19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
28 February 1922 (from UK)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
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
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$33,740,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 5.4 (2008 est.), 5.67 (2007), 5.725 (2006), 5.78 (2005), 6.1962 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
3.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
1
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula
