https://www.humantruth.info/afghanistan.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2013
Afghanistan Islamic State of Afghanistan | ![]() |
---|---|
Status | Independent State |
Social and Moral Index | 191st best |
Capital | Kabul |
Land Area | 652 230km21 |
Location | Asia |
Population | 37.2m2 |
Life Expectancy | 61.98yrs (2017)3 |
GNI | $1 824 (2017)4 |
ISO3166-1 Codes | AF, AFG, 45 |
Internet Domain | .af6 |
Currency | Afghani (AFN)7 |
Telephone | +938 |
“Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. KARZAI was re-elected in August 2009 for a second term. Despite gains toward building a stable central government, a resurgent Taliban and continuing provincial instability - particularly in the south and the east - remain serious challenges for the Afghan Government.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)9
“A battered, but beautiful and proud country, Afghanistan´s road to recovery remains uncertain, yet the resilience of its people and beauty of its landscapes endures. [...] Throughout its history, Afghanistan has been a country united against invaders but divided against itself. ... Its allure, spread by Great Game romantics and travel literature alike, has only been heightened by its inaccessibility over the last 30 years. ... Old Silk Road oases recall a rich history of Buddhist and Islamic empires, while the mightily rugged Hindu Kush Mountains that bisect the country are as beautiful as Afghan hospitality is famously warm. [...] For hardy travellers with a taste for adventures, these charms still beckon.”
#economics #human_development #wealth
UN HDI (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better Value11 | |
1 | Switzerland | 0.962 |
2 | Norway | 0.961 |
3 | Iceland | 0.959 |
... | ||
177 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.483 |
178 | Liberia | 0.481 |
179 | Congo, DR | 0.479 |
180 | Afghanistan | 0.478 |
181 | Sierra Leone | 0.477 |
182 | Guinea | 0.465 |
183 | Yemen | 0.455 |
184 | Burkina Faso | 0.449 |
Asia Avg | 0.75 | |
World Avg | 0.72 | |
q=191. |
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better PPP $11 | |
1 | Liechtenstein | $146 830 |
2 | Singapore | $90 919 |
3 | Qatar | $87 134 |
... | ||
176 | Mali | $2 133 |
177 | Burkina Faso | $2 118 |
178 | Guinea-Bissau | $1 908 |
179 | Afghanistan | $1 824 |
180 | Eritrea | $1 729 |
181 | Sierra Leone | $1 622 |
182 | Madagascar | $1 484 |
183 | Malawi | $1 466 |
Asia Avg | $22 215 | |
World Avg | $20 136 | |
q=193. |
Social & Moral Development Index12 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank12 | |
1 | Denmark | 29.1 |
2 | Norway | 32.3 |
3 | Sweden | 34.1 |
... | ||
188 | Marshall Islands | 127.3 |
189 | Chad | 127.3 |
190 | Iraq | 127.4 |
191 | Afghanistan | 130.2 |
192 | Sudan | 130.5 |
193 | Equatorial Guinea | 132.0 |
194 | Angola | 132.1 |
195 | Eritrea | 136.3 |
Asia Avg | 92.0 | |
World Avg | 88.9 | |
q=199. |
The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..
The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.
