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Kids Edition
Islamic Republic of
2014
Afghanistan
Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
The name Afghanistan literally means “land of the Afghans.”
In Afghanistan, shepherds dye their sheep different colors so they can tell which sheep belong to which families.
Many Afghans, especially children, wear a tawiz (charm) to protect themselves against evil. The tawiz is usually a
locket or pouch containing a verse from the Qur’an (Muslim holy book).
The birth of a baby is a time for celebration in Afghanistan. On the third day following the birth, the women in the
family throw a party for the baby called a shab-e-shash. On this day, the baby is given a name. Family members
decide together what the name will be, and then the mullah (local priest) gives the baby a blessing and sings the
azan (the call to prayer) in the baby’s ear.
Close male friends sometimes link arms or hold hands while walking, but men and women do not touch each
other at all in public.
Persian cats, known for their long, silky hair, originated in Afghanistan.
In 2001, Afghanistan’s Islamic government, the Taliban, ordered the destruction of two massive Buddha statues,
which had been carved into the side of a mountain 1,500 years earlier. The statues were seen as un-Islamic.
Because of wars, famines, and limited access to medical facilities, the average life expectancy age in Afghanistan
is only about 49 years.
There are over 10 million land mines scattered throughout the country, left over from decades of almost constant
warfare.
Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century than any other country.
Many Afghan women wear a long, loose cotton robe called a chadri. A chadri is most often blue, black, or brown
and covers a woman from head to toe, with a small netted slit for the eyes.
Flag
The flag of Afghanistan was adopted in 2004. The black band represents the past, the
red symbolizes the blood shed for independence, and the green stands for the Islamic
faith. The national emblem in white shows a mosque with the numerals for the solar
year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the
UK) below it. A border of wheat sheaves circles this image. Above it is the Arabic
inscription of the Shahada (Muslim statement of belief) and the rays of the rising sun
over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"). A scroll at the bottom
bears the name Afghanistan.
National Image
Throughout Afghan history, the mujahideen (Islamic warriors) have fought against
foreign invaders and occupiers. The mujahideen came to the world's attention in the
1980s, when their willingness to stand up to the mighty Soviet army earned them
respect and admiration throughout the Western world.
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Land and Climate
Area (sq. mi.): 251,827
Area (sq. km.): 652,230
Afghanistan covers about 251,827 square miles (652,230 sq km), an area a little larger
than France and just smaller than the state of Texas. Afghanistan has no access to the
sea. It is divided into three main regions: the northern plains, the central mountains, and
the southern plateau. The highest mountains in the country are the Hindu Kush. The
Hindu Kush are part of the great Himalayan mountain range. Nowshak, the highest
peak in Afghanistan, is 24,557 feet (7,485 m) high. There is some forestland up in the
mountains, but most of the trees have been cut down for firewood and building
materials. North of the mountains are plains and grasslands, which include the richest
farming areas, where most of the population lives. Southern Afghanistan is a sandy,
desert plateau (a section of very level land raised high above its surroundings).
Sandstorms are common in this area. Afghanistan’s climate is hot and dry in the
summer and bitterly cold in the winter.
Population
Population: 31,108,077
Afghanistan has a population of more than 30 million people. Pashtuns make up the
largest ethnic group at around 42 percent of the population, followed by Tajiks,
Hazaras, Uzbeks, and other smaller groups. The Pashtuns live mainly in the southern
and eastern parts of Afghanistan. For centuries, Afghanistan was known as the
Crossroads of Asia, the center of trade and travel routes between east and west. The
area was also the target of numerous invasions. As a result, Afghans come from a wide
variety of ethnic groups. Starting in the 1980s, millions of Afghan refugees (people who
flee to another country to escape danger or persecution) moved to neighboring
Pakistan or Iran to escape war and droughts. The majority of these people have now
returned to their homeland, but there are still a large number of refugees in Pakistan
and Iran.
