World Statesmen.org is an online encyclopedia of the leaders of nations and territories.  The goal of this site is to provide researchers with detailed lists of leaders, chronologies, flags, national anthems and maps to give an in-depth portrait of polities past and present.

      This site would not be possible without the help of Bob Hilkens, author of States and Regents of the World, Alexander Kunde, Juan Jorge Schaffer, John McMeekin, Dr. John DaGraca (author of Heads of State and Government), Jaume Olle, Daniel Trigaux, Paris Renesis, Henry Soszynski author of Genealogical Gleanings, and Oleg Schultz author of Archonology, in addition to the many contributors cited in the contributors page. I would like to thank everyone very much for their help and commitment to making this site more complete and accurate.

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     Below is explanation of the abbreviations, conventions, noble titles as well as a visual explanation of layout of a typical country page.

        -Ben Cahoon

Afghanistan
 

Nov 1987 - Apr 1992	Apr 1992 - 2 Dec 1992	2 Dec 1992 - 27 Jan 2002
Adopted 27 Jan 2002       Current and historical flags are shown  below each country/territory. Dates indicate  period of use or adoption.

Map of Afghanistan	Hear National Anthem Adopted 2002, 1992-1999 (No Anthem 1999-2002) --------------------- Former Anthem "Sououd-e-Melli" (1978-99, 2002)	Text of National Anthem (1992-99, 2002) ----------------- Former Anthem (1973 - 1978)	Constitution (16 Jan 2004) --------------- Former Constitutions (1923, '63,'76, '87,'90)
External Link to Map	External Link to National Anthems (Name in local language and English translation)	External Link to Text of National Anthem  and Date of Adoption  (Text maybe in English or Local Language)	External Constitution Link date of adoption. (Text maybe in English or another Language)
Capital: Kabul (Herat 1818-1819)	Currency: Afghani (AFA)	National Holiday:  19 Aug (1919) Independence Day	Population: 29,928,987 (2005)
Current National Capital (s) or administrative center (Historical capitals with dates)	Current Legal Currency with ISO abbreviation	Date of National Holiday and name of the celebration	Current or historical population estimates with year  of census/estimate.
GDP: $21.5 billion (2003)	Exports: $446 million (2003) Imports: $3.75 billion (2003)	Ethnic groups: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%,  Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%,  others 4% (2004)
GDP:  the Gross Gomestic Product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced  within a nation in a given year.  GDP estimates are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP).	Exports:  the total exports in US dollar amount in a year --------------------------- Imports:  the total imports in US dollar amount in a year.	Ethnic Groups: provides a rank ordering of ethnic groups starting with the  largest and normally includes the percent  of total population, with year of census/estimate.
Total Armed Forces: 13,000 (2004) International Security Force 4, 900 (2002)  Nuclear Weapons: (2003): None Merchant marine: None (2002)		Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1% (2004)
Total Armed Forces: Total active duty military personnel,  includes all branches of service or denotes None or if another polity  is responsible for defense; if no military then police force size is given. ----------------------------------------------- Declared/Undeclared Nuclear Power (date): Notes if a state possesses nuclear weapons, date at which it became a  nuclear power and current estimate of total number  of nuclear weapons in the national inventory. -----------------------------------------------   Merchant marine:  Defined here as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods or all commercial non-military vessels excluding tugs,   fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs; A merchant ship is a vessel that carries goods against payment of freight.		Religions:  provides a rank  ordering of religions by adherents starting  with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population, with year of  census/estimate.
International Organizations/Treaties: ADB, APM, BTWC, CP, CTBT, ECO, ENMOD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, NPT, NTBT, OIC, OPCW, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO
International Organizations/Treaties: the abbreviations for this polities major international and intergovernmental organization participation. The list of abbreviation descriptions is found below.  Many of these organizations are covered on the International Organizations pages.  Whenever possible curent membership is determined from an organization's website.

