The Crossroads of Asia- Afghanistan
Some interesting facts about this complex landlocked country
Afghanistan became independent on August 19th, 1919. They fought three wars with the British after which they declared themselves independent. They were not directly ruled but their foreign affairs were influenced by UK.
Alexander captured the city of Herat in 330 BC, people here celebrate ‘poetry night’ every Thursday. Kabul is 3000 years old this city was the first city in Central Asia to have a Marks & Spencer store. Kandahar airfield was once the busiest single run-way airstrip in the world.
Buzkashi is the national game. Players in two teams try to catch a goat while riding a horse. Men of higher social status can be seen wearing a ‘Karakul’- a hat made from the fur of the Qaraqul breed of sheep. The former President, Hamid Karzai, is famous for wearing one.
The highest point in Mount Noshaq, part of the Hindu Kush range. It has an elevation of 24,580 feet and 500 miles long. The longest river is Helmand River which begins in Hindu Kush mountains and flows into Lake Hamun. It is about 710 miles long and there is a hydroelectric dam located on the river.
The Durand Line, named after the then British Foreign Secretary, originally created by the British Empire to separate British India from Afghanistan. This 1610 miles line border Afghanistan and Pakistan and runs along the Southern edge of the Wakhan Corridor.
The Wakhan Corridor is a narrow strip of territory extending to China and separating Tajikistan from Pakistan. It was listed as one of the most beautiful places on earth with spectacular natural beauty. There is a tourist office funded and supported by Aga Khan’s Development Foundation, a hope that tourism will eventually provide much needed income for the 15,000 Waki inhabitants.
Pashtu & Dari are the official languages. The two languages have a number of differences, but are mutually intelligible. Afghanistan is a very diverse country, with different ethnic and linguistic groups. Pashtu is spoken by the Pashtun, country’s largest ethnic group. Dari is spoken by the Tajiks, the second largest. Other ethnic groups include the Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmen and Kyrgyz.
The world’s first oil paintings are in the caves of Bamiyan around 650 BC. It boasted a flourishing Buddhist civilization from the 2nd century up to the Islamic invasion of the 9th century. This is where the world’s two largest standing Buddhas once stood until the Taliban destroyed them in 2001.
Durrani Empire (1747-1826), was one of the strongest Muslim empires in history. Ahmed Shah Durrani considered to be the founder of modern- day Afghanistan. The Empire had two capitals- Kandahar & Peshawar. He pushed his way to into India to amass wealth and land. He fought the Mughals and in 1762 after a Sikh uprising began, he attacked Lahore and Amritsar. He destroyed the Golden temple, two years later the Sikhs rebelled again, retook Amritsar and rebuilt their temple.
The country has only 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Minaret of Jam and the archeological site in Bamiyan Valley. The tentative list of sites under consideration: City of Herat, City of Balkh, Band e Amir National Park & Gardens of Babur.
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Nice Article.... Such wonderful place going through such instability for long