| Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
Location southern Asia
Bordered By Iran,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China, Pakistan
Area 250,000 sq mi (647,500 sq km)
Greatest Distance E-W 820 mi (1,320 km)
Greatest Distance N-S 630 mi (1,012 km)
Highest Point Nowshak; 24,557 ft (7,485
m)
Lowest Point Amu Darya; 846 ft (258 m)
Natural Resources natural gas,
petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur,
lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious
stones
Nationality Afghan
Population (July 2015 est) 32,564,342
Largest Cities Kabul
Ethnic Groups Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara,
Uzbek, Aimak, Turkmen, Baloch
Religions Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim
Languages Afghan Persian (official),
Pashto (official), Turkic languages, minor languages
Capital Kabul
Form of Government Islamic republic
Present Constitution Adopted December
14, 2003
Chief of State and Head of Government President
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (since September 29, 2014)
Cabinet appointed by President
Legislature bicameral National Assembly
Judiciary Supreme Court (Stera Mahkama), High
Courts, Appeals Courts
Local Administration 34 provinces (velayat)
Currency Afghani
Per Capita Income $1,900
Industries small-scale production of textiles,
soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement, handwoven
carpets, natural gas, coal, copper
Agricultural Products opium, wheat, fruits,
nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins
Export Commodities opium, fruits and
nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts,
precious and semi-precious gems
Import Commodities capital goods, food,
textiles, petroleum products
Independence from Great Britain
Achieved August 19, 1919
National Holiday Independence Day, August 19
Flag three equal vertical bands of black, red,
and green, with the national emblem in white centered on
the red band and slightly overlapping the other two
bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with
pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are
numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian
calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK);
this central image is circled by a border consisting of
sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the
upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada
(Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun
over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is
great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing
the name Afghanistan; black signifies the past, red is
for the blood shed for independence, and green can
represent either hope for the future, agricultural
prosperity, or Islam
See Also
Iran
China
Pakistan
Great Britain
Questions
or comments about this page?
|
