Transcript The Taliban in Afghanistan

Government
Quick Facts
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Type – Islamic
Republic
Capital – Kabul
Independence
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19 August 1919
- Suffrage – 18 Years of Age
- 34 Provinces (see right)
- Constitution dated
- 16 January 2004
Until 2004, Afghanistan had no stable form
of rule due to the presence of tyrannical
warlords, foreign colonization, or other
oppressive nations controlling it. A US led
invasion in late 2001 led to the removal of
the Taliban institution and later to the
creation of an official and structured
government and constitution. Courtesy of
American intervention and monitoring, the
new constitution constructed three
branches: A legislative, executive, and
judicial; yet it still contains many figurehead
elements and other variances pertaining to
Islamic Law
Politics
Historically, Politics in Afghanistan
has been marked by power
struggles, bloody coups, and
highly unstable transfers of
power. In the past 100 years it
has been rules by almost every
major system of government,
including a monarchy, republic,
theocracy, communist state,
and now an Islamic Republic
created by the United States.
Currently, Afghanistan
withholds a President, Hamid
Karzai, elected in 2004, and a
diversified Parliament
containing former Mujahadeen
and Taliban members,
communists, reformists, Islamic
fundamentalists, and 28%
women.
Economy
Quick Facts
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GDP – $8.8 Mil
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GDP Growth Rate
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Labor Force
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Inflation Rate
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40%
Electricity
Production
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15 Milion
Population Below
Poverty Line – 53%
Unemployment
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8%
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754.2 Million KWh
Electricity
Consumption
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801.4 Million KWh
16.3%
Current Budget
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$260 Million in
Revenues
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$561 Million in
Expenditures
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Currency – Afghani
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Imports - $3.87 Bil.
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Exports - $471 Mil.
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Bilateral Debt
$8 Billion
Agricultural Products: Opium, wheat, fruit, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins,
lambskins
Industries: Small scale production of textiles, soap, fertilizer, furniture,
shoes, cement; hand-woven carpets; natural gas, copper, coal
Exports: Opium, fruits, nuts, hand-woven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and
pelts, precious and semiprecious gems
Imports: Capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
Afghanistan’s economy has only since been recuperating. Ravaged by
civil war, anarchy, corruption, and a flourishing illegal opium trade,
recently made efforts to establish a marketable economy have been
unsuccessful. Economic growth faces other problems: Afghanistan is
exceptionally poor, highly dependent on foreign agriculture, aid, and
trade from foreign nations and is landlocked. Insufficient jobs,
healthcare, clean water, and electricity plague any further development.
The US monitored regime in Kabul often contemplates the future of the
Afghan economy.
History
Afghanistan has been a centralized crossroads of culture
and often a thoroughfare for warring empires throughout
time. Located relatively near to one of the birthplaces of
civilization, Afghanistan has seen much change,
development, and intervention over the course of its
History. Note that in the Middle Ages until the 19th
century, Afghanistan was known as Khorasan.
Islamic Conquest
Amir Abdur Rahman Khan
Perhaps the largest presence of a single idea in Afghanistan
was the spread of Islam. The Majority of the conquerors
within Afghanistan were Muslim and thus increased its
influence across the land. Empires from the time of the
Samanids to the Timurids in the first two centuries are
considered to be the most brilliant eras of Afghanistan's
history. Under leaders such as Babur and the Mughal
Empire, Muslim culture was further solidified and Kabul
made the capital.
Hotaki Dynasty and Durrani Empire
Under the Hotaki Dynasty, Afghanistan removed foreign
invaders from power, repelled a Persian invasion and
later overtook the Persian capital in present day Iran
while massacring civilians in Ishafan. After various inner
power struggles, Ahmad Shah united the Afghan people
to fight and control all of present day Afghanistan.
History
European Presence, Soviet Invasion, Civil
War
During the Nineteenth Century, Great
Britain fought a series of three wars,
known as the Anglo-Afghan wars,
creating a sporadic influence in
Afghanistan. It was not until 1919 that
complete independence was
achieved.
International miscommunication and
treaty violations sparked an invasion
by the USSR in the last days of 1979.
Over 200,000 Soviet troops poured
into Afghanistan, exiling 5 million
civilians and killing at least 600,000.
Eventually, the US supplied
Mujahideen rebels and mounting
international pressure force the
Soviets to withdraw in 1989.
