WHERE IN THE WORLD IS AFGHANISTAN?

› Location: At the crossroads of central Asia, north and west of Pakistan; east of Iran.

Map courtesy of maps.com

› Capital:  Kabul
› Land Area: Slightly smaller than Texas in the United States
› Terrain: Rugged mountains. Plains are in the north and southwest
› Climate: Cold winters and hot summers
› Population: 29,000,000
› Schools: 7,000 schools for 4.2 million school-aged children. UNICEF reports 37% increase in the number of girls in school since last year; girls generally attend only to the 5th grade.
› Literacy: Male 52%; female 21%
› Efforts to have more children attend school are underway.
› Life Expectancy at birth: Male 48 years; female 46 years. Average family size is 5 children.
› Religion: Islam
› Telephones: 30,000
› Radios: 170,000
› Televisions: 100,000
› Internet Service Providers: 1
› Afghanistan is a poor, landlocked country, dependent on foreign aid and trade with neighboring countries.
› Farming and raising livestock (sheep and goats) are primary livelihoods.
› 70% of the Afghan people make their meager living from agriculture. Severe droughts and little arable land (land that can be plowed) make growing food even more difficult.
› Many humanitarian projects to improve healthcare and the lives of the Afghan children and their parents, as well as promote peace, are underway by the United Nations and other relief organizations.
› The country is one of the world's largest growers of opium poppies used in producing dangerous, illegal drugs.
› Government and police efforts to stop illegal drug trade are increasing but, because so much money is made from this illegal activity, these efforts will take time.
› Peace has been elusive in Afghanistan's history. For many, many years the country has been in political and economic turmoil.
› In January 2004, after years of great internal strife and foreign intervention, the country's ruling body approved a draft of a new constitution. The Interim President is Hamid Karzai.

Flags courtesy of ITA's Flags of All Countries used with permission.

Sources: www.embassyofafghanistan.org, U. S. Government agencies, the United Nations and UNICEF.

The Afghan people are courageous and strong, qualities that have helped them face many difficulties and hardships in their history. These same qualities are helping them work toward a better, more hopeful future. There is much work yet to be done. Please pray for this work, for peace in the country, and especially for the children of Afghanistan.