People

Population: 24 792 375 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 43% (male 5 425 510; female 5 216 954)

15-64 years: 54% (male 6 978 549; female 6 494 253)

65 years and over: 3% (male 357 780; female 319 329) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.21% (1998 est.)

note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees

Birth rate: 42.37 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 17.4 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 17.14 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 143.63 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 46.83 years

male: 47.35 years

female: 46.29 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.01 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Afghan(s)

adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups: Pashtun 38% Tajik 25% Uzbek 6% Hazara 19% minor ethnic groups (Aimaks Turkmen Baloch and others)

Religions: Sunni Muslim 84% Shi'a Muslim 15% other 1%

Languages: Pashtu 35% Afghan Persian (Dari) 50% Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11% 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4% much bilingualism

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 31.5%

male: 47.2%

female: 15% (1995 est.)

national holidays, wictory of muslim nation 28 aspril, remembrance day for martys and disabled, 4 may, independance day 19 august.