Afghanistan, June 30 -- Afghanistan has become increasingly dependent on Iran for trade, with 56% of its imports passing through the country, leaving its economy vulnerable to regional tensions and disruptions, the World Bank said in its latest Afghanistan Economic Monitor.
The report said Afghanistan's economy grew by an estimated 4.8%, but warned the recovery has not improved living standards. Per-capita income continued to fall as rapid population growth, driven largely by the return of nearly 3.7 million Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan, outpaced economic expansion.
The World Bank also reported a 17% decline in exports in May compared with the previous month, while imports of machinery and other investment goods remained sharply...