Kabul - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Kabul

Coordinates: 34°32′N 69°10′E

Kabul
Kabul (Pashto/Dari: , Kâbol, pronounced [ˈkɒːbul]; English: /ˈkɑːbʊl/) is the capital of Afghanistan as
well as its largest city, located in the eastern section of the country. According to estimates in 2015, the
Kabul
‫ل‬
population of Kabul is 4.635 million,[1] which includes all the major ethnic groups.[2] Rapid
urbanization had made Kabul the world's 64th largest city.[3] Metropolis

Kabul is located high up in a narrow valley between the Hindu Kush mountains, with an elevation of
1,790 metres (5,873 ft) making it one of the highest capitals in the world. The city is said to be over
3,500 years old, mentioned since at least the time of the Achaemenid Empire. It is at a strategic
location along the trade routes of South and Central Asia, and a key location of the ancient Silk Road. It
has been part of the Achaemenids followed by the Seleucids, Mauryans, Kushans, Kabul Shahis,
Saffarids, Samanids, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, Khwarazmians, Qarlughids, Khaljis, Timurids, Mughals,
and Hotaks, until finally becoming part of the Durrani Empire (also known as the "Afghan Empire") in
1747.[4] Kabul became the capital of Afghanistan in 1776, during the reign of Timur Shah Durrani, the
son of Ahmad Shah Durrani.

In the early 19th century, the British occupied the city but after establishing foreign relations they were
compelled to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan. The city was occupied by the Soviets in 1979 but
they too abandoned it after the 1988 Geneva Accords were signed. A civil war in the 1990s between
various rebel groups destroyed much of the city, resulting in many casualties.[5]

Kabul is known for its historical gardens, quaint bazaars, and vast amount of palaces.[6][7][8] It was also
formerly a mecca for young western hippies.[9][10] Since the removal of the Taliban from power in late
2001, the city gradually began rebuilding itself with assistance from the international community.
Despite the many terrorist attacks by anti-state elements, the city is greatly developing and was the
fifth fastest-growing city in the world as of 2012.[11] The city is divided into 22 districts.

From top left to right: A mountain behind a

built-up neighborhood; The Presidential
Contents Palace; Square with a large Soviet microdistrict
in the background; Abdul Rahman Mosque;
Toponymy
16th-century Gardens of Babur
History
Antiquity
Islamization and Mongol invasion
Timurid and Mughal era
Durrani Empire
20th century
Soviet occupation
Civil war and Taliban era
21st century

Geography, climate and environment

Districts
Government and politics Show map of Afghanistan
Demographics Show map of Asia
Show all
Economy
Coordinates: 34°32′N 69°10′E
Development plans
Country Afghanistan
Communications
Province Kabul
Health care
No. of districts 22
Education
Universities
Capital 1776
formation
Transportation
Government
Air
• Type Municipality
Rail
• Mayor Abdullah Habibzai
Road
Taxis Area
Buses and trolleybuses • Total 1,023 km2 (395 sq mi)
Tourism Elevation 1,791 m (5,876 ft)
Twin towns – sister cities Population (2015)
See also • Total 4,635,000
References and footnotes
• Density 4,500/km2 (12,000/sq mi)
Kabul urban agglomeration[1]
Further reading

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External links Demonym(s) Kabuli, Kabulite

Time zone Afghanistan Standard Time
(UTC+4:30)

Toponymy Postal code 100X, 101X, 105X, 106X

Area code(s) (+93) 20
Kabul (/ˈkɑːbəl, ˈkɑːbuːl/; Pashto: Kâbəl, IPA: [kɑˈbəl]; Persian: Kābol, IPA: [kɒːˈbol]),[12] also
Climate BSk
spelled Cabool, Caubul, Kabol, or Cabul.
Website km.gov.af (http://km.gov.af/)

History

Antiquity
The actual origin of Kabul, who built it and when, is unknown.[13] In the Hindu book Rigveda, composed between 1700–1100 BCE, one of the four canonical
sacred texts (śruti) of Hinduism, and the Avesta, the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism; in these sources, Kabul is referred to as Kubha.[13] The
book calls it an "ideal city" and is full of poems in praise of the city.[14] The area in which the city sits was ruled by Medes though much information is not
available about it.[15] refers to the Kabul River.[16] The Rigveda praises it as an ideal city, a vision of paradise set in the mountains.[17] The area in which the
Kabul valley sits was ruled by the Medes before falling to the Achaemenids.

In the 6th century BCE, the city fell to the Achaemenid Empire.[18] During that period, Kabul became a center of learning for Zoroastrianism which was
followed by Buddhism and Hinduism.[19] There is a reference to a settlement called Kabura by the rulers of the Achaemenid Empire.[16]

When Alexander annexed the Achaemenid Empire, the Kabul region came under his control.[20] After his death, his
empire was seized by his general Seleucus, becoming part of the Seleucid Empire. In 305 BCE, he extended his
empire all the way to the Indus river, which caused a friction with the neighboring Mauryan Empire. It is widely
believed that the two empires reached an alliance treaty.[21]

Alexander took these away from the Aryans and established settlements of his own, but Seleucus
Nicator gave them to Sandrocottus (Chandragupta), upon terms of intermarriage and of receiving in
exchange 500 elephants.[4]

— Strabo, 64 BC–24 AD

During the Mauryan period, trade flourished because of uniform weights and measures. Irrigation facilities for
public use were developed leading to an increased harvest of crops. People were also employed as artisans, jewelers,
carpenters.[22]

Kushan Empire The Greco-Bactrians took control of Kabul from the Mauryans in the early 2nd century BC, then lost the city to their
subordinates in the Indo-Greek Kingdom around the mid-2nd century BC. Buddhism was greatly patronized by the
rulers and majority of people of the city were adherents of the religion.[23] Indo-Scythians expelled the Indo-Greeks
by the mid 1st century BC, but lost the city to the Kushan Empire about 100 years later.[24][25]

Some historians ascribe Kabul the Sanskrit name of Kamboja (Kamboj).[26][27] It is mentioned as Kophes or Kophene
in some classical writings. Hsuan Tsang refers to the name as Kaofu[28] in the 7th century AD, which is the
appellation of one of the five tribes of the Yuezhi who had migrated from across the Hindu Kush into the Kabul
valley around the beginning of the Christian era.[29] It was conquered by Kushan Emperor Kujula Kadphises in about
45 AD and remained Kushan territory until at least the 3rd century AD.[30][31] The Kushans were Indo-European-
speaking Tocharians from the Tarim Basin.[32]

Around 230 AD, the Kushans were defeated by the Sassanid Empire and replaced by Sassanid vassals known as the
Indo-Sassanids. During the Sassanian period, the city was referred to as "Kapul" in Pahlavi scripts.[16] In 420 AD the
Indo-Sassanids were driven out of Afghanistan by the Xionite tribe known as the Kidarites, who were then replaced
in the 460s by the Hephthalites. It became part of the surviving Turk Shahi Kingdom of Kapisa, also known as Map showing names of the regions
Kabul-Shahan.[33] According to Táríkhu-l Hind by Al-Biruni, Kabul was governed by princes of Turkic lineage whose during the 7th century.
rule lasted for about 60 generations.

