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:: All About Afghanistan ::

Introduction: Afghanistan is located in the heart of Central Asia. The country is officially named the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Dari/Farsi: جمهوری اسلامی افغانستان ). It has an area of some 251,825 square miles (652,225 square kilometers) and is completely landlocked. The nearest coast lying along the Arabian Sea is about 300 miles to the south. Its longest border, of 2400 kilometers, is with Pakistan, to the east and south. The 510-mile border in the west separates Afghanistan from Iran. Afghanistan also has about 200-mile border with the part of Jammu and Kashmir claimed by Pakistan. The combined length of Afghanistan's northern borders with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan is 1,050 miles. The shortest border, 50 miles, is with the Uighur Autonomous Region of Sinkiang of the People's Republic of China, at the end of Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor), in the extreme northeast. The capital of Afghanistan and its largest populated cityis Kabul, which is located in the east-central part of the country at an altitude of about 5,900 feet (l,800 meters). The city is connected by road to most Afghan provinces and neighboring countries to the north and east.
The current boundaries of Afghanistan were established in the late 19th century in the context of rivalry with Britain and Russia. Modern Afghanistan became a pawn in struggles over political ideology and commercial influence. In the late 20th century Afghanistan suffered ruinous effects of prolonged civil war (the 90's), invasion by the Soviet Union (1979), and Soviet military presence (1979-89)

Posted by: Mansoor Hashimi

Afghanistan is divided into 34 velayat (provinces).

