The capital of the country of Afghanistan. Official language of Afghanistan

Afghanistan is located in Southwest Asia, between longitudes 60°30` and 75° E and 20°21` and 38°30` N, mainly within the northeastern part of the Iranian Plateau. Afghanistan borders Pakistan in the south and east, Iran in the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, China and India in the extreme northeast.

The state is divided into 29 provinces (vilayats) and 2 districts of central subordination. In the mid-1980s, approx. 20% of the country's population. Refugees from the villages replenished the population of a number of large cities, primarily Kabul and Jalalabad. However, due to the hostilities of the 1990s, which broke out in the immediate vicinity of some large cities, there was an outflow of the population, primarily from Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif. As a result of heavy fighting in 1992, the population of the capital and its environs decreased and, according to an estimate in 1996, amounted to only 647.5 thousand people against 2 million in the early 1990s. Other major cities reportedly had a population (thousands): Kandahar, approx. 225.5, Herat - 177.3, Mazar-i-Sharif - 130.6, Jalalabad - 58.0 and Kunduz - 57.

Relief of Afghanistan

Mountains and plateaus occupy 80% of the territory, rocky deserts and dry steppes are located in most of the country. Afghanistan occupies the northeastern part of the Iranian Plateau, which includes high ridges and intermountain valleys. The eastern regions of the country from southwest to northeast are crossed by high massive Hindu Kush ranges with a height of more than 4000-5000 m, and within the Wakhan Range - more than 6000 m. Here, on the border with Pakistan, is the highest point of the country, Mount Naushak (7485 m). In the upper tier of mountains, especially in the northeast, modern glaciation with various types of glaciers is widely developed.

To the west of the Hindu Kush, there is a large, heavily dissected, hard-to-reach upland of Khazarajat with a height of more than 3000 m (some peaks reach 4000 m). Physical weathering actively proceeds in these mountains, as a result of which rocks are destroyed, and their fragments accumulate in the form of talus (damans) along the slopes and at their foot. From Hazarajat to the west and southwest, systems of lower ranges fan out. The Paropamis Mountains, approx. 600 km, up to 250 km wide and consisting of two main ranges: Safedhok - in the north and Siahkok - in the south, separated by the valley of the river Harirud, are located in the north-west of Afghanistan. The Safedkokh ridge has a length of approx. 350 km and reaches a height of 3642 m in the east and 1433 m in the west.

In the north of Afghanistan there is a vast Bactrian plain, which has a slope towards the Amu Darya valley. The surface of the plain in the foothills of the Hindu Kush and Paropamis is composed of loess deposits and is dissected by numerous rivers. To the north it passes into the sandy desert.

In the south-west of Afghanistan there are drainless hilly plateaus with a height of 500 to 1000 m. Vast areas are occupied by the sandy Registan desert and the clay-gravelly Dashti-Margo desert.

In the south-east of the country there is a slightly dissected plateau with a height of less than 2000 m, to which several oases are confined. The largest of them is in the vicinity of the city of Kandahar.

Minerals of Afghanistan

A lot of minerals are concentrated in the bowels of Afghanistan, but their development is limited. Afghanistan has reserves of such important energy resources as oil (Sari-Pul), natural gas (Shibirgan), coal (Karkar, Ishpushta, Darai-Suf, Karokh). Salt-bearing structures near Talikan are pronounced in the north of the country. Rock salt is mined near Anahoy and in other places. There are industrial deposits of copper (south of Kabul), iron (north and west of Kabul), beryllium (north of Jalalabad), manganese, lead-zinc, and tin ores. Afghanistan is famous for its deposits of high-quality lapis lazuli (in the north-east of the country in the Kokchi river basin). There are placer deposits of gold. It is possible to extract high-quality marble, talc, granite, basalt, dolomite, gypsum, limestone, kaolin, asbestos, mica, emeralds, amethysts, jasper.

Statistical indicators of Afghanistan
(as of 2012)

Afghanistan is the only major supplier of lapis lazuli to the world market. There is a large natural gas field in the Shibirgan area (136 billion cubic meters)

Climate of Afghanistan

subtropical continental (with significant temperature ranges), dry. Average January temperatures on the plains range from 0° to 8°C (absolute minimum -20 - -25°C). Average temperatures in July on the plains are 24–32°C, and the recorded absolute maximum temperature is 45°C (in Girishka, Helmand Prov.). In Kabul, the average temperature in July is 25° C, and in January it is 3° C. During the day, the weather is usually clear and sunny, while at night it is cool or cold.

The average annual rainfall is low: on the plains approx. 200 mm, in the mountains up to 800 mm. The rainy season in the plains of Afghanistan lasts from October to April. A specific moisture regime is manifested in the southeast of the country, where summer monsoons penetrate, bringing heavy rainfall in July-August. Thanks to the monsoons, the annual rainfall reaches 800 mm. In the southwest, in Sistan, in some places precipitation does not fall at all.

Water resources of Afghanistan

The main rivers are the Amu Darya, Murghab, Harirud, Helmand, Kabul. With the exception of the Kabul River, which flows into the Indus, and the left tributaries of the Panj (upper reaches of the Amu Darya), the rivers of Afghanistan end in drainless lakes or are lost in the sands. The main source of food for large rivers is mountain snow and glaciers. Floods occur in spring and summer. Due to large water withdrawals for irrigation and strong evaporation, even large rivers become shallow in the second half of summer. On the southern slopes of the Hindu Kush, the Kabul and Helmand rivers, which have glacial nutrition, originate. The most fertile and densely populated region of Afghanistan is confined to the Kabul basin. The Helmand River crosses a significant part of the country in a southwestern direction and is lost within the desert clay plain of Sistan in Iran. There are a number of oases in its valley. The Harirud River (Tejen in the lower reaches of Turkmenistan) originates in the Hindu Kush and flows west, and then sharply turns north, forming the Iran-Afghan border. Its waters irrigate the fertile Herat oasis. The rivers of the Bactrian Plain in the north have an unstable flow and dry up greatly in summer. Many of them do not reach the Amu Darya and are lost in the sands, forming vast deltas. Mountain rivers have significant hydropower potential and, as a rule, are not navigable. The Kabul River is navigable for approx. 120 km.

There are few lakes in Afghanistan. In the Hindu Kush mountains, the largest and most picturesque lakes are Sarykul, Shiva and Bandi-Amir. In the west and south-west of the country there are salt lakes that dry up in summer - Sabari, Namaksar, Dagi-Tundi.

