3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

Conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Conventional short form: Afghanistan

Local long form: Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan

Local short form: Afghanistan

Former: Republic of Afghanistan

Administrative Divisions

34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Zabul

Independence

19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Constitution

History: several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004, signed 16 January 2004, ratified 26 January 2004 (2017)

Amendments: proposed by a commission formed by presidential decree followed by the convention of a Grand Council (Loya Jirga) decreed by the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Loya Jirga membership and endorsement by the president (2017)

Legal System

mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic law

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: no

Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan

Dual citizenship recognized: no

Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ

Cabinet: Cabinet consists of 25 ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly

Elections:

Election results: Ashraf GHANI elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Abdullah ABDULLAH (National Coalition of Afghanistan) 45%, Ashraf GHANI (independent) 31.6%, Zalmai RASSOUL 11.4%, other 12%; percent of vote in second round - Ashraf GHANI 56.4%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 43.6%

Legislative Branch

Description: bicameral National Assembly consists of

Elections: Meshrano Jirga - last held 10 January 2015 (next to be held in 2018) Wolesi Jirga - last held on 20 October 2018) (next tobe held in 2023)

Election results: Meshrano Jirga - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 84, women 18, percent of women 17.6% Wolesi Jirga - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 148, women 69, percent of women 27.7%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 24.8%

Note: the constitution allows the government to convene a constitutional Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it consists of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils; a Loya Jirga can amend provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; no constitutional Loya Jirga has ever been held, and district councils have never been elected; the president appointed 34 members of the Meshrano Jirga that the district councils should have indirectly elected

Judicial Branch

Highest courts: Supreme Court or Stera Mahkama (consists of the supreme court chief and 8 justices organized into criminal, public security, civil, and commercial divisions or dewans)

Judge selection and term of office: court chief and justices appointed by the president with the approval of the Wolesi Jirga; court chief and justices serve single 10-year terms

Subordinate courts: Appeals Courts; Primary Courts; Special Courts for issues including narcotics, security, property, family, and juveniles

Political Parties and Leaders

Note - the Ministry of Justice licensed 57 political parties as of September 2016

Flag Description

Three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other 2 bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan; black signifies the past, red is for the blood shed for independence, and green can represent either hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam note: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century - 19 by one count - than any other country; the colors black, red, and green appeared on most of them

National Symbols

Lion; national colors: red, green, black

National Anthem

Lyrics:

Year

Government Type

  • Presidential Islamic republic

Capital

  • Name
    Kabul
  • Geographic Coordinates
    34 31 N, 69 11 E
  • Time Difference
    UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  • Etymology
    named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Hamdullah MOHIB (since 17 September 2015)
  • 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, Washington, DC

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador John BASS (since December 2017)
  • Embassy
    Bibi Mahru, Kabul
  • Mailing Address
    U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806
  • Telephone
    [00 93] 0700 108 001
  • FAX
    [00 93] 0700 108 564

International Organization Participation

  • ADB
  • CICA
  • CP
  • ECO
  • EITI (candidate country)
  • FAO
  • G-77
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC (NGOs)
  • ICCt
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IDB
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • IPU
  • ISO (correspondent)
  • ITSO
  • ITU
  • ITUC (NGOs)
  • MIGA
  • NAM
  • OIC
  • OPCW
  • OSCE (partner)
  • SAARC
  • SACEP
  • SCO (dialogue member)
  • UN
  • UNAMA
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNHCR
  • UNIDO
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WFTU (NGOs)
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO