* CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 2. General NHA Findings 3. Conclusions

* SUMMARY

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia with a population of approximately 27million, representing various ethnic groups, languages, and religions. The majority of Afghans live in rural areas (72.1%), while 22.2 percent of people live in urban areas, with Kabul being the most populated urban city. Nomadic tribes constitute the remaining 5.7 percent of the population (GoIRA, 2013). The composition of Afghan communities is ever-changing, as migrant repatriation continues and more families move from rural to urban areas for social or economic reasons.

Afghanistan’s population is much younger than that of its regional counterparts, with 46.1 percent under age 15 years old (GoIRA, 2013). Less than 3 percent of the population is age 65 and older, with the estimated life expectancy at birth being 63 years for males and 64 years for females (APHI/MoPH et al., 2011).....