Soils. The foothills and valleys are characterized by chestnut soils, burozems and gray soils, which are formed in the north on loess deposits, and in the south - on clayey-gravelly. Chernozem and mountain meadow soils are found on the most humid mountain slopes. The largest part of arable land is concentrated in the northern regions and intermountain basins (on alluvial, more fertile soils). In the south and south-west of the country, gray desert soils and solonchaks are common. The fertile soils of the oases are largely the result of centuries of peasant labor.

natural areas. Flora and fauna of Afghanistan

The plains of Afghanistan are dominated by deserts. The plateaus are occupied by steppes. Forests (about 5% of the territory) are concentrated in the middle mountain belt of the Hindu Kush in the east of the country. At an altitude of 2400-3500 m, coniferous forests dominate. Tugai forests are common in the river valleys.

Dry-steppe and desert landscapes predominate in Afghanistan; dry steppes are common on foothill plains and in intermountain basins. They are dominated by couch grass, fescue and other cereals. The lowest parts of the basins are occupied by takyrs and salt marshes, and in the south-west of the country - by sandy and rocky deserts with a predominance of wormwood, camel's thorn, tamarix, saxaul. The lower slopes of the mountains are dominated by thorny semi-shrubs (astragalus, acantolimon) in combination with juniper sparse forests, groves of wild pistachio, wild almond and wild rose.

In the Indo-Himalayan region in the east and southeast of the country at altitudes from 750 to 1500 m above sea level. steppes alternate with woody massifs of Indian palm, acacia, figs, almonds. Above 1500 m there are deciduous forests of evergreen balut oak with an undergrowth of almond, bird cherry, jasmine, buckthorn, sophora, cotoneaster. Walnut forests sometimes grow on the western slopes, pomegranate groves grow on the southern slopes, and Gerard's pine grows at altitudes of 2200–2400 m, higher (up to 3500 m) giving way to Himalayan pine with an admixture of Himalayan cedar and West Himalayan fir. In more humid habitats, spruce-fir forests are common, in the lower tier of which ash grows, and in the undergrowth - birch, pine, honeysuckle, hawthorn, and currant. Juniper forests grow on dry, well-warmed southern slopes. Above 3500 m, thickets of juniper elfin and rhododendron are common, and above 4000 m - alpine and subalpine meadows.

Tugai forests are widespread in the Amudarya valley, dominated by poplar-turanga, jeddah, willow, comb, reeds. In the tugai of mountain rivers, Pamir poplar, white and laurel poplar, sucker, tamarix, sea buckthorn grow, in the south - oleander.

Wildlife Spotted hyenas, jackals, wild kulan donkeys, goitered antelopes and saiga antelopes live in the open spaces of desert and steppe plains and plateaus, in the mountains - leopard irbis, mountain goats, mountain sheep-argali. In the tugai thickets along the river valleys there are wild boar, reed cat, Turan tiger. The Afghan fox, stone marten and wolves are widespread, causing considerable damage to flocks of sheep, especially in winter. In deserts and dry steppes, the world of reptiles is richly represented: monitor lizards (up to half a meter long), agamas, steppe python, poisonous snakes (gyurza, cobra, efa, muzzle). The deserts abound with rodents (marmots, ground squirrels, voles, gerbils). There are many poisonous and harmful insects: scorpions, karakurts, phalanges, locusts, etc. The avifauna is rich. Such birds of prey as the kite, vulture hawk, kestrel, golden eagle, Himalayan vulture, Indian Laggar falcon are characteristic. In the deserts, wheatears, larks, and desert chickens are widespread. The southeastern regions are characterized by the Bengal roller, snipe, southern dove, Himalayan jay, pika, Indian starling-myna. The rivers abound with such commercial fish as barbel, catfish, carp, trout, asp.

Population of Afghanistan

Number and national composition. According to the first general census in 1979, the population of Afghanistan was 15,540 thousand people, including 2,500 thousand nomads. In the 1980s, the annual natural population growth rate was estimated at 2.2% with a birth rate of 4.9% and a death rate of 2.7%, and in 2000 they respectively amounted to 3.54% (taking into account the return of refugees from Iran), 4, 2% and 1.8%. According to an estimate for 2003, 28,717 thousand people lived in the country.

Afghanistan is a multinational country. The population of the country for 38% consists of representatives of the Pashtun tribes professing orthodox Sunni Islam. They are settled mainly in the southeastern and southern border regions with Pakistan. Ahmad Shah Durrani, a descendant of the powerful Pashtun Durrani tribe, played an important role in the founding of Afghanistan as an independent state (the Durranian state) in 1747. In this regard, the recent capture of Kabul by the Taliban and their rise to power is seen by them as a historical revenge, since the Durrani prevail among the Taliban. President Najibullah, who was executed by the Taliban, belonged to another Pashtun tribe, the Ahmedzai.

All Pashtuns speak Pashto, a language close to Persian (Farsi). Among the Pashtun tribes there are sedentary and nomadic. Both are militant, many disputes are still resolved on the basis of the traditional code of honor - Pashtunvali, which is based on the protection of personal dignity and blood feud.

In second place in terms of numbers (25%) are Tajiks living in the northern and northeastern regions of the country, behind the Hindu Kush. Being a people of Iranian origin, they use the Dari (or Farsi-Kabuli) language, similar to Persian. Sunni Muslims predominate among Tajiks, but there are also many Ismailis. The main occupations of Tajiks are agriculture and trade. Many of them, having received education, became officials and statesmen.

Turkmens (3% of the population) live in the north-west of Afghanistan, and Uzbeks (9%) live in the north. Both of them are also Sunni Muslims. Their main occupations are agriculture and cattle breeding, Turkmens are known as skilled carpet weavers. Uzbek leader Rashid Dostum heads the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, which counters the Taliban.

The Hazaras, a people of Mongolian origin, professing Shiite Islam, is approx. 19% of the population of Afghanistan. They are concentrated in the central part of the country: farmers and sheep breeders predominate among them, in the cities they form a large stratum of hired workers. Their main political organization is the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan (Hezbe Wahdat).

In the western regions of the country, Persian peoples professing Shiite Islam live. Other nationalities (Nuristanis, Vakhans, Kirghiz, Charaimaks, Braguis, Kazakhs, Pashais, etc.) are not numerous. The Nuristanis, including the Kati, Paruni, Waigali, and Ashkuni tribes, were called kafirs (“infidels”) before being forcibly converted to Islam by the Afghan emir in 1895–1896. They lead a very secluded lifestyle in the high mountains north of the Kabul river valley. Several thousand Vakhans are concentrated within the narrow Wakhan corridor, while the Kyrgyz are concentrated in the extreme northeast of the country, in the Pamir Highlands. Charaimaks, or aimaks (about 600 thousand people), a people of mixed ethnic origin, live in the mountains in the west of the country, along the Afghan-Iranian border. Baloch and Brahui inhabit some areas in the south-west of the country.

Prior to the outbreak of hostilities in the 1980s, approximately 76% of the Afghan population was mainly engaged in sedentary agriculture, and 9% were pastoralists and led a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle.

