Afghanistan

The terrain of land-locked Afghanistan is composed of rugged mountains and plains, in a semi-arid to arid climate. Its natural resources include petroleum, natural gas, and coal, as well as zinc and other minerals. Most of the country is used for human activities, primarily as rangeland. Afghanistan has high biodiversity rarity of terrestrial land vertebrates at a global scale. When analysed as single taxons, the rarity of amphibians, mammals and reptiles is also high. The natural environment is challenged by water insecurity resources; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation; desertification; and pollution in overcrowded urban areas.