Language
Afghanistan has two official languages: Dari (Afghan Persian), which is spoken by
about half the population, and Pashto (the language of the Pashtuns), which is spoken
by about a third of the population. Poetry written in Pashto dates back to the first
century AD. There are thousands of two- and four-line folk poems written by women
about their lives. Dari was spoken, but not written, for hundreds of years. Now both
languages are written in the flowing cursive letters of Arabic, from right to left on the
page. Today, Dari is the language of the political and business world. In addition to Dari
and Pashto, there are more than 30 other languages spoken in Afghanistan.
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Can You Say It in Dari?
Hello
Salaam
(sah-LOHM)
Good-bye
Khuda hafez
(koh-DAH hah-FEZ)
How are you?
Chi hal dari?
(chee hall-DAR-ee)
Thank you
Tashakkur
(ta-shak-KUR)
Yes
Bali
(BALL-ee)
No
Ne
(ney)
Religion
Islam is the official religion of Afghanistan. About 80 percent of Afghans are Sunni Muslims and 19 percent are Shi‘i
Muslims. After Muhammad (the man Muslims revere as history’s greatest prophet) died, there was a disagreement over
who should become the next leader of the faith. The Sunnis believed any worthy Muslim could follow Muhammad as
leader, but the Shi‘is argued that only a relative of Muhammad could take his place. Both sides felt strongly enough
about this issue that it split them apart.
Islamic teachings influence every aspect of Afghan life, from the food Afghans eat to the candidates they vote for in
elections. Muslims pray five times a day facing the holy city of Makkah (in Saudi Arabia), and they do not eat pork or
drink alcohol. Muslims believe that Allah (God) controls everything and that everything happens according to his will.
This strong faith helps Afghans accept a very hard life. Mosques (Muslim places of worship) are often decorated in
mosaics. Mosaics are patterns or pictures formed by beautiful little ceramic tiles placed together.
Time Line
2000 BC
ca. 2000 BC
Aryan tribes begin moving into Afghanistan, establishing a nation called
Aryana, or “land of the Aryans”
400 BC
330
Alexander the Great conquers most of Afghanistan
AD 600
AD 652
Arab armies pass through Afghanistan, introducing Islam to the area
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900
998
Sultan Mahmood of Ghaznawi and his armies conquer Afghanistan,
making it part of an empire that extends from Iran to India
1219
Genghis Khan and his Mongol armies destroy irrigation systems in
Afghanistan, turning fertile farmland into desert
1500
1500s
Western Afghanistan falls under the rule of the Persian Safavid dynasty
1709
Mirwais, a tribal chief, leads a rebellion against the Safavid shah, who
tried to convert the Sunni Pashtuns into Shi‘is
1747
The first Afghan government is established under King Ahmad Shah
Durrani
1772
King Ahmad Shah Durrani dies and is replaced by his son, who moves
the capital from Kandahar to Kabul
1800
1839–42
In the first Anglo-Afghan war, British and Indian troops fight to ensure
that a government friendly to them is in place in Kabul
1846
British forces take over Kashmir
1856–57
Iranians take over the Afghan city of Herat, but withdraw to avoid war
with British forces
1878–80
In the second Anglo-Afghan war, British troops invade Afghanistan to
limit Russian influence in the region
1900
1919
Afghanistan achieves independence
1933
Zahir Shah becomes king and Afghanistan remains a monarchy for the
next 40 years
1957
Afghan women are allowed to study at universities and work in public
for the first time
1964
Afghanistan becomes a constitutional monarchy, but many Muslims
oppose it
1973
Mohammad Daud becomes president and declares the country a
republic
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1978
Afghan communists organize a military coup (overthrow of the
government) and seize control of the government
1980
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, installing Babrak Karmal as
ruler
1986
The United States supports the mujahideen (holy warriors), Afghan
rebels fighting the Soviet-backed national government
1988
Afghanistan, the Soviet Union, the United States, and Pakistan sign a
peace agreement in Geneva, Switzerland; Soviet troops begin to leave
the country
1996
Fundamentalist Taliban fighters take control of Kabul, imposing a strict
form of shari'ah (Islamic law)
1999
The United Nations imposes sanctions (restrictions on trade and
economic development) on Afghanistan because the Taliban refuses to
turn over Osama bin Laden for trial
2000
2001
