Appendix E: Weights and Measures
Appendix F: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes
Appendix G: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Codes
Appendix H: Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names
History
Contributors and Copyright Information
Purchase Information

AFGHANISTAN

@Afghanistan:Introduction

Background: Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union
in 1979. The USSR 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, but the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban
movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to
the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous
poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread live mines.

@Afghanistan:Geography

Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area:
total: 652,000 sq km
land: 652,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,
Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite,
talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
semiprecious stones

Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 3%
other: 39% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
flooding

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing;
deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for
fuel and building materials); desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of th