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    Country in southwestern Asia. The area was part of the Persian Achaemenian Empire in the 6th century BC and was conquered by Macedonian Alexander in the 4th century BC. Hindu influence entered with the Hephthalites and Sassanids; Islam became entrenched during the rule of the Shaffarids, AD 870. Afghanistan was divided between the Mughal Empire of India and the Safavid empire of Persia until the 18th century, when other Persians under Nader Shah took control. Britain fought several wars in the area in the 19th century. From the 1930s the country had a stable monarchy, which was overthrown in the 1970s. Marxist reforms sparked rebellion, and Soviet troops invaded. Afghan guerrillas prevailed, and the Soviets withdrew in 1989. In 1992 rebel factions overthrew the government and established an Islamic republic. In 1996 the Taliban militia took power and enforced a harsh Islamic order. The militia's unwillingness to extradite extremist leader Osama bin Laden and members of his al-Qaeda organization following the September 11 attacks in 2001 led to military conflict with the U.S. and allied nations, the overthrow of the Taliban, and the establishment of an interim government.In June, 2010 Afghanistan officially outpaced Vietnam as the longest war in American history . And Obama (read Osama) has quietly begun to back away from the deadline he set for withdrawing U.S. troops in July of next year.Spending hundreds of billions of dollars on the fifth-poorest country on earth has failed to win over the civilian population, whose attitude toward U.S. troops ranges from intensely wary to openly hostile. (Wikipedia) - Afghanistan Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Official languages Religion Demonym Government Legislature Independence from Persia Area Population Currency Time zone Drives on the Calling code ISO 3166 code Internet TLD
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    Anthem: "Afghan National Anthem"Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player. You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser.
    Capital and largest city Kabul 34°32′N 69°08′E﻿ / ﻿34.533°N 69.133°E﻿ / 34.533; 69.133
    • Pashto
    • Dari
    Presidential republic
     -  President Ashraf Ghani
     -  Prime Minister Abdullah Abdullah
    National Assembly
     -  Upper house House of Elders
     -  Lower house House of the People
     -  First Afghan state April 1709 
     -  Afghan Empire October 1747 
     -  Recognized 19 August 1919 
     -  Total 652,864 km2 (41st) 251,827 sq mi
     -  Water (%) negligible
     -  2014 estimate 31,822,848 (40th)
     -  1979 census 15.5 million
     -  Density 43.5/km2 (150th) 111.8/sq mi
    GDP (PPP) 2014 estimate
     -  Total $36.838 billion
     -  Per capita $1,177
    GDP (nominal) 2014 estimate
     -  Total $21.747 billion
     -  Per capita $695
    Gini (2008) 29 low
    HDI (2013)  0.468 low · 169th
    Afghani (AFN)
    D† (UTC+4:30)
    .af افغانستان.

    Afghanistan i/æfˈɡænɨstæn/ (Pashto/Persian: افغانستان, Afġānistān), officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in Central Asia and South Asia. It has a population of around 31 million people, making it the 42nd most populous country in the world. It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east; Iran in the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in the north; and China in the far northeast. Its territory covers 652,000 km2 (252,000 sq mi), making it the 41st largest country in the world.

    Human habitation in Afghanistan dates back to the Middle Paleolithic Era, and the country''s strategic location along the Silk Road connected it to the cultures of the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. Through the ages the land has been home to various peoples and witnessed many military campaigns, notably by Alexander the Great, Arab Muslims, Genghis Khan, and in the modern-era by Western powers. The land also served as a source from which the Kushans, Hephthalites, Samanids, Ghaznavids, Ghorids, Khiljis, Mughals, Durranis, and others have risen to form major empires.

    The political history of the modern state of Afghanistan began with the Hotaki and Durrani dynasties in the 18th Century. In the late 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer state in the "Great Game" between British India and the Russian Empire. Following the 1919 Anglo-Afghan War, King Amanullah and King Mohammed Zahir Shah attempted modernization of the country. A series of coups in 1973, 1978, and 1979 was followed by a Soviet invasion and a series of civil wars that devastated much of the country.


    Etymology Main article: Name of Afghanistan

    The name Afghānistān (Persian: افغانستان‎, ) is believed to be as old as the ethnonym Afghan, which is documented in the 10th-century geography book Hudud ul-''alam. The root name "Afghan" was used historically in reference to the Pashtun people, and the suffix "-stan" means "place of" in Sanskrit. Therefore, Afghanistan translates to "land of the Afghans, a limited territory which did not include many parts of the present state but did comprise large districts now either independent or within the boundary of British India (Pakistan)." The Constitution of Afghanistan states that "he word Afghan shall apply to every citizen of Afghanistan."

    Main article: History of Afghanistan History of Afghanistan
    Indus valley civilization 2200–1800 BC
    Oxus civilization 2100–1800 BC
    Aryans 1700–700 BC
    Medes 728–550 BC
    Achaemenids 550–330 BC
    Seleucids 330–150 BC
    Mauryans 305–180 BC
    Greco-Bactrians 256–125 BC
    Indo-Greeks 180–130 BC
    Indo-Scythians (Sakas) 155–80? BC
    Indo-Parthians 20 BC – 50? AD
    Kushans 135 BC – 248 AD
    Sasanians 230–651
    Kidarites 320–465
    Hephthalites 410–557
    Kabul Shahi 565–879
    Principality of Chaghaniyan 7th–8th centuries
    Rashidun Caliphate 652–661
    Umayyads 661–750
    Abbasids 750–821
    Tahirids 821–873
    Saffarids 863–900
    Samanids 875–999
    Ghaznavids 963–1187
    Ghurids before 879–1215
    Khwarezmids 1215–1231
    Ilkhanate 1258–1353
    Chagatai Khanate 1225–1370
    Khiljis 1290–1320
    Karts 1245–1381
    Timurids 1370–1506
    Arghuns 1479–1522
    Mughals 1501–1738
    Safavids 1510–1709
    Hotaki Empire 1709–1738
    Durrani Empire 1747–1826
    Emirate of Afghanistan 1826–1919
    Kingdom of Afghanistan 1919–1973
    Republic of Afghanistan 1973–1978
    Democratic Republic of Afghanistan 1978–1992
    Islamic State of Afghanistan 1992–2001
    Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 1996–2001
    Interim/Transitional Administration 2001–2004
    Islamic Republic of Afghanistan since 2004
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    Pre-Islamic period Main article: Pre-Islamic period of AfghanistanBilingual (Greek and Aramaic) edict by Emperor Ashoka from the 3rd century BCE discovered in the southern city of Kandahar