U.S. and British forces launch air attacks against the Taliban-led
government in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks
2004
The Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) adopts a new constitution that gives
the president more power; Hamid Karzai becomes the first
democratically elected president
2005
Afghanistan holds the first parliamentary elections in over 30 years
2009
Troops from the United States and other nations continue to look for
Taliban and al-Qaeda militants
2010
Top Afghan Taliban military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is
captured in Pakistan
2011
United States troops begin to withdraw; around five hundred Taliban
prisoners break out of a prison in Kandahar
PRESENT
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The Crossroads of Asia
For centuries, important trade routes such as the Silk Road (extending from China to
Europe) wound through Afghanistan’s mountain passes. The country's location and
strategic importance made it a frequent target of emperors and conquering nations,
from Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, to the Arabs in the 7th century AD, to
Genghis Khan’s Mongols in the 14th century. Legend has it that after Alexander the
Great conquered Afghanistan, he fell in love with and married the beautiful Roxane, the
daughter of one of the local chiefs. To this day, Afghan girls are regularly named
Roxane, and local chiefs claim to be descended from Alexander. Genghis Khan and his
armies destroyed any city or people in their path. They also destroyed the irrigation
systems that watered farmland, turning much of it into a desert. But the most lasting
mark left on Afghanistan was brought by the Arabs. When Arab armies conquered
Afghanistan, they brought Islam with them. The rise and fall of each dynasty played a
key role in the development of Afghanistan, forcing the people to adapt to instability and
hardship.
The Great Game
In the 19th century, Afghanistan became the center of a struggle for land and influence
between the British and Russian empires. The competition became known as the Great
Game. At the time, Afghanistan served as a buffer (an area separating warring parties)
between the Russian empire and British India. Russia longed to gain access to
warm-water ports in the Indian Ocean, while Britain sought to deny the Russians
access to their prized Indian colony.
Both superpowers resorted to spying on each other. They also tried to make allies
(friends or supporters) among the Afghan people, but then turned those allies against
each other. These tactics resulted in conflicts between the governments of Afghanistan
and Pakistan, its neighbor, as well as divisions between Afghanistan’s ethnic groups,
such as the Pashtuns, the Tajiks, and the Hazaras. After three wars, British forces left
Afghanistan in 1919. Afghanistan became an independent nation two years later.
Soviet Invasion
After gaining independence, Afghanistan attempted to rebuild. Because Britain and the
United States were both allies of Pakistan, Afghanistan looked to the Soviet Union for
help. The Soviet army trained the Afghan military and gave them weapons in the hopes
that communism (a system in which the government controls economic production)
would take firm root in Afghanistan.
The relationship between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan strengthened over the next
several years until Afghan communists staged a military coup (overthrow of the
government) in 1978. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan the following year in order
to support the new communist government. Armed rebel groups, under the direction of
Muslim leaders, fought the Soviet-backed government. The Soviet-Afghan war turned
into a bloodbath, killing more than 1.5 million people and sending another 6 million
refugees (people who flee to another country to escape danger or persecution) to
Pakistan and Iran.
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Holy Warriors
In this atmosphere of violence and anger, several of the rebel groups announced a jihad (holy war) on the communist
government. These Islamic rebels, who called themselves mujahideen (holy warriors), set up training camps in small
towns along the Pakistani border. The Afghan government had a hard time maintaining a strong army because many
Afghans deserted to join the mujahideen once they had received their weapons. The Soviet army buried land mines
across the countryside to target mujahideen troops. They also conducted mass aerial bombings of villages, attempting
to destroy rebel camps.
