Demographics of Afghanistan
Before we can analyse educational practices in Afghanistan, we first need some background information about the country itself. Understanding the political, social and cultural make-up of a country gives a greater understanding of why children are taught in the way they are, how different students are treated, and what children are actually taught. One useful way of gaining this background information is by looking to their demographics, as shown through surveys and censuses.
Looking at a country’s statistics can give an insight into such cultural and social factors as which religious beliefs are common, the ethnic diversity of the country, to what extent boys and girls are treated differently, and what kinds of jobs are likely to be available to children once they leave school (which may suggest which subjects are likely to be given most focus).
Ethnic Groups:
The largest (and traditionally most politically powerful) ethnic group of Afghanistan is the Pashtun, who comprise almost half (42%) of the country's population. The second largest group is the Tajik at 27%, who live mainly in the Panjsher Valley, the central mountains and the northern and northeastern provinces of Parwan, Takhar, Badakhshan, Baghlan and Samangan. Hazara and Uzbek each comprise 9% of the Afghan population. The Hazara live mainly in the Hazarajat, Land of the Hazara, though others live in Badakhshan or western Turkestan, while the Uzbek largely live mingled with the Tajik across the northern plains, and there are many mixed Tajik and Uzbek villages. The Aimak (who are strictly speaking not an ethnic group, but a term to describe the seminomadic herders and agricultural tribal groups of various ethnic origins that were formed in the 16th and 17th centuries) make up 4% of the population, Turkmen (mainly concentrated in Balkh Province and Herat Province, with smaller groups in Kunduz Province) 3%, and Baloch (who generally live in the deserts and semideserts of Helmand Province in the southwest) 2%. Other assorted ethnic groups make up the remaining 4%. (Blood, 2001) (The CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Languages:
The official languages are Afghan Persian, or Dari, and Pashto. Balochi, Pashai, Nuristani, Pamiri and the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen are the third official languages in areas where the majority of inhabitants speak them. Bilingualism is very common, with Afghan Persian/Dari as the unifying language.
50% of the population speak Afghan Persian/Dari as their first language, and 35% speak Pashto. Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) are spoken by 11%, with 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) making up the final 4%. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Religions:
Afghanistan is a primarily Muslim country, with only 1% of the population following other religions. Sunni Muslims are the vast majority at 80% of the population, in contrast to Shia Muslims, who make up 19%. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Population:
As of July 2013, the population of Afghanistan is estimated at 31, 108, 077. This gives them the 40th highest population in the world. The population growth rate is estimated at 2.25% (the 42nd highest in the world) (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Birth/death rate:
Afghanistan has a very high birth and death rate. At 39.05 births for every 1000 people, they have the 12th highest birth rate in the world. Their death rate ranks even higher at 14.35 deaths for every 1000 people, giving them the 7th highest death rate in the world.
Afghanistan also has a very high total fertility rate (8th highest in the world), with an average 5.54 children born for every woman. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Sex/age ratios:
Children (ages 0-14) make up the largest group in Afghanistan at 42.6%, followed by adults aged 22-54 at 29.1%, then teenagers/young adults aged 15-24 at 21.9%. Older people aged 55-64 make up a far smaller portion of the population at 3.8%, and number of people aged 65 and over is even less, making up only 2.5% of the population. As of 2013, the estimated overall median age of Afghanistan is 17.9 years (17.9 years for males and 18 years for females).
As of 2013, the estimated sex ratio at birth is 1.05 males for every one female. At 0-14 years the ratio is 1.03 males for every one female, and 1.04 males for every one female in both the 15-24 and 25-55 age ranges. By 55-64 years this has fallen to 0.97 males for every one female, 0.87 males for every one female in the 65 years and over range. For the total population there is an average of 1.03 males for every one female. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Infant/maternal mortality rate:
Afghanistan has the highest estimated infant mortality rate in the world. For every 1000 live births there are 119.41 deaths. Males have a higher mortality rate than females with 127.18 deaths for every 1000 live births, in comparison to female infant mortality, which is 111.25 deaths for every 1000 live births.
