19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
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
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$5,200,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 10.326 (2008 est.), 12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
0.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
1
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