After the Soviet invasion, the United States offered guns and aid to the mujahideen. The U.S. Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA) also supported a Pakistani plan to recruit more Islamic radicals from all over the world to help in the war
against the Soviets. By the time Mikhail Gorbachev became the Soviet leader, the war had claimed hundreds of
thousands of lives and the Soviet people no longer wanted their army to be in Afghanistan. Gorbachev decided to
withdraw Soviet troops from Afghanistan. In 1988, Afghanistan, the Soviet Union, the United States, and Pakistan
signed a peace agreement in Geneva, Switzerland, promising not to interfere any longer in Afghan affairs.
The communist government remained in power for three years after the Soviet withdrawal. But the government fell to
the mujahideen in April 1992. Although the mujahideen were able to get along with each other briefly, disagreements
over how Afghanistan should be run led to conflict. During the civil war that followed, thousands of civilians were killed
and millions of Afghans sought refuge in neighboring Pakistan and Iran. The intense fighting and destruction made life
almost unbearable in major Afghan cities like Kabul and Kandahar.
The Taliban
Out of these terrible conditions, the Taliban (students of Islamic knowledge) came to
power. They promised to restore peace and order to the war-torn land. Taliban fighters
took control of the southern Afghan city of Kandahar in 1994 and, with support from
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, captured the capital of Kabul two years later.
The Taliban strictly controlled people’s lives, taking away many of their freedoms.
Purdah (the practice of keeping women secluded so they can’t be seen by men) was
reintroduced. Afghan women were also required to cover themselves fully when there
was a chance that they might be seen by men outside of their own families. The Taliban
closed many secular (non-religious) and private schools, increased the number of
required religious subjects, and banned women and girls from attending any school at
all. Male students were required to wear hats and turbans and were not allowed to
shave their beards. Shari'ah (Islamic law) was imposed, including punishments such as
amputations, public shootings, and stonings for some offenses.
In 1996, Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden returned to Afghanistan as a guest of the
Taliban. Bin Laden had fought in Afghanistan against the Russians in the 1980s. Now
he supported a global jihad (holy war) and spoke out in favor of attacks against the
United States and its allies. He set up jihadist training camps near Kabul, attracting
Muslims from many different countries. Some of them joined a worldwide terrorist
network known as al-Qaeda, which grew out of a group bin Laden had established for
Arab veterans of the war against the Soviets.
On 11 September 2001, terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center towers in
New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The United States, along with
several other countries, immediately took military action to remove the Taliban from
power. By the end of the year, they had accomplished their goal, and an interim
(temporary) government was in place.
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Rebuilding a Nation
In December 2004, Hamid Karzai became the first democratically elected president of
Afghanistan. Karzai was reelected for a second term in 2009. Afghanistan’s
government faces many problems as it attempts to rebuild the country. One is
controlling the warlords, many of whom have their own private armies. Convincing the
warlords to set aside their differences and work together under a national government
is a very difficult task. Another challenge is trying to satisfy the demands of all the
different ethnic groups in Afghanistan. Troops from the United States and other
countries are helping to establish security in the country and round up Taliban and
al-Qaeda militants.
Games and Sports
The national sport of Afghanistan is buzkashi, which literally means “goat grabbing.”
Afghans have been playing buzkashi for centuries (polo has its origins in buzkashi).
The game developed in a time when warring tribes stole goats or cattle from their
enemies’ campgrounds, and tribes invented strategies to defend against such attacks.
In buzkashi, players are organized into two teams. Each player rides a horse, and each
team attempts to capture a headless goat’s carcass and carry it across a goal line
before the other team can. Riders aren’t allowed to tie the carcass to their saddle or hit
the other team’s riders on the hand. They can, however, punch or kick each other or
lash each other with whips. Chapandaz (master riders) train intensively and ride highly
skilled horses. In fact, most horses are trained for years before playing in their first
buzkashi game.
A dangerous game many children in Afghanistan enjoy is kite fighting. The participants
coat their kite strings with a mixture of glue and powdered glass so that their kites can
cut the strings of the other kids’ kites when they are in flight. Another common game
Afghan boys enjoy is egg fighting. Each player has a hard-boiled egg, which he
attempts to bang against the other players’ eggs. The goal is to break the other boys’
eggs, and the winner is the last player left with a whole egg.
