Afghan Culture George, Josh, and Dan Table of Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Geography People Languages Religion Rural Life Sports and Pastimes Education Health Art and Architecture Movie Clip Geography Located in central Asia Bordered by six countries China Iran Pakistan Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Geography Landlocked nation (slightly smaller than Texas) Total Population: 31 Million Capital: Kabul Geography Mountainous Hindu Kush: main mountain range Climate: cold winters and arid summers People Major Ethnic Groups Pashtuns- 42% Takijs- 27% Uzbeks- 9% Hazaras- 9% Others- 13% Languages Most Afghans are bilingual Main Languages Dari- 50% Pashtu- 35% Turkic- 11% Religion The religion practiced by most Afghans is Islam 99% of Afghans are Muslim Rural Life About ¾ of the Afghan population consists of farmers and nomads Only 12% of land is arable What problems might some farmers encounter? Sports and Pastimes Buzkashi is the national sport of Afghanistan Team game played on horseback Kite-fighting Participants try to cut through the strings of their opponents Education 67% of boys go to school 37% of girls go to school Constraints of attendance Lack of teachers Distance Cultural constraints Not enough schools Health Average life expectancy: 42 1 in 4 children dies before the age of 5 Many lack access to basic healthcare Art and Architecture Influenced by western techniques since 1900s Centered at the Kabul Museum Two famous mosques are in Herat and Mazar-e Sharif Famous for its light blue-green tile work The Kite Runner Movie depicting the hardships and cultural attributes of Afghanistan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW7a GiuKZaU&feature=related