19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
5 August 1960 (from France)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
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
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
cotton, livestock, gold
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$2,335,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
1.200%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