Kábul was formerly governed by princes of Turk lineage. It is said that they were originally from Tibet. The first of them was named Barhtigín ...
and the kingdom continued with his children for sixty generations.... The last of them was a Katormán, and his minister was Kalar, a Bráhman.
This minister was favored by fortune, and he found in the earth treasures which augmented his power. Fortune at the same time turned her back
upon his master. The Katormán's thoughts and actions were evil, so that many complaints reached the minister, who loaded him with chains, and
imprisoned him for his correction. In the end the minister yielded to the temptation of becoming sole master, and he had wealth sufficient to
remove all obstacles. So he established himself on the throne. After him reigned the Bráhman(s) Samand, then Kamlúa, then Bhím, then Jaipál,
then Anandpál, then Narda-janpál, who was killed in A.H. 412. His son, Bhímpál, succeeded him, after the lapse of five years, and under him the
sovereignty of Hind became extinct, and no descendant remained to light a fire on the hearth. These princes, notwithstanding the extent of their
dominions, were endowed with excellent qualities, faithful to their engagements, and gracious towards their inferiors....[33]

— Abu Rayhan Biruni, 978–1048 AD

The Kabul rulers built a long defensive wall around the city to protect it from enemy raids. This historical wall has survived until today. It was briefly held by

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Tibetan Empire between 801 and 815.

Islamization and Mongol invasion

The Islamic conquest reached modern-day Afghanistan in 642 AD, at a time when Kabul was independent.[34] A
number of failed expeditions were made to Islamize the region. In one of them, Abdur Rahman bin Samana arrived
to Kabul from Zaranj in the late 600s and managed to convert 12,000 local inhabitants to Islam before abandoning
the city. Muslims were a minority until Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar of Zaranj conquered Kabul in 870 and established
the first Islamic dynasty in the region. It was reported that the rulers of Kabul were Muslims with non-Muslims
living close by.

Kábul has a castle celebrated for its strength, accessible only by one road. In it there are Musulmáns,
and it has a town, in which are infidels from Hind.[35]
Old painting showing the Great Wall
of Kabul
— Istahkrí, 921 AD

Over the following centuries, the city was successively controlled by the Samanids, Ghaznavids, Ghurids,
Khwarazmshahs, Qarlughids, and Khaljis. In the 13th century, the invading Mongols caused major destruction in the region. Report of a massacre in the close
by Bamiyan is recorded around this period, where the entire population of the valley was annihilated by the Mongol troops as a revenge for the death of Genghis
Khan's grandson. As a result, many natives of Afghanistan fled south toward the Indian subcontinent where some established dynasties in Delhi. The Chagatai
Khanate and Kartids were vassals of Ilkhanate till dissolution of latter in 1335.

Following the era of the Khalji dynasty in 1333, the famous Moroccan scholar Ibn Battuta was visiting Kabul and wrote:

We travelled on to Kabul, formerly a vast town, the site of which is now occupied by a village inhabited by a tribe of Persians called Afghans. They
hold mountains and defiles and possess considerable strength, and are mostly highwaymen. Their principal mountain is called Kuh Sulayman.[36]

— Ibn Battuta, 1304–1369 AD

Timurid and Mughal era

In the 14th century, Kabul became a major trading center under the kingdom of Timur (Tamerlane). In 1504, the city
fell to Babur from the north and made into his headquarters, which became one of the principal cities of his later
Mughal Empire. In 1525, Babur described Kabulistan in his memoirs by writing that:

In the country of Kābul there are many and various tribes. In the city and the greater part of the villages,
the population consists of Tājiks (called "Sarts" by Babur). Many other of the villages and districts are
occupied by Pashāis, Parāchis, Tājiks, Berekis, and Afghans. In the hill-country to the west, reside the
Hazāras and Nukderis. Among the Hazāra and Nukderi tribes, there are some who speak the Moghul
language. In the hill-country to the north-east lies Kaferistān, such as Kattor and Gebrek. To the south is
Afghanistān... There are eleven or twelve different languages spoken in Kābul: Arabic, Persian, Tūrki, Humayun with his father Babur,
emperors of the Mughal Empire
Moghuli, Hindi, Afghani, Pashāi, Parāchi, Geberi, Bereki, and Lamghāni....[37]

— Baburnama, 1525

Mirza Muhammad Haidar Dughlat, a poet from Hindustan who visited at the time wrote: "Dine and drink in Kabul: it is mountain, desert, city, river and all
else." It was from here that Babur began his 1526 conquest of Hindustan, which was ruled by the Afghan Lodi dynasty and began east of the Indus River in what
is present-day Pakistan. Babur loved Kabul due to the fact that he lived in it for 20 years and the people were loyal to him, including its weather that he was
used to. His wish to be buried in Kabul was finally granted. The inscription on his tomb contains the famous Persian couplet, which states: ‫ا‬ ‫دوس ﺭوی ز‬ ‫ا‬
‫ا‬ ‫وھ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وھ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫( ھ‬If there is a paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this!)[38]

Durrani Empire
Chihil Sutun Palace (also known
as "Hindaki"), the Emir's
residence, built in the 19th
century
Nine years after Nader Shah and his forces invaded and occupied the city as
part of the more easternmost parts of his Empire, he was assassinated by his
own officers, causing the rapid disintegration of it. Ahmad Shah Durrani,
commander of 4,000 Abdali Afghans, asserted Pashtun rule in 1747 and
further expanded his new Afghan Empire. His ascension to power marked
the beginning of Afghanistan. His son Timur Shah Durrani, after inheriting
power, transferred the capital of Afghanistan from Kandahar to Kabul in
1776,[39] and used Peshawar in what is today Pakistan as the winter capital.
Timur Shah died in 1793 and was succeeded by his son Zaman Shah Shujah Shah Durrani, the last
Durrani. Kabul's first visitor from Europe was Englishman George Forster, Durrani King, sitting at his court
who described 18th-century Kabul as "the best and cleanest city in South inside the Bala Hissar.
Asia".[17]

In 1826, the kingdom was claimed by Dost Mohammad Khan but in 1839 Shujah Shah Durrani was re-installed with the help of British India during the First
Anglo-Afghan War. In 1841 a local uprising resulted in the killing of the British resident and loss of mission in Kabul and the 1842 retreat from Kabul to

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Jalalabad. In 1842 the British returned to Kabul, plundering Bala Hissar in revenge before fleeing back to British India (now Pakistan). Akbar Khan took to the
throne from 1842 to 1845 and was followed by Dost Mohammad Khan.