#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen
Population:
Afghanistan's population is predicted to rise to 53.27 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 4.52. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.13Population2 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Population2 | |
1 | China | 1.4b |
2 | India | 1.4b |
3 | USA | 327.1m |
... | ||
35 | Sudan | 41.8m |
36 | Iraq | 38.4m |
37 | Poland | 37.9m |
38 | Afghanistan | 37.2m |
39 | Canada | 37.1m |
40 | Morocco | 36.0m |
41 | Saudi Arabia | 33.7m |
42 | Uzbekistan | 32.5m |
World Avg | 39.0m | |
q=195. |
Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
164 | S. Africa | 62.3 |
165 | Djibouti | 62.3 |
166 | Gambia | 62.1 |
167 | Afghanistan | 62.0 |
168 | Burundi | 61.7 |
169 | Angola | 61.6 |
170 | Togo | 61.6 |
171 | Niger | 61.6 |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
191 | Cameroon | 4.38 |
192 | Sudan | 4.38 |
193 | Uganda | 4.47 |
194 | Afghanistan | 4.52 |
195 | Mozambique | 4.56 |
196 | Gambia | 4.59 |
197 | Tanzania | 4.66 |
198 | Burkina Faso | 4.67 |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per 10015 | |
1 | Uganda | 04.3 |
2 | Mali | 04.5 |
3= | Chad | 04.7 |
... | ||
7 | Eritrea | 04.9 |
8= | Gambia | 04.9 |
9 | Angola | 05.0 |
10= | Afghanistan | 05.0 |
10= | Zimbabwe | 05.0 |
12 | Nigeria | 05.1 |
13= | Qatar | 05.1 |
14 | Somalia | 05.4 |
World Avg | 18.3 | |
q=185. |
Migration:
Immigrants16 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 %16 | |
1 | UAE | 88.4% |
2 | Kuwait | 75.5% |
3 | Qatar | 65.2% |
... | ||
175 | Solomon Islands | 0.4% |
176 | Papua New Guinea | 0.4% |
177 | India | 0.4% |
178 | Afghanistan | 0.4% |
179 | Haiti | 0.4% |
180 | Brazil | 0.4% |
181 | Eritrea | 0.3% |
182 | Somalia | 0.3% |
World Avg | 9.4% | |
q=195. |
Emigrants17 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2010 %17 | |
1 | Dominica | 104.8% |
2 | Palestine | 68.4% |
3 | Samoa | 67.3% |
... | ||
77 | Kuwait | 8.5% |
78 | Ecuador | 8.3% |
79 | Poland | 8.3% |
80 | Afghanistan | 8.1% |
81 | Paraguay | 7.9% |
82 | Russia | 7.9% |
83 | Mali | 7.6% |
84 | UK | 7.5% |
World Avg | 11.5% | |
q=192. |
#afghanistan_human_rights #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance
Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | Sweden | 6.1 |
2 | Denmark | 8.6 |
3 | Norway | 9.0 |
... | ||
194 | Equatorial Guinea | 146.0 |
195 | Sudan | 150.2 |
196 | Eritrea | 153.3 |
197 | Afghanistan | 155.8 |
198 | N. Korea | 162.3 |
199 | Somalia | 165.8 |
Asia Avg | 103.00 | |
World Avg | 86.55 | |
q=199. |
For tables, charts and commentary, see:
#afghanistan #alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #niger #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #south_sudan #vaccines
Compared to Asia (2025)28 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank28 | |
1 | Japan | 41.2 |
2 | Hong Kong | 48.2 |
3= | S. Korea | 49.9 |
... | ||
42 | Tajikistan | 110.6 |
43 | Laos | 115.8 |
44 | Pakistan | 117.2 |
45 | Jordan | 119.8 |
46 | Palestine | 124.3 |
47 | Syria | 126.1 |
48 | Yemen | 131.0 |
49 | Afghanistan | 137.7 |
50 | Iraq | 144.5 |
Asia Avg | 80.90 | |
q=50. |
Health (2025)28 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank28 | |
1 | Monaco | 14.3 |
2 | Liechtenstein | 30.1 |
3 | Isle of Man | 32.1 |
... | ||
195 | Samoa | 135.7 |
196 | Zambia | 136.6 |
197 | Liberia | 136.9 |
198 | Afghanistan | 137.7 |
199 | Swaziland | 137.8 |
200 | Chad | 138.8 |
201 | Niger | 139.4 |
202 | Mali | 142.7 |
World Avg | 97.60 | |
q=213. |
The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man29. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Cook Islands, The Marshall Islands and Niue29.
25 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans29, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Australasia29.
