afghanistan

• islamic republic of afghanistan, country in southwestern asia
the islamic state of afghanistan is a country in south-western asia, between iran and pakistan. the main ethnic groups are pashtun, tajik, and uzbek. the monarchy was abolished in a coup in 1973. a second coup in 1979 established a one-party state, ruled by the people's democratic party of afghanistan (pdpa). the coup was supported by the soviet invasion of afghanistan and opposed by the mujaheddin rebels. in the resulting war over 5.5 million refugees fled into pakistan or iran. the soviet union withdrew its troops in 1989, but fighting continued between the mujaheddin and government forces. dr najibullah ahmadzai became president in 1986 and was deposed in 1992, when the mujaheddin captured kabul. borhanoddin rabbani, leader of the jamiat-e islami guerilla group, became president. fighting between rival guerilla groups continued. a peace accord in 1993 appointed as prime minister gulbuddin hekmatyar, leader of the hizbe islami guerilla faction. however he was unable to enter kabul and his forces continued to shell the city. in 1994 fighting intensified between the forces of president rabbani and those of prime minister hekmatyar and his ally, general abdul rashid dostam. afghanistan exports natural gas, fruit and nuts, textiles, carpets, wool, cotton, and hides. the civil war has destroyed its economy.