Afghanistan

Afghanistan Visiting Afghanistan is very interesting, but yo have to be carefull, since it has been a country in war recently. This has also destroyed the exiting sights among others the city Kabul, used to be very historical. But nevertheless there is still mountains, valleys and lakes to visit, or Jalalabad, a former winter resort with beautiful cypress trees and flowering shrubs. Always be sure to know exactly where it is safe to go, because areas can still be mined, and is still suffering after the war. Area: 652.396 Km²
Population: 26.813.000 (2001 est.)
Density: 41 pop/Km²

System of government: Transiction government
Capital: Kabul (1.500.000 pop.)
Major cities: Qandahar 200.000 pop., Herat 150.000 pop.
Ethnic majority: Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, Uzbek 6%
Border countries: Pakistan EAST and SOUTH, Iran WEST, China EAST, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan NORTH

Principal mountains: Noshaq 7486 m
Principal rivers: Helmand 1300 Km, Amu Darya with Darya-ye Panj 1250 Km (afghan tract, total 2600 Km)
Principal lakes: Hamun-e-Saberi 500 Km² (total, with iranian part), Istada 150 Km²
Principal islands: -
Climate: Continental - arid

Language: Pashtu, Dari, Uzbek, Turkmen
Religion: Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%
Currency: Afghani (AFA)

Fixed public holidays: 21/3, 28/4, 1/5, 4/5, 19/8
Dialling code: 0093
GMT: +4.30

World Heritage List :

• Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (2002)
• Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley (2003)