Province HASC ISO FIPS Population Area (km.²) Area (mi.²) Capital

Badakhshan `AF.BD` `BDS` `AF01` 715,000 44,059 17,011 Feyzabad

Badghis `AF.BG` `BDG` `AF02` 301,000 20,591 7,950 Qal'eh-ye Now

Baghlan `AF.BL` `BGL` `AF03` 745,000 21,118 8,154 Pol-e Khomri

Balkh `AF.BK` `BAL` `AF30` 869,000 17,249 6,660 Mazar-e Sharif

Bamian `AF.BM` `BAM` `AF05` 356,000 14,175 5,473 Bamian

Daikondi `AF.DK` `DAY` `AF41` 8,088 3,123 Khadir

Farah `AF.FH` `FRA` `AF06` 338,000 48,471 18,715 Farah

Faryab `AF.FB` `FYB` `AF07` 782,000 20,293 7,835 Meymaneh

Ghazni `AF.GZ` `GHA` `AF08` 931,000 22,915 8,847 Ghazni

Ghowr `AF.GR` `GHO` `AF09` 485,000 36,479 14,085 Chaghcharan

Helmand `AF.HM` `HEL` `AF10` 745,000 58,584 22,619 Lashgar Gah

Herat `AF.HR` `HER` `AF11` 1,182,000 54,778 21,150 Herat

Jowzjan `AF.JW` `JOW` `AF31` 441,000 11,798 4,555 Sheberghan

Kabul `AF.KB` `KAB` `AF13` 3,314,000 4,462 1,723 Kabul

Kandahar `AF.KD` `KAN` `AF23` 886,000 54,022 20,858 Kandahar

Kapisa `AF.KP` `KAP` `AF14` 360,000 1,842 711 Mahmud-e-Eraqi

Khowst `AF.KT` `KHO` `AF37` 300,000 4,152 1,603 Khowst

Konar `AF.KR` `KNR` `AF34` 321,000 4,942 1,908 Asadabad

Kondoz `AF.KZ` `KDZ` `AF24` 820,000 8,040 3,104 Kondoz

Laghman `AF.LA` `LAG` `AF35` 373,000 3,843 1,484 Mehtar Lam

Lowgar `AF.LW` `LOW` `AF17` 292,000 3,880 1,498 Pol-e 'Alam

Nangarhar `AF.NG` `NAN` `AF18` 1,089,000 7,727 2,984 Jalalabad

Nimruz `AF.NM` `NIM` `AF19` 149,000 41,005 15,832 Zaranj

Nurestan `AF.NR` `NUR` `AF38` 112,000 9,225 3,562 Kamdish

Oruzgan `AF.OZ` `ORU` `AF39` 627,000 22,696 8,763 Tarin Kowt

Paktia `AF.PT` `PIA` `AF36` 415,000 6,432 2,483 Gardez

Paktika `AF.PK` `PKA` `AF29` 352,000 19,482 7,522 Sharan

Panjshir `AF.PJ` `PAN` `AF42` 3,610 1,394 Bazarak

Parvan `AF.PV` `PAR` `AF40` 726,000 5,974 2,307 Charikar

Samangan `AF.SM` `SAM` `AF32` 378,000 11,262 4,348 Aybak

Sar-e Pol `AF.SP` `SAR` `AF33` 468,000 15,999 6,177 Sar-e Pol

Takhar `AF.TK` `TAK` `AF26` 750,000 12,333 4,762 Taloqan

Vardak `AF.VR` `WAR` `AF27` 413,000 8,938 3,451 Maidanshahr

Zabol `AF.ZB` `ZAB` `AF28` 258,000 17,343 6,696 Qalat

34 provinces 20,291,000 645,807 249,347

Dates of civil war

LIST OF IMPORTANT DATES OF AFGHAN CIVIL WAR KABUL, July 28 (AFP) - The current Afghan civil war is an extension of more than 20 years of continuous war covering four eras: -- Dec 1978 to Feb 1989: Occupation by the former Soviet Union. -- Feb 1989 to April 1992: War between the Soviet-backed regime of Mohammad Najibullah and the Mujahideen factions who once fought the Soviets. -- April 1992 to Oct 1994: Najibullah ousted. Mujahideen factions seize power but fighting erupts along ethnic lines between the Pashtoon, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras and Turkmen. -- Oct 1994 to present: Islamic Taliban movement emerges to challenge the Mujahideen who eventually form the Northern Alliance. The following is a list of important dates tracing the current civil war in Afghanistan since Oct 1994. -- Oct 1994: Taliban emerge with Pakistan sympathy and seize control of Kandahar in the south of the country. The Pashtoon militia vows to oust the "criminal" Mujahideen and introduce true Islamic rule. -- Sept 1995: Heavy fighting among the Mujahideen continues in Kabul as the Taliban capture the western province of Herat forcing other factions to take notice of the fledgling movement. -- June 1996: Taliban capture bases from Pashtoon commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in the south forcing him into an alliance with Tajik president Burhanuddin Rabbani and his defence minister Ahmad Shah Masood. -- Sept 1996: Eastern city of Jalalabad falls to the Taliban, Lagman province and Sarobi district outside of Kabul soon follow. On Sept 26 Masood pulls out of Kabul as in-fighting undermines attempts to defend the city against the advancing Taliban. Taliban take Kabul a day later. Najibullah and his brother, who for four years found refuge in a United Nations compound are dragged onto the streets and hanged from a traffic post. -- Oct 1996: Taliban enforce sharia law in Kabul. Girls schools are closed, women are pushed out of the work force, their health facilities are limited and all western ideals are shunned. -- May 1997: Uzbek general Abdul Malik defects to the Taliban allowing the militia to push northwest and take Faryab province and then east into the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Pakistan recognises Taliban as head of state on May 24. One day later Malik defects back and 2,000 Talib troops are massacred by his forces and ethnic Hazaras. The militia is pushed out of Mazar-i-sharif. -- July 1997: Taliban lose Parwan province to opposition Northern Alliance, established by the former Mujahideen factions who once fought each other for control of Kabul. Current frontlines established 25 kilometres outside of Kabul. -- May 1998: UN sponsored peace talks falter. -- July 1998: Taliban launch summer offensive, re-take Faryab province, resulting in sweeping victories against commanders of ethnic Hazaras, Uzbeks and Turkmen. -- August 1998: UN ceasefire calls ignored. Taliban take northern cities of Sherbeghan, and Mazar-i-Sharif where human rights groups say between 3,000 and 8,000 Hazaras are massacred. US bombs suspected terrorist bases allegedly operated by Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden in retaliation for the bombings of two US embassies in east Africa. Local protestors shoot dead an Italian UN staffer. UN and most foreign aid workers evacuate Afghanistan -- Sept 1998: Taliban take Bamiyan in central Afghanistan. Control of Bamiyan is crucial for maintaining north/south supply routes. -- Oct 1998: Taliban launch autumn offensive against Masood who stands in the country's north east as the last alliance leader capable of thwarting a total Taliban victory. Masood repulses Taliban strikes, alliance retakes ground around Taloqan in northern Takhar province and parts of near-by Baghlan and Kunduz provinces. UN maintains recognition of Rabbani government, a source of major irritation for the Taliban who now control 80 percent of the country. -- Nov 1998: Taliban declare bin Laden not guilty of crimes alleged by Washington. Afghans live under constant threat of renewed US military strikes. -- Dec 1998: Absent foreign aid workers begin drifting back. Bin Laden leaves Kanadahar and is missing inside Afghanistan. -- March 1999: UN returns after eight month absence. Numbers of foreign aid workers also increases. UN sponsored peace talks result in power sharing agreement but hopes of peace are dashed by fresh fighting. -- May 1999: Hazara forces retake Bamiyan but the capture is shortlived. Taliban again take the city and a further massacre of Hazaras is alleged. -- June 1999: Alliance says Taliban begin a massive build-up for one decisive strike aimed at destroying Masood hold-up in the heavily fortified Panjsher Valley, and ending the civil war. -- July 1999: US imposes trade sanctions against the Taliban for continuing to harbour bin Laden. Washington warns that military action against Afghanistan remains an option. Fresh UN peace talks through the Six-plus-Two group falter as the world body appeals to both sides to abandon the much anticipated summer offensive. UN Special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi leaves Afghanistan on July 25 after making a last ditch appeal for peace. Taliban and Northern Alliance launch Summer offensive on July 28.

-- August 2, 1999: Afghan Taliban capture Jabul-Saraj

-- Nov 12,1999: Three people were wounded when a car belonging to Amir Khan Mutaqqi exploded outside the main mosque in Kabul.

-- November 14, 1999: Date set by UN for limited sanctions against Afghanistan

-- Novenmber 13-15, 1999: Tens of thousands of Afghans in various cities (ie. Kandahar, Pul-i-Khumri, Jalalabad, Kabul, Farah, Mazar-i-sharif etc.) protest against the UN's political terrorism.

-- November 21, 1999: The Afghan-Iran border reopens for trade after one year closure.