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Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

INTRODUCTION

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in the center of Asia. It has a population of less than 35 million people, 2.5 million live in the capital, Kabul. Bordered by Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China, the country's colorful history reflects its important location as a nexus of East and West in terms of both strategy and trade. Afghanistan's fascinating past survives today in its cultures and historic sites.

However, Afghanistan's violent history has also left its mark on the country. It is considered one of the most impoverished and least-developed countries in the world. While the lack of development means that there is ample opportunity to enjoy Afghanistan's rugged, dramatic scenery, it also means that it is not a recommended vacation spot. Lack of infrastructure makes travel in Afghanistan difficult, while armed conflict and resurgence in the opium trade make certain parts of the country quite dangerous. The northern part of the country, closer to the capital, is considered stable, with lower risk of violence and crime.

HISTORY

The region now known as Afghanistan, thanks to its unique positioning at the crossroads of Asia, has been home and battleground for many ethnic groups and factions ever since farmers first settled there some 50,000 years ago. Since then, it has suffered invasion by many of history's giants, from Alexander the Great to Genghis Khan to the USSR.

Though Afghanistan today is an Islamic republic, with Muslims making up 99 percent of the population, the country is thought to have been the birthplace of Zoroastrianism. Nearly 4,000 years ago, the philosopher Zoroaster lived in what is now northern Afghanistan; the region was not converted to Islam until the Middle Ages.

The country of Afghanistan was founded in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, who instated a monarchy that would rule the country until 1973. In the interim, however, Afghanistan fought three wars against Britain, was forced to cede much of its territory to the United Kingdom, and served as a buffer state between the Russian Empire and the British Indian Empire.

King Amanullah Khan regained full autonomy for Afghanistan in 1919. A great reformer, Amanullah ended Afghanistan's isolationist foreign policy, imposed mandatory elementary education for his subjects, and abolished the wearing of veils by Muslim women.

Afghanistan became a democratic republic in 1973 following a bloodless coup. The leading political faction, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, instated freedom of religion, promoted women's rights (including their right to participate in politics), and incurred the enmity of more traditional Muslims in rural Afghanistan.

When government infighting began in the late 1970s, the Soviet Union intervened and sent 100,000 troops into the country. At the same time, as part of its Cold War strategy, the United States began lending support to the mujahideen, various conservative Muslim factions posed against the government.

Though Soviet forces withdrew in 1989, Afghanistan emerged damaged and destabilized. Civil war broke out among the mujahideen factions, leading to the rise of the Taliban, a conservative Muslim political force that would rule the country from 1994-2001, infringing the human rights of Afghanis and persecuting women in particular.

In 2001, the United States intervened once again with the goal of wiping out terrorist training camps operated within Afghanistan by Al-Qaeda. The campaign resulted in the replacement of the Taliban with a democratic government headed by President Hamid Karzai.

However, this chaotic period also saw a massive resurgence of the opium trade. That, along with poor infrastructure, widespread poverty and continuing opposition from Taliban insurgents continues to hamper the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on its journey to recovery and stability.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Capital: Kabul

Population: 33,609,937

Languages: Pashtu, Afghan Persian, Uzbek and Turkmen

Power: 220 V, 50 Hz

Climate: Hot summers and cold winters

Currency: 1 Afghani = $0.02 US = €0.01 EUR

Time Zone: UTC + 4:30

Passport and Visa Requirements: Passport and visa required. For more information, visit the web site of the Embassy of Afghanistan, or call 202-483-6410.

Health Concerns: The CIA World Factbook designates Afghanistan as a high-risk location for malaria, rabies, and food- or water-borne diarrhea, Hepatitis A and typhoid. Avian influenza has been identified as well, though it poses a negligible risk.

ATTRACTIONS

Balkh is the name of both a city and a province in northern Afghanistan, the birthplace of many famous poets and scholars including Rumi and Zoroaster. The city of Balkh is home to many historic sites, including the beautiful Nine Domes Mosque, Afghanistan's oldest Islamic monument. Ancient ruins include artifacts from both the Greek city of Bactra and from the city's once-numerous Buddhist population.

Literally translated as "goat-grabbing," Buzkashi is Afghanistan's national sport, played on horseback much like polo. The game evolved from the people of the steppe, among whom the ability to grab a goat or a calf while riding a horse at full gallop was a valuable skill. Buzkashi is won by the player who can seize a goat carcass and get it across the goal line without being thwarted by the other players. The game is rough, exciting and high-speed, calling for excellent horsemanship as well as stamina -- some buzkashi matches can last for days on end!

Located in central eastern Afghanistan, Ghazni is home to some of the country's best examples of classic architecture. A citadel, minarets, several mausoleums and the palace of Sultan Mas'ud III grace the city, while the Museum of Islamic Art schools visitors in appreciation for the forms of Afghan architecture.

Herat, along with Kabul and much of the Balkh region, is a great place to experience traditional Afghan music. It is also famed for its architecture, including a citadel built by Alexander the Great.

Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, is regarded by some as the Vienna of the mid-20th century. An important center of Afghan culture, the city is one of the best places in Afghanistan for tourism and sightseeing.

Located on the banks of the Arghandab River, Kandahar is Afghanistan's second-largest city. It is also home to the Khalka Sharifa, which houses a relic purported to be Muhammad's own cloak. Immediately behind the mosque rears the imposing turquoise dome of the mausoleum of Afghanistan's first king. The northeast corner of the city boasts a rug bazaar, while the grave of the ancient saint Hazratji Baba lies not too far away. Just west of the main road, Kandahar Museum boasts several paintings by Ghiyassuddin, one of Afghanistan's most prominent artists. On the riverside, the shrine of Baba Wali sits amid a pomegranate grove that is a popular site for picnics and strolls among the trees.

Lake Band-e-Amir became the site of Afghanistan's first national park in early 2009. Afghan state officials view the park as a step toward Afghanistan's future, hoping that the park's beautiful vistas will be a draw for tourists. Spanning 56,000 hectares of plateau land high in the Hindu Kush mountains, the park features wildlife, snow-covered peaks and five other lakes in addition to Band-e-Amir.

Mazari Sharif is home to the Blue Mosque and other magnificent examples of Afghani architecture, which exhibits Persian influences.

The Minaret of Jam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the Ghor Province of western Afghanistan. Surrounded by the ruins of a palace, the minaret is 65 meters high. It boasts elaborate calligraphic and geometric ornamentation in brick, stucco and glazed tile, including the surat Maryam from the Qur'an, which refers to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The minaret is threatened by erosion, flooding, earthquakes and looters, but remains one of Afghanistan's foremost historical sites.

The Valley of Bamiyan is a UNESCO World Heritage site, having once been the home of two extraordinary Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban.

RESTAURANTS

NIGHTLIFE

LODGING

InterContinental Hotel -- Kabul

Safi Landmark Hotel (4 stars) -- Kabul

Serena Hotel (5 stars) -- Kabul, Herat and Mazari Sharif

PERSONAL STORIES