Languages. According to the latest constitution in force, Pashto and Dari (or Farsi-Kabuli, the Afghan dialect of Persian) were recognized as the official languages ​​of Afghanistan. Dari serves as the lingua franca almost everywhere except in Kandahar Province and the Pashto-dominated eastern regions of Ghazni Province. Uzbeks, Turkmens and Kirghiz belong to the Turkic-speaking peoples. The Khazarians use one of the archaic dialects of the Persian language, which is also associated with Baluchi and the Tajik language. Nuristani speak languages ​​that represent a separate ancient branch that emerged from the Iranian and Indian language groups. The Brahui speak a language belonging to the Dravidian family, similar to the languages ​​of the peoples of South India.

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The Islamic State of Afghanistan is located in the central part of Asia.

Administratively, the country consists of 34 provinces (vilayats).

largest city a: Kabul, Kandahar, Herat.

Capital of Afghanistan the city of Kabul.

Borders and area of ​​Afghanistan

Land borders with India, Iran, Pakistan, China, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Afghanistan covers an area of ​​647,500 square kilometers.

Afghanistan map

Timezone

Population of Afghanistan

29,117,000 people.

Language

The official languages ​​are Pashto and Dari.

Religion

Afghanistan is an Islamic republic. About 80% of the population are Sunnis, 19% are Shiites. Other religions - 1%.

Finance

The official currency is the afghani.

Medical care and insurance

The level of medicine in Afghanistan is one of the worst in the world.

Mains voltage

220 volt. Frequency 50 Hz.

International dialing code of Afghanistan

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Afghanistan is a country that has been the sphere of interests of the most important players in world politics for more than 200 years. Its name is firmly entrenched in the list of the most dangerous hot spots on our planet. However, only a few know the history of Afghanistan, which is briefly described in this article. In addition, its people, over several millennia, created a rich culture close to Persian, which is currently in decline due to constant political and economic instability, as well as the terrorist activities of radical Islamist organizations.

History of Afghanistan since ancient times

The first people appeared on the territory of this country about 5000 years ago. Most researchers even believe that it was there that the world's first settled rural communities arose. In addition, it is assumed that Zoroastrianism appeared on the modern territory of Afghanistan between 1800 and 800 BC, and the founder of the religion, which is one of the oldest, spent the last years of his life and died in Balkh.

In the middle of the 6th century BC. e. The Achaemenids included these lands in the composition, however, after 330 BC. e. it was captured by the army of Alexander the Great. Afghanistan was part of his state until the collapse, and then became part of the Seleucid empire, who planted Buddhism there. Then the region fell under the rule of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom. By the end of the 2nd century A.D. e. The Indo-Greeks were defeated by the Scythians, and in the first century A.D. e. Afghanistan was conquered by the Parthian Empire.

Middle Ages

In the 6th century, the territory of the country became part of and later - the Samanids. Then Afghanistan, whose history practically did not know long periods of peace, experienced the Arab invasion, which ended at the end of the 8th century.

In the next 9 centuries, the country often changed hands until it became part of the Timurid Empire in the 14th century. During this period, Herat became the second center of this state. After 2 centuries, the last representative of the Timurid dynasty - Babur - founded an empire with a center in Kabul and began to make campaigns in India. Soon he moved to India, and the territory of Afghanistan became part of the Safavid country.

The decline of this state in the 18th century led to the formation of feudal khanates and an uprising against Iran. In the same period, the Gilzei principality was formed with its capital in the city of Kandahar, defeated in 1737 by the Persian army of Nadir Shah.

Durranian Empire

Oddly enough, Afghanistan (the history of the country in ancient times is already known to you) acquired an independent statehood only in 1747, when Ahmad Shah Durrani founded a kingdom with its capital in Kandahar. Under his son Timur Shah, Kabul was proclaimed the main city of the state, and by the beginning of the 19th century, Shah Mahmud began to rule the country.

British colonial expansion

The history of Afghanistan from ancient times to the beginning of the 19th century is fraught with many mysteries, since many of its pages have been studied relatively poorly. The same cannot be said about the period after the invasion of its territory by the Anglo-Indian troops. The "new masters" of Afghanistan loved order and carefully documented all events. In particular, from the surviving documents, as well as from the letters of British soldiers and officers to their families, details are known not only of battles and uprisings of the local population, but also of their way of life and traditions.

So, the history of the war in Afghanistan, which was waged, began in 1838. A few months later, a 12,000-strong British group stormed Kandahar, and a little later, Kabul. The emir evaded a collision with a superior enemy and went into the mountains. However, its representatives constantly visited the capital, and in 1841 unrest among the local population began in Kabul. The British command decided to retreat to India, but on the way the army was killed by Afghan partisans. A brutal punitive raid followed in response.

First Anglo-Afghan War

The reason for the start of hostilities on the part of the British Empire was the command of the Russian government in 1837, Lieutenant Vitkevich to Kabul. There he was supposed to be a resident under Dost Mohammed, who seized power in the Afghan capital. The latter at that time had been fighting for more than 10 years with his closest relative Shuja Shah, who was supported by London. The British regarded Vitkevich's mission as Russia's intention to gain a foothold in Afghanistan in order to penetrate into India in the future.

In January 1839, a British army of 12,000 men and 38,000 servants and 30,000 camels crossed the Bolan Pass. On April 25, she managed to take Kandahar without a fight and launch an offensive against Kabul.

Only the fortress of Ghazni offered serious resistance to the British, however, she was also forced to surrender. The way to Kabul was opened, and the city fell on August 7, 1839. With the support of the British, Emir Shuja Shah reigned on the throne, and Emir Dost Mohammed fled to the mountains with a small group of fighters.

The rule of the protege of the British did not last long, as local feudal lords organized unrest and began to attack the invaders in all regions of the country.

In early 1842, the British and Indians agreed with them to open a corridor through which they could retreat to India. However, at Jalalabad, the Afghans attacked the British, and out of 16,000 fighters, only one man escaped.

In response, punitive expeditions followed, and after the suppression of the uprising, the British entered into negotiations with Dost-Mohammed, persuading him to abandon rapprochement with Russia. Later a peace treaty was signed.

Second Anglo-Afghan War

The situation in the country remained relatively stable until the Russo-Turkish War broke out in 1877. Afghanistan, whose history is a long list of armed conflicts, again found itself between two fires. The fact is that when London expressed dissatisfaction with the success of the Russian troops rapidly moving towards Istanbul, Petersburg decided to play the Indian card. For this purpose, a mission was sent to Kabul, which was received with honors by Emir Sher Ali Khan. On the advice of Russian diplomats, the latter refused to let the British embassy into the country. This was the reason for the introduction of British troops into Afghanistan. They occupied the capital and forced the new emir Yakub Khan to sign an agreement according to which his state had no right to conduct foreign policy without the mediation of the British government.

