from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Afghanistan
Introduction
Background: Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and
founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a
buffer between the British and Russian empires until it
won independence from notional British control in 1919.
A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup
and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union
invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan
Communist regime, but withdrew 10 years later under
relentless pressure by internationally supported
anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A civil war between
mujahedin factions erupted following the 1992 fall of
the Communist regime. The Taliban, a hardline
Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to
end the country's civil war and anarchy, seized Kabul
in 1996 and most of the country outside of opposition
Northern Alliance strongholds by 1998. Following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and
Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban
for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. In late 2001, a
conference in Bonn, Germany, established a process for
political reconstruction that included the adoption of
a new constitution and a presidential election in 2004,
and National Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December
2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically
elected president of Afghanistan. The National Assembly
was inaugurated on 19 December 2005.
Geography
Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic 33 00 N, 65 00 E
coordinates:
Map Asia
references:
Area: total: 647,500 sq km
land: 647,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Texas
comparative:
Land total: 5,529 km
boundaries: border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan
2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km,
Uzbekistan 137 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Elevation lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
extremes: highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Natural natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc,
resources: barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious
and semiprecious stones
Land use: arable land: 12.13%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 87.66% (2005)
Irrigated 27,200 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
hazards: flooding; droughts
Environment - limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
current supplies of potable water; soil degradation;
issues: overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining
forests are being cut down for fuel and building
materials); desertification; air and water pollution
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
agreements: Modification, Marine Dumping
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast
note: to southwest divide the northern provinces from the
rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the
northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)
People
Population: 31,056,997 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.6% (male 7,095,117/female 6,763,759)
15-64 years: 53% (male 8,436,716/female 8,008,463)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 366,642/female 386,300)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 17.6 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 17.6 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.67% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 46.6 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 20.34 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 160.23 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 164.77 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 155.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 43.34 years
expectancy at male: 43.16 years
birth: female: 43.53 years (2006 est.)
Total 6.69 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.01% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
Major degree of risk: high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
diseases: diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide
below 2,000 meters from March through November
animal contact disease: rabies (2005)
Nationality: noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groups: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%,
Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%
Languages: Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu
(official) 35%, 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: 36%
male: 51%
female: 21% (1999 est.)
People - note: of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001,
2.3 million have returned
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
Government Islamic republic
type:
Capital: name: Kabul
geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 12 E
time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of
Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative 34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan,
divisions: Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah,
Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol,
Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman,
Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan, Paktia,
Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar,
Vardak, Zabol
Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign
affairs)
National Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
holiday:
Constitution: new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January
2004; signed 16 January 2004
Legal system: according to the new constitution, no law should be
"contrary to Islam"; the state is obliged to create a
prosperous and progressive society based on social
justice, protection of human dignity, protection of
human rights, realization of democracy, and to ensure
national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and
tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter,
international treaties, international conventions that
Afghanistan signed, and the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of
branch: 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 holds the honorific, "Father of the
Country," and presides symbolically over certain
occasions, but lacks any governing authority; the
honorific is not hereditary
head of government: 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 chief of state and head of government
cabinet: 27 ministers; note - under the new
constitution, ministers are appointed by the president
and approved by the National Assembly
elections: the president and two vice presidents are
elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible
for a second term); if no candidate receives 50% or
more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two
candidates with the most votes will participate in a
second round; a president can only be elected for two
terms; election last held 9 October 2004 (next to be
held in 2009)
election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president;
percent of vote - Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANOONI
16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ 11.6%, Abdul Rashid
DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda JALAL
1.2%
Legislative the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi
branch: 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 - provincial councils elected temporary members
to fill these seats until district councils are formed,
and one-third presidential appointees for five-year
terms; the presidential appointees will include 2
representatives of Kuchis and 2 representatives of the
disabled; half of the presidential appointees will be
women)
note: on rare occasions the government may convene a
Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence,
national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it can
amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute
the president; it is made up of members of the National
Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and
district councils
elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be held
for the Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held
for the provincial councils to the Meshrano Jirga by
September 2008)
election results: the single non-transferable vote
(SNTV) system used in the election did not make use of
political party slates; most candidates ran as
independents
Judicial the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera
branch: 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 (note - nine supreme court
justices were appointed in the interim in January 2005
pending National Assembly selection of the
constitutionally mandated justices); 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 note - includes only political parties approved by the
parties and Ministry of Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI];
leaders: 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;
Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili Afghanistan [Latif PEDRAM];
Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad ZAREEF];
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 [Mohammad 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-Libral-e-Aazadee
Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL]; 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 [Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ];
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 Rashid DOSTAM];
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 Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam) [former President
pressure Burhanuddin RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union
groups and for the Liberation of Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul
leaders: SAYYAF]; there are also small monarchist, communist,
and democratic groups
International AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
organization IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
participation: IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
OSCE (partner), SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
representation chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] 202-483-6410
FAX: [1] 202-483-6488
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
representation embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
from the US: mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA
20189-6180
telephone: [00 93] (20) 230-0436
FAX: [00 93] (20) 230-1364
Flag three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and
description: 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
Economy - Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved
overview: significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in
2001 because of the infusion of over $8 billion in
international assistance, recovery of the agricultural
sector and growth of the service sector, and the
reestablishment of market institutions. Real GDP growth
is estimated to have slowed in the last fiscal year
primarily because adverse weather conditions cut
agricultural production, but is expected to rebound
over 2005-06 because of foreign donor reconstruction
and service sector growth. Despite the progress of the
past few years, 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 significantly
raise Afghanistan's living standards 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 continuing improvements in the
Afghan economy in 2006. Expanding poppy cultivation and
a growing opium trade may account for one-third of GDP
and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy
challenges. Other long-term challenges include:
boosting the supply of skilled labor, reducing
vulnerability to severe natural disasters, expanding
health services, and rebuilding a war torn
infrastructure.
