Population: 16,903,400 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.45% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 43.46 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 18.94 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 155.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.89 years
male: 45.53 years
female: 44.21 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.27 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan

Ethnic divisions: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Chahar 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 Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 29%
male: 44%
female: 14%
Labor force: 4.98 million
by occupation: agriculture and animal husbandry 67.8%, industry 10.2%, construction 6.3%, commerce 5.0%, services and other 10.7% (1980 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Afghanistan on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Afghanistan People 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Afghanistan People 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.