Population 23,738,085 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (male 5,201,585; female 5,003,503)
15-64 years: 54% (male 6,680,687; female 6,208,463)
65 years and over : 3% (male 341,301; female 302,546) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate 4.48% (1997 est.)
note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees

Birth rate 42.72 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate 17.78 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate 19.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate 146.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
total population : 46.34 years
male: 46.89 years
female: 45.76 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate 6.07 children born/woman (1997 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 Uzbekand Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, muchbilingualism

Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 31.5%
male : 47.2%
female: 15% (1995 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Afghanistan on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Afghanistan People 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Afghanistan People 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.