Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
30,419,928
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
49.720 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Kabul
Amsterdam
Largest city
Kabul (population: 3,043,530)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0
0.958
GDP per capita
$1,000 US
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
28.1%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
1.5
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
25.9%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
35.000%
4.400%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
Islamic republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
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
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$2,655,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
1.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
16
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