In 1880, Abdurrahman Khan became emir. He made an attempt to enter into an armed conflict with the Russian troops in Turkestan, but was defeated in March 1885 in the Kushka region. As a result, London and St. Petersburg jointly defined the boundaries in which Afghanistan (history in the 20th century is presented below) exists to this day.

Independence from the British Empire

In 1919, as a result of the assassination of Emir Khabibullah Khan and a coup d'état, Amanullah Khan came to the throne, proclaiming the country's independence from Great Britain and declaring jihad against it. He was mobilized, and a 12,000-strong army of regular fighters moved to India, supported by a 100,000-strong army of nomadic partisans.

The history of the war in Afghanistan, unleashed by the British in order to maintain their influence, also contains a mention of the first massive air raid in the history of this country. Kabul was attacked by the British Air Force. As a result of the panic that arose among the inhabitants of the capital, and after several lost battles, Amanullah Khan asked for peace.

In August 1919, a peace treaty was signed. According to this document, the country received the right to foreign relations, but was deprived of an annual British subsidy of 60,000 pounds sterling, which until 1919 accounted for about half of Afghanistan's budget revenues.

Kingdom

In 1929, Amanullah Khan, who, after a trip to Europe and the USSR, was going to start fundamental reforms, was overthrown as a result of the uprising of Khabibullah Kalakani, nicknamed Bachai Sakao (Son of the Water Carrier). An attempt to return the former emir to the throne, supported by the Soviet troops, was not successful. This was taken advantage of by the British, who overthrew Bachai Sakao and put Nadir Khan on the throne. With his accession, modern Afghan history began. The monarchy in Afghanistan began to be called royal, and the emirate was abolished.

In 1933, Nadir Khan, who was killed by a cadet during a parade in Kabul, was replaced on the throne by his son Zahir Shah. He was a reformer and was considered one of the most enlightened and progressive Asian monarchs of his time.

In 1964, Zahir Shah issued a new constitution that aimed to democratize Afghanistan and eliminate discrimination against women. As a result, the radical clergy began to express dissatisfaction and actively engage in destabilizing the situation in the country.

Dictatorship of Daoud

As the history of Afghanistan says, the 20th century (the period from 1933 to 1973) was truly golden for the state, as industry appeared in the country, good roads, the education system was modernized, a university was founded, hospitals were built, etc. However, in the 40th year after his accession to the throne, Zahir Shah was overthrown by his cousin, Prince Mohammed Daoud, who proclaimed Afghanistan a republic. After that, the country became an arena of confrontation between various groups that expressed the interests of Pashtuns, Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazaras, as well as other ethnic communities. In addition, radical Islamic forces have entered into a confrontation. In 1975, they raised an uprising that swept the provinces of Paktia, Badakhshan and Nangarhar. However, the government of the dictator Daud, with difficulty, but managed to suppress it.

At the same time, representatives of the People's Democratic Party of the country (PDPA) also sought to destabilize the situation. At the same time, she had significant support in the Armed Forces of Afghanistan.

DRA

The history of Afghanistan (20th century) experienced another turning point in 1978. On April 27 there was a revolution. After Noor Mohammad Taraki came to power, Mohammed Daoud and all members of his family were killed. Babrak Karmal also found himself in top leadership positions.

Background to the introduction of a limited contingent of Soviet troops into Afghanistan

The policy of the new authorities to eliminate the backlog of the country met with the resistance of the Islamists, which escalated into a civil war. Unable to cope with the situation on its own, the Afghan government repeatedly appealed to the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee with a request to provide military assistance. However, the Soviet authorities abstained, as they foresaw the negative consequences of such a step. At the same time, they strengthened the security of the state border in the Afghan sector and increased the number of military advisers in the neighboring country. At the same time, the KGB constantly received intelligence that the United States was actively funding anti-government forces.

Killing Taraki

The history of Afghanistan (20th century) contains information about several political assassinations in order to seize power. One such event took place in September 1979, when, on the orders of Hafizullah Amin, the leader of the PDPA, Taraki, was arrested and executed. Under the new dictator, terror unfolded in the country, affecting the army, in which rebellions and desertion became commonplace. Since the VTs were the main support of the PDPA, the Soviet government saw in the current situation a threat of its overthrow and the coming to power of forces hostile to the USSR. In addition, it became known that Amin has secret contacts with American emissaries.

As a result, it was decided to develop an operation to overthrow him and replace him with a leader more loyal to the USSR. The main candidate for this role was Babrak Karmal.

History of the war in Afghanistan (1979-1989): preparation

Preparations for a coup in the neighboring state began in December 1979, when a specially created "Muslim Battalion" was deployed to Afghanistan. The history of this unit is still a mystery to many. It is only known that he was staffed with GRU officers from the Central Asian republics, who were well aware of the traditions of the peoples living in Afghanistan, their language and way of life.

The decision to send troops was made in mid-December 1979 at a meeting of the Politburo. Only A. Kosygin did not support him, because of which he had a serious conflict with Brezhnev.

The operation began on December 25, 1979, when the 781st separate reconnaissance battalion of the 108th MSD entered the territory of the DRA. Then the transfer of other Soviet military formations began. By the middle of the day on December 27, they completely controlled Kabul, and in the evening they began to storm Amin's palace. It lasted only 40 minutes, and after its completion it became known that most of those who were there, including the leader of the country, were killed.

Brief chronology of events between 1980 and 1989

Real stories about the war in Afghanistan are stories about the heroism of soldiers and officers who did not always understand for whom and for what they were forced to risk their lives. Briefly, the chronology is as follows:

• March 1980 - April 1985. Conducting hostilities, including large-scale ones, as well as work on the reorganization of the DRA Armed Forces.
• April 1985 - January 1987. Support for the Afghan troops by Air Force aviation, sapper units and artillery, as well as an active struggle to curb the supply of weapons from abroad.
• January 1987 - February 1989. Participation in activities to implement the policy of national reconciliation.

By the beginning of 1988, it became clear that the presence of the Soviet armed contingent on the territory of the DRA was inexpedient. We can assume that the history of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan began on February 8, 1988, when the question of choosing a date for this operation was raised at a meeting of the Politburo.

She became May 15. However, the last unit of the SA left Kabul on February 4, 1989, and the withdrawal of troops ended on February 15 with the crossing of the state border by Lieutenant General B. Gromov.

In the 90s

Afghanistan, whose history and prospects for peaceful development in the future are rather vague, in the last decade of the 20th century plunged into the abyss of a brutal civil war.

At the end of February 1989, in Peshawar, the Afghan opposition elected the leader of the Alliance of Seven, S. Mujaddedi, as the head of the "Transitional Government of the Mujahideen" and began hostilities against the pro-Soviet regime.

