Afghanistan Office, South Asia
ECONOMIC PROFILE
Afghanistan is an extremely poor, landlocked country, highly dependent on foreign aid, farming and livestock raising (sheep and goats), and trade with neighboring countries. Economic considerations have played second fiddle to political and military upheavals during more than two decades of war, including the nearly 10-year Soviet military occupation (which ended 15 February 1989). During that conflict, one-third of the population fled the country, with Pakistan and Iran sheltering a combined peak of 4 to 6 million refugees. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of the loss of labor and capital and the disruption of trade and transport; severe drought added to the nation's difficulties in 1998-2002. The majority of the population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing, housing, and medical care, and a dearth of jobs, problems exacerbated by political uncertainties and the general level of lawlessness. International efforts to rebuild Afghanistan were addressed at the Tokyo Donors Conference for Afghan Reconstruction in January 2002, when $4.5 billion was pledged, $1.7 billion for 2002. Of that approximately $900 million was directed to humanitarian aid - food, clothing, and shelter - and another $90 million for the Afghan Transitional Authority. Further World Bank and other aid came in 2003. Priority areas for reconstruction include upgrading education, health, and sanitation facilities; providing income generating opportunities; enhancing administrative and security arrangements, especially in regional areas; developing the agricultural sector; rebuilding transportation, energy, and telecommunication infrastructure; and reabsorbing 2 million returning refugees. The replacement of the opium trade - which may account for one-third of GDP - and the search for oil and gas resources in the northern region are two major long-term issues.
TIMELINE
1919 - Afghanistan Declares its Independences from Great Britain after 3rd and final Anglo-Afghan war.
1929 - Rebellion against King Amanaulla and his western ways forced him out of Kabul and into Qandahar in his Rolls Royce.
1929 - Kabul fell and Bachai Saqaw was captured and hanged, Nadir Shah was proclaimed King of Afghanistan.
1933 - King Nadir Shah was assassinated and was immediately replaced by his son Zahir Khan but the power remained in the hands of King Nadir's brothers.
1954 - Prime Minister Daud sent his brother Prince Naim to United States to Appeal to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles for military assistance.
1955 - First USSR secretary Khrushchev and Prime Minister Bulganin visit Kabul and grant $100 Million line of credit for development of Afghanistan.
1963 - Prime Minister Daud resigned from office in disagreement with King Zahir Shah. Troops patrolled the streets of Kabul for several days in case of a coup by Ex-Prime Minister Prince Daud.
1964 - King Zahir Shah introduced "New Democracy" Program including a constitution, Parament, Free Elections, Free Press and Freedom to form political parties, All ideas of Prince Daud.
1969 - Elections were held in Afghanistan and the PDPA members made inflammatory statements instead of pushing their agenda which resulted in scraping the idea of Constitutional Monarchy.
1973 - King Zahir Shah leaves for Italy for medical reasons.
1973 - Prince Daud makes a radio announcement proclaiming Afghanistan a republic and himself as the first President of the Republic of Afghanistan.
1978 - President Daud made trade agreements with China and planned to Visit President Carter in Washington.
1978 April 27 - Coup began by tanks protecting the Presidential Palace turned against President Daud and Air Force Began Bombing the Palace by the order of Colonel Qader.
1979 Dec 24 - Russian soldiers begin to move into Afghanistan and secure airports and an attack on Darulaman the presidential Palace.
1988 - USSR begins to pull out of Afghanistan as Najibullah remains in power as the president of Afghanistan.
1991 - Communist government falls as the Mujahidden begin to Advance from different sides of Kabul city.
1998 - Dostom, Masood, Hekmatyar and Rabbani establishes the Northern Alliance with the help of Russia.
2001 - US attacks Afghanistan in retaliation and targets military bases and Taliban and Al Qaeda Soldiers.
2001 Dec 22 - After the UN sponsored meeting of afghan power brokers, Hamid Karzai, is sworn in as chairman of a six-month interim government .
2002 June 11 - The loya jirga, or tribal grand council, convenes to decide on a new 18-month government charged with drafting a new constitution.
2002 June 13 - Karzai is elected as head of state of the new government of Afghanistan by the loya jirga.
2003 - Loya Jirga to ratify the constitution started Sunday December 14. Sebghatullah Mojadedi was elected as Jirga President.
for more information about Afghanistan:
www.afghangovernment.com
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