The British-led Indian forces invaded in 1879 when Kabul was under Sher Ali Khan's rule, as the Afghan king initially refused to accept British diplomatic
mission and later the British residents were again massacred. The British partially destroyed Bala Hissar fortress before retreating to British India.

20th century
Having become an established bazaar city, leather and textile industries developed by 1916.[40]

In the early 20th century King Amanullah Khan rose to power. His reforms included electricity for the city and schooling for girls. He drove a Rolls-Royce, and
lived in the famous Darul Aman Palace. In 1919, after the Third Anglo-Afghan War, Amanullah announced Afghanistan's independence from foreign affairs at
Eidgah Mosque. In 1929 King Ammanullah left Kabul due to a local uprising orchestrated by Habibullah Kalakani. After nine months rule, Kalakani was
imprisoned and executed by King Nader Khan. Three years later, in 1933, the new king was assassinated by a Hazara student Abdul Khaliq during an award
ceremony inside a school in Kabul. The throne was left to his 19-year-old son, Zahir Shah, who became the last King of Afghanistan.

During the inter-war period France and Germany worked to help

develop the country and maintained high schools and lycees in the
capital, providing education for the children of the city's elite
families.[41] Kabul University opened in 1932 and by the 1960s western
educated Afghans made up the majority of teachers.[42] By the 1960s
the majority of instructors at the university had degrees from Western
universities.[42]

When Zahir Shah took power in 1933 Kabul had the only 10 kilometers The famous Darul Aman Palace,
Serena Hotel, opened 1945 (6 miles) of rail in the country and the country had few internal built under King Amanullah Khan
telegraphs, phone lines or roads. Zahir turned to the Japanese,
Germans and Italians for help developing a modern transportation and
communication network.[43] A radio tower built by the Germans in 1937 in Kabul allowing instant communication with outlying villages.[44] A national bank and
state cartels were organized to allow for economic modernization.[45] Textile mills, power plants, carpet and furniture factories were also built in Kabul,
providing much needed manufacturing and infrastructure.[45]

During the 1940s and 1950s, urbanization accelerated and the built-up area was increased to 68 km² by 1962, an almost fourteen-fold increase compared to
1925.[46]

In 1955, the Soviet Union forwarded $100 million in credit to Afghanistan, which financed public transportation, airports, a cement factory, mechanized bakery,
a five-lane highway from Kabul to the Soviet border and dams.[47]

In the 1960s the first Marks & Spencer store in Central Asia was built in the city. Kabul Zoo was inaugurated in 1967,
which was maintained with the help of visiting German zoologists. Many foreigners began flocking to Kabul and the
nation's tourism industry was starting to pick up speed. Kabul experimented with liberalization, dropping laws
requiring women to wear burkas, restrictions on speech and assembly were loosened which led to student politics in
the capital.[48] Socialist, Maoist and liberal factions demonstrated daily in Kabul while more traditional Islamic
leaders spoke out against the failure to aid the Afghan countryside.[48] From the 1960s until the late 1970s, Kabul
was a major stop on the famous Hippie trail.[49]
Men and women entering a public
In 1969 a religious uprising at the Pul-e Khishti Mosque protested transport bus in the 1950s.
the Soviet Union's increasing influence over Afghan politics and
religion. This protest ended in the arrest of many of its organizers,
including Mawlana Faizani, a popular Islamic scholar. In the early 1970s Radio Kabul began to broadcast in
other languages besides Pashto which helped to unify those minorities that often felt marginalized. However
this was put to a stop after Daoud Khan, the King's cousin and former Prime Minister, launched a coup in July
1973[50] which deposed the King and took over power. This was supported by the People's Democratic Party of
Afghanistan (PDPA), a pro-Soviet political party. Daoud named himself President and planned to institute
reforms.[51] The BBC has described the period before the April 1978 Revolution as an era when different ethnic
groups of Afghanistan lived together harmoniously, intermarried and mixed socially.[17]
Flats in "Old Mikrorayon", one of the
city's Soviet-style microdistricts built By 1975, the young Ahmad Shah Massoud and his followers initiated an uprising in Panjshir but were forced to
between the 1960s and 1980s
flee to neighboring Pakistan where they received recruitment from Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
to create unrest in Afghanistan with the help of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). It is claimed that
Bhutto paved the way for the April 1978 Saur Revolution in Kabul by making Daoud spread his armed forces to the countryside. "To launch this plan, Bhutto
recruited and trained a group of Afghans in the Bala-Hesar of Peshawar, in Pakistan's North-west Frontier Province. Among these young men were Massoud,
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, and other members of Jawanan-e Musulman. Massoud's mission to Bhutto was to create unrest in northern Afghanistan. It served
Massoud's interests, which were apparently opposition to the Soviets and independence for Afghanistan. Later, after Massoud and Hekmatyar had a terrible
falling-out over Massoud's opposition to terrorist tactics and methods, Massoud overthrew from Jawanan-e Musulman. He joined Rabani's newly created
Afghan political party, Jamiat-i-Islami, in exile in Pakistan."[52]

Soviet occupation

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On April 28, 1978, President Daoud and most of his family were
assassinated in Kabul, in what is called the Saur Revolution. Pro-
Soviet PDPA under Nur Muhammad Taraki seized power and slowly
began to institute reforms.[53] Private businesses were nationalized
in the Soviet manner.[54] Education was modified into the Soviet
model, with lessons focusing on teaching Russian, Marxism-
Leninism and learning of other countries belonging to the Soviet
bloc.[54] Foreign-backed rebel groups and army deserters took up
arms in the name of Islam.[54]
Center of Kabul in 1979; the Pul-e Khishti
bridge crosses the Kabul River to the old Street scene in Kabul in 1978, some
In February 1979, U.S. Ambassador Adolph Dubs was murdered time after the Saur Revolution
city in the south bank
after Afghan security forces burst in on his kidnappers. In
neighboring Pakistan, President Zulfiqar Bhutto was executed in
April 1979. In September 1979 Afghan President Taraki was assassinated by his rival Hafizullah Amin, who in turn was assassinated in December 1979 by a
team of Soviet Spetsnaz inside the Tajbeg Palace in Kabul.[55] On December 24, 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and Kabul was heavily occupied by
Soviet Armed Forces. Following this invasion, Pakistani President Zia-ul-Haq chaired a meeting in Islamabad and was told by several cabinet members to
refrain from interfering in Afghanistan, owing to the vastly superior military power of the Soviet Union.[56] However, Zia-ul-Haq, fearing that the Soviets may
be advancing into Pakistan, particularly Balochistan, made no secret about his intentions of aiding the mujahideen rebel groups. During this meeting, Director-
General of the ISI Akhtar Abdur Rahman advocated for the idea of covert operation in Afghanistan by arming the Islamic extremists.[56] General Rahman was
heard loudly saying: "Kabul must burn! Kabul must burn!",[57] and mastered the idea of proxy war in Afghanistan.[56] President Zia-ul-Haq authorised this
operation under General Rahman, and it was later merged with Operation Cyclone, a programme funded by the United States. Major protests against the Soviet
presence broke out in Kabul in 1980 in what is called the 3 Hut uprising.

