19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
26 July 1965 (from UK)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Sunni Muslim
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
Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
fish
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$943,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
5.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Area
652,230 km sq
298 km sq
Coastline
0 km
644 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
