AFGHAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

(ASAUW)

Afghanistan: Fact Sheet

LOCATION

  • Afghanistan is located in southwestern Asia.
  • It is bordered by Russia in north, Iran in west and Pakistan and China in the eastern border.

    PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

  • Afghanistan is made up of plains, mountains, and lowlands.
  • The mountains cover up about 4/5 of the land.
  • The Paropamisus Mountains lie in western Afghanistan and are over 11,000 feet in height.
  • The Koh-i-Baba Mountains are located in central Afghanistan and blend in with the Hindu Kush Mountains.
  • The peaks on the Koh-i-Baba Mountains reach up to 17,000 feet. The Hindu Kush Mountains are also are the main range in Afghanistan.
  • It extends from middle of Afghanistan to the Wakhan Corridors.
  • The Safed Koh Mountains are also blended in with the Hindu Kush Mountains and the Koh-i-Baba Mountains.
  • The highes peak in the Safed Koh Mountains is 16,000 feet.
  • The Wakhan Corridors and the Kashmir Moutains are also located in Afghanistan.
  • There are many passes in these mountains that allows a traveler to get places, such as the Khyber Pass, Broghil Pass, and the Salang Pass.
  • The Northern Plains are in between the great mountains and Russia.
  • They are watered by melting snows form the moutains and are rich in fertile soil.
  • Many farmers use to use the land for farming and herding sheeps, but due to violence in Afghanistan, many farmers have left their farms and fled to nearby countries.
  • The lowlands in Afghanistan are located mainly in southern regions.
  • Most of the land is coverd with Registan Desert, Dasht-i-Margo, and Dasht-i-Kash Desert.
  • The Chagai Hills and the Helmand Rivers are also located in southern Afghanistan.
  • Rivers are also a major part of Afghanistan since there are no large bodies of water locted nearby.
  • The Helmand Rivers is the longest river in Afghanistan.
  • It starts are the Koh-i-Baba Mountains and extends southwestern and into the Helmand Lake.
  • The river is more than 850 miles long.
  • The second longest river in Afganistan is the Hari Rud, which is about 700 miles long and like the Helmand River it starts at Koh-i-Baba Moutnains, but unlike Helmand River, the Hari Rud extend west.
  • The third longest river is the Kabul River, which 400 miles.

    CLIMATE

  • Due to the wet monsoons of India and the arid central Asia, Afghanistan gets very hot summers and vry cold winters.
  • Most of the cold comes from the north bringing snow and cold temperatures during winter.
  • In summer it is common for the weather to reach up to 115 F at noon.
  • In hte Northern Plains the temperature reaches up to 38 F in winter, during January--the coldest month in Afghanistan and up to 90 F in summer, during July--the hottest month in Afghinstan.
  • In central Afghnistan, where most of the mountains are located, the temperatures reaches up to 25 F in winter and abotu 75 F in summer.
  • The southwestern lowland�s of Afghanistan reach up to 35 F in January and 85 F in July.

    HISTORY

    Zahir Shah�s goals where to modernize Afghanistan and he was also the creater of the Helmand Valley Project, which formed new farmland in southern Afghanistan and provided the people with hydropower. The creation Pukhtuistan was proposed but many people didn�t agree on it. Daud Khan also was in favor of modernizing Afghanistan and did so through strict laws, which ordered women not to weat veils.

  • He also accepted loans from Russia and United States to improve Afghanistan.
  • He also supposted Pukhtunistan, which threatened Afghanistan�s relationship with Pakistan. The PDPA won many seats in the house of legislature.
  • Eventhogh a new government was created in Afghanistan, many people did not approve of it and at the same time droughts threatened Afghanistan�s economy. He wanted Afghanistan to be a republic country.
  • He wrote a new constitution, the government was no longer in control of businesses, alliances were made with other Islamic nations, and Afghanistan was no longer that dependent on Russia as it use to be. The new government supported communist and socialist ideals.
  • Taraki was elected for prime minister, president of revolutionary council and as the secerary of PDPA.
  • Babrak and Hafizullah became deputy prime minister. Violence erupts in eastern Afghanistan because of Afghans who value traditions and the new laws and movements threatened that. Due to the assassination of Adolph Dubs, U.S. cut back aid to Afghanistan. Nur Mohamad Taraki accepted more aides from Russia.
  • Amins people killed Taraki and started aanother political struggle.
  • Dec. 1979: Hafizullah Amin was killed by Soviet troops.
  • Babrak Karmal was placed as prime minister, president of revolutionary council and seretary of PDPA, by soviet government. Early 1980: Mujahedeen group created against Afghan army, which was supported by Russia.
  • Due to so much violence in Afghanistan, many people fled to Iran and Pakistan.
  • The Mujahedeen was formed to preserve traditional ways and to create an Islamic Republic.
  • Mid-1980: Wars between the Mujahedeen and other groups continue.
  • During those times U.S. and China aided Afghanistan.
  • Late-1980: Many Afghans and Soviet troops died and 1/5th of the people became refugees in Pakistan and Iran.
  • Mujahedeen are in control of majority of Afghanistan. The U.N. started a peace talk with little success. Due to all the warfares, a government was hard to establish, that all Afghans would accept.

    RECREATION

  • The most popular sport in Afghanistan is known as Buzkashi.
  • Dozens of horsemen and a headless calf is involved in this game.
  • The objective of the game is to take the calf to the goal by the individual.
  • Bukashi is most common in Northern Afghanistan.
  • In this game good horsemenship is important!
  • Other sports played in Afghanistan are wrestling, soccer, and field hockey were also introduced in mid-20th century.
  • Women usually do hand crafts or make rugs in their free time.

    FOOD

  • The most common food in Afghanistan is Pilau.
  • Pilau is ridce with raisins, carrots meat and some other vegetables.
  • Bolani is also popular in Afghanistan and its a spicy vegetable pie.
  • Korma is made as a side dish and contains vegetables and meat.
  • The Afghan bread is called Nan.
  • It is made of whole wheat and is cooked in an underground oven.
  • Many Afghans drink green or black tea with their lunch or dinner and breakfast.
  • Jelabi is made for dessert and its made of fried wheat coated with sugar syrup.

    LANGUAGE

  • There are two official languages in Afghanistan: Dari ( also known as Farsi or Persian) and Pashto.
  • Dari is most common among Afghans.
  • The two languages have many things in common such as that they both have the same alphabet and they are both read from right to left.
  • Uzbeki is also spoken in Afghanistan, mainly in the northern regions.
  • Since the literacy percentage in Afghanistan is low, many of the people in Afghanistan�s government are authors or poets.

    We have only been able to collect the above stated facts and information. We will be adding to it frequently.

    Email us if you have any questions or comments: [email protected]

    Afghan Student Association of University of Washington

    Created by: Najeeb U. Qasimi

    June 10th, 1998 19:35:00 PM PST

    Return to Main Menu
    Return to Publications