federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Independence date
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
Languages
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashto (official) 35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$1,399,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6802 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
10.000%
1.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
2
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
