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Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-15 | 4KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>2645</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>AFGHANISTANOfficial name: Jamhuria Afghanistan (Republic of Afghanistan)Member of: UNArea: 652225 km2 (251824 sq mi)Population: 20270000 (1993 est). Capital: Kabul 2000000 (including suburbs; 1993 est)Other major cities: Kandahar (Qandahar) 226000, Herat 177000, Mazar-i-Sharif 131000 (1988 est)Languages: Pushto (52%), Dari (Persian; 30%) ΓÇô both officialReligion: Sunni Islam (74%), Shia Islam (25%)GOVERNMENTThe constitution provides for a two-chamber National Assembly to be elected for four years by universal adult suffrage. The Loya Jirgha (the supreme state body, which consists of the National Assembly and the Cabinet, and provincial, legal and tribal representatives) elects the President, who appoints a Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. GEOGRAPHYThe central highlands, dominated by the Hindu Kush, cover over 75% of the country and contain several peaks over 6400 m (21000 ft). North of the highlands are plains, an important agricultural region, while the southwest of the country is desert and semidesert. Climate: The central highlands have very cold winters and short cool summers, while the desert regions have cold winters and hot summers. Except in parts of the highlands, it is dry.ECONOMYMost of the usable land is pasture, mainly for sheep, but cereal crops, particularly wheat and maize, are also important. Principal exports include fresh and dried fruit, wool, cotton and natural gas. The economy has been damaged by civil war, and much of the infrastructure has been destroyed. Currency: Afghani.HISTORYAfghanistan was ruled by the Persians until the 4th century bc when Alexander the Great invaded, but Greek control was short lived as Afghanistan fell to barbarians from the north. In the 7th century ad Arabs reached the borders, bringing Islam. Various Muslim empires followed until 1222 when the country fell under the harsh control of the Mongol Genghis Khan. The rule of Tamerlane (Timur) in the 14th century was equally devastating. In the 18th century, the Persians united the country. In the 19th century, rivalry between Russia and Britain, who regarded Afghanistan as the key to India, led to instability. Britain attempted to assert control in two disastrous wars (1839ΓÇô42 and 1878ΓÇô81). Independence was only achieved in 1921 after a third war with the British. A period of unrest followed until a more stable monarchy was established in 1933. A coup in 1973 overthrew the monarchy. A close relationship with the USSR resulted from the 1978 Saur Revolution, but the Soviet invasion (1979) led to civil war. In 1989 the Soviets withdrew, leaving the cities in the hands of the government and Muslim fundamentalist guerrillas controlling the countryside. In 1992 fundamentalists took Kabul and formed a provisional government, but factional ΓÇô largely ethnic ΓÇô fighting continues. By 1995 the government had lost control of much of the country.</text> </content> <name>Afghanistan</name> <script></script> </card>