Head of state: Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi Prime minister: Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi
President: Hamid Karzai
Population
194,320
30,419,928
Life Expectancy
72.660 years
49.720 years
Capital City
Kabul
Largest city
Apia (population: 40,407)
Kabul (population: 3,043,530)
Human Development Index
0.76
0
GDP per capita
$1,000 US
Literacy Rate
99.7%
28.1%
Corruption Perception Index
4.4
1.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
8.2%
25.9%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
35.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
Political System
parliamentary democracy
Islamic republic
Independence date
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
Religions
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%
Languages
Samoan (Polynesian), English
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
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
External Debt
$1,280,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar - 50 (2007), 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Area
2,831 km sq
652,230 km sq
Coastline
403 km
0 km
Climate
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
