Interesting facts about Afghanistan

1. The New Year in Afghanistan, called Nawroz, is celebrated on 21 March which is the
first day of spring.

2. The largest city in Afghanistan is Kabul, the capital.

3. Afghanistan is a landlocked country sharing borders with Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan,
Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and China.

4. Poetry is a big part of Afghans' culture and it has been for centuries. In the city of
Herat, women, men and children gather on Thursday night to share verses from old
and new poetry.

5. The people of Afghanistan are called Afghans and not Afghanis which is the currency.
A common mistake that happens among people.

6. The official language of Afghanistan is Dari and Pashto. They speak several other
languages as well such as Persian, Uzbek and Turkmen to name a few.

7. Afghanistan's main source of income comes from agriculture. They produce large
amounts of crops that are enough to provide for the people and export as well. They
plant vegetables, fruits, rice and nuts.

8. Afghanistan is also rich in natural resources with the main ones being natural gas and
oil.

9. Afghanistan's national game is called Buzkashi, or in other words, goat-grabbing. It's

a sport where the players in two teams try to catch a goat while riding on a horse. It
has been played for centuries and it even got sponsors for it nowadays.

10. Afghanistan celebrates its independence on August 19th from Britain. Afghanistan
wasn't actually part of the British Colony. However, they went into war three times
until Afghanistan declared its independence in 1919.

11.99% of the Afghan population are Muslims. Only one Jewish man lives in
Afghanistan.
12.Afghanistan has over 90,000 police. However, many are corrupt. Nearly 20%
of them test positive to illegal drugs and they often demand bribes from
people and businesses.
13.The two most commonly spoken languages in Afghanistan are Persian (also
called Dari) and Pashto.
14.Very few people in Afghanistan (around 1.5% of the population) have internet
access.

15.There are many natural resources in Afghanistan that are yet to be mined.
These include gold, silver, copper, zinc, iron ore, emeralds, uranium, salt,
sulfur and coal. The US Pentagon believes that these minerals could be worth
as much as US$1 trillion.
16.Afghan rugs are very popular around the world.
17.Afghanistan is known for growing some of the best melons, grapes, apricots,
pomegranates, dried fruit and nuts in the world.
18.Due to non-stop wars in the country for about 30 years, there are over 1
million handicapped or disabled people in the country.
19.Like Americans, Afghans drive on the right hand side of the road.
20.Afghanistan has very hot summers and very cold winters.
21.The modern state of Afghanistan was founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani in
1747.
22.The official name of Afghanistan is Islamic State of Afghanistan.
23.Initially, the capital city of Afghanistan was Kandahar. It was later shifted to
Kabul.
24.The official languages of Afghanistan are Dari (Persian) and Pashto, while the
currency is Afghani.
25.In Afghanistan, the meal is incomplete without naan, which is a flat,
unleavened bread.
26.The highest mountain range of Afghanistan is Hindu Kush, which rises above
18,000 feet.
27.Afghanistan shares border with six countries, namely, Iran, Pakistan,
Tajikistan, China, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
28.Buzkashi, meaning "goat grabbing", is the national sport of Afghanistan.
29.Gudiparan Bazi or Kite Flying is another popular sport in Afghanistan.
30.Opium is the fastest and largest growing crop in Afghanistan.
31.The Minaret of Jam, in the Hari River valley, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
32.For a long period of time, the foreign affairs of Afghanistan were under the
control of the United Kingdom. It was only on August 19, 1919, after the third
Anglo-Afghan war, that the country regained sovereignty over its foreign
affairs.
33.The term Afghanistan means the Land of Afghans. Afghans is an alternative
name for Pashtuns, the founders of the country, who also from its largest
ethnic group.
34.The highest point in the country is formed by Nowshak, which is situated at
7,485 m (24,557 ft) above sea level.
35.The endorheic Sistan Basin in Afghanistan is regarded as one of the driest
regions in the world.
36.Afghanistan is spread over an area of approximately 249,984 sq miles
(647,500 km) and forms the 41st largest country in the world (after Burma).

37.The country stands bordered by Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in

the north, Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and the People's Republic of
China in the east.
38.Afghanistans natural resources include gold, silver, copper, zinc, and iron ore
in the southeast; precious and semi-precious stones (such as lapis, emerald,
and azure) in the northeast; and potentially significant petroleum and natural
gas reserves in the north. The country also has uranium, coal, chromite, talc,
barites, sulfur, lead, and salt.
39.The country has been divided into 34 administrative provinces (welayats),
each of them having a capital of its own. Each province is sub-divided into
many provincial districts, with each covering a city or several townships.
40.Only 1 in 5 woman can read
41.37% of the total student population is girls, up from Zero during the Taliban
regime
42.Only 2 out of every 5 schools are actual buildings
43.10,000 schools are providing education to 7 million Afghan children
44.The number of teachers in Afghanistan has increased to 142,500 from just
over 20,000 in 2010. Nearly 40,000 of these teachers are women
45.UK established an unofficial border separating Afghanistan from British India
46.1919 Afghanistan became independent
47.Emir Amanullah founded an Afghan monarchy
48.1989 Soviet withdrawal
49.December 7 2001 - the Taliban regime collapsed
50.December 2001 - Afghanistan interim government formed
51.June 2002 - Hamid Karzai became President
52.2002 - 2003 - Peacekeeping forces entered the country
53.March 2003 - US Offensive against Kandahar and al-Qaeda members
54.August 2003 - NATO assumed command of peacekeeping troops
55.January 4, 2004 - New constitution introduced
56.April 2004 - US Offensive along the Pakistan border against al-Qaeda
members.

