Afghanistan <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="200"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:af-flag.png</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>''total:'' 647,500 sq km<br/>''water:'' 0 sq km<br/>''land:'' 647,500 sq km<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>27,755,775 (July 2002 est.)<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi'a Muslim 15%, other 1%<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government type'''</td><td>Islamic republic<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Kabul<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>afghani (AFA)<br/></td></tr>  </table> </div>  '''Afghanistan''' is in South Asia|Southern Central Asia|Central Asia. It is a landlocked country surrounded by Pakistan to the south and east, China to the northeast, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to the north and Iran to the west. Years of civil war have left Afghanistan one of the poorest countries in the world. Image:Afghanistan.jpg|frame|Map of Afghanistan ==Regions== ; '''Administrative divisions''' : 32 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, and Zabol ; '''Note''' English spellings of Afghan place names vary. For example, Q may replace K as in Qandahar or Qunduz. Konduz will be seen spelt as Qunduz, Qundoz, Qundoze and variations on these. Bamian is often spelt as Bamyian or Bamyan. Khowst may be spelt as Khost. ==Cities== *Kabul - Capital *Bagram *Ghazni *Herat *Konduz *Jalalabad *Pol-e Khomri *Kandahar *Mazar-e Sharif ; '''Ports and harbors''' : Kheyrabad, Shir Khan ==Other destinations== *The remains of the Bamian Buddhas. Once considered one of the wonders of the world, these tall stone carving were destroyed, in what some have described as an act of cultural vandalism, by the Taliban. *Shamali Plain north of Kabul. Shamali, meaning 'windy' is a green plain which produced a lot of the food for central Afghanistan. From Kabul it extends north through Charikar, Parwan province to Jabal os Saraj. *Panjshir Valley *Salang Pass High mountain pass and tunnel linking Kabul to the north. ==Understand== ===Climate=== Arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers ===Terrain=== Mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest. The Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor). ; '''Elevation extremes''' : ''lowest point:'' Amu Darya 258 m<br/>''highest point:'' Nowshak 7,485 m ===History=== Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 but was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin fractions, giving rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban. Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001. The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002, and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines. ===Communications=== Fixed line service in major cities (digital in Kabul) and mobile phones in most cities (2 networks). ===Electricity=== Officially 220V 50Hz. Electricity supplies are erratic but improving in major cities. Voltage can drop to below 150V in some places. The Afghans enthusiasm for homemade generators or modifying low quality ones means that the frequency and voltage can also vary wildly. ==Get in== ===By plane=== The national carrier [http://www.flyariana.com/ '''Ariana'''] is flying again, now with a small fleet of Airbuses and Boeings (plus one Antonov for old times' sake). They have daily flights from Dubai. Also independent operator [http://flykamair.com/ '''Kam Air'''] has four flights a week from Dubai. The schedules are often not followed however. Flights can be cancelled or times changed without notice. An alternative route in is via Baku, Azerbaijan using Azerbaijan Airlines. The main airport in Kabul is open and has been expanded. New airports have been built near the border. ===By car=== Possible from Peshawar, Pakistan via Khyber Pass, from Quetta, Pakistan to Kandahar (very dangerous), from Mashad, Iran to Herat and from Uzbekistan to Mazar-e Sharif. Travelling any of these routes should not be considered safe or secure. ===By bus=== ==Get around== ==Talk== ; '''Languages''' : Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism<br/> ==Buy== ==Eat== ==Drink== As an islamic country, alcohol consumption is illegal. It is however tolerated by non-Afghans in western restaurants in Kabul. ==Sleep== ==Learn== ==Work== ==Stay safe== Afghanistan is still not a country for tourism. If you don't have very important reasons to go there, stay away from the country. ==Stay healthy== Afghanistan is one of the least healthy countries on the planet. Respiratory diseases and food related illness are common. Malaria is a risk in many parts of the country. ==Respect== ==Contact== ==External links== de:Afghanistanfr:Afghanistan WikiPedia:Afghanistan {{msg:stub}} First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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