GDP $21.5 billion (2004 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $7.095 billion
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 14% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $800 (2004 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 38%
composition by industry: 24%
sector: services: 38%
note: data exclude opium production (2005 est.)
Labor force: 15 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 80%
by occupation: industry: 10%
services: 10% (2004 est.)
Unemployment 40% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 53% (2003)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 16.3% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $269 million
expenditures: $561 million; including capital
expenditures of $41.7 million
note: Afghanistan has also received $273 million from
the Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the
Law and Order Trust Fund (FY04-05 budget est.)
Agriculture - opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins,
products: lambskins
Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture,
shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural
gas, coal, copper
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 905 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 36.3%
production by hydro: 63.7%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 1.042 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 200 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003)
production:
Oil - 5,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 0 bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 50 million cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 50 million cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 99.96 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Exports: $471 million; note - not including illicit exports or
reexports (2005 est.)
Exports - opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool,
commodities: cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious
gems
Exports - US 25.3%, Pakistan 20.9%, India 20.8%, Finland 4%
partners: (2005)
Imports: $3.87 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products
commodities:
Imports - Pakistan 23.9%, US 11.8%, Germany 6.8%, India 6.5%,
partners: Turkey 5.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Russia 4.7%, Kenya 4.4%
(2005)
Debt - $8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia;
external: Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral
Development Banks (2004)
Economic aid - international pledges made by more than 60 countries
recipient: and international financial institutions at the Berlin
Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March
2004 reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09
Currency afghani (AFA)
(code):
Currency code: AFA
Exchange afghanis per US dollar - 541 (2005), 48 (2004), 49
rates: (2003), 41 (2002), 66 (2001)
note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the
currency stabilized at about 50 afghanis to the dollar;
before 2002, the market rate varied widely from the
official rate
Fiscal year: 21 March - 20 March
Communications
Telephones - 100,000 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1.2 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: very limited telephone and
system: telegraph service
domestic: telephone service is improving with the
licensing of four wireless telephone service providers
by 2005; approximately 4 in 100 Afghans own a wireless
telephone; telephone main lines remain limited.
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed
in Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and
Jalalabad provide international and domestic voice and
data connectivity
Radio AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan
broadcast Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)
stations:
Radios: 167,000 (1999)
Television at least 10 (one government-run central television
broadcast station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the
stations: 34 provinces; the regional stations operate on a
reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a station in
Mazar-e-Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan
provinces) (1998)
Televisions: 100,000 (1999)
Internet .af
country code:
Internet 22 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 30,000 (2005)
users:
Communications in March 2003, 'af' was established as Afghanistan's
- note: domain name; Internet access is growing through
Internet cafes as well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul
(2002)
Transportation
Airports: 46 (2006)
Airports - total: 11
with paved over 3,047 m: 3
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 35
with unpaved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (2006)
Heliports: 9 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 466 km (2006)
Roadways: total: 34,789 km
paved: 8,231 km
unpaved: 26,558 km (2003)
Waterways: 1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up
to 500 DWT) (2005)
Ports and Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
terminals:
Military
Military Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force) (2006)
branches:
Military 22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service
service age for a 4-year term (2005)
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 22-49: 4,952,812
available for females age 22-49: 4,663,963 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 22-49: 2,662,946
for military females age 22-49: 2,508,574 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 275,362
reaching females age 22-49: 259,935 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $122.4 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.7% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - most Afghan refugees in Pakistan have been repatriated,
international: but thousands still remain in Iran, many at their own
choosing; Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to
patrol remote tribal areas to control the borders and
stem organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border
activities; regular meetings between Pakistani and
Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of
boundary encroachments; regional conflicts over
water-sharing arrangements with Amu Darya and Helmand
River states
Refugees and IDPs: 200,000-300,000 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis
internally displaced in south and west due to drought and
displaced instability) (2005)
persons:
Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of opium; cultivation dropped
48% to 107,400 hectares in 2005; better weather and
lack of widespread disease returned opium yields to
normal levels, meaning potential opium production
declined by only 10% to 4,475 metric tons; if the
entire poppy crop were processed, it is estimated that
526 metric tons of heroin could be processed; source of
hashish; many narcotics-processing labs throughout the
country; drug trade source of instability and some
antigovernment groups profit from the trade; 80-90% of
the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium;
vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through
informal financial networks