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| Afghanistan Information Page |
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Taliban: Current Ruling Faction Senior Leader: Mullah
Mohammed Omar |
| Country (long form) | Islamic State of Afghanistan |
| Capital | Kabul |
| Total Area | 652,000.00 sq km (slightly smaller than Texas) |
| Population | 25,838,797 (July 2000 est.) |
| Languages | Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism |
| Literacy | 31.5% total, 47.2% male, 15% female (1999 est.) |
| Religions | Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1% {This is interesting as it is a Sunni Muslim Religious Government, the exact opposite of Iran which is Shi'a Muslum) |
| Life Expectancy | 46.62 male, 45.1 female (2000 est.) |
| Government Type | |
| Currency | 1 afghani (AF) = 100 puls |
| GDP (per capita) | $800 (1999 est.) |
| Labor Force (by occupation) | agriculture 68%, industry 16%, services 16% (1980 est.) |
| Industry | small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; hand-woven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal and copper |
| Agriculture | opium poppies, wheat, fruits, nuts, karakul pelts; wool, mutton |
| Arable Land | 12% |
| Exports | opium, fruits and nuts, hand-woven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semiprecious gems |
| Imports | capital goods, food and petroleum products; most consumer goods |
| Natural Resources | natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones |
| Telephones (main lines in use) | 31,200 (1983); note - there were 21,000 main lines in use in Kabul in 1998 |
| (U.S. Government sources) |
Military| Afghan Military - 30,000
men (pro-government only) 13,000 Taliban forces (i.e. no militia) Lots of
soviet equipment from 1980s. Afghanistan received Soviet Aid and was later
invaded by the USSR. Some equipment captured some granted by old ally. The
Russians probably haven't been willing to sell spare parts but the various
republics and China may have filled the gaps. 450 MBT (T-34, T54/55, T-62), 60 PT-76, 600 AFV (BMP-1, BTR-40/50/60/152), various Soviet artillery ranging from 76mm to 152mm, and 132mm MRL as well as a few SCUDs. They also operate a number of Su-17/22 fighter aircraft and some 30 MiG-21s. Few are in flying condition.(All forces) Taliban aircraft holdings are estimated at 20 MiG-21 and Su-22 fighters and and 5 L-39 trainers/attack aircraft. Many are inoperable due to lack of spare parts. Source: Encyclopedia of World Military Weapons, Cresent Books, NY, 1988 Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, International Institute of Strategic Studies, Department of State, Department of Energy, Library of Congress, United Nations, World Bank |
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| CIA
Factbook On Afghanistan Click Here |
Military
History: of Afghanistan, Modern Click Here |
| Terrorism:
Near Eastern Groups and State Sponsors, 2001 A new report from the Congressional Research Service on the sources of terrorism and options for countering it. (From FAS) Click Here |
FAS Site on Terrorism
(1998) |
| Background
Information on Terrorist Groups US State Dept. (A 1997 Document) Click Here |
FAS
Site with Recon Photos of Afghan Sites Click Here |
| US
Department of State Click Here |
AfghanInfo.Com
(Assorted Info on Afghanistan) Click Here For Info On the Taliban Click Here |
| Analysis:
Who are the Taleban? BBC Article Click Here |
Usama
Ibn Ladin
| US State
Department Info on bin Ladin Click Here |
FAS on
Usama Ibn Ladin Click Here |
|
Who
is Usama Ibn Ladin, BBC |
Usama
Ibn Ladin Video Clip, BBC
Click Here |
