Geography and Natural Resources

Map of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is a landlocked nation in central South Asia. It shares borders with Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The country's area is 647,500 square kilometers or 246,035 square miles (slightly smaller the the US state of Texas, slightly larger than France).

Afghanistan's terrain is about 75% mountains. The Hindu Kush mountains, considered an extension of the Himalayas, generally run northeast to southwest and divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country, with plains in the north and southwest. The highest point is Nowshak, 7,485 m (24,557 feet). The lowest point is Amu Darya, 258 m (833 feet). 49% of the country is over 2,000 m (6,650 feet) in altitude.

Land use is 12.13% arable land; 0.21% permanent crops; and 87.66% other (2005).

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

There are four main rivers:

• The Amu Darya ("Persian Sea") rises in the far eastern mountains of Afghanistan, runs generally east along the northern boarder with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, before turning generally north into Turkmenistan and flowing into the Aral Sea (or disappearing before reaching the Aral Sea).

• The Harirud rises in the mountains in the center of the country, runs generally west, passing south of the western city of Herat, and then northwest and north, where it forms part of the boarder between Iran and Turkmenistan and ultimately ends in the Kara Kum desert.

• The Helmand rises in the mountains west of the capital city of Kabul, runs generally southwest to the far southwest of the country where it flows into the Hamun-i-Helmand (or Sistan Lake), a marshy lake (approximately 12,950 sq km or 5,000 sq mile) on the boarder between Afghanistan and Iran. In spring this lake feeds the Shelagh River which flows into salt flats and swamps in the southwest region of Afghanistan, Gaud-i-Zirreh.

• The Kabul also rises in the mountains to the west of the capital city but runs generally southeast crossing into Pakistan and into the Indus River. The Kabul is a small river for most of the year, but expands in summer with the melting of snow.

Major Environmental Issues and Natural Hazards

Current environmental issues include: limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; and air and water pollution.

Natural hazards include damaging earthquakes in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; and droughts.

International Environmental Agreements

Afghanistan is party to the following international environmental agreements:

• Biodiversity;
• Climate Change;
• Desertification;
• Endangered Species;
• Environmental Modification; and,
• Marine Dumping.

Afghanistan has signed, but not ratified, international environmental agreements on:

• Hazardous Wastes;
• Law of the Sea; and
• Marine Life Conservation.

Demographics and Health

Population: 32.7 million (July 2008 est.). The population growth rate is estimated to be 2.626% per year. Note that this does not include the return of an estimated 2.3 million refugees to Afghanistan since 2002 mainly from Pakistan and Iran (of an estimated 4 million refugees outside of the country in 2001).

Afghanistan is impacted by several major infectious diseases, including food- or water-borne diseases such as bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever; and vector-borne diseases such as malaria (especially in areas below 2,000 meters from March through November). Rabies is also present.

Life expectancy at birth: 44.21 years (2008 est.)

Literacy: 28.1% (43.1% male, 12.6% female) (2000 est.)

Further Reading

• US Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook
• World Resources Institute. Agriculture and Food - Afghanistan
• World Resources Institute. Biodiversity and Protected Areas - Afghanistan
• World Resources Institute. Climate and Atmosphere - Afghanistan
• World Resources Institute. Economic Indicators - Afghanistan
• World Resources Institute. Energy and Resources - Afghanistan
• World Resources Institute. Environmental Institutions and Governance - Afghanistan
• World Resources Institute. Forest, Grasslands, and Drylands - Afghanistan
• World Resources Institute. Population, Health and Human Wellbeing - Afghanistan
• World Resources Institute. Water Resources and Freshwater Ecosystems - Afghanistan