People and Society in Afghanistan

People and Society in Afghanistan By: Erik, Jennifer, and Shelbi

Population • 30,419,928 People • This number has been significantly revised from the previous estimate of 33,609, 937 was kept since the last Afghan census held in 1979, which was never completed because of the Soviet invasion. • The population growth rate now 2.22%

Population continued • Improved: • urban: 78% of population • rural: 39% of population • total: 48% of population • Unimproved: • urban: 22% of population • rural: 61% of population • total: 52% of population

Ethnic Groups • Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

Languages • Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashto (official) 35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, • 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) • 4%, much bilingualism

Religions • Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%

Birth rate and Death rate • 39.3 births/1,000 population • 14.59 deaths/1,000 population

Age Structure • 0-14 years: 42.3% • 15-64 years: 55.3% • 65 years and over: 2.4%

Heath • 7.4% of GDP • 0.21 physicians/1,000 population • The degree of risk for diseases are severely high

Education • Age 15 and over can read and write • total population: 28.1% • male: 43.1% • female: 12.6% (2000 est.) • School expectancy • total: 9 years • male: 11 years • female: 7 years (2009)

People and Society in Afghanistan