The Soviets turned the city of Kabul into their command center during the Soviet-Afghan War. Kabul was considered
moderately safe during that period as it was essentially a guerrilla war with fighting mostly taking place in the
countryside. During this time, women made up 40% of the workforce.[58] However political crime such as assassinations
of PDPA party members or guerrilla attacks on military and government targets were quite common. The Soviet
Embassy, for example, was attacked four times with arms fire in the first five years of the war. In 1983, a report from
Izvestia said that most public places such as hospitals and state banks had "people with guns in their hands", which was
not the case before 1979. A Western correspondent revisiting Kabul in December 1983 after a year, said that the city was
"converted into a fortress bristling with weapons".[59] Contrastingly, American diplomat Charles Dunbar said that the Tajbeg Palace in 1982, when it
Soviet troops' presence was "surprisingly modest". He said in a July 1983 article that whilst Soviet troops are a common was the Red Army headquarters
during the Soviet-Afghan War
sight, they "do not give the impression of invaders who are enforcing their occupation at the point of a bayonet". Soviet
men and women were very common in the city's shopping roads, with the large availability of Western products.[60] An
December 1983 article from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, where the author stayed two weeks in the city, said that the Soviet soldiers had a friendly
atmosphere in which they would greet friends and have a chat with the population.[61] Most Soviet civilians (numbering between 8,000 and 10,000) lived in the
north eastern Soviet-style Mikrorayon (microraion) housing complex that was surrounded by barbed-wire and armed tanks. They sometimes received abuse
from anti-Soviet civilians on the streets.[62] The mujahideen rebels managed to strike at the city a few times - on October 9, 1987, a car bomb planted by a
mujahideen group killed 27 people, and on April 27, 1988 in celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the Saur Revolution, a truck bomb killed six people.[63]

The city's population increased from around 500,000 in 1978 to 1.5 million in 1988.[64] The large influx were mostly internal refugees who fled other parts of
the country for safety in Kabul.

Civil war and Taliban era

After the fall of Najibullah's[52] government in April 1992, leaders of the different mujahideen factions created a new
government under the Peshawar Accords, but Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's party refused to sign the accords and started
shelling the city for power, which soon escelated into a full-scale conflict. This marked the start of a dark period of
the city: at least 30,000 civilians were killed.[65] About 80 percent of the city was devastated and destroyed by
1996.[66][67] The old city and western areas were among the worst-hit. A The New York Times analyst said in 1996
that the city was more devastated than Sarajevo, which was similarly damaged during the Bosnian War at the
time.[68]

A section of Kabul during the civil

The city suffered heavily under a bombardment campaign between rival militias which intensified during the
war in 1993.
summer of 1992. Its geographic location in a narrow valley made it an easy target from rockets fired by militias who
based themselves in the surrounding mountains. Initially the factions in the city aligned to fight off Hekmatyar's
forces, but diplomacy inside the capital quickly broke down.[69] For the following two years in particular, much of Kabul would be laid to waste, the majority of
infrastructure destroyed, a massive exodus of the population leaving to the countryside or abroad, and electricity and water completely out. In late 1994,
bombardment of the capital came to a temporary halt.[70][71][72] These forces took steps to restore law and order. Courts started to work again, convicting
individuals inside government troops who had committed crimes.[73]

On September 26, 1996 when the Taliban prepared a major offensive, Ahmad Shah Massoud, the government's military leader, ordered a full retreat from Kabul
and fled north.[74] The next day the Taliban seized Kabul and established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. They imposed a strict form of Sharia (Islamic law),
restricting women from work and education.[75] They also conducted amputations against common thieves. Their hit-squads from the infamous "Ministry for
Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" watched the streets conducting public beatings of people.[75] During the hardline Taliban regime, Kabul was a
deserted city with many residents having long left, most infrastructure destroyed and little to no education or public services

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21st century
In November 2001, the Northern Alliance captured Kabul after the Taliban had abandoned it following the American
invasion. A month later a new government under President Hamid Karzai began to assemble. In the meantime, a
NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was deployed in Afghanistan. The war-torn city began to
see some positive development as many expatriate Afghans returned to the country. The city's population grew from
about 500,000 in 2001 to over 3 million in recent years. Many foreign embassies re-opened, and the city has been
recovering ever since.

As of 2014, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have been in charge of security in and around the city.
Kabul is periodically the scene of deadly bombings carried out mostly by the Taliban but also by the Haqqani An American soldier standing with
children at Freedom Circle (2011)
network, ISIL, and other anti-state groups.[76][77][78][79] Government employees, soldiers and ordinary civilians have
all been targets of attacks.[80][81][82][83][84] The Afghan government called the actions of the terrorists war crimes. The
deadliest attack yet was a truck bombing in May 2017.

The city has experienced rapid urbanization with an increasing population. Many informal settlements have been build.[85] Since the late 2000s, numerous
modern housing complexes have been built, many of which are gated and secured, to serve a growing Afghan middle class.[86] Some of these include the Aria
City (in District 10) and Golden City (District 8).[87][88] Some complexes have been built out-of-town, such as the Omid-e-Sabz township (District 13),
Qasaba/Khwaja Rawash township (District 15), and Sayed Jamaludin township (District 12).[89][90][91]

A major ambitious $80 billion project called "Kabul New City" aims to develop a large modern township of homes and businesses on 1,700 acres of land to the
north of Kabul (Districts 18 and 19) and Bagram in Parwan Province.[92][93] The project was first conceptualized in 2007 and approved in 2009. After years in
planning and assistance from the Japanese government, construction started in 2015.[94]

Geography, climate and environment

Kabul is situated in the eastern part of the country, 1,791
meters (5,876 feet) above sea level in a narrow valley, wedged
between the Hindu Kush mountains along the Kabul River. It
has been described as a "bowl surrounded by mountains".[95]
Some of the mountains (which are called koh) include: Khair
Khana-e Shamali, Khwaja Rawash, Shakhi Baran Tey, Chihil
Sutun, Qurugh, Khwaja Razaq and Sher Darwaza. There are
also two mountains in between urban areas in western Kabul: Night scene in Kabul in 2016, with three
Qargha dam and lake Asmayi (also known as the TV hill) and Ali Abad. Hills within mountains visible
the city (which are called tapa) include Bibi Mahro and
Maranjan. Immediately to the south of the old city is the Bala
Hissar fortress and the ancient city walls, with mountains behind it.

The city covers an area size of 1,023 square kilometres (395 sq mi), making it by far the largest in the country.