For more, see:
Health:
Afghanistan has some poor policies and cultural issues which cause some public health problems. Afghanistan comes in the best 20 for the prevalence of overweight adults30, its alcohol consumption rate31 and in its smoking rate32 (one of the best in Asia). Afghanistan still has work to do. Afghanistan does worse than average for its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance33 (amongst the highest in Asia), its adolescent birth rate34 (the highest in Asia) and in its average life expectancy11 (the worst in Asia). And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of its immunizations take-up35 (one of the lowest in Asia) and in its fertility rate14 (the worst in Asia). The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Afghanistan in 1990 was 46yrs, much lower than the global average of 64.6. But it improved greatly, by +17.6yrs, in the 30 years from then, well over double the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Afghanistan had the 3rd-highest average fertility rate in the world in the 1990s (after South Sudan and Niger). Its peak fertility rate was 7.72 in 1993.Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
164 | S. Africa | 62.3 |
165 | Djibouti | 62.3 |
166 | Gambia | 62.1 |
167 | Afghanistan | 62.0 |
168 | Burundi | 61.7 |
169 | Angola | 61.6 |
170 | Togo | 61.6 |
171 | Niger | 61.6 |
Asia Avg | 73.48 | |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Alcohol Consumption Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per Capita31 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 0.0 |
2 | Kuwait | 0.0 |
3 | Libya | 0.0 |
4 | Mauritania | 0.0 |
5 | Somalia | 0.0 |
6 | Yemen | 0.1 |
7= | Afghanistan | 0.2 |
7= | Saudi Arabia | 0.2 |
9 | Syria | 0.3 |
10= | Pakistan | 0.3 |
11 | Kiribati | 0.4 |
12= | Iraq | 0.4 |
Asia Avg | 3.9 | |
World Avg | 6.2 | |
q=189. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
191 | Cameroon | 4.38 |
192 | Sudan | 4.38 |
193 | Uganda | 4.47 |
194 | Afghanistan | 4.52 |
195 | Mozambique | 4.56 |
196 | Gambia | 4.59 |
197 | Tanzania | 4.66 |
198 | Burkina Faso | 4.67 |
Asia Avg | 2.17 | |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Smoking Rates Lower is better32 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201432 | |
1 | Guinea | 15 |
2 | Solomon Islands | 26 |
3 | Kiribati | 28 |
... | ||
13 | Tonga | 81 |
14 | Mozambique | 82 |
15 | Nepal | 83 |
16 | Afghanistan | 84 |
17 | Lesotho | 88 |
18 | Trinidad & Tobago | 97 |
19 | Burundi | 98 |
20 | Tanzania | 101 |
Asia Avg | 1 035 | |
World Avg | 819 | |
q=182. |
Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Sweden | 1 |
2 | Ireland | 2 |
3 | Denmark | 3 |
... | ||
128 | Gabon | 128 |
129 | Ivory Coast | 129 |
130 | Mongolia | 130 |
131 | Afghanistan | 131 |
132 | Suriname | 132 |
133 | Grenada | 133 |
134 | Montenegro | 134 |
135 | Iraq | 135 |
Asia Avg | 64.4 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Overweight Adults Lower is better30 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 1976 %30 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 4.7 |
2 | Vietnam | 5.1 |
3 | Nepal | 5.4 |
4 | India | 5.5 |
5 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 5.7 |
6 | Cambodia | 5.9 |
7 | Laos | 6.2 |
8= | Bhutan | 6.3 |
8= | Afghanistan | 6.3 |
10 | Indonesia | 6.6 |
11 | Burkina Faso | 6.8 |
12 | Maldives | 7.2 |
Asia Avg | 23.1 | |
World Avg | 27.1 | |
q=191. |
Adult Obesity Lower is better36 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 %36 | |
1 | Vietnam | 2.1% |
2 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 2.2% |
3 | Ethiopia | 2.4% |
... | ||
67 | Equatorial Guinea | 17.2% |
68 | Botswana | 17.5% |
69 | Maldives | 17.6% |
70 | Afghanistan | 17.6% |
71 | Spain | 19.2% |
72 | Lesotho | 19.3% |
73 | Kazakhstan | 19.3% |
74 | Mauritius | 19.5% |
Asia Avg | 21.1% | |
World Avg | 24.7% | |
q=199. |
Children's Health:
Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Per 100034 | |
1 | Hong Kong | 1.6 |
2 | Denmark | 1.8 |
3 | S. Korea | 2.1 |
... | ||
162 | Togo | 77.0 |
163 | Sao Tome & Principe | 77.4 |
164 | Sudan | 77.6 |
165 | Afghanistan | 79.7 |
166 | Venezuela | 82.0 |
167 | Nicaragua | 84.0 |
168 | Guinea-Bissau | 85.8 |
169 | Lesotho | 89.1 |
Asia Avg | 25.9 | |
World Avg | 43.8 | |
q=195. |
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better35 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2015 Avg %35 | |
1= | Hungary | 99.0 |
1= | China | 99.0 |
3 | Uzbekistan | 98.9 |
... | ||
176= | Angola | 71.9 |
176= | Madagascar | 71.9 |
178 | Iraq | 70.7 |
179 | Afghanistan | 70.6 |
180 | Niger | 69.7 |
181 | Samoa | 68.1 |
182 | Yemen | 67.4 |
183 | Papua New Guinea | 66.3 |
Asia Avg | 90.5 | |
World Avg | 88.3 | |
q=194. |
Afghanistan was amongst 49 countries in the 1990s who had an adolescent birth rate of over 100 (per 1000 girls aged 15-19); in the 2010s it made great improvements, but it was still amongst 27 countries that still fell into the same grouping.
