Afghanistan



Afghanistan was first united and founded in 1747. It was subsequently conquered and became part of Britain's sphere of influence, but Afghanistan wrested control back in 1919, after World War I. In 1979, the Soviet Union launched an invasion against Afghanistan in order to preserve a sinking Communist state. However, due to intense guerilla warfare, the Soviets were forced to retreat and formally withdrew in 1989. Since then, Afghanistan underwent a civil war, allowed the Taliban to come to power, got involved with the War on Terror, and had a complete restructuring of government to suit Western tastes.

History
Afghanistan is a historic focal point for trade, being along the Silk Road. The country was first united and founded in 1747. After being tossed around like a rag doll between Russia and Britain, Afghanistan eventually gained its independence in 1919. In 1946 Afghanistan first tried a hand at democracy; however, the attempt was squashed once the reforms progressed too fast and too far for the prime minister's liking.

Afghanistan did not take a side during the Cold War; instead, it remained rather neutral and benefitted from both sides as both American and Soviet aid poured into the country while both countries tried to sway Afghanistan. In 1978 a Marxist revolution broke out and Afghanistan became a Communist state. The government was not very strong though, and when the government seemed like it would topple, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in order to preserve the regime. The invasion lasted for 10 years, and became known as the Soviet's version of Vietnam. While the Soviets invaded, America secretly provided rebels with modern weaponry, allowing the rebels to effectively fight against their opressors. A complete disaster, the Soviets wasted millions of dollars and were forced to withdraw.

After the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, a civil war erupted as different political parties struggled for control. Each party had backing from outside countries such as Iran or Pakistan. The existing government almost managed to control the situation, but the Taliban, with strong support from Pakistan, eventually toppled the government and ruled in place of the old regime. The fallen leaders created the United Front in order to combat the new Taliban government's dictatorship. Meanwhile, the new government, in order to fully control Afghanistan, began to massacre civilians. The United Front's leader, Massoud, tried to set up a safe haven for refugees fleeing from Taliban. Massoud was assassinated in September 2001 by al-Qaeda suicide bombers. In December 2001, Americans removed the Taliban from power in Afghanistan and created a democracy. Karzai became the new president.

Since then, the Afghan government has been steadily getting stronger as NATO and UN forces provide money and time to improve the system. In 2010 Karzai tried to negotiate with the Taliban leadership. In response the Taliban increased the intensity and frequency of bombings. After the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011, assassinations increased in frequency too.

Geography
Afghanistan is located northwest of Pakistan and east of Iran. Afghanistan occupies approximately 650,000 sq. km., making it the 41st largest country in the world. The country is landlocked, Most of the land's climate is between arid and semiarid, the winters are cold and the summers are hot. Most of the terrain is rugged mountains, but there are plains in the north and southwest regions. The Hindu Kush mountains divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country. The highest peaks in the coutry are in northern Vakhan.

Politics
Afghanistan is formally known as the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The country was first established in 1709 by the Pashtuns. The country became a "buffer zone" between Russia and Britain when the two powers fought over control of Central Asia and eventually fell under Britain's sphere of influence. Afghanistan gained its independence in 1919. During the Cold War, both the Soviet Union and the United States attempted to spread their influence into Afghanistan while it tried to play neutral so it could receive benefits from both sides. The Taliban took control of the government in 1990. Since then, the Taliban government has been replaced with a democracy and the current president is Karzai. Presidents are elected through a direct vote. Suffrage is universal and available to all citizens over the age of 18

Afghanistan’s legal system is a mix of civil customary and Islamic law.

Economy
The war with the Soviet Union destroyed most of Afghanistan's frail infrastructure and economy. Before the Taliban, Afghanistan had an economy based on subsistence agriculture. Once the Taliban took control, the country has turned to a planned economy. In 2002 the government changed and the economy became a free-market economy.

Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium, a drug that is illegal in America. Afghanistan's natural resources include: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, iron ore, salt, and precious and semiprecious stones. Some industries are slowly emerging within the country, such as oil drilling.

The economy has recently improved due to the billions of dollars that foreign countries have invested. The improved agriculture and the end of a drought has also helped. Farmers grow a variety of fruits, nuts, wheat, and livestock.

Culture
There is a wide variety of ethnicities in Afghanistan: 42% Pashtun, 27% Tajik, 9% Hazara, 9% Uzbek, 4% Aimak, 3% Turkmen, 2% Baloch, and 4% other. There are two official languages: Pashtu and Dari. Dari is primarily for business purposes while Pashtu is for daily use. There are various other languages that are commonly spoken in Afghanistan.

