Afghanaid is an international charity that operates only in Afghanistan. We work alongside Afghans in the most remote and marginalised areas of Afghanistan, to help them meet their survival and development needs.
About Us
Afghanaid is an international humanitarian and development non-governmental organisation (NGO), created in 1983 specifically for the Afghans.
Facts about Afghanistan
Population and Development facts
To see an interactive map of Afghanistan follow this link to Reuters Alertnet
Demographics
Population size: 32,358.3
Ethnic groups: Pashtun (42%), Tajik (27%), Hazara (9%), Uzbek (9%), Aimak (4%), Turkmen (3%), Baloch (2%), other (4%)
Religions: Sunni Muslim (80%), Shi'a Muslim (19%), other (1%)
Languages: Pashtu 42%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 43%, Turkic languages 11%, Minor languages 4%.
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 43.2% (male 6,671,683/ female 6,460,034)
15-64 years: 54.4% (male 8,414,716/ female 8,121,616)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 350,692/ female 401,187)
Birth rate: 39.3 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 19.59 deaths/ 1,000 populations
Infant mortality rate: 121.63 deaths/ 1,000 live birth. Half of Afghan children less than five years old are underweight and 16.7 percent face acute malnutrition (United Nations' December 2010 Consolidated Appeal for Afghanistan).
Maternal mortality ratio: 460 deaths per 100,000 populations (2000)
Life expectancy at birth: 48.7 years
Total fertility rate: 5.64 children born/ women
Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write): Total Population - 28.1%
Male 43.1%
Female 12.6%
GDP per capita: $1000
Physical and Geographical Facts
Area size: 647,500 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 the north and southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point - Amu Darya 258 m highest point - Nowshak 7, 485 m
Political History
1979- Afghanistan was invaded and eventually controlled by the Soviet Union.
1989- Afghanistan and the Soviet Union signed a peace agreement.
1995- Taliban, promising traditional, Islamic values came into power, imposing strict Islamic law, including revoking many women's rights.
2001-American troops forced the Taliban out of power.
2004-Hamid Karzai became the first elected Afghan president
Sources: World Health Organisation, Human Development Report-Afghansitan, 2011, World Bank and , www.afghansitan-network.net.
