19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
12 March 1968 (from UK)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
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
Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$5,205,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 27.973 (2008 est.), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
0.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
1
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Area
652,230 km sq
2,040 km sq
Coastline
0 km
177 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