Afghanistan Index Country index provides a key to  the data on each page. Chronology Following the presentation of flags and information is a chronology. When necessary, links to other national/polity pages are given. 1504                       Divided between the Moghul Empire (Kabul)                              and Persia (Herat) with Kandahar alternating                               between the two nations. <= Links to                                                           area/country 1708                       Mir Wais in rebellion frees Qandahar from                              Persian rule. Jun/Jul 1747               Independence (Emirate [or Empire] of                              Afghanistan) under Kabul whose supremacy                              is contested from Herat, Ghazni, Qandahar,                              and Peshwar.  7 Aug 1835 -  6 Jan 1842  British occupation. 1859                       British take Baluchistan, and Afghanistan                              becomes landlocked.  12 Oct 1879 - 1881         British occupation. <=dates of occupation listed. 12 Oct 1879 -  8 Aug 1919  British protectorate.  2 Oct 1881                State of Afghanistan 1885                       Russia annexes the Panjdeh Oasis.  8 Aug 1919                Independence proclaimed (from 22 Nov 1921,                              recognized by Britain).  9 Jun 1926                Kingdom of Afghanistan < = Name of polity noted. 17 Jul 1973                Republic of Afghanistan <= polity name changes. 30 Apr 1978                Democratic Republic of Afghanistan 27 Dec 1979 - 15 Feb 1989  Occupied by the Soviet Union. 30 Nov 1987                Republic of Afghanistan 28 Apr 1992                Islamic State of Afghanistan                              (from 27 Sep 1996, largely retaining                              international recognition). 26 Oct 1997                Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban regime                              not internationally recognized). 13 Nov 2001                Islamic State of Afghanistan 19 Jun 2002                Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan Afghanistan (from 1881)  Link to nation skipping other data Link to regions, predecessor polities or other data: Kabul Herat  Kandahar  Peshwar  Ghazni Links to additional regions or data: Badakhshan Konduz  1849 Map of Aghanistan When necessary additional notes are provided below.

Note: Before 1881 there were essentially four rulers' capitals: Kabul, Herat, Qandahar, and Peshawar (the last now in Pakistan). All the rulers belong to the Abdali tribal group, whose name was changed to Dorrani on the accession of Ahmad Shah. They  belong either to the Saddozay segment of the Popalzay clan (typically with the style padshah [king]) or to the Mohammadzay segment of the Barakzay clan (typically with the style amir, in full Amir al-Mo´menin [Leader of the Faithful], which is also the style of the current Taliban leader). The Mohammadzay also furnished the Saddozay kings frequently with top counselors, who served occasionally as regents, identified with the epithet Mohammadzay.
 

Kabul

Kings
Dates of Rule                               Complete name of Ruler & "nick name"   (birth year - death year)
Jul 1747 - 16 Oct 1772     Ahmad Shah "Dorr-e Dorran"          (b. c.1723 - d. 1773)
16 Oct 1772 - 18 May 1793  Timur Shah 
1823 - 1826                Soltan Mohammad Khan 
                             Mohammadzay -Regent  <= Style if not the same as heading
1826 - 1836                Dost Mohammad Khan 
                             Mohammadzay -Regent                            (b. 1793 - d. 1863)
Emir
1836 -  2 Aug 1839         Dost Mohammad Khan (1st time)      (s.a.)  <= Same as Above
                            (British prisoner 1840-1842) <=additional information about
                                                                                                           ruler or title is listed below the name.
King
 8 May 1839 -  5 Apr 1842  Shoja` al-Molk Shah (2nd time)     (s.a.)
1841 - Apr 1842            Mohammad Zaman Khan Mohammadzay -Regent
                             (in rebellion)
Emirs
29 Jun 1842 - 12 Oct 1842  Fath Jang Khan
 2 Jul 1880 -  3 Oct 1901  Abdor Rahman Khan 
                             (after Oct 1881 Emir of a united Afghanistan)

Wazir-i-azam (prime ministers)
1801 - 1817                Sardar Fath `Ali Khan              (b. 1778 - d. 1818)
1818 - 1819                Dost Muhammad Khan (1st time)      (s.a.)
1823                       Muhammad Azim Khan 
1823                       Habibullah Khan
1826 - 18..                Dost Muhammad Khan (2nd time)      (s.a.)

If additional leaders of a protectorate area, commanders or occupation authorities are noted,
in this case the British residents are listed.

British Residents
1837 -  2 Nov 1841         Sir Alexander Burnes               (b. 1805 - d. 1841)
 7 Aug 1839 - 23 Dec 1841  William Hay McNaghten              (b. 1793 - d. 1841)
Dec 1841 -  6 Jan 1842     Eldred Pottinger
 6 Jan 1842 - 24 Jan 1879  None
24 Jul 1879 -  3 Sep 1879  Louis Napoleon Cavagnari           (b. 1841 - d. 1879)

Herat

Kings
Jul 1747 - 1797            See Kabul  < = Interruption in local rule noted in bold type.
1797                       Mahmud Shah (1st time)
1797 - 1818                See Kabul
1818 - 1819                Mahmud Shah (2nd time)
Emirs
27 Jul 1857 - 26 May 1863  Soltan Ahmad Khan
Mar 1880 -  2 Oct 1881     Mohammad Ayyub Khan

Afghanistan

De facto leaders are listed at the top of the entry.  These are rulers who officially occupy none of listed posts, but control or have major influence over the polity.

