The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
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local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
Government type:
transitional
Capital:
Kabul
Administrative divisions:
32 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,
Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand,
Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar, Kondoz,
Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan, Paktia,
Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, and Zabol
Independence:
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitution:
the Bonn Agreement called for a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) to be
convened within 18 months of the establishment of the Transitional
Authority to draft a new constitution for the country; the basis for
the next constitution is the 1964 Constitution, according to the
Bonn Agreement
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
Suffrage:
NA; previously males 15–50 years of age
Executive branch:
note: following the Taliban's refusal to hand over Usama bin LADIN
to the US for his suspected involvement in the 11 September 2001
terrorist attacks in the US, a US-led international coalition was
formed; after several weeks of aerial bombardment by coalition
forces and military action on the ground, including Afghan
opposition forces, the Taliban was ousted from power on 17 November
2001; in December 2001, a number of prominent Afghans met under UN
auspices in Bonn, Germany, to decide on a plan for governing the
country; as a result, the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) - made up
of 30 members, headed by a chairman - was inaugurated on 22 December
2001 with a six-month mandate to be followed by a two-year
Transitional Authority (TA), after which elections are to be held;
the structure of the follow-on TA was announced on 10 June 2002,
when the Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) convened establishing the
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA), which has 18
months to hold a Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and 24 months to
hold nationwide elections
chief of state: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10 June
2002); note - presently the president and head of government
head of government: President of the TISA, Hamid KARZAI (since 10
June 2002); note - presently the president and head of government
cabinet: the 30-member TISA
elections: nationwide elections are to be held by June 2004,
according to the Bonn Agreement
Legislative branch:
nonfunctioning as of June 1993
Judicial branch:
the Bonn Agreement called for the establishment of a Supreme Court;
there is also a Minister of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
NA; note - political parties in Afghanistan are in flux and many
prominent players have plans to create new parties; the Transitional
Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA) is headed by President Hamid
KARZAI; the TISA is a coalition government formed of leaders from
across the Afghan political spectrum; there are also several
political factions not holding positions in the Transitional
government that are forming new groups and parties in the hopes of
participating in 2004 elections
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA; note - ministries formed under the Transitional Islamic State
of Afghanistan (TISA) include former influential Afghans, diaspora
members, and former political leaders
International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: ambassador Seyyed Tayeb JAWAD
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: 202–483-6487
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: 202–483-6410
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Patrick John FINN; note -
embassy in Kabul reopened 16 December 2001, following closure in
January 1989
embassy: Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189–6180
telephone: [93] (2) 290002, 290005, 290154
FAX: 00932290153
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a
gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a
temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right
and by a bold Islamic inscription above
Economy Afghanistan
Economy - overview:
Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly
dependent on foreign aid, farming and livestock raising (sheep and
goats), and trade with neighboring countries. Economic
considerations have played second fiddle to political and military
upheavals during more than 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 4 to 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