Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general Prime minister: Baldwin Spencer
President: Hamid Karzai
Population
89,018
30,419,928
Life Expectancy
75.690 years
49.720 years
Capital City
Saint John's
Kabul
Largest city
Saint John's (population: 24,226)
Kabul (population: 3,043,530)
Human Development Index
0.83
0
GDP per capita
$18,200 US
$1,000 US
Literacy Rate
85.8%
28.1%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
1.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
16.7%
25.9%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
11.000%
35.000%
Death Penalty
Legal
Legal
Political System
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government
Islamic republic
Independence date
1 November 1981 (from UK)
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
Religions
Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Languages
English (official), local dialects
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
Exports
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
External Debt
$359,800,000 $
$1,280,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.500%
1.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Area
443 km sq
652,230 km sq
Coastline
153 km
0 km
Climate
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