In April 1992, opposition detachments captured Kabul, and the next day, its leader, in the presence of foreign diplomats, was proclaimed president of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. The history of the country after this "inaguration" made a sharp turn towards radicalism. One of the first decrees signed by S. Mujaddedi declared null and void all laws that were contrary to Islam.

In the same year, he handed over power to the Burhanuddin Rabbani faction. This decision was the cause of ethnic strife, during which the field commanders destroyed each other. Soon the authority of Rabbani weakened so much that his government ceased to carry out any activity in the country.

At the end of September 1996, the Taliban captured Kabul, seized the deposed President Najibullah and his brother, who were hiding in the building of the UN mission, and publicly executed by hanging in one of the squares of the Afghan capital.

A few days later, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was proclaimed, the creation of a Provisional Ruling Council, consisting of 6 members, headed by Mullah Omar, was announced. Having come to power, the Taliban to some extent stabilized the situation in the country. However, they had many opponents.

On October 9, 1996, a meeting of one of the main oppositionists, Dostum, and Rabbani took place in the vicinity of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. They were joined by Ahmad Shah Massoud and Karim Khalili. As a result, the Supreme Council was established and efforts were united for a common fight against the Taliban. The group was called the "Northern Alliance". She managed to form an independent in the north of Afghanistan during 1996-2001. state.

After the invasion of international forces

The history of modern Afghanistan received a new development after the well-known terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. The United States used it as a pretext for invading that country, declaring its main goal to overthrow the Taliban regime that harbored Osama bin Laden. On October 7, the territory of Afghanistan was subjected to massive air strikes, which weakened the forces of the Taliban. In December, a council of elders of the Afghan tribes was convened, which was headed by the future (since 2004) president

At the same time, NATO completed the occupation of Afghanistan, and the Taliban moved to From that time to this day, terrorist attacks have not stopped in the country. In addition, every day it turns into a huge plantation for growing opium poppy. Suffice it to say that, according to the most conservative estimates, about 1 million people in this country are drug addicts.

At the same time, the unknown stories of Afghanistan, presented without retouching, were a shock for Europeans or Americans, including because of the cases of aggression shown by NATO soldiers against civilians. Perhaps this circumstance is due to the fact that everyone is already tired of the war. These words are also confirmed by Barack Obama's decision to withdraw troops. However, it has not yet been implemented, and now the Afghans hope that the new US president will not change his plans, and the foreign military will finally leave the country.

Now you know the ancient and recent history of Afghanistan. Today, this country is going through hard times, and one can only hope that peace will finally come to its land.

Form of government islamic republic Area, km 2 647 500 Population, people 32 390 000 Population growth, per year 2,58% average life expectancy 44 Population density, person/km2 43,5 Official language Pashto, Dari Currency Afghani International dialing code +93 Time Zones +4:30

brief information

The first written mention of Afghanistan dates back to the 6th century BC. e. It is clear that in fact the history of this country goes deeper for many centuries. Until now, in Afghanistan you can meet the descendants of the Greeks who came there with Alexander the Great. In this ancient country, despite numerous wars, many unique sights have been preserved. In addition, there are excellent conditions for mountaineering and rock climbing. Unfortunately, due to the political situation, Afghanistan remains closed to foreign tourists for the time being.

Geography of Afghanistan

Afghanistan is located at the crossroads of South, Central and West Asia. In the south and east, Afghanistan borders with Pakistan and China (in the east), in the west - with Iran, in the north - with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. There is no access to the sea. The total area of ​​this country is 647,500 sq. km., and the total length of the state border is 5,529 km.

Most of Afghanistan is occupied by mountains, but there are valleys, steppes and deserts. The Hindu Kush mountain range stretches from northeast to southwest. The highest point in the country is Mount Noshak, whose height reaches 7,492 meters.

In the north of Afghanistan there is the Amu Darya River. Other large Afghan rivers are Harirud, Helmand, Farahrud and Hashrud.

Capital

The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul, which is now home to about 700 thousand people. According to archeology, an urban settlement on the site of modern Kabul already existed in the 2nd century AD.

Official language of Afghanistan

Afghanistan has two official languages, Pashto and Dari (Farsi), both of which belong to the Iranian group of the Indo-European language family.

Religion

Almost all the inhabitants of Afghanistan profess Islam, the vast majority of them are Sunnis, and about 15% are Shiites.

State structure of Afghanistan

According to the current Constitution of 2004, Afghanistan is an Islamic republic in which Islam is the state religion. The head of the country is the President, elected for 5 years.

The bicameral parliament in Afghanistan is called the National Assembly, it consists of two chambers - the House of Elders (102 people) and the House of the People (250 deputies).

To make particularly important decisions (for example, to approve the Constitution), the Council of Elders "Great Assembly" gathers in Afghanistan. The history of the "Great Assemblies" goes back centuries and is lost somewhere in the 15th century.

Climate and weather

Most of Afghanistan is located in the subarctic mountain climate (winter is dry and cold). In the rest of the Afghan territory, the climate is desert and semi-desert. Mountains and valleys on the border with Pakistan are exposed to monsoons from the Indian Ocean in summer. In summer the air temperature reaches +49C, and in winter - -9C. Most of the precipitation falls between October and April. In the mountains, the average annual precipitation is 1,000 mm, and in deserts and semi-deserts - 100 mm.

Rivers and lakes

In the north of Afghanistan, the Amu Darya flows, the tributaries of which are lost in the Hindu Kush. In general, many Afghan rivers are replenished with water flows from the mountains. Other large Afghan rivers are Harirud (flowing from the central part of the country to the west, forming the border with Iran there), Helmand, Farahrud, Kabul and Hashrud. By the way, the Kabul River crosses the border with Pakistan and then flows into the Indus River.

Afghan lakes are small in size. Of these, the Zarkol lakes (borders with Tajikistan), Shiveh in Badakhshan and the salt lake Istadeh-ye Moqor, located south of Ghazni, should be distinguished.

Culture of Afghanistan

Afghanistan is made up of various ethical groups. Therefore, the culture of this country is very diverse.

One of the most important holidays for the Afghans is Navruz, but this is understandable, because. they are mostly Muslims (some experts argue that Navruz is not a Muslim holiday). In general, Afghans celebrate all the main Islamic holidays - Mawlid an Nabi, Eid al-Ada and Eid al-Fitr (we have already mentioned Navruz).

Many Afghan holidays are domestic in nature (they are celebrated in the family circle).

Kitchen

Pashtuns, Tajiks and Uzbeks live in Afghanistan. This means that Afghan cuisine is a fusion of the culinary traditions of these three peoples. In addition, Afghan cuisine is clearly influenced by India. It was from India that spices (saffron, coriander, cardamom and black pepper) came to Afghanistan. Afghans prefer dishes that are neither too spicy nor too hot.

