The economy of Afghanistan is listed as the 155th largest in the world in terms of nominal gross domestic product (GDP), and 137th largest in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). With a population of around 41 million people, Afghanistan's GDP (nominal) stands at $6.81 billion as of 2024, amounting to a GDP per capita of $200. Its annual exports exceed $1.0 billion, with agricultural, mineral and textile products accounting for 94% of total exports. The nation's total external debt is $8.0 billion as of 2024. Afghanistan’s (GDP) nominal is projected to fall to $5.79 billion & GDP per capita $142 for the financial year 2025.
Transport in Afghanistan is done mostly by road, rail and air. Much of the nation's road network was built in the mid-20th century but left to ruin during the last two decades of that century due to war and political turmoil. Officials of the current Islamic Emirate have continued to improve the national highways, roads, and bridges. In 2008, there were about 700,000 vehicles registered in Kabul. At least 1,314 traffic collisions were reported in 2022.
The Kabul–Kandahar Highway (NH0101) is 483-kilometer (300 mi) long that links Afghanistan's two largest cities, Kabul and Kandahar. It starts from Dashte Barchi in Kabul and passes through Maidan Shar, Saydabad, Ghazni, and Qalat until it reaches Aino Mina in Kandahar. It is currently being rehabilitated at different locations. This highway is a key portion of Afghanistan's national highway system or "National Highway 1". The entire highway between Kabul and Kandahar has no mountain passes but there are many mountains nearby in some places. Approximately 35 percent of Afghanistan's population lives within 50 km (31 mi) of the Kabul to Kandahar portion of the Afghanistan Ring Road.
Environmental issues in Afghanistan are monitored by the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA). They predate the political turmoil of the past few decades. Forests have been depleted by centuries of grazing and farming, practices which have only increased with modern population growth.
The Kajaki Dam is "an earth and rockfill embankment type dam" located on the Helmand River in the Kajaki District of Helmand Province in Afghanistan, about 161 km (100 mi) northwest of Kandahar. It has a hydroelectric power station, which is operated by the Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority through the Ministry of Energy and Water.
The Dahla Dam, also known as Arghandab Dam and Kasa, is located in the Shah Wali Kot District of Kandahar Province in Afghanistan, approximately 40 km (25 mi) northeast of the provincial capital Kandahar. Its name derives from Dahla, which is the historical name of the area where the dam was built. It is the second largest dam in Afghanistan after the Kajaki Dam in neighboring Helmand Province. In 2019, the Afghan government planned to spend $450 million in upgrading the dam. The project includes raising the dam's walls by around 13 meters so the reservoir could hold nearly a billion cubic meters of fresh water and installing three turbines to produce 22 megawatts (MW) of electricity.
Energy in Afghanistan is provided by hydropower followed by fossil fuel and solar power. Currently, less than 50% of Afghanistan's population has access to electricity. This covers the major cities in the country. Many rural areas do not have access to adequate electricity but this should change after the major CASA-1000 project is completed.
Tourism in Afghanistan is regulated by the Ministry of Information and Culture. There are at least 350 tourism companies operating in Afghanistan. Tourism was at its peak before the 1978 Saur Revolution, which was followed by the decades of war. Between 2013 and 2016, Afghan embassies issued between 15,000 and 20,000 tourist visas annually.
The Chak Dam, referred to by some as Band-e Chak, is located near Chak, which is the center of Chak District in Maidan Wardak Province of Afghanistan. It is a hydroelectric gravity dam built by German engineers in 1938. It was mainly designed to regulate the flow of the Chak River and provide electricity to Kabul.
The Naghlu Dam is a gravity dam on the Kabul River in Surobi District of Kabul Province in Afghanistan. It is located 40 km (25 mi) east of the nation's capital Kabul. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectricity production. The dam supports a power station with a design capacity of 100 MW of electricity. It is connected to the national grid, and is the largest power plant in the country. It provides electricity to about 100,000 households in the Kabul region.
The Shah wa Arus Dam is a 75m high concrete gravity dam located in the Shakardara District of Kabul Province in Afghanistan. It has a 60m wide three-bay spillway and is mainly geared towards provision of irrigation water as well as flood control and reliable year-round fresh water supply. Once operational, its power station will produce 1.2 megawatts (MW) of electricity and irrigate 2,700 hectares of land in addition to supplying drinking water for the millions of residents of Kabul.
Renewable energy in Afghanistan includes biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind power. Afghanistan is a landlocked country surrounded by five other countries. With a population of less than 35 million people, it is one of the lowest energy consuming countries in relation to a global standing. It holds a spot as one of the countries with a smaller ecological footprint. Hydropower is currently the main source of renewable energy due to Afghanistan's geographical location. Its large mountainous environment facilitates the siting of hydroelectric dams and other facets of hydro energy.
Kamal Khan Dam is a hydroelectric and irrigation dam project on the Helmand River in Chahar Burjak District of Nimruz Province in south-western Afghanistan. It is located about 95 km to the southeast of Zaranj. Construction work on the dam officially began in 1974 but after the 1978 Saur Revolution, the Americans involved in the construction were compelled to leave Afghanistan and the project was abandoned. It was recently completed.
Tori Dam is an under-construction gravity dam located near Qalat District of Zabul Province in southern Afghanistan. According to the Ministry of Energy and Water, most of the major work on the project has been completed. Construction of the dam was estimated to cost around 97 million afghanis.
Animal husbandry in Afghanistan is a traditional way of life, which exists in all 34 provinces of the country, and plays an important role in the nation's economy. The livestock in Afghanistan mainly include sheep, cattle, and goats. All of these produce red meat and dairy products for local consumption. Weddings, zakats and the annual Eid al-Adha boost the sale of these animals. As a totally Islamic country, pig farming and consumption of pork are simply nonexistent. The wool of the slaughtered sheep is used to make Afghan rugs, clothing, and other products.
The Pashdan Dam, also known as Band-e Pashdan, is located about 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Herat, Afghanistan, in the Karukh District of Herat Province. It is a gravity dam with a side channel spillway and a power station, which is expected to be operational by 2025. Once completed, the dam will produce up to 2 megawatts of electricity and provide irrigation water to over 13,000 ha of agriculture land. Its reservoir will be able to store up to 54 million cubic meters of water.
The Shorabak Dam, also known as Shorabak hydroelectric power plant, and referred to as Band-e Shorabak in Dari, is located on the Kokcha River about 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Fayzabad, Afghanistan, in the Fayzabad District of Badakhshan Province. It is a gravity dam with a power station that produces up to 7.5 megawatts of electricity.
The Kharwar Dam, referred to as Band-e Kharwar in Dari and Kharwar Band in Pashto, is located on the Charkh River in the Kharwar District of Logar Province in Afghanistan. It is a rock-filled gravity dam, with a height of 36 m (118 ft) and length of 140 m (460 ft). Its reservoir has the capacity to store about 17 million cubic meters of water.
