Open menu Close menu Open Search Close search
Support our Sponsor

. . Flags of the World Maps of All Countries

  • MAIN INDEX
  • 2000 INDEX
  • 1999 INDEX
  • 1996 INDEX
  • ; geographic.org; Home; Page; Country Index

    Afghanistan Government 2000

      Country name:
      conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan; note - the self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
      conventional short form: Afghanistan
      local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
      local short form: Afghanestan
      former: Republic of Afghanistan

      Data code: AF

      Government type: no functioning central government, administered by factions

      Capital: Kabul

      Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol
      note: there may be two new provinces of Nurestan (Nuristan) and Khowst

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

      National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August

      Constitution: none

      Legal system: a new legal system has not been adopted but all factions tacitly agree they will follow Shari'a (Islamic law)

      Suffrage: NA; previously males 15-50 years of age

      Executive branch: on 27 September 1996, the ruling members of the Afghan Government were displaced by members of the Islamic Taliban movement; the Islamic State of Afghanistan has no functioning government at this time, and the country remains divided among fighting factions
      note: the Taliban have declared themselves the legitimate government of Afghanistan; however, the UN still recognizes the government of Burhanuddin RABBANI; the Organization of the Islamic Conference has left the Afghan seat vacant until the question of legitimacy can be resolved through negotiations among the warring factions; the country is essentially divided along ethnic lines; the Taliban controls the capital of Kabul and approximately two-thirds of the country including the predominately ethnic Pashtun areas in southern Afghanistan; opposing factions have their stronghold in the ethnically diverse north

      Legislative branch: non-functioning as of June 1993

      Judicial branch: non-functioning as of March 1995, although there are local Shari'a (Islamic law) courts throughout the country

      Political parties and leaders: Harakat-i-Islami (Islamic Movement) [Mohammed Asif MOHSENI]; Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement) [Mohammad Nabi MOHAMMADI]; Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party) [Gulbuddin HIKMATYAR faction]; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party) [Yunis KHALIS faction]; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party) [Mohammad Akbar AKBARI]; Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan (Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan (Afghanistan National Liberation Front) [Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI]; Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami (National Islamic Front) [Sayed Ahamad GAILANI]; Taliban (Religious Students Movement) [Mohammad OMAR]; United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan comprised of Jumbesh-i-Melli Islami (National Islamic Movement) [Abdul Rashid DOSTAM]; Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society) [Burhanuddin RABBANI and Ahmad Shah MASOOD]; and Hizbi Wahdat-Khalili faction (Islamic Unity Party) [Abdul Karim KHALILI]

      Political pressure groups and leaders: Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Australia, US, and elsewhere have organized politically; Mellat (Social Democratic Party) [leader NA]; Peshawar, Pakistan-based groups such as the Coordination Council for National Unity and Understanding in Afghanistan or CUNUA [Ishaq GAILANI]; tribal elders represent traditional Pashtun leadership; Writers Union of Free Afghanistan or WUFA [A. Rasul AMIN]

      International organization participation: AsDB, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

      Diplomatic representation in the US:
      note: embassy operations suspended 21 August 1997
      chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
      chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
      telephone: [1] (202) 234-3770
      FAX: [1] (202) 328-3516
      consulate(s) general: New York

      Diplomatic representation from the US: the US embassy in Kabul has been closed since January 1989 due to security concerns

      Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a gold emblem centered on the three bands; the emblem features a temple-like structure with Islamic inscriptions above and below, encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bolder Islamic inscription above, all of which are encircled by two crossed scimitars
      note: the Taliban uses a plain white flag

    Support Our Sponsor

    Support Our Sponsor

    Please put this page in your BOOKMARKS - - - - -


    Translations - Language Translators



    Revised 01-Nov-00
    Copyright © 2000 Photius Coutsoukis (all rights reserved)