#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism
Compared to Asia (2025)37 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank37 | |
1 | Sri Lanka | 34.9 |
2 | Nepal | 47.9 |
3 | India | 49.5 |
... | ||
15 | Pakistan | 72.0 |
16 | Turkey | 75.0 |
17 | China | 75.2 |
18 | Afghanistan | 75.7 |
19 | Syria | 77.4 |
20 | Iran | 79.0 |
21 | UAE | 81.8 |
22 | Singapore | 83.3 |
23 | Georgia | 83.6 |
Asia Avg | 86.44 | |
q=51. |
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)37 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank37 | |
1 | Sri Lanka | 34.9 |
2 | Uruguay | 43.2 |
3 | Switzerland | 45.0 |
... | ||
73 | China | 75.2 |
74 | Belgium | 75.3 |
75 | Cape Verde | 75.6 |
76 | Afghanistan | 75.7 |
77 | New Zealand | 75.8 |
78 | Bulgaria | 75.8 |
79 | Malawi | 76.0 |
80 | Benin | 76.5 |
World Avg | 84.93 | |
q=199. |
We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"38. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.
The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.
For more, see:
Afghanistan comes 76th in the world in terms of its responsibility towards the environment. This is derived from 21 data sets. Afghanistan comes in the best 20 in terms of reducing annual meat consumption per person39 (one of the best in Asia) and in energy to GDP efficiency40 (amongst the lowest in Asia). It does better than average in terms of its forested percent change 2000-202041. Afghanistan does not succeed in everything, however. Afghanistan does worse than average in terms of the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population42. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in its environmental performance43 and in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better41 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total41 | |
1 | Guernsey | 82.6% |
2 | Bahrain | 75.2% |
3 | Iceland | 64.7% |
... | ||
95= | Turkmenistan | 0.0% |
95= | Bahamas | 0.0% |
95= | San Marino | 0.0% |
95= | Afghanistan | 0.0% |
95= | Vatican City | 0.0% |
95= | Vanuatu | 0.0% |
95= | Tuvalu | 0.0% |
95= | Nauru | 0.0% |
Asia Avg | 3.2% | |
World Avg | -0.1% | |
q=234. |
Environmental Performance Higher is better43 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201843 | |
1 | Switzerland | 87.4 |
2 | France | 84.0 |
3 | Denmark | 81.6 |
... | ||
165 | Eritrea | 39.3 |
166 | Mauritania | 39.2 |
167 | Benin | 38.2 |
168 | Afghanistan | 37.7 |
169 | Pakistan | 37.5 |
170 | Angola | 37.4 |
171 | Central African Rep. | 36.4 |
172 | Niger | 35.7 |
Asia Avg | 54.5 | |
World Avg | 56.4 | |
q=180. |
Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better40 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Avg40 | |
1 | Rwanda | 0.25 |
2 | Chad | 0.26 |
3 | Tanzania | 0.31 |
... | ||
9 | Burundi | 0.41 |
10 | Central African Rep. | 0.41 |
11 | Ethiopia | 0.42 |
12 | Afghanistan | 0.43 |
13 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.45 |
14 | Niger | 0.48 |
15 | Congo, DR | 0.49 |
16 | Nigeria | 0.49 |
Asia Avg | 1.50 | |
World Avg | 1.23 | |
q=165. |
International Accords on the Environment Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Avg Rate | |
1 | Sweden | 83% |
2 | Canada | 82% |
3 | Norway | 81% |
... | ||
179 | Marshall Islands | 42% |
180 | Serbia | 41% |
181 | Grenada | 41% |
182 | Afghanistan | 41% |
183 | Tuvalu | 40% |
184 | Sao Tome & Principe | 40% |
185 | Brunei | 39% |
186 | Nauru | 39% |
Asia Avg | 55.4% | |
World Avg | 57.5% | |
q=197. |
Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better42 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2011 %42 | |
1 | Argentina | 78.3% |
2 | Greece | 77.6% |
3 | Brazil | 77.1% |
... | ||
114 | New Zealand | 24.2% |
115 | Poland | 23.8% |
116 | Belarus | 23.7% |
117 | Afghanistan | 23.6% |