But some of the activities that Afghan children participate in aren’t so different from the
ones you enjoy. Young boys play a variety of games with marbles. Young girls like to
play joz bozy, which is similar to hopscotch. Children also enjoy sports popular in other
areas of the world, especially soccer, wrestling, and martial arts.
Holidays
Islamic holidays are the most important holidays in Afghanistan. During the holy month
of Ramadan, people fast (go without food or drink) from dawn to dusk every day of the
month; families and friends gather in the evenings to eat, visit, and break their fast
together. Ramadan is a time to ask forgiveness from Allah (God) for any wrongdoings.
At the end of the month, Muslims hold a three-day feast (Eid al-Fitr) during which
children often receive gifts of money, known as Eidi.
The most important Muslim feast is Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), in
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remembrance of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Similar to the Bible
story, the Muslim version tells how God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead of
Abraham’s son. Afghans eat a portion of a lamb to commemorate Abraham’s faith.
They also donate a portion of the lamb to the poor.
The most popular secular (non-religious) holiday is Nauruz, meaning “new day.” This
holiday celebrates the beginning of the New Year and the first day of spring. There is
an atmosphere of rebirth and renewal during this holiday. Legend has it that an ugly old
woman named Ajuzak wanders around during Nauruz. If it rains on Nauruz, it is
because Ajuzak is washing her hair, and it means that spring plants will grow and do
well. Men often play buzkashi on Nauruz, and some children enjoy eating samanak, a
dessert made of wheat and sugar. Other secular holidays include Victory of the Muslim
Nation (28 Apr.) and Independence Day (18 Aug.), in honor of Afghanistan breaking
free from British control in 1919.
Food
Afghans traditionally eat their meals sitting on the floor. Everyone sits around on large,
colorful cushions, called toshak. These cushions are normally placed on the beautiful
carpets for which Afghanistan is famous. A large cloth or thin mat called a disterkhan is
spread over the floor or carpet before the dishes of food are brought.
Daily meals in Afghanistan usually include rice, flatbread called nan, and tea. The most
popular rice dish is called quabili pallow, a combination of lamb with onions, pistachios,
raisins, carrots, almonds, and rice. Other common foods include chicken, cheese, eggs,
and fruits, such as pomegranates, grapes, melons, tangerines, oranges, and apricots.
Kebabs are also quite common, where chunks of lamb or chicken and vegetables are
put on a skewer and grilled over coals. Afghans drink a lot of tea. Islam forbids the
eating of pork or the drinking of alcohol. Flavorful herbs are an important part of Afghan
food. Most dishes are seasoned with saffron, mint, dill, or other tasty spices.
Schools
Adult Literacy: 28.1%
During Afghanistan’s long-running civil war, many children were unable to go to school.
Many schools were destroyed in the conflict. Then the Taliban closed some secular
(non-religious) schools and banned girls from attending any school at all. So more than
half of the population in Afghanistan is illiterate (unable to read or write). However, even
illiterate Afghans can often recite lengthy passages of poetry or passages from the
Qur'an (Muslim holy book). The current government is reopening schools and
encouraging all boys and girls to get a better education. Higher education has been
revived as well. Kabul University has reopened its doors to men and women, and the
American University of Afghanistan is now accepting applications and offering
English-language classes to students around Afghanistan and from surrounding
countries.
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Life as a Kid
Life can be very difficult in Afghanistan, so all family members, including children, have
to do their part. By the age of 10, many young Afghans have taken on adult
responsibilities. They may help run the family store or work in the family bakery.
Whatever they do, Afghan children learn to work hard at an early age. Although kids
don't have a lot of free time, they still find ways to enjoy doing simple things.
Afghan kids often grow up in big families, especially in rural (countryside) parts of the
country. Often several generations live together in the same house, or at least close by.
Females do all the cooking, washing, and cleaning. Sometimes they help with the
farming. Males work in the fields or in a family business. They handle most of the
contacts with the outside world. Afghans, especially those in the countryside, marry and
have children at a young age.
