Afghanistan borders six countries: Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Iran, China, and Pakistan. 1)
The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul, a city with a population of more than 4.5 million. Kabul is the most developed and modern city in the entire country, and it is also Afghanistan's leading educational and economic center. The history of this city dates back 3,000 years, and its strategic location has been the cause of frequent changes in the borders of Asian empires. 2)
The white flag of Afghanistan bears the Shahada, an inscription that stands for the Muslim creed. The same flag is the symbol of the Taliban terrorist organization. 3)
The oldest cities in Afghanistan were established as early as about 5,000 years ago. The area was ruled by Arabs and Persians, among others, and the country was invaded by Alexander of Macedon, among others. To this day, Afghanistan is a culturally and ethnically diverse country, reflecting frequent changes in the country's borders, as well as foreign European, African and Asian influences. 4)
There are two official languages in Afghanistan: pashto and dari. 5)
Afghanistan is a religious state where Islam is practiced. Nearly 80% of the population is Sunni, who adhere to an orthodox and extreme variety of Muslimism. The country is home to more than 30 million people, including Persians, Turkmen, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Kurds. 6)
The official currency of the country is the afghani. 7)
The armed conflict between the Taliban and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries has been ongoing in Afghanistan since 2001. The war has been going on for 20 years, and many American and European soldiers, as well as Afghan civilians, have been killed during the fighting. An official agreement was signed in 2020 to end the fighting, but despite the arrangement, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan a year later. 8)
The eastern part of the country is home to the magnificent Hindu Kush mountains - some of the highest mountains in the world. The tops of many of the massifs reach almost 7000m above sea level. The highest peak in the Hindu Kush is Mount Tirich Mir, 7706m above sea level, which is located in Pakistan. 9)
Afghanistan is ranked among the world's least developed countries. It is estimated that more than 20% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Another of the country's problems is very poor access to medical care, as well as the low level of education of most citizens. 10)
Afghanistan's climate is very dry and hot. In many parts of the country, summer temperatures reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius. It is cold almost exclusively in the high parts of the mountains. The Afghan plains are quite warm even in winter - daytime temperatures hover around 15 degrees, but drop significantly at night. 11)
The longest river flowing through the country is the Amu-darya, which has a total length of 1,425 kilometers. Its largest part - about 1,300 kilometers - flows through Afghanistan. 12)
The situation for women living in Afghanistan is very bad, with estimates that up to 85% of Afghan women regularly experience physical and psychological violence. Many women continue to be forced into marriages, and nearly 2,000 women attempt suicide each year. 13)
One of Afghanistan's few UNESCO World Heritage sites is an ancient city in the Bamian River Valley. It was an important site for Buddhists living in what is now Afghanistan, who are left with magnificent, huge Buddha statues carved into the rock. However, many of the monuments were destroyed by the Afghan Taliban in 2001. 14)
In the central part of Afghanistan are the picturesque Band-e-Amir lakes, which are famous for their vibrant turquoise, azure, and dark blue color. According to legend, the lakes were created by Ali - the son-in-law of Muhammad, Islam's most important prophet. 15)
Kabul is home to the National Museum of Afghanistan, the most important and largest museum facility in the entire country. Much of the exhibit was destroyed during hostilities in the early years of the Afghan war. The museum opened in 2004 with the remnants of the museum's former exhibition of more than 100,000 items. 16)
One of Afghanistan's most beautiful temples is the Green Mosque in the town of Balch. The town itself was founded as early as the 6th century BC and over the years has gathered followers of various religions including Iranian tribal beliefs, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Islam. 17)