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. 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, weak governance, and the Afghan Government's inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. Afghanistan's living standards are among the lowest in the world. While the international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $67 billion at four donors' conferences since 2002, the Government of Afghanistan will need to overcome a number of challenges, including low revenue collection, anemic job creation, high levels of corruption, weak government capacity, and poor public infrastructure.
Agriculture Products
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
Industries
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food-products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Industrial Production Growth Rate
NA%
Labor Force
15 million (2004 est.)country comparison to the world: 39
Electricity production
285.5 million kWh (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 168
Electricity Consumption
231.1 million kWh (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 175
Electricity Exports
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity Imports
230 million kWh (2007 est.)
Unemployment Rate
35% (2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 183 40% (2005 est.)
Population Below Poverty Line
36% (FY08/09)
Household Income or Consumption by Percentage Share
Lowest 10%: NA%
Highest 10%: NA%
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
Stock of Narrow Money
$3.943 billion (31 December 2009)country comparison to the world: 100 $2.819 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of Broad Money
$4.149 billion (31 December 2009)country comparison to the world: 125 $2.915 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of Domestic Credit
$363.6 million (31 December 2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 166 $20.06 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Market Value of Publicly Traded Shares
$NA
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
Debt External
$2.7 billion (2008/2009)country comparison to the world: 134 $8 billion (2004)
Stock of Direct Foreign Investment at Home
Stock of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad
Exchange Rates
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50.23 (2009), 50.25 (2008), 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004)
