Economy Statistics
GDP: $3 billion (1991 est.) and may well be correct. Purchasing parity power (1999 est.) was $21 billion.
Natural resources: Natural gas, oil, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron, salt, precious and semiprecious stones.
Agriculture (at least 65% of GDP): Products--wheat, corn, barley, rice, cotton, fruit, nuts, karakul pelts, wool, and mutton.
Industry (estimated 20% of GDP): Types--small scale production for domestic use of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement; handwoven carpets for export; natural gas, precious and semiprecious gemstones.
Trade (1996 est.): Exports--$80 million (does not include opium): opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semiprecious gems. Major markets--Central Asian Republics, Pakistan, Iran, EC, India. Estimates show that the figure for 2001 is much reduced, except for opium. Imports--$150 million (1996 est.): food, petroleum products, and consumer goods. Estimates show that imports have been severely reduced in 2001. Major suppliers--Central Asian Republics, Pakistan, Iran.
Currency: The currency is called the afghani. There continue to be problems of separate printing of the afghani in different parts of the country. The afghani is highly inflated with rates fluctuating frequently, although it strengthened markedly with the ouster of the Taliban and the installation of the Interim Authority.. The market rate during much of 2001 for each currency exceeded 50,000 Afghanis=U.S.$1. The Pakistani rupee and other foreign currencies are frequently used as legal tender.
source: http://www.state.gov
ECONOMY
Historically, there has been a dearth of information and reliable statistics about Afghanistan's economy. The Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war destroyed much of the underdeveloped country's limited infrastructure and disrupted normal patterns of economic activity. Gross domestic product has fallen substantially over the past 20 years because of loss of labor and capital and disruption of trade and transport. Continuing internal strife hampered both domestic efforts at reconstruction as well as international aid efforts.