A large lake and wetland is located just to the southeast from the old city called Kol-e Hashmat Khan.[96] The marsh provides a critical resting place to
thousands of birds who fly between the Indian subcontinent and Siberia. In 2017 the government declared the lake a protected area.[97] Some rare species of
birds have been spotted at the lake, such as the Eastern imperial eagle and the Dalmatian pelican.[98] Kabul's other large lake is Qargha, located some 9 km
northwest from the center. It is a major attraction for locals as well as foreigners.[99]

Kabul has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) with precipitation concentrated in the winter (almost exclusively falling as snow) and
spring months. Temperatures are relatively cool compared to much of Southwest Asia, mainly due to the high elevation of the city. Summer has very low
humidity, providing relief from the heat. Autumn features warm afternoons and sharply cooler evenings. Winters are cold, with a January daily average of
−2.3 °C (27.9 °F). Spring is the wettest time of the year, though temperatures are generally amiable. Sunny conditions dominate year-round. The annual mean
temperature is 12.1 °C (53.8 °F), much lower than the other large cities of Afghanistan.

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Climate data for Kabul (1956–1983)

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

Record high 18.8 18.4 26.7 28.7 33.5 36.8 37.7 37.3 35.1 31.6 24.4 20.4 37.7
°C (°F) (65.8) (65.1) (80.1) (83.7) (92.3) (98.2) (99.9) (99.1) (95.2) (88.9) (75.9) (68.7) (99.9)

Average 4.5 5.5 12.5 19.2 24.4 30.2 32.1 32.0 28.5 22.4 15.0 8.3 19.5
high °C (°F) (40.1) (41.9) (54.5) (66.6) (75.9) (86.4) (89.8) (89.6) (83.3) (72.3) (59) (46.9) (67.1)

Daily mean −2.3 −0.7 6.3 12.8 17.3 22.8 25.0 24.1 19.7 13.1 5.9 0.6 12.1
°C (°F) (27.9) (30.7) (43.3) (55) (63.1) (73) (77) (75.4) (67.5) (55.6) (42.6) (33.1) (53.8)

Average low −7.1 −5.7 0.7 6.0 8.8 12.4 15.3 14.3 9.4 3.9 −1.2 −4.7 4.3
°C (°F) (19.2) (21.7) (33.3) (42.8) (47.8) (54.3) (59.5) (57.7) (48.9) (39) (29.8) (23.5) (39.7)

Record low −25.5 −24.8 −12.6 −2.1 0.4 3.1 7.5 6.0 1.0 −3.0 −9.4 −18.9 −25.5
°C (°F) (−13.9) (−12.6) (9.3) (28.2) (32.7) (37.6) (45.5) (42.8) (33.8) (26.6) (15.1) (−2) (−13.9)

Average
34.3 60.1 67.9 71.9 23.4 1.0 6.2 1.6 1.7 3.7 18.6 21.6 312.0
precipitation
(1.35) (2.366) (2.673) (2.831) (0.921) (0.039) (0.244) (0.063) (0.067) (0.146) (0.732) (0.85) (12.283)
mm (inches)

Average
2 3 10 11 8 1 2 1 1 2 4 3 48
rainy days

Average
7 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 20
snowy days

Average
relative 68 70 65 61 48 36 37 38 39 42 52 63 52
humidity (%)

Mean
monthly
177.2 178.6 204.5 232.5 310.3 353.4 356.8 339.7 303.9 282.6 253.2 182.4 3,175.1
sunshine
hours

Source: NOAA[100]

Districts
The city of Kabul is one of the 15 districts of Kabul Province. As the provincial capital, it forms a municipality
(shārwāli). It is further divided into 22 city districts or "Police Districts" (nāhia). The number of city districts
increased from 11 to 18 in 2005, and then to 22 by 2010 after the incorporations of Districts 14 and 19-22 which were
annexed by Kabul Municipality from surrounding rural districts. The city limits have thus substantionally increased.

District 1 contains most of the old city. Downtown Kabul mostly consist of Districts 2, 4 and 10.

The table below show the 22 city districts and their settlements, with information about its land size and usage,
accurate as of 2011.[101]

Location of Kabul Municipality within

Kabul Province

c. 1980 map showing public places in the city of

Kabul

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The Bibi Mahro family park, northern

Kabul

Urban Agricultural Vacant

Name Location Settlements Area Location map
area area area

Char Chata
Chindawol
Hinduguzar
District 1 Kharabat (street)
Central 4.67 km² 65.3% ~0% 18.9%
١ Jadayi Maiwand (street)
Mandawi (street)
Rika Khana
Shur Bazar

Andarabi
Deh Afghanan
District 2 Karte Ariana
Central 6.76 km² 72.6% 0% 7.3%
٢ Karte Parwan (part)
Murad Khane
Shash Darak (part)

Deh Bori
Deh Mazang
District 3 Deh Naw
West 9.22 km² 82% 0.6% 8.8%
٣ Jamal Mina
Karte Char
Karte Sakhi

Karte Parwan (part)

Kolola Pushta
District 4 11.63
Northwest Shahrara 83.1% 1% 6%
۴ km²
Shahr-e Naw
Taimani

Afshar
Fazel Baig
Karte Mamorin
District 5 Khushal Khan Mena
West 29.2 km² 49.6% 14% 30.9%
۵ Kote Sangi
Mirwais Maidan
Silo Markaz
Qala-e Wazir

Darulaman
District 6
Southwest Karte Seh 49.1 km² 32.5% 13.5% 50.8%
۶
Qala-e Shada

Aqa Ali Shams

Chihil Sutun
District 7
South Deh Dana 32.5 km² 46.8% 17% 31.6%
٧
Gozar Gah
Wassel Abad

Beni Hisar
Karte Naw
District 8
Southeast Rahman Mina 48.4 km² 33.7% 33.9% 25.1%
٨
Qalacha
Shah Shahid

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Urban Agricultural Vacant

Name Location Settlements Area Location map
area area area

Karte Wali
District 9 Mikrorayon (2nd, 3rd, 4th)
Northeast 24.5 km² 48.4% 29.7% 13.7%
٩ Shash Darak (part)
Yaka Tut

Bibi Mahro
Char Qala
District
Qala-e Fathullah
10 North 13.0 km² 75.3% 10.8% 5.6%
Qala-e Musa
١٠
Sherpur
Wazir Akbar Khan

District Hazara-e Baghal

11 Northwest Khair Khana 17.4 km² 75.4% 0% 21%
١١ Qala-e Najara

Ahmad Shah Baba Mina (Arzan

District Qimat)
12 East Bagrami 34.8 km² 33.2% 42.8% 21.7%
١٢ But Khak
Shina

Bist Hazari
District
Dashte Barchi
13 Southwest 46.6 km² 32% 23.5% 40.2%
Omid-e Sabz (township)
١٣
Qala-e Shada

District
120.1
14 Northwest Paghman 8.6% 47% 24.6%
km²
١۴

Hamid Karzai Int'l (airfield)

District
Khaje Bughra
15 North 32.1 km² 32.2% 7.5% 33%
Khwaja Rawash
١۵
Qasaba (township)

District Mikrorayon (1st/Old)

16 East Qala-e Zaman Khan 25.2 km² 37.1% 33.2% 24.1%
١۶ Sement Khana

District
17 Northwest Shakar Dara 56.0 km² 16.7% 9.5% 72%
١٧

District Bakhtiaran
18 Northeast Deh Sabz 33.9 km² 19.4% 40.2% 29.2%
١٨ Tara Khel

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Urban Agricultural Vacant

Name Location Settlements Area Location map
area area area

District
141.4
19 Northeast Pul-e Charkhi 8.1% 0.05% 77.4%
km²
١٩

District
Char Asiab 143.6
20 South 4.1% 17.7% 71.1%
Chehel Dukhtaran km²
٢٠

District
21 East (Populated by Kuchi nomads) 63.9 km² 1.5% 2.7% 88.1%
٢١

District
Hosai Khel
22 Southeast 79.0 km² 6.5% 24.6% 62.2%
Kamari
٢٢

Note that the latter figures don't add up to 100% since there are miscellaneous figures too.