The most popular dishes among Afghans are Qabli Pulao (boiled rice with carrots, raisins and lamb), Kabab (mutton skewers), Qorma (meat with vegetables and fruits), Mantu dumplings, Shorma soup. By the way, Afghans love to eat Qorma with Chalow rice. There are three types of bread in Afghanistan - Naan, Obi Naan and Lavash.

An integral part of the Afghan diet is fresh and dried fruits (grapes, apricots, melons, plums, pomegranates, various berries).

Traditional non-alcoholic drinks - kefir, whey, tea.

Landmarks of Afghanistan

In ancient times, the territory of modern Afghanistan was part of some of the most ancient states in the world. The ancient Greeks, led by Alexander the Great, reached these lands (and conquered them). Unfortunately, due to numerous wars, many Afghan historical and cultural monuments have already been irretrievably lost. However, this country still retains unique sights. The Top 10 most interesting Afghan sights, in our opinion, may include the following:

1. Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque in Kabul
2. Sherpur Mosque in Kabul
3. Fortress of Ghazni
4. Mausoleum of Timur Shah in Kabul
5. Fort in Nuristan
6. Puli Khishti Mosque in Kabul
7. Tomb of Ahmad Shah Massoud in Panjshir
8. Mausoleum of Emir Abdurrahman in Kabul
9. The ruins of the Takhti-Pul mosque in Balkh
10. Palace of Emir Habibullah near Kabul

Cities and resorts

The largest cities in Afghanistan are Herat, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kutsnduz and, of course, the capital is Kabul.

In Afghanistan, there are excellent conditions for mountaineering and rock climbing. In the northeast of the country is Mount Nushak, which is part of the Hindu Kush mountain system. Many climbers dream of conquering this peak, but due to the political situation, this is not yet feasible.

A few years ago, the Afghan authorities opened the Abi-Wakhan mountain route, which runs through the territory of the picturesque gorge of the same name. Once a section of this route was part of the Great Silk Road. However, tourists are not yet in a hurry to come to Afghanistan.

Souvenirs/Shopping

From Afghanistan, foreigners usually bring handicrafts, carpets, Afghan sheepskin coats, national men's clothing, knives, etc.

Office Hours

Banks and shops in Afghanistan are open from Monday to Thursday (some are open on Fridays). Stores in different regions of Afghanistan have their own working hours.

Visa

Afghanistan (Dari اغالwork) (Afğānistān), the official name is the Islamic resplelist Afghanistan (Pashtu د اغال الاuction جمي جمي جمي جمي جمي جمي جمي جمي جمي جمهوری اس اغاlas) - does not have a state in the middle east. One of the poorest countries in the world. Over the past 33 years (since 1978), a civil war has been going on in the country. The name "Afghanistan" is translated into Russian as "country of Afghans". It borders with Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, in the easternmost part of the country. Afghanistan is at the crossroads between East and West and is an ancient center of trade and migration. Its geopolitical location is between South and Central Asia on the one hand and the Middle East on the other, which allows it to play an important role in economic, political and cultural relations between the countries of the region.

The first part of the name is "Afghan", "Afghani" is another name for the Pashtuns - the largest ethnic group in the country. Indeed, the territory of Afghanistan is difficult to access and convenient for the tribes that, for one reason or another, retained their independence from all sorts of conquerors of Central Asia. This is the so-called external name of the people, in contrast to the self-name (an analogue in Russian can be considered the words "German", "Germans", that is, those who do not know how to speak "our way", dumb. All foreign residents were called that. And also the word barbarians in Greek). The last part of the name, the suffix "-stan", goes back to the Indo-European root "*stā-" ("to stand") and in Persian means "place, country". In modern Persian, the suffix "-istan" (Persian ستان‎) is used to form toponyms - geographical names of places of residence of tribes, peoples and various ethnic groups.

The term "Afghans" as a name for a people has been in use since at least the Islamic period. According to a number of scholars, the word "Afghan" appears for the first time in history in 982; then it was understood as the Afghans of various tribes who lived on the western border of the mountains along the Indus River.

The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited Kabul in 1333, writes: "We traveled around Kabul, formerly a huge city, on the site of which a tribe of Persians who call themselves Afghans now lives."

The current flag was adopted in 2004. The image of the flag is a vertical black-red-green tricolor, in the center of which (in the middle of the red stripe) is the state emblem of Afghanistan. The black color symbolizes the historical past - the struggle against the British colonialists, red - the blood shed for freedom, green - the traditional color of Islam. The proportions of the flag are 7:10.

The coat of arms (national emblem) of Afghanistan has existed since the formation of the state. The image of the coat of arms is a mosque with a minbar, framed with ears of corn. Two flags of Afghanistan are attached to the mosque. Above is the Shahada illuminated by the rays of the sun - the Islamic creed, under which is placed the takbir (the inscription "Allah is great"). Under the mosque is the date 1298, which according to the Islamic calendar corresponds to 1919, when the country gained independence. The coat of arms is also depicted on the flag of Afghanistan.

Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan (since 1847). The city was founded in ancient times on the right bank of the Kabul River (II century). It occupies the western part of the plain, surrounded by mountains from the north and south. On the left, northern bank of the river, there are aristocratic quarters with residences of the nobility, buildings of government agencies, trading companies, and educational institutions. The streets of the left-bank part of Kabul are wide and cobbled, many buildings are built in European style. There are extensive gardens and parks. Right-bank, old Kabul retains the appearance of a medieval Muslim city with narrow unpaved streets and two-story adobe houses with flat roofs and solid facades. The lower floors of houses are often used as a teahouse or handicraft workshops. In the upper floors and in the inner courtyards, the home life of city dwellers takes place. Almost every one of these courtyards has a fountain or a small pool that supplies the family with water.

The bazaars of Kabul stretch from west to east in a continuous ribbon. In some places they are separated by caravanserais (inns). Industrial enterprises are located mainly on the western outskirts of the right bank. There are few ancient architectural monuments in Kabul. The city was badly damaged by the British military invasion in 1842. On the hills are the remains of the fortress walls (VII-VIII centuries), the garden of Bagi-Babur with the tomb of Babur (XVI century) and the mosque of Shah Jahan (XVII century). The Bala-Khimar fortress of the 5th century was built).

