PEOPLE
Afghanistan's ethnically and linguistically mixed population reflects its location
astride historic trade and invasion routes leading from Central Asia into South
and Southwest Asia. Pashtuns are the dominant ethnic group, accounting for about
38% of the population. Tajik (25%), Hazara (19%), Uzbek (6%), Aimaq, Turkmen,
Baluch and other small groups also are represented. Dari (Afghan Persian) and
Pashto are official languages. Dari is spoken by more than one-third of the population
as a first language and serves as a lingua franca for most Afghans, though the
Taliban use Pashto. Tajik, Uzbek, and Turkmen are spoken widely in the north.
Smaller groups throughout the country also speak more than 70 other languages
and numerous dialects.
Afghanistan is an Islamic country. An estimated 84% of the population is Sunni,
following the Hanafi school of jurisprudence; the remainder is predominantly Shi'a,
mainly Hazara. Despite attempts during the years of communist rule to secularize
Afghan society, Islamic practices pervade all aspects of life. In fact, Islam
served as the principal basis for expressing opposition to the communists and
the Soviet invasion. Likewise, Islamic religious tradition and codes, together
with traditional practices, provide the principal means of controlling personal
conduct and settling legal disputes. Excluding urban populations in the principal
cities, most Afghans are divided into tribal and other kinship-based groups, which
follow traditional customs and religious practices.
| Population: |
26,813,057 (July 2001 est.)
|
| Age structure: |
0-14 years:
42.2% (male 5,775,921; female 5,538,836)
15-64 years:
55.01% (male 7,644,242; female 7,106,568)
65 years and over:
2.79% (male 394,444; female 353,046) (2001 est.)
|
| Population growth rate: |
3.48% (2001 est.)
note:
this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran
|
| Birth rate: |
41.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
|
| Death rate: |
17.72 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
|
| Net migration rate: |
11.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
|
| Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1.12 male(s)/female
total population:
1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
|
| Infant mortality rate: |
147.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
|
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population:
46.24 years
male:
46.97 years
female:
45.47 years (2001 est.)
|
| Total fertility rate: |
5.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)
|
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
|
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA
|
| Nationality: |
noun:
Afghan(s)
adjective:
Afghan
|
| Ethnic groups: |
Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 12%, Uzbek 6%
|
| Religions: |
Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
|
| Languages: |
Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, 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:
31.5%
male:
47.2%
female:
15% (1999 est.)
|
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