    Alexander the Great and his Macedonian forces arrived to the area of Afghanistan in 330 BCE after defeating Darius III of Persia a year earlier in the Battle of Gaugamela. Following Alexander''s brief occupation, the successor state of the Seleucid Empire controlled the region as one of their easternmost territories until 305 BCE, when they gave much of it to the Indian Maurya Empire as part of an alliance treaty. The Mauryans introduced Buddhism and controlled the area south of the Hindu Kush until they were overthrown about 185 BCE. Their decline began 60 years after Ashoka''s rule ended, leading to the Hellenistic reconquest of the region by the Greco-Bactrians. Much of it soon broke away from the Greco-Bactrians and became part of the Indo-Greek Kingdom. The Indo-Greeks were defeated and expelled by the Indo-Scythians in the late 2nd century BCE.

    During the first century BCE, the Parthian Empire subjugated the region, but lost it to their Indo-Parthian vassals. In the mid-to-late first century CE the vast Kushan Empire, centered in modern Afghanistan, became great patrons of Buddhist culture, making Buddhism flourish throughout the region. The Kushans were defeated by the Sassanids in the 3rd century CE. Although the Indo-Sassanids continued to rule at least parts of the region. They were followed by the Kidarite Huns who, in turn, were replaced by the Hephthalites. By the 6th century CE, the successors to the Kushans and Hepthalites established a small dynasty called Kabul Shahi.

    Islamization and Mongol invasion Main articles: Islamic conquest of Afghanistan and Mongol invasion of Central AsiaThe Ghurid-era Friday Mosque of Herat, or Masjid Jami, one of the oldest mosques in Afghanistan

    Between the 4th and 19th centuries, the northwestern area of modern Afghanistan was referred to by the regional name Khorasan. Two of the four capitals of Khorasan (Herat and Balkh) are now located in Afghanistan, while the regions of Kandahar, Zabulistan, Ghazni, Kabulistan, and Afghanistan formed the frontier between Khorasan and Hindustan.


    Afghanistan became one of the main centers in the Muslim world during the Islamic Golden Age. By the 11th century, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni defeated the remaining Hindu rulers and effectively Islamized the wider region, with the exception of Kafiristan. The Ghaznavids were replaced by the Ghurids, who expanded and advanced the already powerful Islamic empire. In 1219 AD, Genghis Khan and his Mongol army overran the region. His troops are said to have annihilated the Khorasanian cities of Herat and Balkh as well as Bamyan.

    The destruction caused by the Mongols forced many locals to return to an agrarian rural society. Mongol rule continued with the Ilkhanate in the northwest while the Khilji dynasty administered the Afghan tribal areas south of the Hindu Kush until the invasion of Timur, who established the Timurid dynasty in 1370. During the Ghaznavid, Ghurid, and Timurid eras, the region produced many fine Islamic architectural monuments and numerous scientific and literary works.

    Babur, a descendant of both Timur and Genghis Khan, arrived from Fergana and captured Kabul from the Arghun dynasty. From there he began dominating control of the central and eastern territories of Afghanistan. He remained in Kabulistan until 1526 when he invaded Delhi in India to replace the Lodi dynasty with the Mughal Empire. From the 16th century to the early 18th century, the region was contested between the Khanate of Bukhara, the Persian Safavid dynasty, and the Mughal Empire.

    Hotaki dynasty and Durrani Empire Main articles: Hotaki dynasty and Durrani EmpireMir Wais Hotak, considered the Grandfather of the NationAhmad Shah Durrani, founder of the last Afghan empire and viewed as Father of the Nation

    Mir Wais Hotak, the chieftain of the Ghilzai tribe, successfully rebelled against the declining Safavids in 1709. Along with Ghaznavid Khan Nasher, he overthrew and killed Gurgin Khan, and made the Afghan region independent from Persia. By 1713, Mir Wais had decisively defeated two larger Persian armies, one led by Khusraw Khán and the other by Rustam Khán. The armies were sent by Sultan Husayn, the Shah of Persia, to re-take control of the Kandahar region. Mir Wais died of natural causes in 1715 and was succeeded by his brother Abdul Aziz, who was soon killed by Mir Wais'' son Mahmud for treason. Mahmud led his Afghan army in 1722 to the Persian capital of Isfahan, captured the city after the Battle of Gulnabad and proclaimed himself King of Persia. The Persians rejected Mahmud, and after the massacre of thousands of religious scholars, nobles, and members of the Safavid family, the Hotaki dynasty was ousted and banished from Persia by Nader Shah after the 1729 Battle of Damghan.

    In 1738, Nader Shah and his Afsharid forces captured Kandahar, the last Hotaki stronghold, from Shah Hussain Hotaki, at which point the incarcerated 16-year-old Ahmad Shah Durrani was freed and made the commander of Nader Shah''s four thousand Abdali Afghans, joining him in his invasion of India. After the death of Nader Shah in 1747, the Afghans chose Durrani as their head of state. Durrani and his Afghan army conquered present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Khorasan and Kohistan provinces of Iran, and Delhi in India. He defeated the Indian Maratha Empire, and one of his biggest victories was the 1761 Battle of Panipat.

    In October 1772, Durrani died of natural causes and was buried at a site now adjacent to the Shrine of the Cloak in Kandahar. He was succeeded by his son, Timur Shah, who transferred the capital of Afghanistan from Kandahar to Kabul in 1776. After Timur''s death in 1793, the Durrani throne passed down to his son Zaman Shah, followed by Mahmud Shah, Shuja Shah and others.


    Western influence Further information: European influence in Afghanistan and Reforms of Amānullāh Khān and civil warBritish and allied forces at Kandahar after the 1880 Battle of Kandahar, during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The large defensive wall around the city was removed in the early 1930s by the order of King Nadir.



    After the Third Anglo-Afghan War and the signing of the Treaty of Rawalpindi in 1919, King Amanullah Khan declared Afghanistan a sovereign and fully independent state. He moved to end his country''s traditional isolation by establishing diplomatic relations with the international community and, following a 1927–28 tour of Europe and Turkey, introduced several reforms intended to modernize his nation. A key force behind these reforms was Mahmud Tarzi, an ardent supporter of the education of women. He fought for Article 68 of Afghanistan''s 1923 constitution, which made elementary education compulsory. The institution of slavery was abolished in 1923.


    Mohammed Zahir Shah, Nadir Shah''s 19-year-old son, succeeded to the throne and reigned from 1933 to 1973. Until 1946, Zahir Shah ruled with the assistance of his uncle, who held the post of Prime Minister and continued the policies of Nadir Shah. Another of Zahir Shah''s uncles, Shah Mahmud Khan, became Prime Minister in 1946 and began an experiment allowing greater political freedom, but reversed the policy when it went further than he expected. He was replaced in 1953 by Mohammed Daoud Khan, the king''s cousin and brother-in-law. Daoud Khan sought a closer relationship with the Soviet Union and a more distant one towards Pakistan. Afghanistan remained neutral and was neither a participant in World War II nor aligned with either power bloc in the Cold War. However, it was a beneficiary of the latter rivalry as both the Soviet Union and the United States vied for influence by building Afghanistan''s main highways, airports, and other vital infrastructure. In 1973, while King Zahir Shah was on an official overseas visit, Daoud Khan launched a bloodless coup and became the first President of Afghanistan. In the meantime, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto got neighboring Pakistan involved in Afghanistan. Some experts suggest that Bhutto paved the way for the April 1978 Saur Revolution.

    Marxist revolution and Soviet war Main articles: Saur Revolution, Soviet war in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and History of Afghanistan (1978–1992)Outside the Arg Presidential Palace in Kabul, a day after the April 1978 Marxist revolution in which President Daoud Khan was assassinated along with his entire family.


    In September 1979, Nur Muhammad Taraki was assassinated in a coup within the PDPA orchestrated by fellow Khalq member Hafizullah Amin, who assumed the presidency. Distrusted by the Soviets, Amin was assassinated by Soviet special forces in December 1979. A Soviet-organized government, led by Parcham''s Babrak Karmal but inclusive of both factions, filled the vacuum. Soviet troops were deployed to stabilize Afghanistan under Karmal in more substantial numbers, although the Soviet government did not expect to do most of the fighting in Afghanistan. As a result, however, the Soviets were now directly involved in what had been a domestic war in Afghanistan. The PDPA prohibited usury, declared equality of the sexes, and introducing women to political life.

    The United States has been supporting anti-Soviet forces (mujahideen) as early as mid-1979. Billions in cash and weapons, which included over two thousand FIM-92 Stinger surface-to-air missiles, were provided by the United States and Saudi Arabia to Pakistan.

    The 10-year Soviet war in Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of over 1 million Afghans, mostly civilians, and the creation of about 6 million refugees who fled Afghanistan, mainly to Pakistan and Iran. Faced with mounting international pressure and numerous casualties, the Soviets withdrew in 1989 but continued to support Afghan President Mohammad Najibullah until 1992.

    Civil war Main articles: Civil war in Afghanistan (1989–92) and Civil war in Afghanistan (1992–96)

    From 1989 until 1992, Najibullah''s government tried to solve the ongoing civil war without Soviet troops on the ground but with economic and military aid. Najibullah tried to build support for his government and tried to portray his government as Islamic, and in the 1990 constitution the country officially became an Islamic state and all references of communism were removed. Nevertheless, Najibullah did not win any significant support, and with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991, he was left without foreign aid. This, coupled with the internal collapse of his government, led to his ousting from power in April 1992.


    Saudi Arabia and Iran supported different Afghan militias and instability quickly developed. The conflict between the two militias soon escalated into a full-scale war.

    A section of Kabul during the civil war in 1993

    Due to the sudden initiation of the war, working government departments, police units, and a system of justice and accountability for the newly created Islamic State of Afghanistan did not have time to form. Atrocities were committed by individuals of the different armed factions while Kabul descended into lawlessness and chaos. Because of the chaos, some leaders increasingly had only nominal control over their (sub-)commanders. For civilians there was little security from murder, rape, and extortion. An estimated 25,000 people died during the most intense period of bombardment by Hekmatyar''s Hezb-i Islami and the Junbish-i Milli forces of Abdul Rashid Dostum, who had created an alliance with Hekmatyar in 1994. Half a million people fled Afghanistan.

    Southern and eastern Afghanistan were under the control of local commanders such as Gul Agha Sherzai and others. In 1994, the Taliban (a movement originating from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-run religious schools for Afghan refugees in Pakistan) also developed in Afghanistan as a political-religious force. The Taliban took control of Kabul and several provinces in southern and central Afghanistan in 1994 and forced the surrender of dozens of local Pashtun leaders.

    In late 1994, forces of Ahmad Shah Massoud held on to Kabul and bombardment of the city came to a halt. The Islamic State government took steps to open courts, restore law and order, and initiate a nationwide political process with the goal of national consolidation and democratic elections. Massoud invited Taliban leaders to join the process but they refused.

