Background
OB-GYN Care for Afghans: A Toolkit for Clinicians

On this page:
Context
Demographics
Tools and references
 

• On August 30, 2021, the final contingent of U.S. troops rapidly departed Afghanistan. The Taliban quickly overtook the country, leading to chaotic evacuations of thousands of Afghan families.¹
• People from Afghanistan are referred to as Afghans.²
• Islam is the official religion of Afghanistan, with 99% of Afghans identifying as Muslim.³
• Dari and Pashto are the official languages.³
• As of 2018, 52% of adult men and 23% of adult women were considered literate.⁴

Context

Afghanistan is an ethnically diverse, culturally rich country with a history of external interference, ongoing tribal conflicts, and war.³ The number of Afghans immigrating to the United States (U.S.) has increased over the last several decades.⁵ On August 30, 2021, the U.S. rapidly withdrew its last military forces from Afghanistan. The Taliban overtook the country quickly, leading to chaotic evacuations of thousands of Afghan families and the displacement of millions of Afghans.¹

Map of Afghanistan and surrounding countries

Source: Frank Raymond Allchin & Petrov, V. P. (2019). Encyclopædia Britannica: Afghanistan | History, Map, Flag, Capital, Population, & Languages.

Demographics

Population

People from Afghanistan are referred to as Afghans;² As of 2023, Afghanistan had a population of more than 40 million people.⁶ In 2019, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that three-quarters of the population lived in rural areas.⁷

Religion

Islam is the official religion, with 99% of Afghans identifying as Muslim.³

Language and literacy

Over 30 languages are spoken in Afghanistan, and many Afghans are multilingual. Dari and Pashto are the official languages.⁸ Due to ongoing war and conflict, Afghanistan’s educational system remains in disarray, with a large gender gap in educational access and attainment for girls and women.⁹ The 2018 Afghanistan Health Survey reported that nearly 70% of women and nearly 50% of men had never attended school. A history of any school attendance was higher in urban areas (60%) compared to rural areas (36%), regardless of gender.¹⁰ In 2021, 52% of adult men and 23% of adult women were considered literate.⁴

Tools and references