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Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly over the past two years because of the infusion of over $2 billion in international assistance, dramatic improvements in agricultural production, and the end of a four-year drought in most of the country. However, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to raise Afghanistan's living standards up from its current status among the lowest in the world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the Afghan government and international donors remain committed to improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political stability and continued international commitment to Afghan reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for maintaining improvements to the Afghan economy in 2004. The replacement of the opium trade - which may account for one-third of GDP - is one of several potential spoilers for the economy over the long term.
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Small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper.
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Opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins.
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Business and Economy
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GDP: $21 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: $800 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition in agriculture: 53%
GDP - composition in industry: 28.5%
GDP - composition in services: 18.5% (1990)
Labor force: 10 million (2000 est.)
Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, oil, coal, copper
Electricity (production): 420 million kWh (1999)
Electricity (production by source): fossil fuel: 35.71%; hydro: 64.29%
Electricity (consumption): 480.6 million kWh (1999)
Electricity (imports): 90 million kWh (1999)
Agriculture (products): opium poppies, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, karakul pelts
Exports (commodities): opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
Imports (commodities): capital goods, food and petroleum products; most consumer goods
Currency: afghani
Currency code: AFA
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