Afghanistan: a snapshot

TURKMENISTAN TAJIKISTAN

UZBEKISTAN IRAN Kabul

CHINA

Peshawar

AF GHANISTAN
Kandahar

Islamabad Lahore

N
0 km 200

Quetta

PAKISTAN
Vital statistics
SIZE: More than 650,000 square kilometres, or slightly smaller than Saskatchewan BORDERS: China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan CAPITAL: Kabul POPULATION: 29.8 million LIFE EXPECTANCY: 45 years LANGUAGES: Dari, Pashto, Uzbek, Turkmen and at least 30 other local dialects LITERACY RATE: 28 per cent 43 per cent for men, 12 per cent for women ETHNIC GROUPS: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Aimak, Turkmen, Baloch RELIGIONS: Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim GDP: $27.3 billion US, or $900 US per capita UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: 35 per cent
SOURCE: CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Afghanistan

POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE: 36 per cent LABOUR FORCE: 79 per cent agriculture, 6 per cent industry, 16 per cent services CHIEF EXPORTS: opium, fruits and nuts, hand-woven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems GOVERNMENT: Hamid Karzai was appointed interim president in 2002. He won the countrys first democratic election in 2004 and was re-elected in a controversial 2009 vote reportedly tainted by ballot-stuffing, intimidation and lack of security. Karzais rule, though initially backed by the U.S. and its NATO partners, has drawn criticism from the West over the presidents apparent tolerance of corruption. Meanwhile, Karzais recent criticism of the U.S. mission and comments about civilian casualties at the hands of U.S. forces has further soured relations between the two governments.

Dean Tweed, Teri Pecoskie / THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR