Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan, a country in Central Asia. It is Afghanistan’s largest city and center of economy. The city’s economy, however, was hurt by many years of war.

Kabul has existed for at least 3,500 years. It became an important city long ago because of its location. Kabul lies on the main routes to passes through the country’s mountains.

In the early 1500s Kabul was the capital of the Mughal Empire of northern India. In the 1770s Afghanistan became an independent country with Kabul as its capital.

In recent history Kabul has seen much fighting. In the late 1970s and 1980s the city was the site of fighting during a civil war. The Soviet Union also invaded Kabul during that period.

In the 1990s local groups fought each other for control of Kabul. A group called the Taliban took over much of Afghanistan, including Kabul. The Taliban were thought to have helped terrorists who attacked the United States in 2001. In response U.S. forces bombed Afghanistan and ended Taliban rule. Kabul was heavily damaged by the bombs. A new government was later established, and the city began to rebuild. Population (2015 estimate), 3,543,700.

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