118 | Russia | 23.5% |
119 | Algeria | 23.5% |
120 | Pakistan | 23.2% |
121 | Liberia | 23.1% |
Asia Avg | 37.9% | |
World Avg | 39.9% | |
q=145. |
Meat Consumption Lower is better39 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 kg39 | |
1 | Congo, DR | 03.0 |
2 | Burundi | 03.5 |
3 | Bangladesh | 04.3 |
... | ||
8 | Rwanda | 07.6 |
9 | Mali | 07.8 |
10 | Niger | 08.1 |
11 | Afghanistan | 08.7 |
12 | Uganda | 09.4 |
13 | Togo | 09.4 |
14 | Kenya | 10.3 |
15 | Mozambique | 10.4 |
Asia Avg | 46.7 | |
World Avg | 52.5 | |
q=185. |
#afghanistan #education #intelligence #it_security #modernity #religion #religiosity #secularisation #technology #the_internet
Compared to Asia (2020)44 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank44 | |
1 | S. Korea | 22.2 |
2 | Japan | 24.7 |
3 | Israel | 29.5 |
... | ||
41 | Bhutan | 123.9 |
42 | Laos | 124.4 |
43 | Iraq | 124.6 |
44 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 125.5 |
45 | Syria | 126.9 |
46 | Myanmar (Burma) | 137.3 |
47 | Cambodia | 140.0 |
48 | Yemen | 141.2 |
49 | Afghanistan | 147.7 |
Asia Avg | 78.26 | |
q=49. |
Modernity & Learning (2020)44 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank44 | |
1 | Finland | 7.1 |
2 | Belgium | 12.9 |
3 | Denmark | 13.6 |
... | ||
173 | Madagascar | 146.6 |
174= | Comoros | 147.0 |
174= | Mauritania | 147.0 |
176 | Afghanistan | 147.7 |
177 | Djibouti | 148.0 |
178 | Burundi | 148.5 |
179 | Solomon Islands | 154.5 |
180= | Haiti | 155.6 |
World Avg | 86.31 | |
q=190. |
The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark45. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone45. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots46.
“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)47
15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe45, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia45.
For more, see:
Modernity and Education:
In 1990, education in Afghanistan was woefully short - the average person could expect just 2.5 years, a quarter of the global average.48
Secondary Education Higher is better49 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201849 | |
1= | Luxembourg | 100.0% |
1= | Estonia | 100.0% |
1= | Austria | 100.0% |
... | ||
147 | Benin | 26.5% |
148 | Sierra Leone | 26.3% |
149 | Ivory Coast | 26.1% |
150 | Afghanistan | 26.1% |
151 | Myanmar (Burma) | 25.8% |
152 | Central African Rep. | 22.1% |
153 | Malawi | 21.8% |
154 | Cambodia | 21.3% |
Asia Avg | 66.0% | |
World Avg | 63.0% | |
q=169. |
Length of Schooling Higher is better50 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years50 | |
1 | Australia | 21.1 |
2 | New Zealand | 20.3 |
3 | Greece | 20.0 |
... | ||
160 | Liberia | 10.4 |
161 | Papua New Guinea | 10.4 |
162 | Solomon Islands | 10.3 |
163 | Afghanistan | 10.3 |
164 | Marshall Islands | 10.2 |
165 | Mozambique | 10.2 |
166 | Uganda | 10.1 |
167 | Laos | 10.1 |
Asia Avg | 13.5 | |
World Avg | 13.5 | |
q=193. |
Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Ukraine | 1 |
2 | Czechia | 2 |
3 | Hungary | 3 |
... | ||
156 | Tanzania | 156 |
157 | Equatorial Guinea | 157 |
158 | Guyana | 158 |
159 | Afghanistan | 159 |
160 | Indonesia | 160 |
161 | Bolivia | 161 |
162 | Iraq | 162 |
163 | Angola | 163 |
Asia Avg | 97.1 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Religiosity Lower is better51 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 %51 | |
1 | China | 3 |
2 | Estonia | 6 |
3 | Czechia | 7 |
... | ||
96= | Guinea-Bissau | 91 |
96= | Philippines | 91 |
96= | Zambia | 91 |
99 | Afghanistan | 92 |
100= | Burkina Faso | 93 |
100= | Tanzania | 93 |
100= | Indonesia | 93 |
103 | Mali | 94 |
Asia Avg | 55.8 | |
World Avg | 54.3 | |
q=106. |
IQ Higher is better52 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 200652 | |