    Taliban Emirate and Northern Alliance Main articles: Civil war in Afghanistan (1996–2001) and Islamic Emirate of AfghanistanMap of the situation in Afghanistan in late 1996, showing Massoud (red), Dostum (green), and Taliban (yellow) territories

    The Taliban''s early victories in 1994 were followed by a series of defeats that resulted in heavy losses that led analysts to believe the Taliban movement had run its course. The Taliban started shelling Kabul in early 1995 but were repelled by forces under Massoud.

    On 26 September 1996, as the Taliban, with military support from Pakistan and financial support from Saudi Arabia, prepared for another major offensive, Massoud ordered a full retreat from Kabul. The Taliban seized Kabul on 27 September 1996, and established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. They imposed on the parts of Afghanistan under their control their political and judicial interpretation of Islam, issuing edicts especially targeting women. According to Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), "no other regime in the world has methodically and violently forced half of its population into virtual house arrest, prohibiting them on pain of physical punishment."

    After the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Massoud and Dostum created the United Front (Northern Alliance). The United Front included Massoud''s predominantly Tajik forces, Dostum''s Uzbek forces, and Hazara and Pashtun factions under leaders such as Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, Abdul Haq, and Abdul Qadir. The Taliban defeated Dostum''s forces during the Battles of Mazar-i-Sharif (1997–98). The Taliban committed systematic massacres against civilians in northern and western Afghanistan


    Pakistan''s Chief of Army Staff, Pervez Musharraf, was responsible for sending tens of thousands of Pakistanis to fight alongside the Taliban and bin Laden against Northern Alliance forces. In 2001 alone, there were believed to be 28,000 Pakistani nationals fighting inside Afghanistan. From 1996 to 2001, the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri was harbored by the Taliban in Afghanistan, and bin Laden sent thousands of Arab recruits to fight against the United Front.

    Massoud remained the only leader of the United Front in Afghanistan. In the areas under his control, Massoud set up democratic institutions and signed the Women''s Rights Declaration. The fighting also caused around 1 million people to flee Taliban controlled areas. From 1990 to September 2001, 400,000 Afghan civilians have reportedly died in the wars.

    On 9 September 2001, Massoud was assassinated by two French-speaking Arab suicide attackers inside Afghanistan, and two days later the September 11 attacks were carried out in the United States. The US government identified Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda as the perpetrators of the attacks, and demanded that the Taliban hand over bin Laden. After refusing to comply with the U.S. demand, the October 2001 Operation Enduring Freedom was launched. During the initial invasion, American and British forces bombed parts of Afghanistan and worked with ground forces of the Northern Alliance to remove the Taliban from power and destroy al-Qaeda training camps.

    Recent history (2002–present) Further information: War in Afghanistan (2001–present), Taliban insurgency and Civilian casualties in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)NATO involvement

    In December 2001, after the Taliban government was toppled and the new Afghan government under Hamid Karzai was formed, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was established by the UN Security Council to help assist the Karzai administration and provide basic security. Taliban forces also began regrouping inside Pakistan, while more coalition troops entered Afghanistan and began rebuilding the war-torn country.

    Shortly after their fall from power, the Taliban began an insurgency to regain control of Afghanistan. Over the next decade, ISAF and Afghan troops led many offensives against the Taliban but failed to fully defeat them. Afghanistan remained one of the poorest countries in the world due to a lack of foreign investment, government corruption, and the Taliban insurgency.

    Meanwhile, the Afghan government was able to build some democratic structures, and, on December 7, 2004, the country changed its name to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Attempts were made, often with the support of foreign donor countries, to improve the country''s economy, healthcare, education, transport, and agriculture. ISAF forces also began to train the Afghan armed forces and police. In the decade following 2002, over five million Afghan refugees were repatriated to the country, including many who were forcefully deported from Western countries.

    By 2009, a Taliban-led shadow government began to form in many parts of the country. US President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. would deploy another 30,000 U.S. soldiers to the country in 2010 for a period of two years. In 2010, Karzai attempted to hold peace negotiations with the Taliban and other groups, but these groups refused to attend and bombings, assassinations, and ambushes intensified.

    After the May 2011 death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, many prominent Afghan figures were assassinated, Afghanistan–Pakistan border skirmishes intensified, and many large scale attacks by the Pakistani-based Haqqani Network took place across Afghanistan. The United States warned the Pakistani government of possible military action within Pakistan if the government refused to attack these forces in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, as the United States blamed rogue elements within the Pakistani government for the increased attacks. The Pakistani Army began to intensify their attacks against these groups as part of the War in North-West Pakistan.


    Geography Main article: Geography of AfghanistanTopography

    A landlocked mountainous country with plains in the north and southwest, Afghanistan is variously described as being located within Central Asia or South Asia. It is part of the US coined Greater Middle East Muslim world, which lies between latitudes 29° N and 39° N, and longitudes 60° E and 75° E. The country''s highest point is Noshaq, at 7,492 m (24,580 ft) above sea level. It has a continental climate with harsh winters in the central highlands, the glaciated northeast (around Nuristan), and the Wakhan Corridor, where the average temperature in January is below −15 °C (5 °F), and hot summers in the low-lying areas of the Sistan Basin of the southwest, the Jalalabad basin in the east, and the Turkestan plains along the Amu River in the north, where temperatures average over 35 °C (95 °F) in July.


    Despite having numerous rivers and reservoirs, large parts of the country are dry. The endorheic Sistan Basin is one of the driest regions in the world. Aside from the usual rainfall, Afghanistan receives snow during the winter in the Hindu Kush and Pamir Mountains, and the melting snow in the spring season enters the rivers, lakes, and streams. However, two-thirds of the country''s water flows into the neighboring countries of Iran, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan. The state needs more than US$2 billion to rehabilitate its irrigation systems so that the water is properly managed.

    The northeastern Hindu Kush mountain range, in and around the Badakhshan Province of Afghanistan, is in a geologically active area where earthquakes may occur almost every year. They can be deadly and destructive sometimes, causing landslides in some parts or avalanches during the winter. The last strong earthquakes were in 1998, which killed about 6,000 people in Badakhshan near Tajikistan. This was followed by the 2002 Hindu Kush earthquakes in which over 150 people were killed and over 1,000 injured. A 2010 earthquake left 11 Afghans dead, over 70 injured, and more than 2,000 houses destroyed.

