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

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

Islam is the

religion practiced
by most Afghans;
it is central to
Afghans' identity
99% of Afghans
are
Muslim

Rural Life

Most Afghans live in

rural areas
About 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

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

Great Britain & Russia fought over

Afghanistan as far back as the 18 th & 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
US-USSR (with the U.S. supporting
Afghans who resisted the Soviets)

Afghan History

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

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

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

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
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
learned about
Afghanistan?