Government and politics

The municipality's administrative structure consists of 17 departments under a mayor. Like other provincial municipalities in Afghanistan, the municipality of
Kabul deals with city affairs such as construction and infrastructure. The city districts (nāhia) collect certain taxes and issue building licenses. Each city district
has a district head appointed by the mayor, and leads six major departments in the district office. The neighborhood organization structure at the nahia level is
called a gozar. A wakil-e gozar is a person chosen to represent a community within a city district.

The current mayor of Kabul Municipality is Abdullah Habibzai who was appointed in May 2016 as the acting mayor.

Kabul's Chief of Police is Lt. Gen. Abdul Rahman Rahimi. The police are part of the Afghan National Police (ANP) under the Ministry of Interior and are
arranged by city districts. The Police Chief is selected by the Interior Minister and is responsible for all law enforcement activities throughout the Kabul
province.

Demographics
Kabul's population was estimated in 2015 at about 4.6 million,[1] which
possibly includes the people of the province as well. Another 2015 estimate
has put it at 3,678,034.[102] The city's population has long fluctuated due to
the wars. The lack of an up-to-date census means that there are many
various estimates of the population.

Kabul's population is estimated to have been about 10,000 in 1700, 65,000

by 1878, and 120,000 by 1940.[103] More recently, the population was
Young Afghan men and women at a around 500,000 in 1979, whilst another source claims 337,715 as of Young 'Kabulites' in downtown
rock music festival inside the 1976.[104] This figure rose to about 1.5 million by 1988, before dramatically Kabul in 1980
Gardens of Babur. dropping in the 1990s. Kabul became one of the fastest growing cities in the
world, with its population growing fourfold from 2001 to 2014. This was
partly due to the return of refugees after the fall of the Taliban regime, and partly due to a large number of Afghans moving from other provinces mainly due to
war between Taliban insurgents and Afghan government forces in their native areas as well as looking for labor. This resulting rapid urbanization mean that
many residents today live in informal settlements.[105] Shanty mud-brick homes on the mountainsides and steep hills have been built by them and these are
usually poverty-stricken, not connected to the water and electricity grid. Although the settlements are illegal, they have been tolerated by authorities. In 2017
Kabul Municipality started a project to paint the homes in these settlements in bright colors in an effort to "cheer up" residents.[106][107]

Kabul is the most ethnically diverse city in the country, with the population including Afghans from all over the country.[108] In 2003, the National Geographic
Channel reported that Kabul's population was composed of the following ethnic groups: 45% Pashtun, 25% Hazara, 25% Tajiks, 2% Uzbek, 1% Baloch, 1%
Turkmen, and 1% Afghan Hindu.[2] The Dari (Persian) and Pashto languages are widely used in the region, although Pashto serves as the lingua franca.
Multilingualism is common throughout the area, particularly among the Pashtun people.

The term "Kabuli" ( ) is referred to the heterogeneous urbanites of the city. They are ethnic-neutral, typically speak Pashtu Dari, are generally secularly and
highly educated, and favor Western fashion. Many Kabulites (especially elites and the upper class) left the country during the civil war and are now

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outnumbered by rural people who moved in from the countryside, mostly refugees but also labor-seekers.[109][110][111]

About 74% of the city's population follow Sunni Islam while 25% are Shiites (mainly the Hazaras). The remaining 1% are followers of Sikhism and Hinduism, as
well as one known Christian resident (First Lady Rula Ghani) and one Jewish resident (Zablon Simintov). There are other Christians too but they are from
international organizations rather than permanent residents. Kabul also has small Indian and Turkish communities, and in the 1980s had a sizable Russian
community.

Economy
Kabul's main products include fresh and dried fruit, nuts, beverages,
Afghan rugs, leather and sheep skin products, furniture, antique replicas,
and domestic clothes. The world bank authorized US$25 million for the
Kabul Urban Reconstruction Project which closed in 2011.[112] Over the
last decade, the United States has invested approximately $9.1 billion
into urban infrastructure in Afghanistan.[113][114] The wars since 1978
have limited the city's economic productivity but after the establishment
of the Karzai administration since late 2001, local economic
developments have included a number of indoor shopping malls. The
A commercial area in the city Dry food in one of Kabul's markets
first of these was the Kabul City Center, opened 2005. Others have also
opened in recent years including Gulbahar Center, City Walk Mall and
Majid Mall.[115][116]

About 6 km (4 mi) from downtown Kabul, in Bagrami, a 9-hectare (22-acre) industrial complex has completed with modern facilities, which will allow
companies to operate businesses there. The park has professional management for the daily maintenance of public roads, internal streets, common areas,
parking areas, 24 hours perimeter security, access control for vehicles and persons.[117] A number of factories operate there, including the $25 million Coca-
Cola bottling plant and the Omaid Bahar juice factory.

According to Transparency International, the government of Afghanistan is the third most-corrupt in the world.[118]
Experts believe that the poor decisions of Afghan politicians contribute to the unrest in the region. This also prevents
foreign investment in Afghanistan, especially by Western countries. In 2012, there were reportedly $3.9 billion paid to
public officials in bribes which contributed to these issues.[119]

Da Afghanistan Bank, the nation's central bank, is headquartered in Kabul. In addition, there are several commercial
banks in the city.[120]

Inside an antiquity shop in

Kabul's famous Chicken Street
Development plans
(Kochi Murgha)
A $1 billion USD contract was signed in 2013 to commence work on the "New Kabul City", which is a major residential
scheme that would accommodate 1.5 million people.[121][122] In the meantime, many high rise buildings are being
constructed in order to control the overcrowding and also to modernize the city.[123]

An initial concept design called the City of Light Development, envisioned by Dr. Hisham N. Ashkouri, for the development and the implementation of a
privately based investment enterprise has been proposed for multi-function commercial, historic and cultural development within the limits of the Old City of
Kabul, along the southern side of the Kabul River and along Jade Meywand Avenue,[124]

Communications
As of November 2015, there are more than 24 television stations based out of Kabul.[125]

In Kabul, Minister Amir Zai Sangin of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology maintains statistics
regarding telecommunications in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Afghanistan Information Management Services
(AIMS) provides software development, capacity development, information management, and project management
services to the Afghan Government and other NGOs, thereby supporting their on-the-ground activities.

