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crisis in Afghanistan
Geography:
Location: Southern Asia, north and west of
Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Area: Total: 647,500 sq km
Land: 647,500 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
Area - Compare: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km,
Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km,
Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot
summers
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north
and southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E
Area: Total: 647,500 sq km
Land: 647,500 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
Area - Compare: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km,
Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km,
Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot
summers
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north
and southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc,
iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Land use: arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 46%
Forests and woodland: 3%
Other: 39% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Environment -
current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being
cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification
international agreements: party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: landlocked
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc,
iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Land use: arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 46%
Forests and woodland: 3%
Other: 39% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Environment -
current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being
cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification
international agreements: party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: landlocked