Culture
The family is very important, with both male and female roles clearly defined. Men make money and women take care of the house. Marriages are typically arranged, and parents factor in status and wealth into who they pick for their child(ren). Since the family is so sacred, one should not probe about the family.

Honor is also very important in Afghan culture. Honor defines the reputation and worth of a person, along with the people around that person. The head male of the house is in charge of making sure the honor does not get sullied. Honor involves protecting women, dressing properly, social interactions, education, and economic activity. If shamed, a person will likely look for revenge. Hospitality also holds a high role in Afghan culture. Families will always try to provide their very best for the guest, an idea that relates back to honor.

Culture
When meeting someone, shaking hands is the most common form of greeting. Some people might place their hands over their hearts and nod slightly. Women and men do not speak directly to one another or shake hands. Eye contact is also avoided between opposite sexes. When looking to the the eyes of someone from the same sex, don't stare for too long. It might get awkward.

The gender barrier is very strict. In professionaly situations, males and females may be co-workers, but are careful to maintain one another's honor. Any foreign females have to learn to read the rules and live by them. If a man talks to a female directly, he is dishonoring her. Talking on the street is also forbidden. Women should avoid looking at men in the eye. It is suggested that they keep their eyes lowered to maintain a proper reputation. Women should wear loose pants under skirts and that the legs cannot be seen, and wearing a headscarf would not be a bad idea. Foreign men should note that they should not initiate social conversation with women, nor should they ask a man about female relatives. Men and women should never be alone in the same room, but should it occur, leave the door open.

Holidays
Afghanistan celebrates many holidays. They have 5 national holidays: New Year (Now-Roz) 3/21, Victory of the Muslim Nations 4/28, Anniversary of Revolution 4/29, Afghan Independence Day 8/19, and National Labor Day 5/1. They also have religious holidays, but these holidays are based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar which only has 355 days in a year, not 365. Holidays include: Islamic New Year, Tenth of Moharram, Mawlud-un Nabi (Birth of the Prophet), First Day of Ramadan, Lailat-ul-Qadr, Eid ul-Fitr, and Eid ul-Adha.

Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated at the end of the Ramadan. On that day, the Afghani people eat giant feasts, and the the partying goes on for about 3 days. During this time new clothes are made and given to children, and lots of food is prepared for the hungry stomachs.

Religion
Afghanistan's population is predominantly Muslim. 80% are Sunni Muslim, 19% are Shi'a Muslim, and 1% follow a different religion.

Tourism
As one of the oldest human inhabited regions, Afghanistan has a lot of sites that tourists can visit. Well, they had many things that people could visit. Unfortunately, many of the most precious history sites have been destroyed during recent wars. For example, Kabul’s Bala-Hisar, a citadel, was created for defense, and emperors have lived inside this particular Bala-Hisar. It was turned into a military college in 1939 and served as one until it was destroyed by bombs. Another example is the Kabul Museum. Once upon a time it had one of the finest collections of antiques. Now most of the finest collections are gone, having been looted. It still has some artifacts inside—just not any that are worth a lot of money.

Majet-e-Jam
Located in Herat, a city 650 km away from Kabul. Known as the Friday Mosque in English, this mosque is Herat’s number one attraction, and is one of the finest Islamic buildings in the world. It is the largest building in the region and is known for beautiful tile and mosaic decorations. Ghorid, an artist, created many artworks for the mosque around the year 1200, making it an amazing sight. In 1943, the government began a restoration project in order to return it to its former glory. Other than artwork, there is a giant cauldron, an unadorned tomb of a sultan, and a tall pillar in the mosque’s garden that commemorates Afghanistan’s fallen soldiers.

Bamiyan
Bamiyan is a province in Central Afghanistan with a bunch of sights to see. There are 2 giant Buddha statues (one is 36 m. high and the other one is 53 m.) that were carved into the cliffs, which were once used as living quarters for the monks. Also visit the Bande Amir Lakes. The scenery there is outstanding, and perhaps the best in Afghanistan. A series of five clear blue lakes were created by natural dams, and each one flows naturally to another, from high to low. Eventually the lakes dissipate off into the Tukestan plains.

Kandahar
Kandahar was the birthplace and first capital of modern Afghanistan and is the second largest city of Afghanistan today. Come to visit the mausoleums of famous Afghans, who contributed much to Afghanistan’s history. You can also see the Martyrs Square where a monument, built in 1946, remembers those who died in battle for the sake of Islam. Flags and small cannons encircle this monument. Another thing to look at is the shrine of the cloak of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.