The economy of Afghanistan is listed as the 124th largest in the world in terms of nominal gross domestic product (GDP),and 102nd 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 $14.58 billion as of 2021,amounting to a GDP per capita of $363.7. Its annual exports exceed $2 billion,with agricultural,mineral and textile products accounting for 94% of total exports. The nation's total external debt is $1.4 billion as of 2022.
The Council of Ministers of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is the executive body of the government of Afghanistan,responsible for day-to-day governance and the implementation of policy set by the Leadership. It is headed by the prime minister—who serves as the nation's head of government—and his deputies,and consists of the heads and deputy heads of the government ministries.
Markaz-i Bihsūd District is one of the districts of Maidan Wardak Province in Afghanistan. It is located less than an hour-drive west of Kabul and south Bamyan. The main town in the district is Behsud. The district has an estimated population of 134,852 people,majority of which are ethnic Hazaras.
Afghan passports are international travel documents issued by the General Directorate of Passports to nationals and citizens of Afghanistan. Every person with a valid Afghan identity card (Tazkira) can apply for and receive an Afghan passport,which is renewable every 5–10 years.
Women's rights in Afghanistan are severely restricted by the Taliban. In 2023,the United Nations termed Afghanistan as the world's most repressive country for women. Since the US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021,the Taliban gradually imposed restrictions on women's freedom of movement,education,and employment. Women are banned from studying in secondary schools and universities,making Afghanistan the only country to prohibit females from studying beyond the sixth grade. Women are not allowed in parks,gyms,or beauty salons. They are forbidden from going outside for a walk or exercise,from speaking or showing any part of their face or body outside the home,or even from singing or reading from within their own homes if they could be heard by strangers outside. In extreme cases,women have reportedly been subjected to gang-rape and torture in Taliban prisons.
The mass media in Afghanistan is monitored by the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC),and includes broadcasting,digital and printing. It is mainly in Dari and Pashto,the official languages of the nation. It was reported in 2019 that Afghanistan had over 107 TV stations and 284 radio stations,including 100s of print media and over 1,800 online media outlets. After the return of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) in 2021,there was a concern that the mass media will significantly decrease in the country. The number of digital media outlets is steadily increasing with the help of Facebook,Instagram,TikTok,Twitter,YouTube,and other such online platforms. IEA's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid suggested that the media should be in line with Sharia and national interests.
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.
The Salma Dam,officially named Afghan-India Friendship Dam,is an embankment dam located on the Hari River in Chishti Sharif District of Herat Province in western Afghanistan. It has a hydroelectric power station that produces 42 MW (56,000 hp) of electricity in addition to providing irrigation for 75,000 ha of farmland.
Afghanistan–United Arab Emirates relations refers to the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In December 2022,Afghan Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob along with Anas Haqqani made an official visit to the UAE. There he met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Khushnood Nabizada is an Afghan journalist,diplomat,peace campaigner,and entrepreneur. He is the founder and owner of Khaama Press,an Afghanistan-based news agency that reports specific political issues of the Afghanistan region.
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai is a senior member of the Afghan Taliban and the country's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the internationally unrecognized Taliban regime since 7 September 2021.
Adela Raz is an Afghan politician who was the last ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the United States from July 2021 to February 2022. She was also the first woman to serve as Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations.
Sahraa Karimi is an Afghan film director and teacher currently based in Italy,who was notably the first female chairperson of the Afghan Film Organization. She has directed 30 short films,3 documentary films and one fiction film Hava,Maryam,Ayesha which had the world premier at the 76th Venice Film Festival. Prior to the fall of Kabul to the hands of the Taliban,she was the first and the only woman to be directing Afghanistan's film entity.
Farahnaz Forotan is an Afghan journalist and women's rights activist. She moved to Iran together with her family during the Mujahideen regime. Farahnaz returned to Afghanistan in 2001,but took refuge in France in 2020 after being included on a Taliban's target list.
Protests in Afghanistan against the Taliban started on 17 August 2021 following the Fall of Kabul to the Taliban. These protests are held by Islamic democrats and feminists. Both groups are against the treatment of women by the Taliban government,considering it as discriminatory and misogynistic. Supported by the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan,the protesters also demand decentralization,multiculturalism,social justice,work,education,and food. There have been pro-Taliban counterprotests.
The Taliban has ruled Afghanistan as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan since taking control by force in 2021,overthrowing the internationally recognized Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The takeover was widely criticized by the international community,and no countries have extended de jure diplomatic recognition to the new regime,despite nominally maintaining relations with Afghanistan. The Taliban has campaigned for international recognition since the takeover. Several countries have vowed never to recognize the Islamic Emirate,and others have said they will do so only if human rights in the country are respected. Some countries have accredited Taliban diplomats at the chargéd'affaires level despite not recognizing the Islamic Emirate. In September 2023,the People's Republic of China became the first country to formally name a new ambassador to the country since the takeover,and in January 2024 recognized the Taliban's envoy to China;however,the PRC still does not formally recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. The United Arab Emirates also accepted a Taliban appointed diplomat as Afghanistan's new ambassador in August 2024.
Mullah Neda Mohammad Nadeem is a politician in Afghanistan and a member of the Taliban. He is serving as the acting Minister of Higher Education since October 2022. Previously,he held a position as Police Chief of the Nangarhar province since September 2021. Nadeem also served as Governor of Nangarhar province from August 2021 to 20 September 2021 and was replaced by Daud Muzamil.