The maternal mortality rate is also reasonably high (the 23rd highest in the world), with 460 deaths for every 100,000 live births (as of 2010). (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Life expectancy at birth: The average estimated life expectancy, as of 2013, for the total population is 50.11 years. The life expectancy for males is 48.81 years, and for females, 51.47 years. This is a very low life expectancy in comparison with the rest of the world, and is in fact the 5th lowest overall life expectancy in the world. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Employment: A national 2012 survey carried out by the Asian Foundation found that 47% of the overall population work (50% in rural areas and 35% in urban areas). The second largest group consists of housewives, who make up 38% of the overall population (37% in rural areas and 43% in urban areas). The number of people who are retired (1% overall, 1% rural, 2% urban), unemployed (6% overall, 5% rural, 8% urban) and students (8% overall, 7% rural, 12% urban) is relatively small.
The most common job in rural areas is farmer (own land or tenant farmer) at 40%, followed by farm labourer working on someone else's land at 11%, and skilled worker or artisan at 10%. All other jobs make up under 10% of the rural population (labourer, domestic or unskilled worker-9%; informal sales/business-8%; self-employed professional-5%; school teacher-5%; clerical worker in a government office-4%; small business owner-4%; military/police-2%; clerical worker in a private office-1%; executive/manager in a government office-1%) and there were no university teachers or executive/managers in private offices.
The most common jobs in urban areas are informal sales/business (18%), skilled worker or artisan (15%), self-employed professional (12%) and small business owner (11%). The proportion of people living in urban areas who are farmers or farm labourers is far smaller than in rural areas (4% and 1% respectively). All other jobs make up less than 10% of the urban population (labourer, domestic or unskilled worker: 9%; clerical worker in a government office-7%; school teacher-6%; executive/manager of a government office-5%; military/police-5%; clerical worker in a private office-4%; executive/manager of a private office-2%; university teacher-1%) (The Asia Foundation, 2012)
Kathryn Sheldon
Referencing:
The CIA World Factbook (2013) Afghanistan. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html [Accessed: 5th Oct 2013]
Blood, P. (ed.) (2001) Afghanistan: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress. Available at: http://countrystudies.us/afghanistan/ [Accessed: 5th Oct 2013]
The Asia Foundation (2012) 'Afghanistan in 2012: A Survey of the Afghan People-US-October 2012'. [Online]. Available at: http://www.asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/Surveybook2012web1.pdf [Accessed: 5th Oct 2013]
Cole, B & King, A (2008) Afghanistan Map-Afghanistan Satellite Image. [image online] Available at: http://geology.com/world/afghanistan-satellite-image.shtml [Accessed: 8th October 2013]
The largest (and traditionally most politically powerful) ethnic group of Afghanistan is the Pashtun, who comprise almost half (42%) of the country's population. The second largest group is the Tajik at 27%, who live mainly in the Panjsher Valley, the central mountains and the northern and northeastern provinces of Parwan, Takhar, Badakhshan, Baghlan and Samangan. Hazara and Uzbek each comprise 9% of the Afghan population. The Hazara live mainly in the Hazarajat, Land of the Hazara, though others live in Badakhshan or western Turkestan, while the Uzbek largely live mingled with the Tajik across the northern plains, and there are many mixed Tajik and Uzbek villages. The Aimak (who are strictly speaking not an ethnic group, but a term to describe the seminomadic herders and agricultural tribal groups of various ethnic origins that were formed in the 16th and 17th centuries) make up 4% of the population, Turkmen (mainly concentrated in Balkh Province and Herat Province, with smaller groups in Kunduz Province) 3%, and Baloch (who generally live in the deserts and semideserts of Helmand Province in the southwest) 2%. Other assorted ethnic groups make up the remaining 4%. (Blood, 2001) (The CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Languages:
The official languages are Afghan Persian, or Dari, and Pashto. Balochi, Pashai, Nuristani, Pamiri and the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen are the third official languages in areas where the majority of inhabitants speak them. Bilingualism is very common, with Afghan Persian/Dari as the unifying language.
50% of the population speak Afghan Persian/Dari as their first language, and 35% speak Pashto. Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) are spoken by 11%, with 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) making up the final 4%. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Religions:
Afghanistan is a primarily Muslim country, with only 1% of the population following other religions. Sunni Muslims are the vast majority at 80% of the population, in contrast to Shia Muslims, who make up 19%. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Population:
As of July 2013, the population of Afghanistan is estimated at 31, 108, 077. This gives them the 40th highest population in the world. The population growth rate is estimated at 2.25% (the 42nd highest in the world) (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Birth/death rate:
Afghanistan has a very high birth and death rate. At 39.05 births for every 1000 people, they have the 12th highest birth rate in the world. Their death rate ranks even higher at 14.35 deaths for every 1000 people, giving them the 7th highest death rate in the world.