Political Party abbreviations are noted either in a column opposite the birth and death years. Explanation of the abbreviations are listed at the bottom of the page. Party orientations are my interpretation and are not official platforms. 

De facto Ruler (Amir al-Mo´menin) < = Foreign language titles/styles are in italics
27 Sep 1996 - 13 Nov 2001  Mullah Mohammad Omar              (b. 1962)          T 
                            (chosen 3 Apr 1996)

Leaders of communist parties also listed above the polity entry, as these were often the de facto leaders.

General Secretaries of the People's Democratic (Communist) Party
27 Dec 1979 -  4 May 1986  Babrak Karmal 
 4 May 1986 -  Jun 1990    Mohammad Najibullah               (b. 1947 - d. 1996) PC-Parcham

Emir
22 Jul 1880 -  3 Oct 1901  Abdor Rahman Khan                 (b. 1844 - d. 1901)
Kings¹
 9 Jun 1926 - 14 Jan 1929  Amanullah Shah                    (s.a.)
19.. - 17 Oct 1929           .... < = Exact dates or names are unknown, ellipsis used.
                           (in rebellion, at Khost)
Kings¹
17 Oct 1929 -  8 Nov 1933  Mohammad Nader Shah
 8 Nov 1933 - 17 Jul 1973  Mohammad Zahir Shah               (b. 1914)
President
17 Jul 1973 - 27 Apr 1978  Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan         (b. 1909 - d. 1978) 
Presidents
28 Jun 1992 - 27 Sep 1996  Burhanuddin Rabbani³              (b. 1940)            JIA
                           (continues in rebellion from 27 Sep 1996,
                            largely retaining international recognition; < = additional notes about the
                            forces controlling parts of northern Takhar) condition/extent of a rulers power
Heads of the Supreme Council³
27 Sep 1996 - 16 Apr 2001  Mullah Mohammad Rabbani           (b. 1955 - d. 2001)   T
16 Apr 2001 - 13 Nov 2001  Mawlawi Abdul Kabir (acting) 
President
17 Nov 2001 - 22 Dec 2001  Burhanuddin Rabbani               (s.a.)               JIA/NA

Prime minister
1990 - 1992                Tansu Ciller (f) <= (f) designates a female leader when the office title 
                                                                                              is not gender specific 

   Footnotes regarding titles, status of leaders, translation notes, or other data.  Official non-English styles/tiles
are listed in italics.

            (1929 - 1930) 

   Qandahar Rebellion Flag

An explanation of political party abbreviations: The interpretation of parties political orientation is the editors unofficial designation and does not necessarily represent a parties "official" platforms.  If the polity has no political parties or groups are illegal the note "No Political Parties Exist/Allowed" will be given.

Party abbreviations: HW = Hizb-i-Wahdat-i-Islami (Party of Islamic Unity); 
JIA = Jamaat-i-Islami Afghanistan (Islamic Association of Afghanistan, extreme Islamist); 
Mil = Military;
- Former parties: PC-Khalq = Communist Party-Khalaq (1973-78–Khalq ["Flag"] faction);
PC-Parcham = Afghan People's Democratic Party (Communist party, imposed by USSR 1978-87);
T = Taliban (Koran Students, dictatorial, extreme Islamist) 

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Autonomous subdivisions, alternate governments or secessionist polities are listed below the main polity entry.

    The ISO does not provide codes for all currencies. The reason for this is that the money issuing authority within that country must apply to the ISO for a new currency or country code. Currencies may not have currency codes for several reasons. First, some countries, such as Somaliland or Transdiniestra that are not internationally recognized, do not have country or currency codes. Second, countries may not apply for new codes when they introduce a new currency. Third, the ISO has not set up any historical currency codes for currencies that no longer exist.

    Some non-ISO codes used here are those Dr. Bryan Taylor of Global Financial Data, Inc.  The created codes are based on the ISO system of both three letter codes and four-letter codes for currencies. The three letter codes are provided for currencies that have been issued by countries that are still in existence or have had a two letter code assigned to them by the ISO. The Rhodesia Pound has been given the symbol RHP because Rhodesia was assigned the symbol RH by the ISO, but the Katanga Franc has been assigned the symbol KATF because Katanga never received any ISO codes. Four letter codes are provided for the currencies of  “dead” countries. Hence, the Confederate States of America (CSA) Dollar has been given the code CSAD to indicate that the Confederate States no longer exists.   Finally the ISO uses an “X” when a currency is used across international borders. The West African Franc has been assigned the symbol XOF by the ISO and the SDR the symbol XDR. Consequently, XEAS is used for the East Africa Shilling.