Afghanistan - Maternal and reproductive health at a glance

Afghanistan suffers from poverty and low human development aggravated by 23 years of conflict. In 2012, the population was 29 million and per capita income US $268. Economic growth was estimated at 3.6 percent in 2013, down from 14.4 percent in 2012. The transition led to investor and consumer wariness. Poverty reduction has stagnated at about 36 percent since 2007-08, while inequality increased (NRVA 2011-12). The Gini coefficient rose from 29.7 in 2007-08 to 31.6 in 2011-12. The large youth population — 47 percent is under 15 — is an opportunity to benefit from the demographic dividend through high growth and poverty reduction.The country ranks 175 out of 187 countries in the human development index.