AfghanistanGeography
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Location:
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Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran | |
Geographic coordinates:
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33 00 N, 65 00 E | |
Map references:
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Asia | |
Area:
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total: 647,500 sq kmland: 647,500 sq kmwater: 0 sq km | |
Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Texas | |
Land boundaries:
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total: 5,529 kmborder countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km | |
Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) | |
Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) | |
Climate:
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arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers | |
Terrain:
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mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest | |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Amu Darya 258 mhighest point: Nowshak 7,485 m | |
Natural resources:
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natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones | |
Land use:
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arable land: 12.13%permanent crops: 0.22%other: 87.65% (2001) | |
Irrigated land:
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23,860 sq km (1998 est.) | |
Natural hazards:
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damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts | |
Environment - current issues:
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limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution | |
Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumpingsigned, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation | |
Geography - note:
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landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor) |
More about Afghanistan:
Introduction
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues
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