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: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 31.5%

male: 47.2%

female: 15% (1999 est.)

Afghanistan Government

Country name: conventional long form: Islamic State of Afghanistan; note - the self-proclaimed Taliban government refers to the country as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

conventional short form: Afghanistan

local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan

local short form: Afghanestan