Afghanistan - Quick facts

Official name: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates: 33° 00 N, 65° 00 E

Land area: 647,500 sq km

Total area: 647,500 sq km

Population: 31,889,923 (July 2007 est.)

Government: Islamic republic

President: Hamid Karzai ( he's seen in this Ehsan Bayat photo )

Vice President: Ahmad Zia Massoud, Karim Khalili

Languages: 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

Capital and Largest city: Kabul

Religion: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi’a Muslim 19%, other 1%

Currency: Afghani (AFN)

Travel advice - WIth the ongoing political and military instability in the country, travel is not advised into Afghanistan. Intrepid travellers still do journey through, but it is risky and fraught with danger.

Race: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

Literacy rate: 28.1% (2001)

Independence Day: 19^th August (1919)

Time zone: (UTC +4:30)

Country calling code: +93

Internet TLD: .af