Political parties and leaders:
note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of
Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; De Afghanistan De Solay
Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami
Gond [Shah Mahmood Polal ZAI]; Harakat-e-Islami Afghanistan
[Mohammad Asif MOHSINEE]; Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan
[Iihaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; Hezb-e-Aazadee Afghanistan [Abdul
MALIK]; Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabeer
MARZBAN]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil RAHEEMEE];
Hezb-e-Afghan Watan Islami Gond [NA leader]; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili
Afghanistan [Lateef PIDRAM]; Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan
[Mohammad ZAREEF]; Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee
Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili
Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI];
Hezb-e-Hamnbatagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT];
Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Moahammad Nadir AATASH];
Hezb-e-Harak-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hssain
ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqoq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan
[Baryalai NASRATEE]; Hezb-e-Istiqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Gh. Farooq
NIJZRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahan [Sibghatullah SANJAR];
Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiar OMID]; Hezb-e-Mili
Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed AARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili
Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANEE];
Hezb-e-Nuhzhat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOUD];
Hezb-e-Paiwand-e-Mili Afghanistan [Said Mansoor NADIRI];
Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Said ZAHIR];
Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASEEQ];
Hezb-e-Risalat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEEN];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Wa Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Usman
SALIGZADA]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul
Qahir SHARYATEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul
Qadir IMAMEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum-e-Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Ahamad
SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Haji Mohammad
MUHAQIQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed Jalili];
Jamahat-ul-Dahwat ilal Qurhan-wa-Sunat-ul-Afghanistan [Mawlawee
Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Jombesh-e Milli [Abdul Rashjid DOSTUM];
Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Said Ahmad GAILANEE]; Majmah-e-Mili
Fahaleen-e-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shams ul Haq Noor SHAMS];
Nuhzat-e-Aazadee Wa democracy Afghanistan [Abdul Raqeeb Jawid
KUHISTANEE]; Nuhzat-e-Hambastagee Mili Afghanistan [Peer Said Ishaq
GAILANEE]; Sazman-e-Islami Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Siad Jawad
HUSSAINEE]; Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili [Sultan Mahmood DHAZI] (30 Sep
2004)
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
International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
NATO, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] 202-483-6488
telephone: [1] 202-483-6410
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD
embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180
telephone: [00] (2) 230-0436
FAX: [0093] (2) 230-1364
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a
gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a
temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right
and by a bold Islamic inscription above
Economy Afghanistan
Economy - overview:
Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly over the
past two years because of the infusion of over $2 billion in
international assistance, dramatic improvements in agricultural
production, and the end of a four-year drought in most of the
country. However, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked,
and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with
neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of the
decade and continuing donor aid and attention to raise Afghanistan's
living standards up from its current status among the lowest in the
world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of
housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the
Afghan government and international donors remain committed to
improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing
infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs
programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political
stability and continued international commitment to Afghan
reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for maintaining
improvements to the Afghan economy in 2004. The replacement of the
opium trade - which may account for one-third of GDP - is one of
several potential spoilers for the economy over the long term.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $20 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
29% (2003 est.)
: note: this high growth rate reflects the extremely low levels of
activity between 1999 and 2002, as well as the end of a four-year
drought and the impact of donor assistance