04/11/02

We love Afghanistan, and we are proud, that we are Afghans.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a land locked mountains country of south Asia. It becomes the focus of world attention because of its beautifully.

Geographical location:

Afghanistan has an area of 251,825 square miles. It occupies an important position in south west Asia. It is a mountains country and lays the Hindu Kush range. It is surrounded by Pakistan on south east, by Iran on west, by Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on north and partly touches China towards north east. Most of the country is over 4,000 feet above up to 2,000 feet. Afghanistan has a population of 22,664,136 which mostly consist of the Pashtoons, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Sikhs and Hindus.

Major Ethnic Groups in Afghanistan:

Pashtoons:  Mostly living in south and eastern Afghanistan.  People living in the western regions of Pakistan (previously Afghan territories) are also Pashtoons.  Pashto (Pashto) is the language spoken by Pashtoons.

Tajiks: They speak Dari and mostly live in northern and western half of Afghanistan. Tajiks also live in Tajikistan, the northern neighbor of Afghanistan, an ex-Soviet republic.

Hazaras:  They live in the central mountainous areas of Afghanistan and are known to be very talented and hardworking group of people. They speak Hazaragee, which is almost the same as Dari.

Uzbeks:  It is mostly the Uzbek riders who play Buzkashi, the Afghan national sport.  Living mostly in the northern areas of Afghanistan, they speak Uzbeki, a language also spoken in Uzbekistan, an ex-Soviet republic north of Afghanistan.  Uzbeks are famous for their round breads and red rugs.

Turkmens:  Also living in the north, they speak Turkmeni. 

There are also other smaller ethnic groups living in Afghanistan such as Sikhs, Hindus.