History of Afghanistan

background

17th century BC e. - Indo-Aryan tribes invade the territory of Afghanistan from the north, forming the historical region of Gandhara
6th century BC e. - the territory of Afghanistan is part of the Achaemenid Empire
In the 4th century BC e. the territory of Afghanistan was captured by the troops of Alexander the Great and subsequently became part of the Seleucid state.
Greco-Bactrian kingdom, which was captured by the Yuezhi
I-V century - Kushan kingdom began the spread of Buddhism
V century - Hephthalites settled in Afghanistan
VI - the territory of Afghanistan became part of the Sassanid state later in the state of the Samanids
XI - as part of the state of the Ghaznavids
1148-1206 - Ghurids
In the 14th century, the territory of Afghanistan was part of the Turkic-Mongol Empire of the Timurids. Herat is the second center of this state. The last Timurid and the founder of the Mughal Empire, Babur, defeated by the Golden Horde Sheibanids, founded a new empire in the 16th century with a center in Kabul, from where he made victorious campaigns to India. Soon Babur moves to India, and the territory of Afghanistan is part of the Shiite Iran of the Safavids.
XVIII century - the formation of feudal Afghan khanates.

In 1709, the Pashtun tribes revolted against Iran and formed the Gilzei principality with its capital in Kandahar, which was defeated in 1737 by the Iranian armies of Nadir Shah.

Durranian Empire

After the collapse of Iran in 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani founded the first Afghan state with its capital in Kandahar. At the council of tribal elders (Loya Jirga), he was proclaimed shah. Under his son Timur Shah (1773-1793), the capital of the state was moved to Kabul. The next ruler of Afghanistan was Zeman Shah (1793-1801), who was overthrown by his brother Mahmud.

British colonial expansion

In 1838 Afghanistan underwent British colonial expansion. In 1839 Anglo-Indian troops (12,000 soldiers) took Kandahar, and then Kabul. The Afghan emir evaded the battles and went to the mountains. In 1841, anti-British riots began in Kabul. The following year, the Anglo-Indian army retreated to India, but was killed by Afghan guerrillas. Britain responded with a punitive raid.

First Anglo-Afghan War

The reason for the start of the first Anglo-Afghan war was the business trip in 1837 of Lieutenant Vitkevich as a Russian resident under Dost Mohammed, who seized power in Kabul. He had already fought for a decade with his relative Shuja Shah, based in India and supported by Britain. London regarded Vitkevich's mission as St. Petersburg's intention to gain a foothold in Afghanistan with the prospect of penetrating into India.

Hostilities began in January 1839, when an Anglo-Indian army of 12,000 soldiers, 38,000 servants, and 30,000 camels entered Afghanistan through the Bolan Pass. Initially, Dost Mohammed was able to field 12,000 cavalry, 2,500 infantry, and 45 artillery pieces. guns. On April 25, the Anglo-Indian troops took Kandahar without a fight and marched on Kabul. The Afghans put up the first serious resistance only at Ghazni (140 km southwest of Kabul). The fortress was defended by a select three thousandth garrison under the command of Hyder Khan, but it was taken. On August 7, 1839, the British and Indians took Kabul without a fight. Emir Shuja Shah reigned on the throne there. The former emir Dost Mohammed went to the mountains with 350 fighters.

The war was won fairly easily by the British, Indians and Shuja Shah. However, the Afghan feudal lords reacted coolly, to say the least, to Shuja. A little over two years later, they inspired unrest, and on November 2, 1841, they staged a massacre in Kabul. Among the British killed was Ambassador Burns. The British did not respond immediately, and the Afghans, seeing this as weakness, massacred the British in other parts of Afghanistan as well. On December 30, 1841, the British agreed with the leaders of the Afghan tribes - they promised to let the Anglo-Indian troops into India for a ransom (at the beginning of these week-long negotiations, the Afghans cut off the head of the British truce and carried it through the streets of Kabul).

In early January 1842, the British and Indians set out from Kabul in the direction of Jalalabad, and when they entered the mountains, the Afghans attacked and killed them. Of the 16,000 British and Indians (of whom there were 4,000 fighters), only one person survived - Dr. Brydon, who on January 14 reached Jalalabad, where the Anglo-Indian brigade was stationed. The brigade commander sent a message to Calcutta, and two punitive expeditions were organized - one by division from Quetta to Kandahar and through Jalalabad to Kabul. After 8 months, on September 16, 1842, both divisions took Kabul. From there, punitive detachments were sent to the neighborhood.

Having suppressed the Afghan uprisings, Britain refrained from occupying Afghanistan. She preferred the method of bribery and intrigue, and Dost Mohammed, who again took the throne, made no attempts to rapprochement with Russia and concluded a peace treaty with Britain.

Second Anglo-Afghan War

The status quo persisted for almost 40 years, until the next Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 began. Britain was dissatisfied with the success of the Russian troops in this war - Russian troops were approaching Constantinople. In response to this dissatisfaction in London, Petersburg decided to hold a demonstration in Turkestan in order to influence the London cabinet with the appearance of a threat to India.

The Russian troops stationed in Turkestan were ordered to march in three columns against Charjui, Balkh, and Chitral. A mission headed by General Stoletov was sent to Kabul. On July 17, 1878, the Emir of Afghanistan, Sher Ali Khan, accepted the mission with the greatest honors and, in his words, "gave the key to India into the hands of Russia." General Stoletov promised the emir generous military and material support and advised against letting the British embassy into the country, equipped by the British government after the news of Stoletov's mission.

The emir followed the Russian advice and the second Anglo-Afghan war began. The British entered Afghanistan in November 1878 in three columns - General Brown's Peshawar (16,000 with 48 guns), General Roberts' Kurama (6,000 with 18 guns) and General Stewart's Kandahar (13,000 with 32 guns). The first two columns were aimed at Kabul, the third - Kandahar and Herat. In November-December, the first two columns occupied the Jalalabad and Khosta regions, the third took Kandahar on December 27.

Emir Shir-Ali fled to the north of Afghanistan in Mazar-i-Sharif, where he died. His successor (son) Yakub Khan refused to resist and on May 15, 1879, signed a peace agreement according to which the Afghan government lost the right to conduct any foreign policy except through the mediation of the British government, and all strategic passages between Afghanistan and India were transferred to the latter.

However, in September 1879, Yakub Khan was overthrown by his brother Eyub. And in January 1880, another pretender to the Afghan throne arose - Abdurrahman Khan, Shir-Ali's nephew, who lived from 1870 in Samarkand. He overthrew Eyub, proclaimed himself emir and was recognized by the British in exchange for adherence to the treaty of May 1879. Abdurrahman soon turned his gaze to the north, entering into hostilities against the Russian troops. However, in March 1885 it was defeated by General Komarov in the Kushka region. The Russians had 1,800 fighters and 4 guns, the Afghans - 4,700 and 8 guns. Having lost more than a thousand killed and all the guns, the Afghans fled home. The Russians lost 9 soldiers killed and 45 wounded [source not specified 935 days].

Under Abdur-Rahman (1880-1901), Britain and Russia jointly defined the borders of Afghanistan, which still exist today.

As a result of diplomatic intrigues, the British manage to wrest from Afghanistan the territory of the so-called Pashtunistan (now the North-Western Province of Pakistan).