Government
Capital: Kabul
Head of State: Pres. Hamid Karzai
Head of Government: Pres. Hamid Karzai
The country is divided into 34 provinces. Afghanistan’s president is elected to a
five-year term. The president works with the National Assembly, which consists of a
Wolesi Jirga (House of People) of no more than 250 seats and a 102-seat Meshrano
Jirga (House of Elders), to make and pass laws. All citizens age 18 and older may vote.
Many Afghans remain loyal to the leadership of their tribe. In the countryside, where
laws passed in Kabul are often ignored, tribal leaders are considered the most
important leaders.
The Loya Jirga (Grand Council), an institution unique to Afghanistan, brings together
tribal leaders to debate, argue, and share their differences. It is made up of locally
elected and tribal officials. The council meets only to discuss special issues, such as
constitutional amendments. Sometimes the meetings go on for days before members
reach a decision.
Money and Economy
Currency: Afghani
Afghanistan’s economy relies on agriculture, raising livestock, and mining. Most
agricultural products remain in the country and are consumed by Afghans. One big
exception is heroin, which is exported throughout the world. Poppies, which are used to
make heroin and opium, are by far the most profitable crop to grow in Afghanistan. This
has made decreasing poppy growth extremely difficult. Afghan carpets and
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embroidered clothing are well-known around the world. Afghan mines are rich in coal,
salt, and silver. Currently, most of the population lives in poverty, and many families are
in desperate situations. Rebuilding the country after decades of war will take a long
time. The currency of Afghanistan is the afghani.
Getting Around
Very few Afghans own their own cars. There are paved roads connecting major cities,
but many of them have been severely damaged in the recent wars, so they’re difficult to
travel on. In the cities, buses and minibuses operate, taking people where they need to
go. Most people in the countryside walk, ride animals, or take horse-drawn carts.
Millions of land mines are buried throughout the land, so off-road travel is dangerous.
One of the major projects of the current government is highway reconstruction, with the
goal of encouraging economic development and unity among the Afghan people. The
United States and Japan helped Afghanistan build a highway linking the capital of
Kabul to Kandahar in the south.
Afghan Dance
Dancing has long been a popular pastime in Afghanistan, though it was discouraged
under the Taliban. Many Afghan dances are associated with a particular ethnic group.
They are often performed during national and religious celebrations.
One of the most well-known dances is the atan, which is considered the country’s
national dance. The atan (which means “dance” in Pashto) is performed to the
accompaniment of a dhol (a two-headed wooden drum, said to be one of the oldest
instruments in Afghanistan). It begins with the beat of the drum. The dancers move
slowly in a circle around the drummer or drummers, gradually increasing their speed.
As they whirl around, flinging their heads back and forth, the dancers shout, clap their
hands, snap their fingers, and wave handkerchiefs. In the villages, the men sometimes
carry swords and guns while dancing. Although the atan is usually a men’s dance, it
can also be performed by groups of women or, very rarely, by men and women
together. The dance can go on for hours, sometimes until dawn.
A variation on the atan is the chob bazi (stick playing), which comes from the Afghan
city of Herat. Dancers hold a stick in each hand. As they move about the circle, they hit
their own sticks together or the sticks of other dancers. A solo dance performed by a
Herati woman is called the ghamzagi, or qandegi. The dance is considered an
expression of coyness or feminine charm. Its movements represent daily activities such
as combing one’s hair, sewing, planting, and picking fruit or flowers.
Another traditional Afghan dance, the logari, originated in Logar, an area south of
Kabul. It is characterized by surprise stops in the music, when the dancers must freeze
and hold their position until the music suddenly starts up again. The musicians often try
to trick the dancers with these abrupt stops that leave the dancers uncomfortably frozen
in odd positions to see if they can hold their poses.
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Learn More
Contact the Embassy of Afghanistan, 2341 Wyoming Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 2008; phone (202) 483-6410; web
site www.embassyofafghanistan.org.
© 2014 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to
copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any
means without strict written permission from ProQuest.
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