GSM/GPRS mobile phone services in the city are provided by Afghan Wireless, Etisalat, Roshan, MTN and Salaam. As
of 2012, all of them provide 3G services as well. In November 2006, the Afghan Ministry of Communications signed a
$64.5 million US dollar deal with ZTE on the establishment of a countrywide fibre optical cable network to help Studio of Radio Kabul in the
improve telephone, internet, television and radio broadcast services not just in Kabul but throughout the country.[126] 1950s
Internet cafes were introduced in 2002 and has been expanding throughout the country. As of 2012, 3G services are also
available.

There are a number of post offices throughout the city. Package delivery services like FedEx, TNT N.V., and DHL are also available.

Health care
Health care in Afghanistan is relatively poor. The wealthy Afghans usually go abroad when seeking treatment. Presently, there are several hospitals in Kabul
which include;

French Medical Institute for Children

Kabul City Hospital

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Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital

Jamhuriat Hospital
Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital[127]
Jinnah Hospital (under construction)
Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital
Malalai Maternity Hospital
Rabia-I-Balki Maternity Hospital
Maywand Hospital
Afshar Hospital
Noor Eye Hospital Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital
Atatürk Children's Hospital
American Medical Center Afghanistan
DK-German Medical Diagnostic Center[128]
CURE International Hospital[129]
KIA ISAF Role 3 Hospital

Education
The Ministry of Education led by Ghulam Farooq Wardak is responsible for the education system in Afghanistan.[130] Public
and private schools in the city have reopened since 2002 after they were shut down or destroyed during fighting in the 1980s
to the late 1990s. Boys and girls are strongly encouraged to attend school under the Karzai administration but many more
schools are needed not only in Kabul but throughout the country. The Afghan Ministry of Education has plans to build more
schools in the coming years so that education is provided to all citizens of the country. The most well known high schools in
Kabul include:

Habibia High School, a British-Afghan school founded in 1903 by King Habibullah Khan
Lycée Esteqlal, a Franco-Afghan school founded in 1922
Malalai High School, a Franco-Afghan school for girls
Amani High School, a German-Afghan school for boys founded in 1924
Aisha-i-Durani School, a German-Afghan school for girls
Rahman Baba High School, an American-Afghan school for boys Kabul Medical University
International School of Kabul, an American-Afghan school
Afghan Turk High Schools, Turkish-Afghan schools
Ghulam Haider Khan High School, a school for boys
Abdul Hadi Dawi High School, a school for boys
Nazo Ana High School, a school for girls

Universities
The city's colleges and universities were renovated after 2002. Some of them have been developed recently, while others have existed since the early 20th
century.

Transportation

Air
The Hamid Karzai International Airport (Kabul International Airport) is located 25 km (16 mi) from the center of
Kabul, which always served as the country's main airport. It is a hub to Ariana Afghan Airlines, the national carrier
of Afghanistan, as well as private airlines such as Afghan Jet International, East Horizon Airlines, Kam Air, Pamir
Airways, and Safi Airways. Regional airlines such as Air India, SpiceJet, flydubai, Emirates, Gulf Air, Mahan Air,
Pakistan International Airlines, Turkish Airlines and others also have regularly scheduled flights to the airport. A
new international terminal was built by the government of Japan and began operation in 2008. Flightline at Hamid Karzai
International Airport (Kabul
International Airport)
Rail
Kabul has no train service currently, but the government has proposed the building of rail lines or a metro rail in the
future. Kabul's only railway service, the Kabul–Darulaman Tramway, operated for only six years from 1923 to 1929. As part of the approved major Deh Sabz
"Kabul New City" development project that kicked off in 2015, a light rail service is being planned during the mid-term development period.[131]

Road
The AH76 highway (or Kabul-Charikar Highway) connects Kabul north towards Charikar, Pol-e Khomri and Mazar-i-Sharif (310 km (190 mi) away), with
leading roads to Kunduz (250 km (160 mi) away). The AH77 highway goes west towards Bamiyan Province (150 km (93 mi) away) and Chaghcharan in the
central mountains of Afghanistan. To the south-west, the Kabul-Ghazni Highway goes to Ghazni (130 km (81 mi) away) and Kandahar (460 km (290 mi) away).
To the south, the Kabul-Gardez Highway connects it to Gardez (100 km (62 mi) away) and Khost. To the east, the Kabul-Jalalabad Highway goes to Jalalabad
(120 km (75 mi) away) and across the border to Peshawar.

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The steep population rise in the 21st century has caused major congestion problems for the city's roads.[132] In
efforts to tackle this issue, a 95 km outer ring road costing $110 million was approved in 2017.[133][134]
Construction will take five years and it will run from Char Asiab via Ahmad Shah Baba Mina, Deh Sabz ("Kabul
New City" development area), the AH76 highway, Paghman and back to Char Asyab.[135] A new bus public
transport service is also planned to be opened in 2018 (see below).[136] In September 2017, the head of the
Kabul Municipality announced that 286 meters of pedestrian overpass footbridges will be built in eight busy
areas "in the near future".[137]

Under the Kabul Urban Transport Efficiency Improvement Project that was signed in 2014 and backed by the
Traffic in Kabul city center in 2013 World Bank, the city has seen widespread improvements in road conditions, including the building of new
pedestrian sidewalks, drainage systems, lighting and asphalted road surfaces. The project runs until December
31, 2019.[138][139]

Private vehicles have been on the rise in Kabul since 2002, with
about 700,000 cars registered as of 2013 and up to 80% of the cars
reported to be Toyota Corollas.[140][141][142] The number of
dealerships have also increased from 77 in 2003 to over 550 by
2010.[143] Gas stations are mainly private-owned. Bicycles on the
road are a common sight in the city.

Taxis
A Toyota Corolla (E100) at a security
The taxicabs in Kabul are painted in a white and yellow livery. The
View towards Kabul in June 1976 checkpoint in 2010
majority of these are older model Corollas. A few Soviet-era Russian
cabs are also still in operation.

Buses and trolleybuses

Long distance road journeys are made by private Mercedes-Benz coach buses or various types of vans, trucks and cars. Although a nationwide bus service is
available from Kabul, flying is safer, especially for foreigners. The city's public bus service (Millie Bus / "National Bus") was established in the 1960s to take
commuters on daily routes to many destinations. The service currently has about 800 buses. The Kabul bus system has recently discovered a new source of
revenue in whole-bus advertising from MTN similar to "bus wrap" advertising on public transit in more developed nations. There is also an express bus that
runs from downtown to Hamid Karzai International Airport for Safi Airways passengers.

