TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Afghanistan has a complex history that has survived in its current cultures as well as in the form of various languages and monuments. However, many of the country's historic monuments have been damaged in recent wars. The two famous statues of Buddha in the Bamyan Province were destroyed by the Taliban, who regarded them as idolatrous. Other famous sites include the very cities of Kandahar, Herat, Ghazni and Balkh. The Minaret of Jam, in the Hari Rud valley, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The cloak worn by Prophet Mohammad is stored inside the famouse Khalka Sharifa in Kandahar City. The picturesque Kabul bazaar is also well worth visiting. The magnificent Hindukush mountains with small villages nestled on the rugged slopes are something you can't miss. You can reach the mountains by taking a road north of Kabul built by the Russians 60 years ago which climbs up to the scary Salang pass at 3,800m of altitude. The road from Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif passes by this beautiful and meandering valley. The mountains look dry and reddish in color, but the bottom is very green.

TRAVEL TIPS

It is strongly advised against all but essential travel to Kabul and against all travel to the provinces of Afghanistan. There is a high threat of terrorism and kidnap threat against foreign nationals in Afghanistan as well as widespread danger from mines and unexploded ordnance throughout the country. A comprehensive travel and medical insurance is recommended to be obtained before travelling. Most road surfaces are in a very poor condition. Most local drivers are uninsured. Accidents may lead to a confrontation and threatening behaviour. Local laws reflect the fact that Afghanistan is a Muslim country. You should respect local customs and sensitivities at all times, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas. Homosexuality is illegal. You may not seek to convert Muslims to other faiths. The importation and use of narcotics, alcohol and pork products are forbidden. Photography of government buildings, military installations and palaces is not allowed. You should avoid photographing local people without their agreement. Very limited medical facilities are available. You should also ensure that you have all the prescription medication you require during your visit, as supplies of them are unlikely to be available locally. Diarrhoeal diseases and other gastrointestinal infections are common causes of ill health, becoming worse in the hotter months. The dry dusty conditions in both summer and winter can cause irritation to eyes, throat, nose and skin. Respiratory tuberculosis is common in the Afghan population. Malaria is a potential hazard except in the high mountainous regions of the country and in winter. Malaria can occur despite appropriate prevention, and therefore you should promptly seek medical care in the event of a fever or flu-like illness in the first year following your return from travelling to a malaria risk country. Before travelling you should seek medical advice about the malaria risk in Afghanistan.
Visas are not issued on arrival in the country. Check the list of Embassies of Afghanistan to the World or Embassies of Other Nations to Afghanistan.

BRIEF HISTORY

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 democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, but withdrew 10 years later under continious pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A civil war between mujahedin factions erupted following the 1992 fall of the Communist regime. The Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy, seized Kabul in 1996 and most of the country outside of opposition Northern Alliance strongholds by 1998. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama Bin Laden. In late 2001, a conference in Bonn, Germany, established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution and a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005.

GEOGRAPHY

Area: total: 647,500 sq km, land: 647,500 sq km, water: 0 sq km.
Border Countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers.
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest.
Natural Resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones.
Natural Hazards: flooding; droughts, earthquakes.
Environmental Problems: 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.

PEOPLE

Population: 32,000,000.
Median Age: total: 17.6 years, male: 17.6 years, female: 17.6 years.
Life Expectancy: male: 43.16 years, female: 43.53 years.
Fertility Rate: 6.69 children born per woman.
Infectious Diseases: degree of risk- high; food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever; vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide below 2,000 meters from March through November; animal contact disease: rabies.
Major Ethnic Groups: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%.
Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%.
Languages: Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official) 35%, Turkic languages (mostly Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (mostly Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism.

GOVERNMENT

Type: Islamic republic.
Capital City: Kabul
Time Difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time). Check current time.
Administrative Divisions: 34 provinces.
National Holiday: Independence Day (August 19, 1919).
Chief of State: President
Head of Government: President.
Cabinet: 27 ministers.
Legislative Branch: National Assembly.

ECONOMY

Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 because of the infusion of over $8 billion in international assistance, recovery of the agricultural sector and growth of the service sector, and the reestablishment of market institutions. Real GDP growth is estimated to have slowed in the last fiscal year primarily because adverse weather conditions cut agricultural production, but is expected to rebound over next years because of foreign donor reconstruction and service sector growth. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from its current status, among the lowest in the world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the Afghan government and international donors remain committed to improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political stability and continued international commitment to Afghan reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for continuing future improvements in the Afghan economy. Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade may account for one-third of GDP and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy challenges. Other long-term challenges include: boosting the supply of skilled labor, reducing vulnerability to severe natural disasters, expanding health services, and rebuilding a war torn infrastructure.
GDP: $22 billion, Growth Rate: 15%, GDP Per Capita: $800
Unemployment Rate: 40%
Population Below Powerty Line: 53%
Agriculture Products: opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins.
Major Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper.
Export Commodities: opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems.
Export Partners: US 25.3%, Pakistan 20.9%, India 20.8%, Finland 4%.
Import Commodities: capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products.
Import Partners: Pakistan 23.9%, US 11.8%, Germany 6.8%, India 6.5%, Turkey 5.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Russia 4.7%, Kenya 4.4%.
Currency: afghani (AFA). Check current rate of exchange.

TRANSPORT

Airports: 46
Roadways: 34,789 km.
Waterways: 1,200 km (mainly Amu Darya).