57.Afghanistan is 99% Muslim (84% Sunni/15% Shia).

58.
59.Afghanistan is about the size of California and Oregon combined.
60.Afghanistans life expectancy is 44.2 years (44.4-women) 44 for men.
61.Half of the people in Afghanistan speak Persian, 1/3rd speak Pashto, 1/10th
speak Uzbek or Turkmen.
62.One in five women can read. One in two men can read.
63.There is only one doctor per every 5,000+ people.
64.There is no AIDS in Afghanistan.
65.There is only one telephone for every 333 people
66.There is only one radio for every 8 people.
67.There are no internet hosts.
68.There is only one television for every 85 people.
69.Afghanistan is 90% dependent on aid as it rebuilds.
70.There is about one car for every 500 people and only 1/4th of all roads are
paved.
71.Some 92% of the worlds heroin comes from poppies grown in Afghanistan.
72.Only 2 in 5 schools in Afghanistan have buildings
73.Recently, Afghanistan was found rich in natural resources includes natural
gas and oil
74.Afghan rugs are very popular around the world.
75.The minaret of Jam in Afghanistan is the second tallest minaret in the world.
76.Afghanistan has the second-highest maternal mortality rate in the world. The
World Health Organization reports that Afghan women have a life expectancy
of 43 years.
77.During the holy month of Ramadan, do not eat, drink, chew gum or listen to
music in front of local Afghans. It is considered disrespectful towards them.
78.The role of honour and tribalism has fuelled much of the disharmony in the
countrys recent history.

79.Women and men will never shake hands let alone speak directly to one
another.
80.Women wearing skirts, sleeveless are strict no-no in Afghanistan.
81.It Does Actually Snow in Afghanistan
82.Afghanistan Celebrates New Year in March
83.Afghanistan Celebrates its Independence on the 19th August Every Year
84.Thursday night is Poetry Night In many Afghanistan Cities
85.Afghanistan Used to be Home to the Worlds Largest Buddha Statues
86.Famous Bamiyan Caves are still intact
87.The Official Monetary Unit of Afghanistan is the Afghani
88.The Minaret of Jam is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site which is
Marveled at by Historians and archaeologists alike.
89.Afghanistan Borders Six Different Countries
90.Afghanistan is a vast country and as a result has a rich mix of ethnicities and
tribes.
91.The Pashtun are Sunni Muslims who Pashtu. They constitute around 42% of
the population and are concentrated in Nangrahar and Pakhtya provinces. A
large population also live in neighbouring Pakistan.
92.Tajiks comprise roughly 27% of the population. They are Iranian in origin and
speak a form of Persian found in Eastern Iran. Most are Sunni Muslim. Most
reside in Kabul and Herat provinces,although some reside in the mountains
north of Hindu Kush, and the Iranian border.
93.Hazaris make up about 9% of the population. They are descendants of the
Mongols, and speak a dialect of Persian that contains many Turkish words.
They are also Shiite Muslims which led to much of their persecution under
Taliban rule. Most live in the Hazarajat region.
94.Uzbeks live in the northern parts of the country and also comprise only 9% of
the population. They are Sunni Muslims and speak a dialect of Turkish.
95.The Turkomen are a small minority with making only 3% of the population.
96.Baluchis are pastoral nomads who speak Baluchi, an Iranian language. They
comprise 2% of the population.

97.The family is the single most important unit in the Afghan culture.
98.Men and women's roles are much more defined along traditional lines.
99.Women are generally responsible for household duties, where as men will be
the bread winners. In the cities professional women do exist.
100. Families commonly arrange marriages for their children. Factors such as tribe,
status, network, and wealth are the major factors forming any choice.
101. Families traditionally live together in the same walled compound, known as
the kala. When a son gets married he and his wife begin their married lives in a
room under the same roof.
102. As with much of the Muslim world, the family is sacred and as such, is highly
protected. As a result, probing about the family is not advised.
103. Honour in Afghan culture defines the reputation and worth of an individual, as
well as those they are associated with.
104.
The head male of a family is responsible for protecting the honour of
the family. o The issue of honour drives much of the behaviour surrounding
the protection of women, modes of dress, social interaction, education and
economic activity.
105. If someone's honour has been compromised, they are shamed and will look
for a way to exact revenge for themselves, their family or group.
106. The role of honour and tribalism has fuelled much of the disharmony in the
country's recent history - with one group carrying out violent acts against
another, the victims are forced to respond causing a circle of violence.
107.

Hospitality is an essential aspect of Afghan culture.

108.
No matter who you are, if you visit a home you will be given the best
the family has.
109.

This relates back to the idea of gaining honour.

110.
If you are invited for tea, which you inevitably will be, you will be
offered snacks and your tea glass will be constantly filled. When you have
had enough cover the glass with your hand and say "bus" (meaning
'enough').