AFGHANISTAN

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AFGHANISTAN
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Afghanistan Geography

• Located in Central Asia
• Bordered by six countries
• China
• Iran
• Pakistan
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan

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Afghanistan Geography

• Landlocked nation (slightly smaller than Texas)
• Total Population 31 million
• Capital Kabul

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Afghanistan Geography

• Rugged mountains
• Hindu Kush main mountain range across
  Afghanistan and into Pakistan
• Climate cold winters and hot, dry summers

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Afghans A Diverse People

• Major Ethnic Groups
• Pashtuns 42
• Takiks 27
• Uzbeks 9
• Hazaras 9
• Others 13

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Afghans A Diverse People

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Languages

• Many Afghans are bilingual
• The main languages spoken by Afghans are
• Dari (official language) 50
• Pashtu (official language) 35
• Turkic languages 11

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Religion

• Islam is the religion practiced by most Afghans
  it is central to Afghans' identity
• 99 of Afghans are Muslim

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Rural Life

• Most Afghans live in rural areas
• About ¾ of the population consists of farmers and
  nomads
• Only 12 of the land, however, is arable
• What problems might this lead to?

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Sport/Pastime

• Bazkashi, the national sport of Afghanistan, is a
  team game played on horseback
• Kite-fighting is also a popular pastime among
  Afghan youth where participants try to cut
  through the strings of their opponents' kites

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Afghan History

• Afghanistan's location along the Silk/Spice Road
  has allowed the country to serve as an important
  link between east and west throughout history

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Afghan HistoryThis location, however, has meant
significant intervention from outsiders

• Great Britain Russia fought over Afghanistan as
  far back as the 18th 19th centuries
• Soviet Union invaded in 1979 and installed a
  Communist government
• From 1979-1989, Afghanistan became a battleground
  of the Cold War between the US-USSR (with the
  U.S. supporting Afghans who resisted the Soviets)

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Afghan History

• Soviet Union withdrew in 1989, but civil war
  erupted among factions of guerilla fighters known
  as 'mujahedin'
• Civil war continued until 1996, when hard-line
  group known as the Taliban seized power
• Taliban imposed a strict interpretation of Islam

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Taliban

• Limited women's ability to work in public places
• Banned girls from attending school
• Required women to wear burqas in public (photos)
• Required men to wear beards
• Banned music, sports
• Allowed al-Qaeda Osama bin Laden to operate
  within the country

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Refugee Crisis

• During the 23 years of conflict, roughly 4
  million Afghans became refugees
• Most refugees fled to two main countries
• Iran
• Pakistan
• There are also an estimated 200,000 Afghans
  living in the U.S.

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The link between September 11 and Afghanistan

• Afghans did NOT carry out the terrorist attacks
  on the U.S.
• Al-Qaeda, a terrorist network operating within
  Afghanistan and other places, did
• Many Afghans expressed their solidarity with the
  people of the U.S. after Sept. 11
• After September 11, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan
  and toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama bin
  Laden
• U.S. and NATO forces remain in Afghanistan today

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Afghanistan Today

• Afghanistan now faces a number of challenges as
  it tries to rebuild after years of war. Some of
  these challenges include
• Poverty
• Education
• Health
• Gender equity
• Governance

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Poverty

• At least 2/3 of Afghans live on less than 2 a
  day
• Only 23 of Afghans have access to safe water
• Only 12 of Afghans have access to sanitation
• Only 6 of Afghans have access to electricity

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Education

• 67 of boys go to school, while only 37 of girls
  do (US Dept of State)
• Constraints to school attendance
• Lack of teachers
• Distance between home and school
• Cultural constraints for girls
• Not enough school buildings (esp. for girls)

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Health

• Average life expectancy for Afghans is 42, more
  than 25 years younger than the average American
  (World Health Organization)
• One in four children dies before the age of 5
  (USAID)
• Many Afghans lack access to basic medical care

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Gender Equity

• Women have been a marginalized group in
  Afghanistan
• Cultural restrictions lead to difficulty
  accessing education and health services
• Only 10 of Afghan women can read and write
• Yet, Afghan women are important contributors to
  household income, especially in rural areas

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Government

• In October 2004, Hamid Karzai was elected
  President of Afghanistan.
• Parliamentray elections were held in 2005.
• Local warlords, however, still hold power in many
  parts of the country. This contributes to the
  insecurity in Afghanistan.

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Despite these challenges, Afghans remain hopeful
about the future
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THE END

• What have you learned about Afghanistan?