1= | Hong Kong | 108 |
1= | Singapore | 108 |
3 | S. Korea | 106 |
... | ||
76= | Venezuela | 84 |
76= | Colombia | 84 |
76= | Jordan | 84 |
76= | Afghanistan | 84 |
76= | UAE | 84 |
76= | Iran | 84 |
76= | Pakistan | 84 |
76= | Panama | 84 |
Asia Avg | 90.4 | |
World Avg | 85.6 | |
q=138. |
Technology and Information:
Internet Users Higher is better53 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201653 | |
1 | Iceland | 100% |
2 | Faroe Islands | 99% |
3 | Norway | 98% |
... | ||
180 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 8% |
181= | Togo | 7% |
181= | Comoros | 7% |
183 | Afghanistan | 7% |
184 | Malawi | 7% |
185 | Mozambique | 6% |
186 | Benin | 6% |
187 | Tanzania | 5% |
Asia Avg | 48.7% | |
World Avg | 48.1% | |
q=201. |
IT Security Lower is better54 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201354 | |
1= | Ireland | 0.11 |
1= | Luxembourg | 0.11 |
1= | Belize | 0.11 |
... | ||
63 | Uganda | 1.44 |
64 | Ukraine | 1.44 |
65 | Nepal | 1.45 |
66 | Afghanistan | 1.45 |
67 | Germany | 1.46 |
68 | Netherlands | 1.47 |
69 | Rwanda | 1.50 |
70 | Tanzania | 1.50 |
Asia Avg | 1.08 | |
World Avg | 0.98 | |
#afghanistan #capitalism #charitability #charity #corruption #culture #economics #equality #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #life_expectancy #morals #north_korea #peace #politics #poverty #religious_violence #social_development #somalia #terrorism
Compared to Asia (2020)55 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank55 | |
1 | Singapore | 20.2 |
2 | Taiwan | 37.2 |
3 | Hong Kong | 40.5 |
... | ||
41 | Russia | 103.2 |
42= | Iran | 103.4 |
43 | Lebanon | 105.4 |
44 | Myanmar (Burma) | 105.7 |
45 | Cambodia | 110.5 |
46 | Iraq | 116.6 |
47 | Syria | 124.9 |
48 | Yemen | 130.3 |
49 | Afghanistan | 140.3 |
Asia Avg | 79.59 | |
q=49. |
Culture, Peace & Inequality (2020)55 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank55 | |
1 | Denmark | 11.2 |
2 | Norway | 13.9 |
3 | Netherlands | 14.4 |
... | ||
173 | Yemen | 130.3 |
174 | Comoros | 130.7 |
175 | Chad | 132.1 |
176 | Congo, DR | 133.7 |
177 | Central African Rep. | 137.1 |
178 | S. Sudan | 137.8 |
179 | Afghanistan | 140.3 |
180 | Somalia | 152.9 |
World Avg | 78.12 | |
q=180. |
This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 22 datasets, including multiple decades of data on World Giving Index, resisting corruption, overall happiness, Creativity and Culture, Open Trading, Aid and Development, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, Inequality in Life Expectancy, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.
For more, see:
National Culture:
World Giving Index Higher is better56 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 %56 | |
1 | Indonesia | 68.0 |
2 | Kenya | 61.0 |
3 | USA | 59.0 |
... | ||
118 | Portugal | 26.0 |
119 | Lebanon | 24.0 |
120 | Egypt | 23.0 |
121 | S. Korea | 22.0 |
122= | Afghanistan | 21.0 |
122= | Belgium | 21.0 |
124 | Japan | 20.0 |
125 | Cambodia | 19.0 |
Asia Avg | 37.9 | |
World Avg | 39.6 | |
q=125. |
Corruption Higher is better57 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Points57 | |
1 | Denmark | 90.0 |
2= | Finland | 87.0 |
2= | New Zealand | 87.0 |
... | ||
152 | Guatemala | 24.0 |
153= | Nigeria | 24.0 |
153= | Cambodia | 24.0 |
153= | Afghanistan | 24.0 |
153= | Tajikistan | 24.0 |
157 | Zimbabwe | 23.0 |
158= | Myanmar (Burma) | 23.0 |
158= | Azerbaijan | 23.0 |
Asia Avg | 39.98 | |
World Avg | 42.98 | |
q=180. |
Afghanistan has a poor long-term record on corruption. It declined in particular in the 2000s, becoming the 2nd-worst country in the world in terms of perceived corruption in 2009, and throughout the 2010s scored 3rd-worst on average, after Somalia and North Korea.
