ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief historical background and a description of major events in Afghanistan. It also provides basic political, economic, and social data arranged in the following categories: polity, economy, population, purchasing power parities (PPP), life expectancy, ethnic groups, capital, political rights, civil liberties, and status. The chapter discusses the progress and decline of political rights and civil liberties in Afghanistan. Located at the crossroads of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, Afghanistan has for centuries been caught in the middle of great power and regional rivalries. As 2001 ended, Afghanistan had only a nominal government in Kabul and most Afghans enjoyed few basic rights. The Taliban's downfall also meant that Afghans generally were able to speak more freely and openly. The UN estimates that Afghanistan is the most heavily land mined country in the world despite more than a decade of internationally assisted mine clearance.
