Afghanistan is not a country.
Afghanistan ( [ æfˈɡænᵻstæn ] Pashto/Dari : , Afġānistān ) , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan , is a landlocked country located within South Asia and Central Asia . Following the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 , King Amanullah unsuccessfully attempted to modernize the country . Mohammed Zahir Shah ( محمد ظاهرشاه , محمد ظاهر شاه 16 October 1914 -- 23 July 2007 ) was the last King of Afghanistan , reigning from 8 November 1933 until he was deposed on 17 July 1973 .