Afghanistan

Afghanistan

AREA	652,225 sq km (251,773 sq miles).
POPULATION	20,414,000 (1994).
POPULATION DENSITY	31.0 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Kabul
CAPITAL POPULATION	1,036,407 (1982).
GEOGRAPHY	Afghanistan is a landlocked country, sharing its borders with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikstan to the north, China to the northeast, Pakistan to the east and south and Iran to the west. On the eastern tip of the Iranian plateau, central Afghanistan is made up of a tangled mass of mountain chains. The Hindu Kush is the highest range, rising to more than 7500m (24,600ft). The Bamian Valley separates the Hindu Kush from Koh-i-Baba, the central mountain range and source of the Helmand River. To the north and southwest of these mountains, alluvial plains provide fertile agricultural soil. To the northeast is Kabul, the capital. The other major cities are Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat.7500m (24,600ft). The Bamian Valley separates the Hindu Kush from Koh-i-Baba, the central mountain range and source of the Helmand River. To the north and southwest of these mountains, alluvial plains provide fertile agricultural soil. To the northeast is Kabul, the capital. The other major cities are Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat.
GOVERNMENT	Republic. Civil war since 1992. Head of State: President Burhanuddin Rabbani since 1992. Head of Government: Prime Minister Abdolghaffur Rawanfarhadi, appointed by the anti-Taliban opposition coalition (UIFSA) in 1997. The Taliban ousted Rabbani's Government in 1996 and installed a strict Islamic regime which is, however, not recognised by the UN; the Taliban control two-thirds of the country.
LANGUAGE	The official languages are Pashtu and Dari Persian. Some English, French and German is also spoken.
RELIGION	Islamic majority (mostly Sunni), with Hindu and Sikh minorities.
STANDARD TIME	GMT + 4.5.
ELECTRICITY	220 volts AC, 50Hz.
COMMUNICATIONS	At the time of writing, no telephone, fax, telex, telegram or postal services are available. Telephone/Fax: No IDD. In general, there is normally a severe shortage of lines for operator-connected international calls. Telegram: Under normal circumstances, these may be sent from the Central Post Office, Kabul (closes at 2100). Post: Airmail usually takes one week to reach Europe. Press: The Kabul Times is the main English-language newspaper.

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