Afghanistan also has a very high total fertility rate (8th highest in the world), with an average 5.54 children born for every woman. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Sex/age ratios:
Children (ages 0-14) make up the largest group in Afghanistan at 42.6%, followed by adults aged 22-54 at 29.1%, then teenagers/young adults aged 15-24 at 21.9%. Older people aged 55-64 make up a far smaller portion of the population at 3.8%, and number of people aged 65 and over is even less, making up only 2.5% of the population. As of 2013, the estimated overall median age of Afghanistan is 17.9 years (17.9 years for males and 18 years for females).
As of 2013, the estimated sex ratio at birth is 1.05 males for every one female. At 0-14 years the ratio is 1.03 males for every one female, and 1.04 males for every one female in both the 15-24 and 25-55 age ranges. By 55-64 years this has fallen to 0.97 males for every one female, 0.87 males for every one female in the 65 years and over range. For the total population there is an average of 1.03 males for every one female. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Infant/maternal mortality rate:
Afghanistan has the highest estimated infant mortality rate in the world. For every 1000 live births there are 119.41 deaths. Males have a higher mortality rate than females with 127.18 deaths for every 1000 live births, in comparison to female infant mortality, which is 111.25 deaths for every 1000 live births.
The maternal mortality rate is also reasonably high (the 23rd highest in the world), with 460 deaths for every 100,000 live births (as of 2010). (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Life expectancy at birth: The average estimated life expectancy, as of 2013, for the total population is 50.11 years. The life expectancy for males is 48.81 years, and for females, 51.47 years. This is a very low life expectancy in comparison with the rest of the world, and is in fact the 5th lowest overall life expectancy in the world. (CIA World Factbook, 2013)
Employment: A national 2012 survey carried out by the Asian Foundation found that 47% of the overall population work (50% in rural areas and 35% in urban areas). The second largest group consists of housewives, who make up 38% of the overall population (37% in rural areas and 43% in urban areas). The number of people who are retired (1% overall, 1% rural, 2% urban), unemployed (6% overall, 5% rural, 8% urban) and students (8% overall, 7% rural, 12% urban) is relatively small.
The most common job in rural areas is farmer (own land or tenant farmer) at 40%, followed by farm labourer working on someone else's land at 11%, and skilled worker or artisan at 10%. All other jobs make up under 10% of the rural population (labourer, domestic or unskilled worker-9%; informal sales/business-8%; self-employed professional-5%; school teacher-5%; clerical worker in a government office-4%; small business owner-4%; military/police-2%; clerical worker in a private office-1%; executive/manager in a government office-1%) and there were no university teachers or executive/managers in private offices.
The most common jobs in urban areas are informal sales/business (18%), skilled worker or artisan (15%), self-employed professional (12%) and small business owner (11%). The proportion of people living in urban areas who are farmers or farm labourers is far smaller than in rural areas (4% and 1% respectively). All other jobs make up less than 10% of the urban population (labourer, domestic or unskilled worker: 9%; clerical worker in a government office-7%; school teacher-6%; executive/manager of a government office-5%; military/police-5%; clerical worker in a private office-4%; executive/manager of a private office-2%; university teacher-1%) (The Asia Foundation, 2012)
Kathryn Sheldon
Referencing:
The CIA World Factbook (2013) Afghanistan. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html [Accessed: 5th Oct 2013]
Blood, P. (ed.) (2001) Afghanistan: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress. Available at: http://countrystudies.us/afghanistan/ [Accessed: 5th Oct 2013]
The Asia Foundation (2012) 'Afghanistan in 2012: A Survey of the Afghan People-US-October 2012'. [Online]. Available at: http://www.asiafoundation.org/resources/pdfs/Surveybook2012web1.pdf [Accessed: 5th Oct 2013]
Cole, B & King, A (2008) Afghanistan Map-Afghanistan Satellite Image. [image online] Available at: http://geology.com/world/afghanistan-satellite-image.shtml [Accessed: 8th October 2013]