NIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD
embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806
telephone: [93] 0700 108 001
FAX: [93] 0700 108 564

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green,
with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and
slightly overlapping the other two bands; the center of the emblem
features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the
mosque are numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian
calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central
image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the
left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the
Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over
the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom
center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan

Economy
Afghanistan

Economy - overview:

Afghanistan's economy is recovering from decades of conflict. The
economy has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban
regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of international
assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector, and service
sector growth. Real GDP growth exceeded 7% in 2007. Despite the
progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor,
landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and
trade with neighboring countries. Much of the population continues
to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity,
medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the Afghan
Government's inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the
country pose challenges to future economic growth. It will probably
take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and
attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from
its current level, among the lowest in the world. International
pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial
institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference for Afghan
reconstruction in March 2004 r