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Afghanistan Culture, This is an informational website about Afghanistan's Culture, History, Religion, People, Clothing, Food, Music, Movies, Arts and Crafts, Sports and Much More! Discover all Here >

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Afghanistan is a landlocked country located in central Asia bordering Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran and China. Throughout history Afghanistan has seen numerous military campaigns most notably by the Mongols, Muslim Arabs, British and the Soviet Union due to its key location on the Silk Road, connecting it to the Middle East and other parts of Asia.

Afghanistan is divided by the Hindu Kush Mountains running across the country making up the central highlands; these mountains also form part of the Himalayas. The country has a largely arid climate with hot, dry summers and cold winters with high levels of snowfall particularly in the central highlands. Some Areas in the East of the country bordering Pakistan are affected by the Indian monsoon which brings moist, maritime, tropical air in the summer.

The current population of Afghanistan is estimated at approximately 32 million people, with many who had fled the troubles now starting to return. At one point the Afghan refugee population in Pakistan alone reached 3.2 million.

The capital city Kabul is the largest in Afghanistan with a population of over three and a half million people. Situated 5,800 feet above sea level on a barren plateau surrounded by rugged, treeless mountains, Kabul guards the entrance to the Khyber Pass, the traditional route between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The city lies in the eastern part of the country, 140 miles from the Pakistan border.

Located in the city are multiple five star hotels which include the Marriot and the Serena Hotel. Kabul also has shopping centres such as the Roshan Shopping Center, Park Mall and Majeed Mall as well as numerous museums, a golf club and the zoo that once housed the famous lion Marjan.

The Hamid Karzai international airport is located sixteen miles from the centre of Kabul and serves as the country's main airport. A new international terminal, built by the government of Japan, opened in 2008. Other major airports in Afghanistan can be found in Kandahar and Mazar-i-sharif.

Languages

There are two main languages spoken in Afghanistan, Dari and Pashtu. Pashtu is the native language of the Pashtuns who are the principal ethnic group in Afghanistan and can account for approximately 40% of all language spoken. Dari is, however, the more common of the two with up to 49% speaking it as a first language and 37% having the ability to speak it as a second language.

As well as the two main recognised languages there are multiple other languages spoken by minority groups throughout the country; these include Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi and Pashayi, each spoken by natives of a particular region. It is not uncommon for an Afghan to speak one or more of these languages due the diversity in the country.

Culture

Despite the huge variation in language and cultures in Afghanistan the majority of the people lead similar lives; almost all Afghans follow Islamic traditions, eat similar food and celebrate the same holidays.

Art plays a large part in Afghan culture, with the oldest oil painting in the world, dating back to the seventh century, being discovered following the destruction by the Taliban of two Buddha statues in 2001 in the Bamiyan region. In the past, art was created almost entirely by men but recently this has been relaxed and has seen more women enrolling in arts programs in Kabul University.

Afghanistan is also famous for making carpets and has been prominent in this industry for centuries. A traditional Afghan rug will have certain prints inspired by the diversity and culture of a particular area, making the rug unique to that part of Afghanistan. Notable for their high level of craftsmanship and the amount of skill required during manufacture, Afghan rugs are seen as some of the best in the world.

The most popular sport in Afghanistan is Buzkahzi, where opposing teams on horseback attempt to place a goat carcass into the opponents goal. The literal meaning of Buzkahzi in Persian is 'goat grabbing'. This is most often played on Fridays whilst most places of work are closed.

In more recent years football and cricket have become increasingly popular. Cricket has really taken off since 2002 when refugees fleeing the war returned from Pakistan, where cricket is very popular, and introduced it to the country. With over 320 cricket clubs nationwide, the popularity of the sport looks set to continue to grow.

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Afghanistan | Etiquette, Customs, Culture & Business

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Afghanistan is a landlocked country located in central Asia bordering Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran and China. Throughout history Afghanistan has seen numerous military campaigns most notably by the Mongols, Muslim Arabs, British and the Soviet Union due to its key location on the Silk Road, connecting it to the Middle East and other parts of Asia.

