Asia

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a country in Central Asia and is often included as a part of the Middle East. It is bordered by Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the easternmost part of the country. It is among the poorest countries in the world.

Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1979. The USSR was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, but the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines... Afghanistan Gernal Introduction.

Full country name: Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan
National name: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
Area:6 52,000 sq km
Population: 28.71 million
Capital City: Kabul
People: Pashtun (40%), Tajik (25%), Hazara (15%), Uzbek (6%), other (14%)
Language: Persian, Pashto, Russian, Uzbek
Religion: Sunni Muslim (84%), Shiite Muslim (15%), Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, Baha'i (1%)
Government: Transitional
Head of State: President Hamid Karzai

History of Afghanistan

Afghanistan, often called the crossroads of Central Asia, has had a turbulent history. In 328 BC, Alexander the Great entered the territory of present-day Afghanistan, then part of the Persian Empire, to capture Bactria (present-day Balkh). Invasions by the Scythians, White Huns, and Turks followed in succeeding centuries. In AD 642, Arabs invaded the entire region and introduced Islam.

Arab rule gave way to the Persians, who controlled the area until conquered by the Turkic Ghaznavids in 998. Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030) consolidated the conquests of his predecessors and turned Ghazni into a great cultural center as well as a base for frequent forays into India. Following Mahmud’s short-lived dynasty...Afghanistan's History.

Overview of Afghanistan's Economy

GDP:US$21 billion
GDP per capita: US$800
Annual Growth: 7.5%
Inflation: 10.3%.
Major Industries: Textiles and rugs, fruits and nuts, wool, cotton, fertilizer, soap, fossil fuels, gemstones
Major Trading Partners: FSU (Former Soviet Union), Pakistan, Iran, EU, Japan, Singapore, India, South Korea
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones.

Also Read: A Brief insight in the Economy of Afghanistan

Political System of Afghanistan

- Government of Afghanistan
- International Relations of Afghanistan
- Politics of Afghanistan

Climate, Vegetation and Fauna

- Education Of Afghanistan: There were 45,000 children enrolled in school in 1993, 19% were girls. The latest official statistics show there are now 64,000 children in school, one third are girls...Education Of Afghanistan
- Environment of Afghanistan: Afghanistan’s dramatic landscape encompasses a variety of biomes, from arid steppes to alpine fields. The seismically active mountains of the Hindu Kush, where most of the country’s water falls as snow...Environment of Afghanistan
- Geography of Afghanistan: Afghanistan is a mountainous country with plains in the north and southwest. The highest point, at 7485 m above sea level, is Nowshak. Large parts of the country are dry, and fresh water...Geography of Afghanistan
- Culture of Afghanistan: Afghanistan is an intensely Muslim country. The Shrine of Hazrat Ali in Mazar-e-Sharif is one of the most important shrines and it is holy to both Sunni and Shiite Muslims...Culture of Afghanistan


Facts for the Traveler

Visas: Travellers don’t need to register with the authorities on arrival in Afghanistan. In towns not used to seeing foreigners, some hotels may ask you to register with the police before they allow you to check in (or they will summon the police to take your details). Visas for Afghanistan are easy to obtain. Tourist-visa applications do not require a letter of support, although bemused consular officials may occasionally ask applicants to explain why they want to holiday in Afghanistan. Those travelling for work purposes require a supporting letter from their office. In neighbouring countries, New Delhi, Peshawar, Tehran, Mashhad and Tashkent are good places to apply for an Afghan visa. One-month single-entry visas cost US$30 and are generally issued on the same day. Afghan visas are not issued on arrival at Kabul airport or at any land border.
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +4.5 (Standard)
Dialling Code: 93
Electricity: 220V ,50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

When to Go to Afghanistan

Afghanistan has four distinct seasons. There’s fine weather in spring (March to May) and the country blooms, but rain and melting snow can make many roads difficult to traverse. Summer (June to August) can be blisteringly hot everywhere except the mountains – Herat, Mazar-e Sharif and Jalalabad all swelter, but Kabul and Bamiyan enjoy pleasant, cool nights. Autumn (September to November) is one of the best times to visit, as there is pleasant, dry weather and plenty of delicious Afghan fruit. From the end of November, winter sets in, and snow is common across much of the country. Travel in the mountains is particularly tricky at this time.

What to See in Afghanistan

Major Tourist Attractions in Afghanistan
- Ghazni: The modern town of Ghazni is just a pale shadow of its former glory. The city is only...
- Herat: Herat was once a small, laze-about place that everyone seemed to like, an easy-going oasis after a lot of hassle and dry desert...
- Kandahar: Kandahar is situated in the far south of the country, about midway between Kabul and Herat. It’s the second-largest city in Afghanistan...
- Nuristan: Northeast of Kabul, Nuristan (Land of Light) is mountainous, remote, little-visited, of great ethnological interest and memorably described in Eric...
- Kabul: Once Afghanistan’s cosmopolitan centre and a stop on the old hippy trail to India, Kabul was ruined in the civil war. The Soviets left the city reasonably intact...

Other Tourist Attractions in Afghanistan

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Events in Afghanistan

Even if you’re brave enough to visit Afghanistan these days, you should still avoid large gatherings, particularly those marking national and Muslim holidays. But, should curiosity get the best of you, cover yourself according to the strictest local custom and check out these celebrations.One of the most important holidays in Afghanistan is Nawros (New Days), celebrated around March 21, on the spring equinox. It’s an Islamic adaptation of far more ancient festivities, and special foods - wheat for the ladies and veal for the men - are prepared. Wine is also traditionally part of the service.


Regions of the Middle East There are many interpretations of the term ‘the Middle East.’ One of the most common includes the Arabian Peninsula, Anatolia, the Near East, the Iranian plateau, and occasionally North Africa. To view more information on the region of Asia and/or Africa, visit the Middle East article.Different Middle Eastern cultures are spread [...]
Eurocentrism in Middle East Some have criticized the term Middle East for its perceived Eurocentrism. The region is only east from the perspective of western Europe. To an Indian, it lies to the west; to a Russian, it lies to the south. The description Middle has also led to some confusion over changing definitions. Before the [...]
Borders of Middle East The term Middle East defines a cultural area, so it does not have precise borders. The most common and highly arbitrary definition includes: Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, Iran (Persia), Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Iran is [...]
History of the Middle East The Middle East is the birthplace and spiritual center of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The region saw both periods of relative tolerance and violence. In the 20th century, it has been at the center of world affairs, and has been strategically, economically, politically, culturally, and religiously sensitive area. It possesses significant [...]
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