Asylum countries of origin: Afghanistan

The facts and figures behind Afghanistan, the third top country by applicant for asylum in the UK in 2002.

In 2002 there were 7,380 applications for asylum in the UK from people from Afghanistan.

This figure, a decrease from 9,000 the year before, meant Afghanistan was no longer the biggest single originator of asylum claims to the UK as it was in 2001.

At the initial application stage, more than 4,800 Afghans were allowed to stay in the UK, with 110 classed as refugees and the rest granted exceptional leave to remain.

Country background:

Instability has continued to characterise Afghanistan since the overthrow of the Taleban by US-led forces in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.

The interim government under Hamid Karzai hopes to agree a new constitution with elections to follow within two years.

An international protection force operates in the capital Kabul, but lawlessness and banditry are major problems across the country.

Infighting between local commanders over power and territory is common and conflict continues to break out in the southern and eastern regions of the country.

Human rights group Amnesty International has warned that the institutions essential to implement the rule of law and to protect human rights are weak.

AFGHANISTAN FACTS

Population: 24 million (UN)

Capital: Kabul

Major religion: Islam

BBC Monitoring: Full profile

Even without the current problems, decades of civil war has left the population exhausted and impoverished.

Millions of Afghans have fled abroad, mostly to neighbouring countries, and many people are still displaced within Afghanistan itself.

Afghans are the largest single refugee group in the world.

Apart from those fleeing from war many of the refugees are a hangover from the deposed Taleban government.

Initially the Taleban brought a measure of stability.

But their extreme version of Islamic Shariah saw human rights violations become a part of state policy as the rigid social code severely restricted women's rights to freedom of movement, employment, health care and education.