The destruction of the nation's economy,
leadership, and infrastructure by the
Soviet Invasion created anarchy, civil
war, and spontaneous power
struggles for over a decade. Finally, in
1996, the Taliban regime formed and
stabilized the country. Though, the
Taliban ruled oppressively,
eradicating civil rights, personal and
economic freedom, and even almost
US War in Afghanistan
The Taliban fell in 2001 with the US and
Allied invasion of Afghanistan, which is
still ongoing. The US has helped to
reorganize the ravaged country by
implementing an entirely new Islamic
Republic and a stronger economy.
Video: The Taliban in Afghanistan
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Geography
Quick Stats
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Area - 250,000 mi²
Approx the size of TX
Lowest Point: 856 ft
Highest Point: 24 577 ft
12.1% of land is arable
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3 436 miles of borders
Borders Iran,
Turkmenistan,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,
China, & Pakistan
Climate: Arid to Semiarid; cold winters + hot summers
Terrain: Mostly rugged mountains; plains in N and SW
Natural Hazards: Earthquakes in Hindu Kush Mts.,
Flooding and Droughts
Natural Resources: Natural gas, petroleum, coal,
copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore,
salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Environmental Issues: Limited freshwater, soil
degradation, overgrazing, deforestation, desertification,
and air and water pollution
- Afganistan is a Landlocked country -
Military
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Known as the Afghan National Army (ANA)
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Military Service age and obligation
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Includes the Afghan Air Force
22 Years of Age
Contracted to Four Year term
Manpower fit for military service
- Males Age 22-49
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Females Age 22-49
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2 662 946
2 508 574
Military expenditures
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1.9 % of GDP
Much like the Economy and Government, the
Afghan Military has undergone many
sudden changes since US intervention.
Formerly bands of rebels, militias, and
tribes, the Afghan Army is now fully
organized and regulated as the Afghan
National Army. Within the same military
sector, over 60,000 Police officers have
been trained to help combat insurgency,
crime, and anarchy.
Demographics
Quick Facts
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Population
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Afghani Children
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46.21/1000
19.96/1000
Life Expectancy
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2.625%
Death Rate
43.77 Years
Literacy
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Age Structure
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Birth Rate
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31 889 923
P Growth Rate
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Infant Mortality
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0 – 14 Years:
44.6%
15-64 Years:
53%
65+ Years:
2.4%
157.43/1000
Fertility Rate
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6.64/Woman
28.1%
Ethnicities: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara
9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%,
Baloch 2%
Languages: Afghan Persian 50%, Pashto
35%, Turkic languages 11%, 30 Minor
languages 4%
Major Infectious Diseases:
Degree of Risk – High
Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever, Malaria,
Rabies
Culture
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Afghans display pride in their religion, country,
ancestry, and above all, their independence. Like
other highlanders, Afghans are regarded with
mingled apprehension and condescension, for
their high regard for personal honor, for their clan
loyalty and for their readiness to carry and use
arms to settle disputes. As clan warfare and
internecine feuding has been one of their chief
occupations since time immemorial, this
individualistic trait has made it difficult for foreign
invaders to hold the region.
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Buzkashi is a national sport in Afghanistan. It is
similar to polo and played by horsemen in two
teams, each trying to grab and hold off a goat
carcass. Afghan hounds (a type of running dog)
also originated from Afghanistan.
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Although literacy levels are very low, classic
Persian poetry plays a very important role in the
Afghan culture. Poetry has always been one of the
major educational pillars in Iran and Afghanistan,
to the level that it has integrated itself into culture.
Persian culture has, and continues to, exert a
great influence over Afghan culture. Private poetry
competition events known as “musha’era” are
quite common even among ordinary people.
Almost every home owns one or more poetry
collection of some sort, even if it is not read often.
Foreign
Relations
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Despite past conflicts with nations like Russia and
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Iran, Afghanistan's largest influence comes from
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the United States. With the Afghan government
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practically in their control, the US has piloted most
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of Afghanistan's relations with neighboring
countries, like Pakistan, to fight against Terrorism
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and Islamic Extremists. The US military has
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become practically a part of everyday life for some
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Afghan citizens, and America's leaders consult the
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Afghan government often in handling
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communication with other countries.
Bibliography
1. "Afghanistan." Wikipedia. 09 December 2007. Wikipedia. 12 Dec 2007
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan#Communications_and_technology>
.
2. "Afghanistan." CIA World Factbook. 06 December 2007. CIA. 12 Dec
2007
<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html>.