About Afghanistan

Afghanistan, in southwestern Asia, bounded on the north by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan; on the east by China and the part of the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir controlled by Pakistan; on the south by Pakistan; and on the west by Iran. Afghanistan was a monarchy from 1747 to 1973, when the king was overthrown by military officers and the country was proclaimed a republic; the republic dissolved in 1992 as the country erupted in civil war. Afghanistan lies across ancient trade and invasion routes from central Asia into India. This position has been the greatest influence on its history because the invaders often settled there. Today the population includes many different ethnic groups. Most of the present borders of the country were drawn up in the 19th century, when Afghanistan became a buffer state, or neutral zone, between Russia and British India. Kabul is the capital and largest city.

Ahmad Shah Durani also known as (Ahmad Shah Baba) is the founder of today's Afghanistan. Pir Sabir Shah, the spiritual guide of the time, showered his praise for the young Ahmad Shah by declaring him Dar-e-Durran (pearl of the pearls) not because that he was a military giant but for his humanity a definite quality of a statesman. He was the King of Afghanistan from 1747-1772 AD.

Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan Pending the Re-establishment of Permanent Government Institutions Click Here ("Bonn Agreement", December 5, 2001) Key Data Region: Asia Area Total: 647,500 km2 Area Land: 647,500 km2 Coast Line: 0 km (Landlocked) km Capital: Kabul Climate: Dry to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers Languages: Pashto, Pashtu or Pukhto number of Speakers in Afghanistan approximately 14 million and Dari (Farsi) is spoken by almost every ethnic division, they are Indo-European languages and are the major two languages spoken in Afghanistan; other Indo-European, Indo-Aryan languages, such as Balochi, Pashayi and Eastern Farsi, are also spoken; Turkic and Altaic languages, such as Uzbek and Turkmen, are present; Tajiki is also used. Currency: Afghani Holiday: Independence Day, 19 August Boundaries Pakistan: 2,430km Tajikistan: 1,206km Iran: 936km Turkmenistan: 744km Uzbekistan: 137km China: 76km Ethnic Divisions Pashtun 52% Tajiks 21% Hazara 9% Baloch 7% Uzbek 6% Turkmen 2% Qizilbash 1% Other 1% Religions Sunni Muslim 88% Shi`a Muslim 11% Other (including Zoroastrian, Jewish, Hindu, Baha'i and Christian) 1%

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