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
Political parties and leaders:
note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of
Justice; De Afghan Watan Islami Gond [Mohammad Osman SALEKZADA]; De
Afghanistan De Mili Mubarizeeno Islami Gond [Amanat NINGARHAREE]; De
Afghanistan De Mili Wahdat Wolesi Tahreek [Abdul Hakim NOORZAI]; De
Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan
De Solay Mili Islami Gond [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; Hezb-e
Esteqlal-e-Mili Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad WARDAK]; Hezb-e
Hambastagee Mili Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zarif NASERI]; Hezb-e
Harakat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Ali JAWID]; Hezb-e
Jamihat-e-Islami [Ustad RABBANI]; Hezb-e Paiwand Mihahani
Afghanistan [Sayed Kamal SADAT];
Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE];
Hezb-e-Aazaadi Khwahan Maihan [Abdul Hadi DABEER]; Hezb-e-Aazadee
Khwahan Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Feda Mohammad EHSAS];
Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN];
Hezb-e-Afghan Melat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Naween
[Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil
RAHIMEE]; Hezb-e-Azadee-e-Afghanistan [Ilaj Abdul MALEK];
Hezb-e-Democracy Afghanistan [Tawos ARAB];
Hezb-e-Domcrat-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR];
Hezb-e-Eatedal-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Qara Bik Eized YAAR];
Hezb-e-Eqtedar-e-Mili [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI];
Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF];
Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil
KARZAI]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT];
Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hussain
ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Nadir
AATASH]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqooq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan
[Baryalai NASRATI]; Hezb-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Sayed Jawad
HUSSINEE]; Hezb-e-Isteqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq
NEJRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamahat-ul-Dawat ilal Quran-wa-Sunat-e-Afghanistan
[Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahane-Afghanistan
[Sebghatullah SANJAR]; Hezb-e-Junbish Democracy Mardom-e-Afghanistan
[Sharif NAZARI]; Hezb-e-Junbish Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Sayed
NOORULLAH]; Hezb-e-Kangra-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM];
Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiqar OMID];
Hezb-e-Lebral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SUHAIL];
Hezb-e-Majmeh Mili Faleen-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shamsul Haq Noor
SHAMS]; Hezb-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah ASAR];
Hezb-e-Mardom-e-Mosalman-e-Afghanistan [Besmellah JOYAN];
Hezb-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili Heward
[GHULAM MOHAMMAD]; Hezb-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Rohullah
LOUDIN]; Hezb-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad
Shah KHOGYANI]; Hezb-e-Mutahed Mili [Noorul Haq ULOOMI];
Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Aazadee Wa Democracy-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib
Jawid KOHISTANEE]; Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Hambastagee Mili-e-Afghanistan
[Pir Sayed Eshaq GAILANEE]; Hezb-e-Nakhbagan-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan
[Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Hezb-e-Paiwand Mili Afghanistan [Sayed Mansoor
NADREEI]; Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Sayed Zahir
Qayed Omul BELADI]; Hezb-e-Refah-e-Afghanistan [Meer Asef ZAEEFI];
Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASIQ];
Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mili Afghanistan [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE];
Hezb-e-Resalat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEENE];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Osman
SALEKZADA]; Hezb-e-Subat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Same
KHAROTI]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Gulabuddin
Shir ZAEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul
Qaher SHARIATEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum Wa Democracy-e-Afghanistan [Ahamad
SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan [Sultan
Mohammad GHAZI]; Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-ul-Musimeen Afghanistan
[Wazir Mohammad WAHDAT]; Hezb-e-Tanzim Jabha Mili
Nejat-e-Afghanistan [Seghatullah MOJADDEDI]; Hezb-e-Taraqee Democrat
Afghanistan [Wali ARYA]; Hezb-e-Taraqee Mili Afghanistan [Dr. Aref
BAKTASH]; Hezb-e-Umat-e-Islam-e-Afghanistan [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad
ZAI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Ustad Mohammad
MOHAQQEQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Melat-e-Afghanistan [Qurban Ali
URFANI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rashid JALILI];
Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];
Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE]; Mili
Dreez Gong [Habibullah JANBDAD];
Nahzat-e-Hakemyat-e-Mardom-e-Afghanistan [Hayatullah SUBHANEE];
Nahzat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; Tanzim
Daawat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF]; (20 August 2005)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SACEP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] 202-483-6410
FAX: [1] 202-483-6488
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806
telephone: [00 93] (20) 230-0436
FAX: [00 93] (20) 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 economy is recovering from decades of conflict. The
economy has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban
regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of international
assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector, and service
sector growth. Real GDP growth probably exceeded 8% in 2006. Despite
the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor,
landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and
trade with neighboring countries. Much of the population continues
to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity,
medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the Afghan
Government's inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the
country pose challenges to future economic growth. It will probably
take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and
attention to significantly raise Afghanistan's living standards from
its current status, among the lowest in the world. While the
international community remains committed to Afghanistan's
development, pledging over $24 billion at three donors' conferences
since 2002, Kabul will need to overcome a number of challenges.
Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade generate
roughly $3 billion in illicit economic activity and looms as one of
Kabul's most serious policy concerns. Other long-term challenges
include: budget sustainability, job creation, corruption, government
capacity, and rebuilding war torn infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$21.5 billion (2004 est.)