19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
4 February 1948 (from UK)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
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
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Exports
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 $
$22,810,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar - 108.33 (2008), 110.78 (2007), 103.99 (2006), 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
2.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Area
652,230 km sq
65,610 km sq
Coastline
0 km
1,340 km
Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
