Short facts about the geography of Afghanistan

Location:

Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Geographic coordinates:

33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total:  647,500 sq km land:  647,500 sq km water:  0 sq km

Area - comparative:

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

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

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

Environment - 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

Source: World Factbook