19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
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
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$20,030,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
10.000%
2.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
1
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Area
652,230 km sq
283,561 km sq
Coastline
0 km
2,237 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
