Nationality:
noun:
Afghan(s)
adjective:
Afghan
Ethnic divisions:
Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Uzbek 6%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups
(Chahar Aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch, and others)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%
Languages:
Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily
Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and
Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
29%
male:
44%
female:
14%
Labor force:
4.98 million
by occupation:
agriculture and animal husbandry 67.8%, industry 10.2%, construction
6.3%, commerce 5.0%, services and other 10.7% (1980 est.)

@Afghanistan, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Islamic State of Afghanistan
conventional short form:
Afghanistan
local long form:
Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form:
Afghanestan
former:
Republic of Afghanistan
Digraph:
AF
Type:
transitional government
Capital:
Kabul
Administrative divisions:
30 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,
Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat,
Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar,
Nangarhar, Nimruz, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e
Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol
note:
there may be a new province of Nurestan (Nuristan)
Independence:
19 August 1919 (from UK)
National holiday:
Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance Day for Martyrs
and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August
Constitution:
none
Legal system:
a new legal system has not been adopted but the transitional
government has declared it will follow Islamic law (Shari'a)
Suffrage:
undetermined; previously universal, male ages 15-50
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Burhanuddin RABBANI (Interim President July - December 1992;
President since 2 January 1993); First Vice President Mohammad NABI
Mohammadi (since NA); First Vice President Mohammad SHAH Fazli (since
NA); election last held NA December 1992 (next to be held NA December
1994); results - Burhanuddin RABBANI was elected to a two-year term by
a national shura, later amended by multi-party agreement to 18 months.
head of government:
Prime Minister Gulbuddin HIKMATYAR (since 17 March 1993); First Deputy
Prime Minister Qutbuddin HELAL (since 17 March 199