Administrative divisions
34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Zabul |
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Capital city > Geographic coordinates
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34 31 N, 69 11 E |
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Constitution
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004 |
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Corruption
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2.5 |
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[121st of 160]
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Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address
U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806 |
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission
Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD |
Executive branch > Cabinet
25 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly |
Executive branch > Chief of state
President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah held the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presided symbolically over certain occasions but lacked any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary; King ZAHIR Shah died on 23 July 2007 |
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 |
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Government type
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Islamic republic |
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Independence
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) |
Judicial branch
the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a minister of justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses and war crimes |
Legal system
based on mixed civil and Sharia law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch
the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-year terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year terms, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms) |
National holiday
Independence Day, 19 August |
Political pressure groups and leaders
Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam) [former President Burhanuddin RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; there are also small monarchist, communist, and democratic groups |
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Status
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transition |
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Suffrage
18 years of age; universal |
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Time required to start a business > days
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8 days
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[163rd of 171]
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Transnational Issues > Disputes > International
Pakistan has built fences in some portions of its border with Afghanistan which remains open in some areas to foreign terrorists and other illegal activities |
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