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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Afghanistan
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Republic of (Jamhuria Afghanistan) area
652,090 sq km/251,707 sq mi capital Kabul
towns Kandahar, Herat physical mountainous in
centre and NE, desert in SW features Hindu
Kush mountain range (Khyber and Salang
passes, Wakhan salient and Panjshir Valley),
Helmond River, Lake Saberi head of state
Najibullah Ahmadzai (president) from 1986
head of government Fazl Haq Khaleqiar (prime
minister) from 1990 political system military
emergency republic political parties Homeland
Party (formerly People's Democratic Party of
Afghanistan (PDPA)) Marxist-Leninist;
Hesb-i-Islami and Jamiat-i-Islami, Islamic
fundamentalist mujahaddin; National
Liberation Front, moderate mujahaddin exports
dried fruit, rare minerals, natural gas
(piped to USSR), karakul lamb skins, Afghan
coats currency afghani (99.25 = 1 Feb 1990)
population (1988) 10,000,000-12,000,000 (more
than 5 million have become refugees since
1979); annual growth rate 0.6% life
expectancy men 37, women 37 language Pushtu
religion Muslim: 80% Sunni, 20% Shi'ite
literacy 39% male/8% female (1985 est) GNP
$3.3 bn (1985); $275 per head of population
chronology 1747 Afghanistan became an
independent emirate.
1838-1919 Afghan Wars waged between
Afghanistan and Britain to counter the threat
to British India from expanding Russian
influence in Afghanistan.
1919 Afghanistan recovered full independence
following Third Afghan War.
1953 Lt-Gen Daud Khan became prime minister
and introduced reform programme.
1963 Daud Khan forced to resign and
constitutional monarchy established. 1973
Monarchy overthrown in coup by Daud Khan.
1978 Daud Khan ousted by Taraki and the PDPA.
1979 Taraki replaced by Hafizullah Amin;
Soviet Union entered country to prop up
government; they installed Babrak Karmal in
power. Amin executed.
1986 Replacement of Karmal as leader by Dr
Najibullah Ahmadzai. Partial Soviet troop
withdrawal.
1988 New non-Marxist constitution adopted.
1989 Withdrawal of Soviet troops; state of
emergency imposed in response to
intensification of civil war.
1990 PDPA renamed the Homeland Party;
President Najibullah elected its president.