    The country''s natural resources include: coal, copper, iron ore, lithium, uranium, rare earth elements, chromite, gold, zinc, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, marble, precious and semi-precious stones, natural gas, and petroleum, among other things. In 2010, US and Afghan government officials estimated that untapped mineral deposits located in 2007 by the US Geological Survey are worth between $900 bn and $3 trillion.

    At 652,230 km2 (251,830 sq mi), Afghanistan is the world''s 41st largest country, slightly bigger than France and smaller than Burma, about the size of Texas in the United States. It borders Pakistan in the south and east; Iran in the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in the north; and China in the far east.

    Demographics Main articles: Demography of Afghanistan and Afghan diaspora

    As of 2012, the population of Afghanistan is around 31,108,077, which includes the roughly 2.7 million Afghan refugees still living in Pakistan and Iran. In 1979, the population was reported to be about 15.5 million. The only city with over a million residents is its capital, Kabul. Other large cities in the country are, in order of population size, Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, Lashkar Gah, Taloqan, Khost, Sheberghan, and Ghazni. Urban areas are experiencing rapid population growth following the return of over 5 million expats. According to the Population Reference Bureau, the Afghan population is estimated to increase to 82 million by 2050.

     Largest cities or towns of Afghanistan 2010-11 estimateRank Name Province Pop.
    KabulKandahar 1 Kabul Kabul Province 3,071,400 HeratMazar-i-Sharif
    2 Kandahar Kandahar Province 512,000
    3 Herat Herat Province 397,456
    4 Mazar-i-Sharif Balkh Province 375,000
    5 Jalalabad Nangarhar Province 205,423
    6 Lashkar Gar Helmand Province 201,546
    7 Taloqan Takhar Province 196,400
    8 Khost Khost Province 160,214
    9 Sheberghan Jowzjan Province 148,329
    10 Ghazni Ghazni Province 141,000
    Ethnic groups Main article: Ethnic groups in AfghanistanEthnolinguistic groups of Afghanistan


    Ethnic groups in Afghanistan Ethnic group Photo World Factbook / Library of Congress Country Studies estimate (2004–present) World Factbook / Library of Congress Country Studies estimate (pre-2004)
    Pashtun 42% 38–55%
    Hazara 8% 9–10%
    Uzbek 9% 6–8%
    Aimaq 4% 500,000 to 800,000
    Turkmen 3% 2.5%
    Baloch 2% 100,000

    The 2004–present estimates in the above chart are supported by recent national opinion polls that measured how a group of about 804 to 7,760 local residents in Afghanistan felt about the current war, political situation, as well as the economic and social issues affecting their daily lives. Seven of the surveys were conducted between 2004 to 2012 by the Asia Foundation and one between 2004 to 2009 by a combined effort of the broadcasting companies NBC News, BBC, and ARD.

    National opinion polls (ethnicity) Ethnic group "Afghanistan: Where Things Stand" (2004–2009) "A survey of the Afghan people" (2006) "A survey of the Afghan people" (2007) "A survey of the Afghan people" (2008) "A survey of the Afghan people" (2009) "A survey of the Afghan people" (2010) "A survey of the Afghan people" (2011) "A survey of the Afghan people" (2012)
    Pashtun 38–46% 40.9% 40% Not reported Not reported 42% 41% 40%
    Tajik 37–39% 37.1% 35% " " 31% 31% 33%
    Hazara 6–13% 9.2% 10% " " 10% 11% 11%
    Uzbek 5–7% 9.2% 8% " " 9% 9% 9%
    Aimak 0% 0.1% 1% " " 2% 1% 1%
    Turkmen 1–2% 1.7% 3% " " 2% 2% 2%
    Baloch 1–3% 0.5% 1% " " 1% 1% 1%
    Others (Pashayi, Nuristani, Arab, etc.) 0–4% 1.4% 2% " " 3% 3% 5%
    No opinion 0–2% 0% 0% " " 0% 0% 0%

    Languages Main article: Languages of Afghanistan

    Pashto and Dari (Persian) are the official languages of Afghanistan; bilingualism is very common. Both are Indo-European languages from the Iranian languages sub-family. Dari has always been the prestige language and a lingua franca for inter-ethnic communication. It is the native tongue of the Tajiks, Hazaras, Aimaks, and Kizilbash. Pashto is the native tongue of the Pashtuns, although many Pashtuns often use Dari and some non-Pashtuns are fluent in Pashto.


    Language World Factbook / Library of Congress Country Studies estimate Dari Pashto Uzbek and Turkmen 30 minor languages
    Religions Main article: Religion in Afghanistan

    Over 99% of the Afghan population is Muslim; approximately 80–85% are from the Sunni branch, 15–19% are Shi''a, and roughly 3% are non-denominational Muslims. Until the 1890s, the region around Nuristan was known as Kafiristan (land of the kafirs (unbelievers)) because of its non-Muslim inhabitants, the Nuristanis, an ethnically distinct people whose religious practices included animism, polytheism, and shamanism. There are small minorities of Christians, Buddhists, Parsis, Sikhs, and Hindus. There was a small Jewish community in Afghanistan who had emigrated to Israel and the United States by the end of the twentieth century; only one Jew, Zablon Simintov, remained by 2005.

    Governance Main articles: Politics of Afghanistan, Presidency of Hamid Karzai and Constitution of AfghanistanThe National Assembly of Afghanistan in 2006



    According to Transparency International''s 2010 corruption perceptions index results, Afghanistan was ranked as the third most corrupt country in the world. A January 2010 report published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime revealed that bribery consumed an amount equal to 23% of the GDP of the nation. A number of government ministries are believed to be rife with corruption, and while President Karzai vowed to tackle the problem in late 2009 by stating that "individuals who are involved in corruption will have no place in the government", top government officials were stealing and misusing hundreds of millions of dollars through the Kabul Bank. Although the nation''s institutions are newly formed and steps have been taken to arrest some, the United States warned that aid to Afghanistan would be greatly reduced if the corruption is not stopped.