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Since the beginning of time, the region that today is modern Afghanistan has undergone many different changes in power and has been conquered many times. In ancient times, Afghanistan was conquered by Alexander the Great and was under his rule from 329-327 BC. During this time, Afghanistan was known as the "Gateway to India".

In modern times, Afghanistan has been ruled by other famous conquerors and became part of various empires. In 1220 it became part of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan. In the 14th century it was ruled by Timure Lung.

During more recent times, Afghanistan has been an object of interest for other nations, most importantly Russian and Great Britain. Both of these nations wanted relations with Afghanistan in order to have easier access to India. As a result, war broke out between the two. In 1838, the first Anglo-Afghan War took place, during which Great Britain took control of most of Afghanistan's major cities. War broke out again in 1878 due to Great Britain's anger at Russian presence in Kabul. Between 1878 and 1919, Afghanistan would remain under British control, until it declared independence.

King Amanullah would declare full independence of Afghanistan in 1919. Between this time until 1979, Afghanistan had many different rulers who all led different regimes. In 1979, Afghanistan would be invaded by the Soviet Union. During this time, the USSR supported the Afghan president, Babrak Karmal. The Soviets would withdraw ten years later as the USSR began to collapse. After the initial withdrawal, the nation plunged into a state of turmoil in which there was much fighting.

The Taliban began to take control around 1992. In 1996, they would have full control of the nation. This lasted until 2001, when the United States invaded Afghanistan. Today, although Afghanistan has adopted a more republic-style government, it is still very unstable. The Taliban is still very powerful. The U.S. continues to hold troops in Afghanistan, in the hope that the Taliban will hand over Osama Bin-Laden, who the U.S. feels is most responsible for the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Geography
The country of Afghanistan is a small nation, about the size of the state of Texas. As shown in the map, it is bordered by Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. The land is very mountainous, the terrain very rugged. The country is divided by the Hindu Kush mountain range, giving it three geographic regions: The Northern Plains, The Southwestern Plateau, and The Central Highlands.
Economy and Resources
Afghanistan is a very poor nation, and its economy is mainly dependent on agriculture and the raising of various livestock such as goats and sheep. However, the agriculture industry is under threat since maintaining certain necessities such as roads, or the inability to conserve orchards or proper irrigation in fields. Another problem for agriculture is the fact that during Soviet times, thousands of land minds were planted. Today, many of those land mines have not been deactivated and between 500,000 to 800,000 still exist.
Resources
Afghanistan has many resources including various elements such as gold, sulfur, chrome, and zinc, which have not all been mined. The main industry is the harvesting of opium. In 1999, Afganistan was named the largest opium producer in the world.
Population
The population of Afghanistan today is around 26 million, with many different ethnic groups living within its borders, as displayed in the map below.

The life expectancy in Afghanistan is an estimated 45 years for a woman and 47 for a man. During their lifetime, women have, on average, about six children. About 70% of the population is jobless. Literacy rates are very low, with only about half of the male population being able to read and write, and only around 15% of women.

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Since the beginning of time, the region that today is modern Afghanistan has undergone many different changes in power and has been conquered many times. In ancient times, Afghanistan was conquered by Alexander the Great and was under his rule from 329-327 BC. During this time, Afghanistan was known as the "Gateway to India".

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Timeline: Major Events in the Afghanistan War

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A look back at the major events in the United States military campaign in the country.

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Editorial

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Video

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I am from the beat up soccer ball
From the rusted goal post and the dried grass
I am from the hard working
And the people overwhelmed with pride
I am from the land of the snow leopard
Whose fur coats’ beauty strikes the eye
Like a sharp dagger
I am from the barren lands
and the endless mountain ranges
From the Akbari bloodline
And the Afzali ancestry
I am from the stubborn minds
And the resilient inhabitants
From the hard workers
And from the most adverse individuals
I am from the country of Allah
I am from the Pashtuns
And the Hazaras
From the bowls of Kabuli Palau and Mantu
From the city that destroyed itself
And from the same people that rebuilt
the Garden of Babur and the Great Mosque of Herat
I am from those moments an individual from the one of
the most controversial countries in history