AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan: Geography
Located in Central
Asia
Bordered by six
countries:
● China
● Iran
● Pakistan
● Tajikistan
● Turkmenistan
● Uzbekistan
Afghanistan: Geography
Landlocked nation
(slightly smaller
than Texas)
Total Population:
31 million
Capital: Kabul
Afghanistan: Geography
➢
Rugged mountains
➢
Hindu Kush: main
mountain range
across Afghanistan
and into Pakistan
➢
Climate: cold
winters and hot,
dry summers
Afghans: A Diverse People
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Major Ethnic Groups:
Pashtuns 42%
Takiks 27%
Uzbeks 9%
Hazaras 9%
Others 13%
Afghans: A Diverse People
Languages
 Many
Afghans are bilingual
 The main languages spoken by Afghans
are:
Dari (official language) 50%
Pashtu (official language) 35%
Turkic languages 11%
Religion

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Islam is the religion
practiced by most
Afghans; it is central to
Afghans' identity
99% of Afghans are
Muslim
Rural Life

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Most Afghans live in rural
areas
About ¾ of the
population consists of
farmers and nomads
Only 12% of the land,
however, is arable
What problems might this
lead to?
Sport/Pastime


Bazkashi, the national
sport of Afghanistan,
is a team game played
on horseback
Kite-fighting is also a
popular pastime
among Afghan youth
where participants try
to cut through the
strings of their
opponents' kites
Afghan History

Afghanistan's location
along the Silk/Spice
Road has allowed the
country to serve as an
important link between
east and west
throughout history
Afghan History
This location, however, has meant significant
intervention from outsiders

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Great Britain & Russia fought over Afghanistan
as far back as the 18th & 19th centuries
Soviet Union invaded in 1979 and installed a
Communist government
From 1979-1989, Afghanistan became a
battleground of the Cold War between the USUSSR (with the U.S. supporting Afghans who
resisted the Soviets)
Afghan History
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Soviet Union withdrew in 1989, but
civil war erupted among factions of
guerilla fighters known as
'mujahedin'
Civil war continued until 1996,
when hard-line group known as the
Taliban seized power
Taliban imposed a strict
interpretation of Islam
Taliban
Limited women's ability to
work in public places
➢ Banned girls from attending
school
➢ Required women to wear
burqas in public (photos)
➢ Required men to wear
beards
➢ Banned music, sports
➢ Allowed al-Qaeda & Osama
bin Laden to operate within
the country
➢
Refugee Crisis

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During the 23 years of
conflict, roughly 4 million
Afghans became refugees
Most refugees fled to two
main countries:
➢ Iran
➢ Pakistan
There are also an estimated
200,000 Afghans living in the
U.S.
The link between
September 11 and Afghanistan
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Afghans did NOT carry out the terrorist attacks on the
U.S.
Al-Qaeda, a terrorist network operating within
Afghanistan and other places, did
Many Afghans expressed their solidarity with the people
of the U.S. after Sept. 11
After September 11, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan and
toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama bin Laden
U.S. and NATO forces remain in Afghanistan today
Afghanistan Today

Afghanistan now faces a number of
challenges as it tries to rebuild after years of
war. Some of these challenges include:
Poverty
Education
Health
Gender equity
Governance
Poverty
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At least 2/3 of Afghans
live on less than $2 a day
Only 23% of Afghans
have access to safe water
Only 12% of Afghans
have access to sanitation
Only 6% of Afghans have
access to electricity
Education

67% of boys go to school,
while only 37% of girls do
(US Dept of State)

Constraints to school
attendance:
 Lack of teachers
 Distance between home
and school
 Cultural constraints for
girls
 Not enough school
buildings (esp. for girls)
Health

Average life expectancy for
Afghans is 42, more than 25
years younger than the
average American (World Health
Organization)

One in four children dies
before the age of 5 (USAID)

Many Afghans lack access to
basic medical care
Gender Equity

Women have been a marginalized group in Afghanistan

Cultural restrictions lead to difficulty accessing education and
health services

Only 10% of Afghan women can read and write

Yet, Afghan women are important contributors to household
income, especially in rural areas
Government
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In October 2004, Hamid
Karzai was elected President of
Afghanistan.
Parliamentray elections were
held in 2005.
Local warlords, however, still
hold power in many parts of the
country. This contributes to the
insecurity in Afghanistan.
Despite these challenges,
Afghans remain hopeful
about the future
THE END
What
have you
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Afghanistan?