19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
13 August 1960 (from France)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
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), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$483,900,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Area
652,230 km sq
622,984 km sq
Coastline
0 km
0 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
