Afghanistan Map

Afghanistan Map



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: 12.13% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 87.65% (2001)

Irrigated land: 23,860 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts

Environment - current issues: Limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution

Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: Landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)