Country Profile

Country

Formal Name: Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

Short Form: Afghanistan or DRA. 

Term for Citizens: Afghan(s).

Capital: Kabul.

Geography

Size: Approximately 637,397 square kilometers.

Topography: Extremely mountainous in country's midsection; 49 percent of total land area over 2,000 meters in elevation; plains and deserts in western and southern portions of country.

Climate: Typical of arid or semiarid steppe, with cold winters and dry summers; some areas receive heavy snowfall.

Society

Population: Various estimates in 1985 ranged from 14.7 million to 19.7 million.

Ethnic Groups: Numerous ethnic groups, including Pashtuns, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Hazaras, Kirghiz, Arabs, Baluch, Turkmen, Nuristanis, and others.

Languages: Pashtu and Dari official languages; also numerous minority languages.

Religion: Most Afghans Sunni Muslims of Hanafi school of jurisprudence. Sizable minorities of Twelver (Imami) Shia Muslims and Ismaili Muslims; small minorities of Hindus and Sikhs.

Education: Five years of primary school and five years of secondary school; two universities. Government reportedly waging campaign against illiteracy.

Health: Mobile medical units; medical brigades; few hospitals and physicians. Most of country's physicians and hospital beds located in Kabul.

Economy

Gross National Product (GNP): According to government, Af154.3 billion in 1981 (in 197879 prices), drop from 1978 level of Af159.7 billion (for value of the afghanisee Glossary). GNP per capita fell from Af7,370 in 1978 to Af6,852 in 1982, based on estimated population of 15 million.

Agriculture: Dominant economic activity, providing about 63 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 1981. Large subsistence agriculture economy not included in official GDP. Agriculture employed 56 percent of labor force in 1982. Main crops: wheat, corn, rice, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

Industry: Contributed 21 percent of GDP in 1982, employing about 10 percent of labor force, primarily in handicrafts. Principal modern industries, all governmentowned: natural gas, textiles, and food processing. Production of carpets and rugs most important handicraft activity.

Services: Represented about 10 percent of GDP in 1981 and employed roughly onethird of labor force. Key service sector activities included trade, transport, and government.

Resources: Wide variety of mineral resources: natural gas, coal, copper, iron, barite, chrome, and lapis lazuli. Petroleum discoveries and uranium finds reported.

Exports: Totaled US$707.7 million in 1982, twice 1978 figure. Principal exports: natural gas, dried fruits, carpets and rugs, and karakul sheep skins.

Imports: Totaled US$695 million in 1982, 50 percent higher than 1978. Principal imports: machinery, manufactured goods, and refined petroleum products. Also large food imports, both commercial and aidfinanced.

Balance of Payments: During mid1970s Afghanistan accumulated foreign currency reserves, despite constant current account deficit. By 1980s worker remittances from Persian Gulf and foreign aid inflows diminished, resulting in overall balance of payments deficit, reaching negative US$70.3 million in 1982.

Exchange Rate: Official rate Af50.6 per United States dollar in 1985. In Kabul money bazaars, United States dollar bought over 100 afghanis in late 1984.

Fiscal Year: March 21 to March 20. 

Transportation and Communications

Railroads: In 1985 Soviets building railroad over Amu Darya toward Pole Khomri and Kabul; also short spurs of Soviet rail lines at Towraghondi and Kheyrabad.

Roads: In 1978 total of 18,752 kilometers, of which 2,846 paved.

Ports: River ports on Amu Darya at Jeyretan, Shir Khan, and Towraghondi.

Airfields: Total of 41 in 1985; Kabul International Airport the largest. Second largest airport at Qandahar but handled little traffic.

Pipelines: Natural gas pipelines out of Sheberghan into Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic and Tadzhik Soviet Socialist Republic.

Government and Politics

Government: In late 1985 structure and function of government defined by Fundamental Principles of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, adopted by Revolutionary Council (RC) of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan on April 14, 1980. Loya Jirgah, or grand national assembly, designated "highest organ of state power." Actual power wielded by RC; RC elected Presidium and Council of Ministers. Chairman of Presidium, concurrently president of RC, head of state. Soviet advisers played supervisory and controlling role in all important state ministries. Afghan officials had little or no independece.

Politics: People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), founded in 1965, defined in Soviet literature as "revolutionary vanguard party of the working people." Membership in mid 1980s not certain; one estimate as low as 11,000; late 1984 official figure 120,000. Organized according to Leninist principle of "democratic centralism." Top officials: PDPA secretary general and members of the Political Bureau (Politburo). Politburo selected by Central Committee, itself chosen by Party Congress (as of late 1985 only one Party Congress held in PDPA history, in January 1965). PDPA divided since 1967 into Parcham (Banner) and Khalq (Masses) factions. Parcham dominant since Soviet invasion of December 1979, but animosity between factions remained intense in late 1985.

Justice: Highest judicial organ Supreme Court, administering courts on provincial, municipal, and district levels. Special courts established to try political cases. Human rights violations numerous.

Administrative Divisions: Country divided into 29 provinces (wilayat); provinces divided into districts (wuluswali) and subdistricts (alaqadari). Eighty percent of country reportedly outside government control.

Foreign Affairs: Afghanistan closely tied to Soviet Union. Soviet advisers reportedly have preponderant say in formulation of foreign policy. "Proximity talks" with Pakistan continuing in late 1985. Relations tense with Pakistan, Iran, China, and Arab world. Relations with India generally friendly. From 1980 to 1985 United Nations General Assembly annual resolutions called for pullout of foreign troops from country.

The Resistance: Resistance goups operating throughout country in as many as 90 localities. Mujahidiin leaders receive arms and funds from parties based in Peshawar, Pakistan. Seven major emigre parties divided into two groups, "Islamic fundamentalist" and "traditionalist." Shia Muslim groupssome with ties to Iranand leftist groups also in resistance.

National Security

Armed Forces: Total strength in 1985 reported about 47,000 (actual figure probably lower): army, 40,000 (mostly conscripts); air force, 7,000. Divisions reportedly averaged 2,500, about quarter strength. Desertion common. Terms of service (males 1555): volunteers, two years; conscripts, three to four years. About 20,000 Sarondoy (Defenders of the Revolution) in charge of rural security; KHAD (secret police), 25,000 to 35,000; militia, around 40,000.

Military Units: Army general headquarters commands three numbered corps: 1st corps (Bagrami, south of Kabul); 2d corps (Qandahar); 3d corps (Gardez). Eleven infantry divisions and three armored brigades compose principal units of three corps; all understrength.

Equipment: Tank inventory mostly Soviet made T 34s/54s/55s/62s. In 1985 army had over 400 armored personnel carriers, primarily Soviet made BTR40s/50s/60s/152s. Air force had over 150 combat aircraft, completely maintained and controlled by Soviets. Most aircraft MiG17s/21s or Su17s; helicopters: Mi24s, Mi4s, and Mi8s.

Police: Heavily purged after 1978 coup; number given by government 60,000 in 1983. Duration of training course reduced from eight to three months in 1978.

Soviet Forces: Total 105,000 to 115,000; (60,000 combat troops, 30,000 to 40,000 support troops, 10,000 paratroopers, 5,000 air assault troops). Operational headquarters Turkestan Military District, Tashkent in Soviet Union. 

Resistance Forces: Estimated 90,000 guerrillas (possibly 20,000 intermittently active) supported by about 110,000 "reserves." Equipment: small arms, 122m howitzers, AGS17 30mm grenade launchers, M41 82mm mortars, SA7 surface to air missiles

This page maintained by Luke Griffin and last updated on 01/14/2002 .