Economy of Afghanistan:
- GDP rose over $20 billion in the last 13 years, nearly 5 times greater than in 2002
- Established 125 business associations and Chambers of Commerce and Industry – including 27 owned by women – in urban centers such as Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar, Kunduz and Mazar-i Sharif
- Afghanistan still remains one of the poorest countries in the world, due to insecurity and corruption throughout the country
- Recently implemented Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement, and looking to join the World Trade Union
- Afghanistan’s rich natural resources could accelerate economic growth and provide an important source of government revenue
- The recent success has been contributed to the downfall of the regime of the Taliban in 2001
- Approximately 7.512 million civilians in the work force (78.6% work in agriculture)
- 4.6% inflation rate
- In recent years, the country has been exporting millions of more product value while importing millions more, thus expanding its overall economy
- Exports- The country has exported $721 million in 2013 and has increased at an annual rate of 11.4%
- Raw cotton and tropical fruits make up a large majority of the exports
- Imports- $7.29 billions worth of imports in 2013 and have annually increased at a rate of 9%.
- Peat and Refined Petroleum account for most of imports
- Most of the trade from the country involves farming and livestock in exchange for other unaccounted materials
- Greatest trading partners are Pakistan ($295 M), India($240 M), Areas($33.4 M), Finland($17.4 M), and Russia($13.9 M)
- Other countries are allied with Afghanistan and hold a long relationship and due to their sustaining farmland, they sell their product at good prices