BRIEF COUNTRY PROFILE

Official Name

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Founding

Afghanistan is a 652,864 sq. km. (249,935 sq. mi.) landlocked country situated at the hub of South Asia and Central Asia. It has a population of approximately 28.6 million people (2016 ). To the south and east, Afghanistan shares a border with Pakistan; to the west, it shares a border with Iran, and its northern border touches the Central Asian countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. In the far northeast, it shares a border with China.​

Afghanistan achieved independence and freed itself from British control over its foreign affairs in 1919, following the Third Anglo-Afghan War. The Treaty of Rawalpindi granted Afghanistan sovereignty, which was declared on August 19, 1919 by King Amanullah Khan.

Capital & Provinces

Capital is Kabul and there are 34 Provinces.

Natural Resources

Afghanistan has an abundance of natural resources, among them: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromate, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones like emeralds, rubies, and lapis lazuli.

Ethnic Diversities

Afghanistan has been a land of diverse peoples for centuries. The country’s constitution officially recognises 14 ethnic groups: Tajik, Pashtun, Hazara, Uzbek, Baluch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, and Pashai. Pashto and Dari are Afghanistan’s official languages; Dari and Pashto are Afghanistan’s official languages. Afghanistan’s Constitution stipulates that all other languages are “official” in the areas in which they are spoken by a majority of the population.

Currency

The “Afghani” (AFN) is the national currency, More Information (www.dab.gov.af).

Country Telephone and Website Codes

Country code is +93 and website prefix is .AF. For registration and more information (www.nic.af).