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___ AfghanistanA virtual guide to Afghanistan. This page aims to give you a broad overview of Afghanistan's art, culture, people, environment, geography, history, economy and government.Beside a country profile with facts and figures, the page offers links to sources which provide you with all the information you need to know about this Southern Asian nation, e.g.: official web sites of Afghanistan, addresses of Afghan and foreign embassies, domestic airlines, country guides, maps, and local news from Afghanistan. |
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Islamic Republic of Afghanistan | Afghanestan |
Country Profile |
 New Flag of Afghanistan Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban. Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany, and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001. The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002, and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines. (Source: CIA - The World Factbook) border countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan |
 Official Name: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan short form: Afghanestan int'l long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan int'l short form: Afghanistan ISO Country Code: af Time: Local Time = UTC +4:30h Actual Time: Sun-Nov-8 00:13 Capital City: Kabul (pop. 3 million) Other Cities: Kandahar (226 000); Herat (177 000); Mazar-e-Sharif (131 000); Jalalabad (58 000); Konduz (57 000). Government: Type: Islamic Republic. Independence: 19 August 1919. Constitution: 4 January 2004. Geography: Location: Area: 647 500 sq. km. (249 935 sq. mi.) Terrain: Landlocked; mostly mountains and desert. Climate: Dry, with cold winters and hot summers. People: Nationality: Afghan(s). Population: 28,513,677 (July 2004 est.). More than 3.5 million Afghans live outside the country, mainly in Pakistan and Iran, although over two and a half million have returned since the removal of the Taliban. Annual population growth rate (2004 est.): 4.92%. This rate does not take into consideration the recent war and its continuing impact. Main ethnic groups: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkmen, Aimaq, Baluch, Nuristani, Kizilbash. Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%. Languages: Dari (Afghan Persian), Pashto. Literacy: 30-35%; (male 51%, female 21%) Natural resources: Natural gas, oil, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron, salt, precious and semiprecious stones. Agriculture products: Opium, wheat, corn, barley, rice, cotton, fruit, nuts, karakul pelts, wool, and mutton. Industries: Small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper. Exports partners: USA 25.3%, Pakistan 20.9%, India 20.8%, Finland 4% (2005) Imports partners: Pakistan 23.9%, USA 11.8%, Germany 6.8%, India 6.5%, Turkey 5.1%, Turkmenistan 5%, Russia 4.7%, Kenya 4.4% (2005) Currency: |
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Note: External links will open in a new browser window. Official Sites of AfghanistanOffice of the PresidentThe Official Website of President Hamid Karzai. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan Official website of the Ministry. Diplomatic Missions The Embassy of Afghanistan, Washington, DC Offers news and up to date country information. Afghanistan embassies worldwide List of Afghanistan embassies in foreign countries. Foreign Missions in Afghanistan Address list of Foreign Missions accredited in Afghanistan. Maps Map
of AfghanistanDetailed Map of Afghanistan.  Google
Earth AfghanistanZoomable satellite view of Afghanistan. Google
Earth Kabul Zoomable satellite view of Afghanistan's capital city. Map of AsiaReference Map of Asia. |
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NewsBenawaNews in Pashto. Sabawoon Online With Afghanistan news. Afghanistan Online Press Todays News of Afghanistan. Ariana Afghan Media Online news. International News Sources BBC News - Country profile: Afghanistan With links to Afghanistan related news and background information. Afgha.com Up-to-date Afghanistan news. Al Jazeera Arab News Network based in Qatar. Dawat Net Norway based Afghanistan news. Guardian Unlimited Afghanistan news by the UK based Guardian. Afghanistan's Loya Jirga Special Report by Eurasianet.org. Reuters AlertNet - Afghan turmoil Reuters news. Yahoo! News Full Coverage-Afghanistan Press agencies news on Afghanistan Human Rights Amnesty International: Afghanistan Amnesty International Reports. Human Rights Watch on Afghanistan Background Briefings. IRINnews Afghanistan UN humanitarian news and analysis. Press freedom Reporters sans frontières - Afghanistan Annual report 2007 about Press freedom in the country. |
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Arts & CultureAfghanistan Digital LibraryThe ADL will retrieve and restore works published in Afghanistan between 1870 and 1930, and will make them available via the Internet. Afghan Communicator Magazine published by and for the young generation of Afghan living abroad. Afghan Teens Site about Afghanistan, Music, Education and Islam. Lemar Aftaab Online magazine with Afghanistan fiction, poetry and visual arts. |
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Business & EconomyDa Afghanistan BankCentral Bank of Afghanistan. Afghanistan Business Gateways (ABG) US based business-friendly hub for the latest information on trade and investment activities in Afghanistan. Transportation Ariana Afghan Airlines Afghanistan's national carrier. |
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Destination AfghanistanAfghanistan related SitesAfghanan Afghan Portal - Cultural and Community Portal for Afghans. Afghan Network iNteractive Another Afghan community site. Afghanistan Online Comprehensive information on the Land of the Afghans. Afghanonline Website of Afghans around the world. Real Afghan Network Afghan Portal site in English, Pashto and Dari. Warlords of Afghanistan Site about Afghanistan and the New Khans. |
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EducationThe American University of AfghanistanThe private university is planning four-year liberal-arts degrees in Business Administration and Information Communication Technology with all classes to be taught in English. QSI International School of Kabul Institution offers education in the English language for elementary students aged 5 - 17. |
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EnvironmentMinistry of Rural Rehabilitation and DevelopmentOfficial website of the Ministry. Afghanaid Afghanaid is focusing on long term sustainable development in rural areas. Afghanistan's Natural Heritage Problems and Perspectives At the time that environmental concern and sustainable development is the agenda of international community, our war-ravaged land is facing a devastating social as well as environmental crisis in her history. A report by Daud Saba. |
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HistoryAfghanpediaWith country and history information on Afghanistan. History of Afghanistan A chronology and various articles on Afghanistan's history. History of Afghanistan History of ancient and modern Afghanistan by Afghanan Dot Net. |
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SearchAfghanaAfghanistan Search Engine and web directory. Afghanistan Online Afghanistan portal and Afghanistan related directory. Additional Information on AfghanistanOpen Directory: AfghanistanUT - MENIC: Countries: Afghanistan The Center for Middle Eastern Studies (University of Texas) on Afghanistan Wikipedia: Afghanistan The World Factbook -- Afghanistan |
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| The Afghanistan page was last modified on: Friday, 24-Jul-2009 18:46:53 CEST |
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