Happiness Higher is better58 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2024 Score58 | |
1 | Finland | 7.7 |
2 | Denmark | 7.5 |
3 | Iceland | 7.5 |
... | ||
140 | Yemen | 3.6 |
141 | Congo, DR | 3.5 |
142 | Botswana | 3.4 |
143 | Zimbabwe | 3.4 |
144 | Malawi | 3.3 |
145 | Lebanon | 3.2 |
146 | Sierra Leone | 3.0 |
147 | Afghanistan | 1.4 |
Asia Avg | 5.41 | |
World Avg | 5.58 | |
q=147. |
Creativity & Culture Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Belgium | 1 |
2 | Netherlands | 2 |
3 | Estonia | 3 |
... | ||
112 | Swaziland | 112 |
113 | Argentina | 113 |
114 | Qatar | 114 |
115 | Afghanistan | 115 |
116 | Ivory Coast | 116 |
117 | Panama | 117 |
118 | Colombia | 118 |
119 | Brazil | 119 |
Asia Avg | 99.0 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Ireland | 1 |
2 | Denmark | 2 |
3 | Sweden | 3 |
... | ||
137 | Yemen | 137 |
138 | Cambodia | 138 |
139 | Antigua & Barbuda | 139 |
140 | Afghanistan | 140 |
141 | Belize | 141 |
142 | Slovakia | 142 |
143 | Tanzania | 143 |
144 | St Vincent & Grenadines | 144 |
Asia Avg | 86.3 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Peace Versus Instability:
Afghanistan's situation is worsening; since 2008 terrorism-related deaths have increased by over six times, taking it to the bottom of the Global Terrorism Index in 201859. Over the past few decades, it has transformed from an accessible and fascinating place into a battered and troubled country10 at odds with the international community.
Global Peace Index Lower is better60 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 Score60 | |
1 | Iceland | 1.12 |
2 | Denmark | 1.31 |
3 | Ireland | 1.31 |
... | ||
156 | Somalia | 3.04 |
157 | Ukraine | 3.04 |
158 | Russia | 3.14 |
159 | Congo, DR | 3.21 |
160 | S. Sudan | 3.22 |
161 | Syria | 3.29 |
162 | Yemen | 3.35 |
163 | Afghanistan | 3.45 |
Asia Avg | 2.17 | |
World Avg | 2.07 | |
q=163. |
Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Samoa | 1 |
2 | S. Africa | 2 |
3 | Tunisia | 3 |
... | ||
149 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 149 |
150 | Seychelles | 150 |
151 | Sierra Leone | 151 |
152 | Afghanistan | 152 |
153 | Lebanon | 153 |
154 | Liberia | 154 |
155 | Mali | 155 |
156 | Swaziland | 156 |
Asia Avg | 76.0 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank33 | |
1 | Austria | 1 |
2 | Germany | 2 |
3 | Netherlands | 3 |
... | ||
132 | Azerbaijan | 132 |
133 | Togo | 133 |
134 | St Vincent & Grenadines | 134 |
135 | Afghanistan | 135 |
136 | Trinidad & Tobago | 136 |
137 | Nigeria | 137 |
138 | Cambodia | 138 |
139 | Mali | 139 |
Asia Avg | 92.2 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Impact of Terrorism Lower is better61 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2019 Score61 | |
1 | Togo | 0.00 |
2 | Mongolia | 0.00 |
3 | Swaziland | 0.00 |
... | ||
143 | Yemen | 7.26 |
144 | India | 7.52 |
145 | Somalia | 7.80 |
146 | Pakistan | 7.89 |
147 | Syria | 8.01 |
148 | Nigeria | 8.60 |
149 | Iraq | 9.24 |
150 | Afghanistan | 9.60 |
Asia Avg | 3.60 | |
World Avg | 2.78 | |
q=150. |
Economic Inequality and Poverty:
Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better62 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201962 | |
1 | Iceland | 2.40 |
2= | Singapore | 2.50 |
2= | Hong Kong | 2.50 |
... | ||
154 | Zambia | 26.50 |
155 | Uganda | 27.20 |
156 | Sudan | 27.40 |
157 | Afghanistan | 28.30 |
158= | Gambia | 28.50 |
158= | Burundi | 28.50 |
160 | Comoros | 28.90 |
161= | Liberia | 29.80 |
Asia Avg | 11.80 | |
World Avg | 14.59 | |
q=184. |
Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better63 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Severity63 | |
1 | Armenia | .001 |
2 | Ukraine | .001 |
3 | Serbia | .001 |
... | ||
76 | Mauritania | .261 |
77 | Zambia | .261 |
78 | Uganda | .269 |
