Flags of the World > Afghanistan Flag
Brief History. In the mid-eighteenth century, a unified emirate was established by Ahmed Shah Durani. Eventually, the country was controlled by Britain, and it was not until 1919 that Afghanistan achieved full independence under Amanullah Khan, who was proclaimed king. The monarchy was overthrown in a military-led coup in 1973 and the country descended into a civil war, following the 1979 Soviet invasion. A decade later the USSR withdrew. Turmoil has continued to dog the country with the rise of the extreme fundamentalist Taliban, which since 1995, have overrun the country and instituted a strict Islamic-based regime. In late 2001 in wake of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the United States began providing air and ground support to the forces fighting the Taliban. The Taliban regime was defeated and an interim government led by Hamid Karzai.
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Country Information
Local name: Afghanestan Capital: Kabul Population: 31,056,997 Government: Islamic republic Currency: afghani (AFA) Land size: 647,500 sq km Topography: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest Typical foods: Kofta, Kadu Bouranee, Spice Rub, Bichak... Major exports: opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems |
Information on the People
Official language: Afghan Persian or Dari 50%, Pashtu 35% Other languages spoken: Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1% Literacy rate: 36% Male/Female Ratio: 1.05 male(s) to every 1 female (2006 est.) Life expectancy: 43.34 years Ethnic groups: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4% Internet users: 25,000 Famous people: Ahmad Shah Abdali |
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