    Elections and parties Main articles: Elections in Afghanistan and List of political parties in AfghanistanFrom left to right: Abdullah Abdullah, John Kerry and Ashraf Ghani during the 2014 presidential election




    Administrative divisions Main articles: Provinces of Afghanistan and Districts of Afghanistan





  • Badakhshan
  • Badghis
  • Baghlan
  • Balkh
  • Bamyan
  • Daykundi
  • Farah
  • Faryab
  • Ghazni
  • Ghor
  • Helmand
  • Herat
  • Jowzjan
  • Kabul
  • Kandahar
  • Kapisa
  • Khost
  • Kunar
  • Kunduz
  • Laghman
  • Logar
  • Nangarhar
  • Nimruz
  • Nurestan
  • Oruzgan
  • Paktia
  • Paktika
  • Panjshir
  • Parvan
  • Samangan
  • Sare Pol
  • Takhar
  • Wardak
  • Zabul
    Foreign relations and military Main articles: Foreign relations of Afghanistan and Military of AfghanistanSoldiers of the Afghan National Army, including the ANA Commando Battalion standing in the front


    The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) was established in 2002 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1401 to help the nation recover from decades of war and establish a normal functioning government. Today, more than 22 NATO nations deploy about 100,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Apart from close military links, the country also enjoys strong economic relations with NATO members and their allies. It also has diplomatic relations with neighboring Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China, and regional states such as India, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, Japan, South Korea, and others.

    Afghanistan–Pakistan relations have been negatively affected by issues related to the Durand Line and the 1978–present war (i.e., Mujahideen, Afghan refugees, Taliban insurgency, and border skirmishes), including water and the growing influence of India in Afghanistan. Afghan officials often allege that Pakistani and Iranian intelligence agencies are involved in training and guiding terrorists to carry out attacks inside Afghanistan. Afghanistan has always depended on Pakistani trade routes for import and export, but this has changed in the last decade with the opening of Central Asian and Iranian routes. Conversely, Pakistan depends on Afghan water and considers Afghanistan as the only trade route to Central Asian resources.

    India and Iran have actively participated in reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, with India being the largest regional donor to the country. Since 2002, India has pledged up to $2 billion in economic assistance to Afghanistan and has participated in multiple socio-economic reconstruction efforts, including power, roads, agriculture and education projects. There are also military ties between Afghanistan and India, which is expected to increase after the October 2011 strategic pact that was signed by Karzai and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.


    Crime and law enforcement Main articles: Crime in Afghanistan and Law enforcement in AfghanistanAfghan National Police (ANP) in Kunar Province


    The police receive most of their training from Western forces under the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan. According to a 2009 news report, a large proportion of police officers were illiterate and accused of demanding bribes. Jack Kem, deputy to the commander of NATO Training Mission Afghanistan and Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, stated that the literacy rate in the ANP would rise to over 50% by January 2012. What began as a voluntary literacy program became mandatory for basic police training in early 2011. Approximately 17% of them tested positive for illegal drug use. In 2009, President Karzai created two anti-corruption units within the Interior Ministry. Former Interior Minister Hanif Atmar said that security officials from the US (FBI), Britain (Scotland Yard), and the European Union will train prosecutors in the unit.

    The southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan are the most dangerous due to militant activities and the flourishing drug trade. These particular areas are sometimes patrolled by Taliban insurgents, who often plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on roads and carry out suicide bombings. Kidnapping and robberies are also reported. Every year many Afghan police officers are killed in the line of duty in these areas. The Afghan Border Police (ABP) are responsible for protecting the nation''s airports and borders, especially the disputed Durand Line border, which is often used by members of criminal organizations and terrorists for their illegal activities. A report in 2011 suggested that up to 3 million people were involved in the illegal drug business in Afghanistan. Many of the attacks on government employees may be ordered by powerful mafia groups. Drugs from Afghanistan are exported to neighboring countries and worldwide. The Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics is tasked to deal with these issues by bringing to justice major drug traffickers.

    Economy Main article: Economy of AfghanistanWorkers processing pomegranates (anaar), which Afghanistan is famous for in AsiaAfghan women at a textile factory in Kabul

    Afghanistan is an impoverished and least developed country, one of the world''s poorest because of decades of war and lack of foreign investment. As of 2013, the nation''s GDP stands at about $45.3 billion with an exchange rate of $20.65 billion, and the GDP per capita is $1,100. The country''s exports totaled $2.6 billion in 2010. Its unemployment rate is about 35% and roughly the same percentage of its citizens live below the poverty line. According to a 2009 report, about 42% of the population lives on less than $1 a day. The nation has less than $1.5 billion in external debt and is recovering with the assistance of the world community.

    The Afghan economy has been growing at about 10% per year in the last decade, which is due to the infusion of over $50 billion in international aid and remittances from Afghan expats. It is also due to improvements made to the transportation system and agricultural production, which is the backbone of the nation''s economy. The country is known for producing some of the finest pomegranates, grapes, apricots, melons, and several other fresh and dry fruits, including nuts. Many sources indicate that as much as 11% or more of Afghanistan''s economy is derived from the cultivation and sale of opium, and Afghanistan is widely considered the world''s largest producer of opium despite Afghan government and international efforts to eradicate the crop.


    Afghanistan, Trends in the Human Development Index, 1970–2010


    One of the main drivers for the current economic recovery is the return of over 5 million expatriates, who brought with them fresh energy, entrepreneurship and wealth-creating skills as well as much needed funds to start up businesses. For the first time since the 1970s, Afghans have involved themselves in construction, one of the largest industries in the country. Some of the major national construction projects include the $35 billion New Kabul City next to the capital, the Ghazi Amanullah Khan City near Jalalabad, and the Aino Mena in Kandahar. Similar development projects have also begun in Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, and other cities.