An electric trolleybus system operated in Kabul from February 1979 to 1992 using Škoda fleet built by a Czechoslovak company (see Trolleybuses in Kabul for
more). The trolleybus service was highly popular mainly due to its low price compared to the Millie Bus conventional bus service. The last trolleybus came to a
halt in late 1992 due to warfare. The copper overhead wires were subsequently looted and sold to scrap dealers. The steel poles can still be seen in Kabul today.
[104][144]

In June 2017 Kabul Municipality unveiled plans for a new bus rapid transit (BRT) system (referred to as "Metro Bus"), the first major urban public
transportation scheme. The initial route of 8 km will run from De Afghanan in central Kabul to Sara-e Shamali Square in the north-west via Baraki Square and
Karte Parwan. The second phase would connect De Afghanan westwards to Kote Sangi via Deh Mazang and Karte Char. Work is underway for a 2018 opening.
In the next phases the service will expand to about 111 km by 2020, including covering Dashte Barchi in the west, Darul Aman in the south, and Karte Naw in
the east.[145][146][147]

Tourism
Each year about 20,000 foreign tourists visit Afghanistan.[148] Major hotels in Kabul include; the Serena Hotel, the Inter-Continental, and the Safi Landmark
Hotel above the Kabul City Center. There are a number of other less-known hotels. Most visitors prefer lodging at guest houses, which are found all over the
city. The better and safer ones are in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood where the embassies are located.

The old part of Kabul is filled with bazaars nestled along its narrow, crooked streets. Cultural sites include: the National Museum of Afghanistan, notably
displaying an impressive statue of Surya excavated at Khair Khana, the ruined Darul Aman Palace, the tomb of Mughal Emperor Babur at Bagh-e Babur, and
Chihil Sutun Park, the Minar-i-Istiqlal (Column of Independence) built in 1919 after the Third Afghan War, the tomb of Timur Shah Durrani, the Bagh-e Bala
Palace and the imposing Id Gah Mosque (founded 1893). Bala Hissar is a fort destroyed by the British in 1879, in retaliation for the death of their envoy, now
restored as a military college. The Minaret of Chakari, destroyed in 1998, had Buddhist swastika and both Mahayana and Theravada qualities.

Other places of interest include Kabul City Center, which is Kabul's first shopping mall, the shops around Flower Street and Chicken Street, Wazir Akbar Khan
district, Kabul Golf Club, Kabul Zoo, Abdul Rahman Mosque, Shah-Do Shamshira and other famous mosques, the National Gallery of Afghanistan, the National
Archives of Afghanistan, Afghan Royal Family Mausoleum, the OMAR Mine Museum, Bibi Mahro Hill, Kabul Cemetery, and Paghman Gardens. The Aga Khan
Development Network (AKDN) was also involved in the restoration of the Bagh-e Babur (Babur Gardens).

Tappe-i-Maranjan is a nearby hill where Buddhist statues and Graeco-Bactrian coins from the 2nd century BC have been found. Outside the city proper is a
citadel and the royal palace. Paghman and Jalalabad are interesting valleys north and east of the city.

Sports complexes

Alokozay Kabul International Cricket Ground

Ghazi Stadium
Olympic Committee Gymnasium

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Parks

Bagh-e Babur (Gardens of Babur)

Baghi Bala Park
Zarnegar Park
Shahr-e Naw Park
Bagh-e Zanana
Chaman-e-Hozori
Bibi Mahro Park
Lake Qargha
Ghazi Stadium
Mosques

Abdul Rahman Mosque

Id Gah Mosque
Abu Fazl Mosque in Murad Khane
Pul-e Khishti Mosque
Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque
Mausoleums

Mausoleum of Timur Shah Durrani

Mausoleum of Abdur Rahman Khan
National Museum of Afghanistan
Mausoleum of Zahir Shah and Nadir Shah
Mausoleum of Jamal-al-Din al-Afghani
Palaces

Tajbeg Palace
Stor Palace
Darul Aman Palace
Chihil Sutun Palace
Zarnegar Palace
Bagh-e Bala Palace
Haram Sara Palace
Shah Bobo Jan Palace National Gallery of Afghanistan
Arg (Presidential Palace), including numerous other palaces inside the compound
Delgushah Palace
Museums

National Museum of Afghanistan

National Archives of Afghanistan
National Gallery of Afghanistan
Negaristani Milli
Hotels

Serena Hotel Hotel Inter-Continental

Inter-Continental
Safi Landmark Hotel

Looking towards a neighborhood from Aerial view towards the Bagh-e Bala View from the Bagh-e Babur (Gardens
the hill in Wazir Akbar Khan Palace and the gardens surrounding it of Babur)

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16th-century mosque inside the The Paghman arc de triomphe The Kabul Bird Market (Ka Foroshi)
Gardens of Babur

Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque

Twin towns – sister cities

Ankara, Turkey (since 2003)[149]
Delhi, India (proposed, 2017)[150]
Istanbul, Turkey (since 1992)[151]
Kazan, Russia (since 2005)[152]
Omaha, Nebraska, United States (since 2003)[153]

See also
List of cities in Afghanistan
2002 Hindu Kush earthquakes
Kabul Province
List of rulers of Kabul
Timeline of Kabul

References and footnotes

1. "The World Factbook" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html). CIA. Retrieved 2015-09-13.
2. "2003 National Geographic Population Map" (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0311/feature2/images/mp_download.2.pdf) (PDF). Thomas
Gouttierre, Center For Afghanistan Studies, University of Nebraska at Omaha; Matthew S. Baker, Stratfor. National Geographic Society. November 2003.
Retrieved 2010-06-27.
3. "Largest cities in the world and their mayors – 1 to 150" (http://www.citymayors.com/statistics/largest-cities-mayors-1.html). City Mayors. 2012-05-17.
Retrieved 2012-08-17.
4. Nancy Hatch Dupree / Aḥmad ʻAlī Kuhzād (1972). "An Historical Guide to Kabul – The Story of Kabul" (https://web.archive.org/web/20100830031416/http:
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153. https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/cities-afghanistan-and-nebraska-forge-sister-cities-partnership

Further reading
Canadian Press (October 14, 2007). "Afghanistan Struggles to Preserve Rich Past Despite Ongoing War" (http://www.afghanemb-canada.net
/en/news_bulletin/2007/october/15/index.php). Canadian Press.
Tang, Alisa (Associated Press) (January 21, 2008). "Kabul's Old City Getting Face Lift" (http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2008/01
/21/kabuls_old_city_getting_face_lift/?page=1). The Boston Globe.
Hill, John E. (2009). Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. BookSurge,
Charleston, South Carolina. ISBN 978-1-4392-2134-1.
Ludwig W. Adamec (2012). Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810878150.
Amy Romano (2003). A Historical Atlas of Afghanistan. The Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 9780823938636.

External links
People of Kabul – report by Radio France Internationale in English (http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/116/article_4941.asp)

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