Afghanistan :: essays research papers

Afghanistan BACKGROUND:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Afghanistan was subdued and occupied by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (U.S.S.R. i.e. Russia) in 1979. Subsequently in ten years, anti-communist forces provided and trained by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan assisted in the removal of the Soviet power. As the fighting resumed, a fundamentalist Islamic movement referred to as the Taliban managed to seize most of the country. Under their ascendancy, the country of Afghanistan became extremely improvished and suffered from a fallen governmental infrastructure. GEOGRAPHY:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Afghanistan is situated in southern Asia, northwest of Pakistan; east of Iran. It possesses a total land area of 647,500 sq. km. In it’s comparative aspect, Afghanistan is slightly smaller than Texas. Bordering countries such as China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan surrounds it. The land is less than 12% arable. 46% of the land consists of permanent pastures and 3% are occupied with forests and woodlands. Mostly rugged mountains and plains in the north and southwest portion of the country make up it’s terrain. Afghanistan is susceptible to natural hazards such as damaging earthquakes, floods, and droughts. This country has a seasonal climate of arid and semiarid air. They experience cold winters and hot summers. Current environmental issues involve soil degradation, overgrazing, deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials), and desertification. This country has e stablished international environment agreements to deter marine dumping and nuclear testing, in addition to the implementation of environmental modification and preservation of it’s endangered species. PEOPLE:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Afghanistan possess a population of 26,818,057 (July 2001 est.) This number consists of 42% under the age of 14, 55% classified between the ages of 15 and 64, and 3% over the age of 65. As of 2001, this country has seen a population growth rate of 3.5%, but this rate exhibits the continuous return of refugees from Iran. The life expectancy of the Afghan people is about 46 years of existence. Afghanistan occupies a multitude of ethnic cultures and groups such as Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek. Most people of this country adopt the religion of Islam with 84% practicing as Sunni Muslims and 15% as Shi’a Muslims. The languages of this country are in a variation of Pashtu, Afghan Persian, Turkic, and much of them in bilingualism. Illiteracy is the prevalent impediment among the Afghan people with only 31% of the population capable of reading and writing.