lt prevalence rate:
0.01% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide below 2,000
meters from March through November
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified
among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a
negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens
who have close contact with birds (2007)
Nationality:
noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan
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:
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official) 35%,
Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor
languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 36%
male: 51%
female: 21% (1999 est.)
People - note:
of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million
have returned
Government Afghanistan
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
Government type:
Islamic republic
Capital:
name: Kabul
geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 12 E
time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,
Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr,
Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar,
Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan,
Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar,
Vardak, Zabol
Independence:
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitution:
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16
January 2004
Legal system:
according to the new constitution, no law should be "cont
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