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Country : Afghanistan Official name: The Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan Head of State: President Hamid Karzai (since 13 Jun 2002; democratically elected 9 Oct 2004) Head of government: President Hamid Karzai Ruling party: Transitional Islamic Government of Afghanistan (TIGA) (elected by the Loya Jirga Jun 2002; governing until parliamentary elections in Apr 2005). Area: 647,497 square km Population: 25.79 million (2004) Capital: Kabul Official language: Pashtu and Dari (named as official languages in the constitution ratified 4 Jan 2004) Currency: Afghani (Af) = 100 puls Exchange rate: Af43.00 per US$ (Nov 2004) (the afghani was re-denominated on 3 Jan 2003) GDP per capita: US$186 (2003) GDP real growth: 20.00% (2003) Labour force: 10.00 million (2003) Unemployment: 50.00% (2003) Inflation: 24.70% (2003) Balance of trade: -US$100.00 million (2003)

Historical profile

For centuries, Afghanistan's strategic location close to the heart of Central Asia made it the target of foreign powers. With its mixture of ethnic clans and feudal society ruled by powerful warlords, no foreign invader successfully managed to control Afghanistan for very long. In the nineteenth century, Afghanistan became the scene of the 'Great Game' as Britain tried to counter Russia's increasing influence in Central Asia.

1836 Britain invaded Afghanistan and tried to install a former king, Shah Shuja, as leader of the country. Britain's occupation was met with fierce resistance by Afghanistan's many ethnic tribes.

1843 Afghanistan became an independent state after the British were defeated.

1878--85 After Britain invaded Afghanistan again, parts of the country were absorbed into British India. In 1885, Russia also seized parts of Afghani territory.

1907 Russia signed an agreement with Britain, promising no further interference in Afghanistan.

1919 The British withdrew from Afghanistan following another uprising.

1923 Nadir Khan became King.

1933 After Khan was assassinated, his son, Zahir Shah, became King.

1956 Afghanistan built a close relationship with the Soviet Union, gaining arms supplies and undertaking trade.

1965 The Communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) was formed.

1973 In July, Zahir Shah was deposed by Daoud Khan and the PDPA. After the coup, Zahir Shah moved into exile in Italy.

1978 The Saur (April) Revolution took place as pro-Communists, led by the PDPA's leader, Noor Taraki, launched a coup against the government. After Daoud Khan and a number of prominent Afghanis were assassinated, Taraki was declared president.

1979 The nationalist foreign minister, Hafizullah Amin, deposed Taraki. As a result, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Amin was executed and replaced by the pro-Soviet Babrak Karmal. Numerous Afghan factions formed the Mujahidin and began a guerrilla war against the Soviet occupation forces. Backed by the US, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the Mujahidin inflicted heavy losses on Soviet troops.

1986 The Soviet Union replaced Babrak Karmal with Najibullah Ahmadzai, the head of the Afghani secret police.

1989 The Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan. During peace talks, the UN proposed a cease-fire and the establishment of a Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly), which would elect a broad-based government, composed of tribal leaders. The Mujahidin refused to co-operate with the Najibullah regime.

1992 Afghanistan was declared an Islamic republic after the capture of Kabul by Mujahidin factions loyal to General Ahmad Shah Massoud and his ally General Abdul Dostum. Najibullah was forced to seek the UN's protection in Kabul. Burhanuddin Rabbani was formally elected as president.

1993 Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who was strongly backed by the US during the Soviet occupation, was appointed prime minister.

1994 The Islamic fundamentalist Taliban formed in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. Kabul was badly damaged when militias loyal to General Dostum and Hekmatyar attempted to oust the Rabbani government.

1995 The Taliban swept through southern Afghanistan.

1996 The Taliban captured Kabul. Former president Najibullah was captured and hanged. The Taliban quickly imposed a strict version of sharia. President Rabbani fled Kabul to northern Afghanistan. Mullah Mohammed Omar, the leader of the Taliban, appointed a 16-member council composed of clerics. The UN did not recognise the Taliban as the country's legal government, preferring to recognise the ousted government of Burhanuddin Rabbani.

1997 Hostilies increased in northern Afghanistan between the Taliban and the militias of the United National Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (UNIFSA) (also known as the Northern Alliance).

1998 The Taliban captured Mazar-i-Sharif from militias loyal to General Dostum – it was the last major city outside Taliban control. A UN report said that around 6,000 civilians were massacred by the Taliban following the city's capture. The US launched cruise missiles at training camps belonging to the Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. Bin Laden, who had been a guest of the Taliban since 1996, was blamed by the US for masterminding embassy bombings in Africa.

1999 The UN introduced economic sanctions against the Taliban and Afghanistan for harbouring bin Laden.

2001 The Afghan resistance leader, Commander Massoud was assassinated. The US launched airstrikes against the Taliban and al Qaeda. The action followed the Taliban's refusal to hand over bin Laden, blamed for masterminding the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. UNIFSA launched a ground offensive against a Taliban weakened by US bombing, capturing most of Afghanistan. UN-sponsored talks on the future of post-Taliban Afghanistan were held in Bonn, Germany. Hamid Karzai accepted the post of chairman of a 30-member multi-ethnic interim government (the Afghan Interim Administration (AIA)) to govern Afghanistan for six months from December.

2002 The Loya Jirga met for the first time in June to create a transitional authority. Hamid Karzai was elected as president of the Transitional Islamic Government of Afghanistan (TIGA), representing a diverse ethnic mix. In December, President Karzai announced plans for the formation of a national Afghan army of up to 70,000 troops.

2003 The afghani was re-denominated on 3 January. In October, Afghanistan introduced a law banning armed factions from politics.

2004 On 4 January, Afghanistan ratified a new constitution with a presidential system. In June, President Hamed Karzai requested Nato to send more troops to help with the security situation ahead of elections. Interim president, Hamid Karzai, won an outright majority in the 9 October presidential elections and in December, he was sworn in as Afghanistan's first democratically elected leader.

2005 Hundreds of people died during a very harsh winter.

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