19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
26 July 1847
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
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
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$400,300,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
10.000%
0.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Area
652,230 km sq
111,369 km sq
Coastline
0 km
579 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
