Profiles: Natural resources

A combination of war, exploitation, population pressure and mismanagement has degraded natural resources, especially forests and rangeland. Drought is often cited as the main cause for this degradation but it has been the breakdown of traditional management strategies that has led to widespread non-sustainable resource use across the sector.

The return of refugees to their communities and the growth of urban areas, for example, have led to unregulated sinking of wells and non-renewable groundwater depletion.

Rangelands cover 46 percent of Afghanistan's territory, incorporating distinct ecosystems supporting settled and nomadic communities in a complex interrelationship. The decimation of Kuchi herds has disrupted this relationship, increasing the potential for conflict and removing a beneficial environmental activity.

Mineral wealth: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Land use: arable land - 12%, permanent crops: 0%, permanent pastures:46%, forests and woodland: 3%, other: 39%
Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes, floods, locusts, droughts
Environment - current issues: soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; overpopulation

    forestry and forest products