Conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
Region: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Religions: Islam
Population: 28,717,213 (July 2003 est.)
Area Total: 647,500 km2
Area Land: 647,500 km2
Coast Line: 0 km (Landlocked)
Capital: Kabul
Ethnic groups:
Pashtun 62.73%, Tajik 12.38%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 6.1% , Turkmen 2.89%, Aimaq 2.68%
Source: "Ethnic Composition of Afghanistan" by Mohammad Enam Wak.
Languages: Pashto and Dari are the major languages; Balochi, Pashayi, Uzbek, Turkmen, Arabic and Tajiki are also used. There are approximately 45 living languages in total and a large degree of bilingualism
Geographic coordinates:
33 00 N, 65 00 E
Currency: 1 Afghani (AF) = 100 puls
Independence: 19 August
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Average Daily Temperature
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
January: -2.8°C / 27°F
July: 24.4°C / 76°F
Annual Rainfall: 330.2mm / 13''
Boundaries:
total: 5,529 km
Pakistan: 2,430km
Tajikistan: 1,206km
Iran: 936km
Turkmenistan: 744km
Uzbekistan: 137km
China: 76km