79 | Afghanistan | .272 |
80 | Tanzania | .273 |
81 | Sudan | .279 |
82 | Angola | .282 |
83 | Gambia | .286 |
Asia Avg | .084 | |
World Avg | .154 | |
q=101. |
#afghanistan #atheism #belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religion_in_afghanistan #religiosity #secularisation
Religiosity (2018)51 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better %51 | |
1 | China | 3 |
2 | Estonia | 6 |
3 | Czechia | 7 |
... | ||
91= | Honduras | 90 |
91= | Cameroon | 90 |
91= | Rwanda | 90 |
91= | Liberia | 90 |
95 | Morocco | 91 |
96= | Guinea-Bissau | 91 |
96= | Philippines | 91 |
96= | Zambia | 91 |
99 | Afghanistan | 92 |
100= | Burkina Faso | 93 |
100= | Tanzania | 93 |
100= | Indonesia | 93 |
103 | Mali | 94 |
104= | Pakistan | 94 |
105 | Ethiopia | 98 |
106= | Senegal | 98 |
World Avg | 54.3 | |
q=106. |
Disbelief In God (2007)64 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better %64 | |
1 | Vietnam | 81 |
2 | Japan | 65 |
3 | Sweden | 64 |
... | ||
113= | Gambia | 0 |
113= | Kenya | 0 |
113= | Ethiopia | 0 |
113= | Afghanistan | 0 |
113= | Egypt | 0 |
113= | Liberia | 0 |
113= | Libya | 0 |
113= | Ivory Coast | 0 |
113= | Pakistan | 0 |
113= | Niger | 0 |
113= | Saudi Arabia | 0 |
113= | Rwanda | 0 |
113= | Cameroon | 0 |
113= | Philippines | 0 |
113= | Kuwait | 0 |
113= | Madagascar | 0 |
World Avg | 9.9 | |
q=137. |
Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below65:
Christian | 0.1% |
Muslim | 99% |
Hindu | 0.1% |
Buddhist | 0.1% |
Folk Religion | 0.1% |
Jewish | 0.1% |
Unaffiliated | 0.1% |
The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%66.
Freedom of Religion and Belief: There has been no freedom of religious beliefs since the Taliban took comprehensive control in 1996, excepting some areas nominally under the control of coalition forces during the Afghan war 2001-2014. Almost anyone who is not a Muslim has either fled, or now hides their identity, else they face violent persecution.27
When it comes to religious freedom and persecution, sociologists Grim & Finke place Afghanistan into the worst category, along with just 13 other countries. In this category, severe restrictions on religious freedom and freedom of belief stem simultaneously from top-down pressure from government and institutionalized religion, and from bottom-up grassroots movements that often go even further than the government in harrassing those who do not believe the right things (2011)67. The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)68, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Afghanistan states:
“The constitution states that Islam is the "religion of the state" and that "no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam." The constitution and other laws and policies restrict freedom of religion or belief and, in practice, the government enforces these restrictions. Afghanistan's constitutional reliance on Sharia mandates the government to punish alleged blasphemers and apostates with sentences as serious as death by hanging. Non-Muslim minority groups, which together constitute approximately 1 percent of the population, are frequent targets of discrimination and persecution. The constitution requires that the president and vice president be Muslim.
Cases of Discrimination
In January 2008, the Afghan Senate supported the death penalty for the 23-year old journalist Sayed Pervez Kambaksh for blasphemy. He downloaded and distributed an article (written by Arash "The Atheist" Bikhoda) that critically discussed certain Qur'an verses about women. In October 2008, Kambaksh's sentence was commuted to 20 years imprisonment. In August 2009, Kambaksh left Afghanistan after a grant of amnesty by President Hamid Karzai.
”
"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)69
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