    Afghanistan is a member of SAARC, ECO, and OIC. It is hoping to join SCO soon to develop closer economic ties with neighboring and regional countries in the so-called New Silk Road trade project. Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul told the media in 2011 that his nation''s "goal is to achieve an Afghan economy whose growth is based on trade, private enterprise and investment". Experts believe that this will revolutionize the economy of the region. Opium production in Afghanistan soared to a record in 2007 with about 3 million people reported to be involved in the business, but then declined significantly in the years following. The government started programs to help reduce poppy cultivation, and by 2010 it was reported that 24 out of the 34 provinces were free from poppy growing.


    Mining Main article: Mining in Afghanistan

    Michael E. O''Hanlon of the Brookings Institution estimated that if Afghanistan generates about $10 bn per year from its mineral deposits, its gross national product would double and provide long-term funding for Afghan security forces and other critical needs. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated in 2006 that northern Afghanistan has an average 2.9 billion (bn) barrels (bbl) of crude oil, 15.7 trillion cubic feet (440 bn m3) of natural gas, and 562 million bbl of natural gas liquids. In December 2011, Afghanistan signed an oil exploration contract with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) for the development of three oil fields along the Amu Darya river in the north.

    Other reports show that the country has huge amounts of lithium, copper, gold, coal, iron ore, and other minerals. The Khanashin carbonatite in Helmand Province contains 1,000,000 metric tons (1,100,000 short tons) of rare earth elements. In 2007, a 30-year lease was granted for the Aynak copper mine to the China Metallurgical Group for $3 billion, making it the biggest foreign investment and private business venture in Afghanistan''s history. The state-run Steel Authority of India won the mining rights to develop the huge Hajigak iron ore deposit in central Afghanistan. Government officials estimate that 30% of the country''s untapped mineral deposits are worth between $900 bn and $3 trillion. One official asserted that "this will become the backbone of the Afghan economy" and a Pentagon memo stated that Afghanistan could become the "Saudi Arabia of lithium". In a 2011 news story, the CSM reported, "The United States and other Western nations that have borne the brunt of the cost of the Afghan war have been conspicuously absent from the bidding process on Afghanistan''s mineral deposits, leaving it mostly to regional powers."

    Transportation Main article: Transport in Afghanistan Air Main article: List of airports in AfghanistanAriana Afghan Airlines plane


    Kabul International Airport is the country''s main airport. As of May 2014, the country had four international airports:Herat International Airport, Kabul International Airport, Kandahar International Airport, and Mazari Sharif Airport. There were also around a dozen domestic airports with regularly scheduled flights to Kabul and/or Herat.

    Rail Main article: Rail transport in Afghanistan

    As of May 2014, the country had only two rail links, one a 75 km line from Kheyrabad to the Uzbekistan border and the other a 10 km long line from Toraghundi to the Turkmenistan border. Both lines were used for freight only and there were no passenger services or stations in Afghanistan.

    There are various proposals for the construction of additional rail lines in the country. In June 2013, the presidents of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan attended the groundbreaking ceremony for a 225 km line between Turkmenistan-Andkhvoy-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kheyrabad. The line will link at Kheyrabad with the existing line to the Uzbekistan border.

    Plans exist for a rail line from Kabul to the eastern border town of Torkham, where it will connect with Pakistan Railways. There are also plans to finish a rail line between Khaf, Iran and Herat funded by Iran and the Asian Development Bank.

    Roads Further information: Highway 1 (Afghanistan)

    Long distant road journeys are made by older model company-owned Mercedes-Benz coach buses or carpools and private cars. Newer automobiles have recently become more widely available after the rebuilding of roads and highways. They are imported from the United Arab Emirates through Pakistan and Iran. As of 2012, vehicles more than 10 years old are banned from being imported into the country. The development of the nation''s road network is a major boost for the economy due to trade with neighboring countries. Postal services in Afghanistan are provided by the publicly owned Afghan Post and private companies such as FedEx, DHL, and others.

    Communication Main article: Communications in Afghanistan


    Health Main article: Health in AfghanistanInside a regional military hospital in Paktia Province

    According to the Human Development Index, Afghanistan is the 15th least developed country in the world. The average life expectancy is estimated to be around 60 years for both sexes. The country has the ninth highest total fertility rate in the world, at 5.64 children born/woman (according to 2012 estimates). It has one of the highest maternal mortality rate in the world, estimated in 2010 at 460 deaths/100,000 live births, and the highest infant mortality rate in the world (deaths of babies under one year), estimated in 2012 to be 119.41 deaths/1,000 live births. Data from 2010 suggest that one in ten children die before they are five years old. The Ministry of Public Health plans to cut the infant mortality rate to 400 for every 100,000 live births before 2020. The country currently has more than 3,000 midwives, with an additional 300 to 400 being trained each year.


    It was reported in 2006 that nearly 60% of the population lives within a two hour walk of the nearest health facility, up from 9% in 2002. The latest surveys show that 57% of Afghans say they have good or very good access to clinics or hospitals. The nation has one of the highest incidences of people with disabilities, with around a million people affected. About 80,000 people are missing limbs; most of these were injured by landmines. Non-governmental charities such as Save the Children and Mahboba''s Promise assist orphans in association with governmental structures. Demographic and Health Surveys is working with the Indian Institute of Health Management Research and others to conduct a survey in Afghanistan focusing on maternal death, among other things.

    Education Main article: Education in Afghanistan

    Education in the country includes K–12 and higher education, which is supervised by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. The nation''s education system was destroyed due to the decades of war, but it began reviving after the Karzai administration came to power in late 2001. More than 5,000 schools were built or renovated in the last decade, with more than 100,000 teachers being trained and recruited. More than seven million male and female students are enrolled in schools, with about 100,000 being enrolled in different universities around the country; at least 35% of these students are female. As of 2013, there are 16,000 schools across Afghanistan. Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak stated that another 8,000 schools are required to be constructed for the remaining 3 million children who are deprived of education.

