Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978)

Republic of Afghanistan
  • د افغانستان جمهوریت (Pashto)
  • Dǝ Afġānistān Jumhūriyat
  • جمهوری افغانستان (Dari)
  • Jumhūrī-yi Afğānistān
1973–1978
Anthem: څو چې دا ځمكه اّسمان وي (Pashto)
Tso če dā źməka asmān wī
"So long as there is Earth and Heaven"
CapitalKabul
33°N 65°E / 33°N 65°E / 33; 65
Common languagesPashto, Dari
Religion
Islam
Demonym(s)Afghan
GovernmentUnitary one-party presidential republic under an authoritarian dictatorship (1973–1978)
Unitary Islamic nationalist military junta (1978)
President 
 1973–1978
Mohammad Daoud Khan
 1978
Abdul Qadir (acting)
Vice President 
 1973–1978
Sayyid Abdulillah
LegislatureLoya Jirga
Historical eraCold War
17 July 1973
27–28 April 1978
 Establishment of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
30 April 1978
CurrencyAfghani
Calling code+93
ISO 3166 codeAF
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Afghanistan
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

The Republic of Afghanistan (Pashto: د افغانستان جمهوریت, Dǝ Afġānistān Jumhūriyat; Dari: جمهوری افغانستان, Jǝmhūri Afġānistān) was the first republic in Afghanistan. It is often called the Daoud Republic, as it was established in July 1973 after General Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan of the Barakzai dynasty alongside senior Barakzai Princes deposed his cousin, King Mohammad Zahir Shah, in a coup d'état. The occasion for the coup was the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan which took power from most members of the royal family in favour of centralization under Zahir Shah and his offspring under the tenet of democracy. Daoud Khan was known for his autocracy and attempts to modernize the country with help from both the Soviet Union and the United States, among others.

In 1978, a military coup known as the Saur Revolution took place, instigated by the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, in which Daoud and his family were killed. The "Daoud Republic" was subsequently succeeded by the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.