AfghanistanPeople

Population: 25,838,797 (July 2000 est.) 

Age structure: 
0-14 years: 42.37% (male 5,598,403; female 5,371,054) 
15-64 years: 54.86% (male 7,362,961; female 6,839,914) 
65 years and over: 2.77% (male 378,741; female 337,724) (2000 est.) 

Population growth rate: 3.54% (2000 est.) 
note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran 

Birth rate: 41.82 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Death rate: 18.01 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Net migration rate: 11.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) 

Sex ratio: 
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female 
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2000 est.) 

Infant mortality rate: 149.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) 

Life expectancy at birth: 
total population: 45.88 years 
male: 46.62 years 
female: 45.1 years (2000 est.) 

Total fertility rate: 5.87 children born/woman (2000 est.) 

Nationality: 
noun: Afghan(s) 
adjective: Afghan 

Ethnic groups: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 

Religions: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1% 

Languages: Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much
bilingualism 

Literacy: 
definition: age 15 and over can read and write 
total population: 31.5% 
male: 47.2% 
female: 15% (1999 est.)