the Taliban. Backed by foreign sponsors,
the Taliban developed as a political force and eventually
seized power. The Taliban were able to capture most
of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds
primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military
action in support of the opposition following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks forced the group's
downfall. In late 2001, major leaders from the Afghan
opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany
and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government
structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid
KARZAI as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA)
on 22 December 2001. The AIA held a nationwide Loya
Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002, and KARZAI was
elected President by secret ballot of the Transitional
Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional
Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide
Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate
to hold nationwide elections. In December 2002, the
TISA marked the one-year anniversary of the fall of
the Taliban. In addition to occasionally violent political
jockeying and ongoing military action to root out remaining
terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers
from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and
widespread land mines. Area comparative:
Slightly smaller than Texas
Climate: Arid to semiarid; cold winters and
hot summers
Terrain: Mostly rugged mountains; plains in
north and southwest
Population: 27,755,775 (July 2002 est.)
Ethnic groups: Pashtun 44%, Tajik 25%, Hazara
10%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch,
and others) 13%, Uzbek 8%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim
15%, other 1%
Language: Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari)
50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen)
11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai)
4%, much bilingualism
Government type: Transitional
Capital: Kabul
Legal system: The Bonn Agreement calls for
a judicial commission to rebuild the justice system
in accordance with Islamic principles, international
standards, the rule of law, and Afghan legal traditions.
Economic overview: Afghanistan is an extremely
poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on farming
and livestock raising (sheep and goats). Economic
considerations have played second fiddle to political
and military upheavals during two decades of war,
including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation
(which ended 15 February 1989). During that conflict
one-third of the population fled the country, with
Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of more
than 6 million refugees. Gross domestic product has
fallen substantially over the past 20 years because
of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption
of trade and transport; severe drought added to the
nation's difficulties in 1998-2001. The majority of
the population continues to suffer from insufficient
food, clothing, housing, and medical care, problems
exacerbated by military operations and political uncertainties.
Inflation remains a serious problem. Following the
US-led coalition war that led to the defeat of the
Taliban in November 2001 and the formulation of the
Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) resulting from the
December 2001 Bonn Agreement, International efforts
to rebuild Afghanistan were addressed at the Tokyo
Donors Conference for Afghan Reconstruction in January
2002, when $4.5 billion was collected for a trust
fund to be administered by the World Bank. Priority
areas for reconstruction include the construction
of education, health, and sanitation facilities, enhancement
of administrative capacity, the development of the
agricultural sector, and the rebuilding of road, energy,
and telecommunication links.
Communication/Telephone system: Very limited
telephone and telegraph service in 1997, telecommunications
links were established between Mazar-e Sharif, Herat,
Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul through satellite and
microwave systems satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean) linked only to Iran and 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region); commercial satellite telephone
center in Ghazni.
Environmental 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.
Places of interest: The mighty Hindu Kush (Killer
of Hindus) mountain range, the western extremity of
the Himalaya, runs across the country from east to
west. The average elevation of this mountainous interior
is a lofty 2700m (8856 ft) and the highest peaks reach
7500m (24,600ft) in the northeast. From here rise
the major rivers of Afghanistan. The Kabul river flows
east into the Indus while most others such as the
Helmand, Farah and Harirud disappear into the desert
sands.
Travel Tips: Stay away!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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