Afghanistan, Central Asian country in South-Central Asia
Description
Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia sharing borders with Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The territory covers roughly 252,000 square miles (652,000 square kilometers) and consists mostly of mountains, with plains lying in the north and southwest.
History
The territory lay on a major trade route between Asia and the Mediterranean and was ruled over centuries by Persian, Greek, Indian, and Mongol leaders. Archaeological evidence shows people lived here tens of thousands of years ago.
Culture
The population includes several ethnic groups such as Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks, with approximately 85 percent following Sunni Islam while the remaining inhabitants primarily practice Shia branches or belong to smaller religious communities.
Practical
The capital Kabul has an international airport with connections to larger cities in the region. The road network links different provinces together, though travel conditions depend strongly on security and season.
Did you know?
The Wakhan Corridor forms a narrow strip of land in the east reaching the Chinese border and was created in the 19th century as a buffer zone between Russian and British spheres of influence. Today this corridor remains one of the hardest regions to reach in the country.
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide. Discover all places nearby (دبي).
Combat Outpost Keating
501.4 km
Blue Mosque
336.8 km
Qosh Tepa Canal
394.6 km
Salt Pit
295.1 km
Gardens of Babur
281.3 km
Minaret of Jam
173.5 km
Arg
283.6 km
Darul Aman Palace
276.6 km
Noshaq
589.2 km
Tajbeg Palace
275.8 km
Band-e Amir National Park
150.2 km
Shrine of the Cloak
244.3 kmShortugai
493.3 km
Bala Hissar
284.2 km
Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription
245.6 km
Camp Rhino
399.4 km
Tillya Tepe
328.3 km
Ghazi Stadium
284.8 km
Forward Operating Base Chapman
348.1 km
Friday Mosque of Herat
378.3 km
Herat Citadel
379 km
Alexandria on the Caucasus
313.4 km
Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge
399.9 km
Hadda
395.7 km
Mundigak
218 km
National Museum of Afghanistan
276.7 km
Qala-i-Jangi
329.7 km
Tarnak Farms
260.4 km
Badakhshan Province
Badghis Province
Baghlan Province
Balkh Province
Bamyan Province
Daykundi Province
Farah Province
Faryab Province
Ghazni Province
Ghor Province
Helmand Province
Herat Province
Jowzjan Province
Kabul Province
Kandahar Province
Kapisa Province
Khost Province
Kunar Province
Kunduz Province
Laghman Province
Logar Province
Maidan Wardak Province
Nangarhar Province
Nimruz Province
Nuristan Province
Paktia Province
Paktika Province
Panjshir Province
Parwan Province
Samangan Province
Sar-e Pol Province
Takhar Province
Uruzgan Province
Zabul Province
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