Afghanistan is comprised of a variety of ethnic groups, the overwhelming majority of whom are Muslim, usually either followers of Sunni or Shia Islam. The people of Afghanistan are related to many of the ethnic groups in Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; the borders drawn between these groups are arbitrary. For the most part, Afghans are farmers, although a significant minority follows a nomadic lifestyle. In the years since the Soviet invasion and the later civil war, a large number of Afghans have fled the country and become refugees in neighboring nations, most typically in Iran and Pakistan.

Population:	26,813,057 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 42.2% (male 5,775,921; female 5,538,836) 15-64 years: 55.01% (male 7,644,242; female 7,106,568) 65 years and over: 2.79% (male 394,444; female 353,046) (2001 est.)
Population growth rate:	3.48% (2001 est.) note: this rate reflects the continued return of refugees from Iran
Birth rate:	41.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate:	17.72 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate:	11.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	147.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 46.24 years male: 46.97 years female: 45.47 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate:	5.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Nationality:	noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groups:	Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 12%, Uzbek 6%
Religions:	Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Languages:	Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Literacy:	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 31.5% male: 47.2% female: 15% (1999 est.)