Afghanistan

Islamic State of Afghanistan

Capital:

 Kabul

Currency:

Afghani Area: 647,497 sq km

Coastline:

Landlocked Population: 26,556,800 Other Large Cities: Kandahar, Herat, Mazare-Sharif, Languages: Pushtu and Persian, Religions: Sunni Muslim-80%, Shia Muslim-19%; Literacy: 28.1%, Life Expectancy: 47.32; p.ci: $ 1,924 18, HDI rank: 169, Date of Independence: 19 August 1919.

Government Type:

President: Ashraf Ghani

Climate:

 And: Semi-arid

islamic Republic;

Regional Divisions: 34 Provinces

Geography: The Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of

the country.

History:

 Modern Afghan history began with the establishment of a united emir- ate by Ahmed Shah Durrani in 1747. In the 19th century, Afghanistan was the playground of Russia and Great Britain for dominance. The British Afghan Wars of 1838-42 and 1878-80 left Afghanistan unconquered but within Britain's sphere of influence The country won full indepen dence from Britain in 1919 under Amanul- lah Khan, who proclaimed himself king in 1926. Modern reforms were instituted by Amanullah and his successors Mohammed

stan

-Herat

tesdial

Kabul .

Afghanistan

Kandahar

Pakistan

Nadir Shah (1929-33) and Mohammed Zahir Shah (1933-73).

The monarchy fell to a military coup in 1973, and Mohammed Daud Khan estab lished a republic. In 1978 pro-Soviet leftists seized power and, ostensibly at the govern ment's invitation, Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in Dec. 1979 to put down widespread revolts against Communist rule, touching off a long and destructive war.

The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally sup ported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hard line Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994. Following the 11 Sep tember 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for shel tering Osama Bin Laden. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitu tion, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid Karzai became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. Karzai was re-elected in November 2009 for a second term.

Mission in India: Embassy of Afghanistan, 5/50F, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110021. Tel: 26883602, 24103331, 24100412; Fax: 26875439.

E-mail: afghanembassy@rediffmail.com Indian Mission in Afghanistan (Temporar ily closed): Embassy of India, Malalai Wat, Shahre-Nau, Kabul, Afghanistan.

Tel: 00-873-763095560; Fax: 00-873

763095561. E-mail: embassy@indembassy-kabul. Com