19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 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
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$548,300,000,000 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
10.000%
2.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
2
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Area
652,230 km sq
92,090 km sq
Coastline
0 km
1,793 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