    American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) in Kabul


    The literacy rate of the entire population has been very low but is now rising because more students go to schools. In 2010, the United States began establishing a number of Lincoln learning centers in Afghanistan. They are set up to serve as programming platforms offering English language classes, library facilities, programming venues, Internet connectivity, and educational and other counseling services. A goal of the program is to reach at least 4,000 Afghan citizens per month per location. The Afghan National Security Forces are provided with mandatory literacy courses. In addition to this, Baghch-e-Simsim (based on the American Sesame Street) was launched in late 2011 to help young Afghan children learn.

    In 2009 and 2010, a 5,000 OLPC - One Laptop Per Child schools deployment took place in Kandahar with funding from an anonymous foundation. The OLPC team seeks local support to undertake larger deployment.

    Culture Culture of Afghanistan History People Languages Cuisine Festivals Religion Sport
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    Main article: Culture of Afghanistan

    The Afghan culture has been around for over two millennia, tracing back to at least the time of the Achaemenid Empire in 500 BCE. It is mostly a nomadic and tribal society, with different regions of the country having their own traditions, reflecting the multi-cultural and multi-lingual character of the nation. In the southern and eastern region the people live according to the Pashtun culture by following Pashtunwali, which is an ancient way of life that is still preserved. The remainder of the country is culturally Persian and Turkic. Some non-Pashtuns who live in proximity with Pashtuns have adopted Pashtunwali in a process called Pashtunization (or Afghanization), while some Pashtuns have been Persianized. Millions of Afghans who have been living in Pakistan and Iran over the last 30 years have been influenced by the cultures of those neighboring nations.

    Men wearing traditional Afghan dress in the southern city of Kandahar

    Afghans display pride in their culture, nation, ancestry, and above all, their religion and independence. Like other highlanders, they are regarded with mingled apprehension and condescension, for their high regard for personal honor, for their tribe loyalty and for their readiness to use force to settle disputes. As tribal warfare and internecine feuding has been one of their chief occupations since time immemorial, this individualistic trait has made it difficult for foreigners to conquer them. Tony Heathcote considers the tribal system to be the best way of organizing large groups of people in a country that is geographically difficult, and in a society that, from a materialistic point of view, has an uncomplicated lifestyle. There are an estimated 60 major Pashtun tribes, and the Afghan nomads are estimated at about 2–3 million.

    The nation has a complex history that has survived either in its current cultures or in the form of various languages and monuments. However, many of its historic monuments have been damaged in recent wars. The two famous Buddhas of Bamiyan were destroyed by the Taliban, who regarded them as idolatrous. Despite that, archaeologists are still finding Buddhist relics in different parts of the country, some of them dating back to the 2nd century. This indicates that Buddhism was widespread in Afghanistan. Other historical places include the cities of Herat, Kandahar, Ghazni, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Zarang. The Minaret of Jam in the Hari River valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site. A cloak reputedly worn by Islam''s Prophet Muhammad is kept inside the Shrine of the Cloak in Kandahar, a city founded by Alexander and the first capital of Afghanistan. The citadel of Alexander in the western city of Herat has been renovated in recent years and is a popular attraction for tourists. In the north of the country is the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, believed by many to be the location where Ali was buried. The Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture is renovating 42 historic sites in Ghazni until 2013, when the province will be declared as the capital of Islamic civilization. The National Museum of Afghanistan is located in Kabul.

    Although literacy is low, classic Persian and Pashto poetry plays an important role in the Afghan culture. Poetry has always been one of the major educational pillars in the region, to the level that it has integrated itself into culture. Some notable poets include Rumi, Rabi''a Balkhi, Sanai, Jami, Khushal Khan Khattak, Rahman Baba, Khalilullah Khalili, and Parween Pazhwak.

    Media and entertainment Main article: Media of AfghanistanFarhad Darya performing at the Serena Hotel in Kabul.


    The city of Kabul has been home to many musicians who were masters of both traditional and modern Afghan music. Traditional music is especially popular during the Nowruz (New Year) and National Independence Day celebrations. Ahmad Zahir, Nashenas, Ustad Sarahang, Sarban, Ubaidullah Jan, Farhad Darya, and Naghma are some of the notable Afghan musicians, but there are many others. Most Afghans are accustomed to watching Bollywood films from India and listening to its filmi hit songs. Many Bollywood film stars have roots in Afghanistan, including Madhubala, Feroz Khan, Kader Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Fardeen Khan, Sohail Khan, and Celina Jaitley. In addition, several Bollywood films, such as Dharmatma, Khuda Gawah, Escape from Taliban, and Kabul Express have been shot inside Afghanistan.

    Sports Main article: Sport in AfghanistanThe Afghanistan national football team (in red uniforms) before its first win over Nepal (in blue) during the 2011 SAFF Championship. In 2013, Afghanistan won its first international football trophy, the SAFF Championship.


    Cricket, which is a newly introduced sport in Afghanistan fueled by the success of the Afghan national cricket team, is growing in popularity. Afghanistan participated in the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier, 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division One, and the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, where they played India and South Africa. It won the ACC Twenty20 Cup in 2007, 2009, and 2011. More recently the under-19 team played in the 2012 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is the official governing body of the sport and is headquartered in Kabul. The Ghazi Amanullah Khan International Cricket Stadium serves as the nation''s main cricket stadium, followed by the Kabul National Cricket Stadium. Several other stadiums are under construction. Domestically, cricket is played between teams from different provinces.

    Other popular sports in Afghanistan include basketball, volleyball, taekwondo, and bodybuilding. Buzkashi is a traditional sport, mainly among the northern Afghans. It is similar to polo, played by horsemen in two teams, each trying to grab and hold a goat carcass. The Afghan Hound (a type of running dog) originated in Afghanistan and was originally used in hunting.

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