By 1895, the territory of modern Afghanistan was formed as a result of the conquest of Uzbek, Tajik, Khazar and other lands by Emir Abdur-Rahman. This changes the national composition of Afghanistan, where Pashtuns (Afghans) now make up no more than 50% of the population.

Independent Afghanistan

In 1919 Amanullah Khan declared the independence of Afghanistan from Great Britain. The authorities of Soviet Russia welcomed this act. After another Anglo-Afghan war, Great Britain recognized its independence.

After the second war, the Afghans again did not disturb the British and Indians for almost 40 years, until on February 21, 1919, the third son of the then Emir of Afghanistan, Amanullah, killed his father. Having suppressed the attempt of his uncle Nasrullah Khan to take power and ascending the throne, Amanullah immediately declared jihad - a "holy war" against Britain, mobilized and sent 12,000 regular fighters and 100,000 nomad guerrillas to India.

The fighting began on May 3, 1919 - the Afghans attacked the border post in the Khyber Pass. The British responded by aerial bombardment of Kabul. Then, on May 11, the 1st Indian Infantry Division, supported by the 1st Cavalry Brigade, attacked the Afghan troops in the Khyber Pass and put them to flight. On the same day, British aircraft bombed Jalalabad. As a result, in this direction, the Afghans were completely demoralized and suppressed. However, in the Khost region, large detachments of partisans under the command of General Nadir Shah invaded India on May 23. They occupied the railway station Tal, surrounded two infantry battalions, a cavalry squadron and a battery. But on June 1, in a battle with the infantry brigade of General Dauer, the Afghans suffered a heavy defeat and retreated to Afghanistan (for more details, see the article The Third Anglo-Afghan War).

Amanullah asked for peace. On August 8, 1919, a preliminary (preliminary) peace treaty was signed, giving Afghanistan the right to foreign relations, but leaving in force all the other clauses of the previous treaty of 1879, except for the abolition of the annual British subsidy to Afghanistan in the amount of 60 thousand pounds sterling. Until 1919, this subsidy accounted for about half of Afghanistan's budget revenues.

In October 1919, Amanullah Khan sent his troops to Merv (now Mary, Turkmenistan) and expelled the local Soviet from there. Amanullah also offered military assistance against the Bolsheviks to Ferghana - on the terms of its accession to the Islamic Central Asian Federation, which the Afghan emperor planned to establish. However, nothing came of this idea - the Red troops were successfully advancing in Central Asia, and Amanullah did not dare to fight them and withdrew his troops from Merv.

In 1929, Amanullah Khan was overthrown as a result of an uprising by Bachai Sakao. In the same year, an unsuccessful attempt was made to restore the power of Amanullah Khan with the help of Soviet troops. Bachai Sakao in the same year was overthrown by Nadir Khan, who enlisted the support of the British.

Bachai Sakao is not a name, but a contemptuous nickname, translated into Russian meaning "son of a water carrier." This usurper of the Afghan throne was a Tajik from a poor family. He himself declared himself Padishah Khabibullah.

In 1965, under the influence of communist ideas, journalist Nur Mohammed Taraki founded the pro-Soviet People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), which in 1966 split into two factions along ethnic lines: into the predominantly Pashtun "Khalk" ("People"), led by Taraki, and the multinational "Parcham" ("Banner"), led by Babrak Karmal.

Dictatorship of Daoud (1973-1978)

In 1973, a palace coup took place, as a result of which King Zahir Shah was deposed by his cousin Prince Mohammed Daoud, who proclaimed Afghanistan a republic. The republican period of Afghanistan is characterized by instability and confrontation between various groups expressing the interests of various ethnic communities in Afghanistan (Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras). In addition, there are both radical Islamic and pro-communist forces in the country. Both those and others reflect the existing ethnic diversity of the state and the contradictions between different nationalities in their structure and relationships.

June 21, 1975 Islamic radicals revolt. It is headed by prominent figures of Islamic radicalism, who are members of the leadership of organizations such as the Muslim Youth. One of them is Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who later became famous.

The uprising in the shortest possible time covers the provinces of Badakhshan, Paktia, Nangarhar, but the government of Daoud manages to suppress it.

At the same time, the pro-communist forces represented by the PDPA are trying to destabilize the situation. At the same time, the PDPA has significant support in the Armed Forces of Afghanistan.

Saur Revolution

On April 27, 1978, a revolution took place in Afghanistan, as a result of which the former president, Mohammed Daoud, was assassinated. Nur Mohammad Taraki becomes head of state and prime minister, Babrak Karmal becomes his deputy, and Hafizullah Amin is appointed first deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs. The revolution became a prelude to civil war in the country.

Civil War in Afghanistan

November 30, 1987 - The Loya Jirga adopts a new constitution proclaiming a "policy of national reconciliation". Afghanistan is no longer called the "Democratic Republic": the country has been renamed the Republic of Afghanistan. Battles for Jalalabad.
1988, February 8 - at a meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the question of the date of the "final withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistan" was raised, the date for the start of the withdrawal of Soviet troops was announced - May 15 of this year.
1989, February 4 - the last unit of the Soviet Army left Kabul.
1989, February 14 - all Soviet troops were withdrawn from the territory of Afghanistan; all their property and real estate was transferred to the republic. The last to leave the country on February 15 was the commander of the 40th Army, Lieutenant-General B. Gromov.
1989, late February - in Peshawar, the shura of representatives of the Afghan opposition elected the leader of the Alliance of Seven, Sebgatullah Mojaddedi, as chairman of the so-called "Transitional Government of the Mujahideen". The opposition launched large-scale military operations against the communist regime.
1990 March 6 - Khalqist Defense Minister General Tanaya putsch, who entered into a sharp military confrontation with President Najibullah. Subsequently, he fled to Pakistan, went over to the side of the Taliban.
1991, November 15 - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR B. Pankin gave official consent to the termination of military supplies to the government in Kabul from January 1, 1992.
1992, April 27 - Islamic opposition detachments entered Kabul, and on April 28, Sebgatullah Mojaddedi arrived in the capital and, in the presence of foreign diplomats, received power from the hands of the vice-president of the former regime. He became President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan as well as the head of the Jihad Council (a 51-member commission appointed in accordance with the Peshawar Accords). According to the same document, the post of prime minister was taken by Abdul-Rasul Sayyaf. So far, the continuity of power has been demonstrated: a general amnesty and a refusal to persecute functionaries of the former regime have been announced.
1992, May 6 - at the first meeting of the Leadership Council, a decision was made to dissolve the former cabinet of ministers, headed by F. Halekyar. The National Council was dissolved, the Watan party was banned, and its property was confiscated. All laws contrary to Islam were declared null and void. The first decrees of the new government indicated the establishment of an Islamic dictatorship in the country: the university and all entertainment establishments were closed, obligatory prayers were introduced in state institutions, all anti-religious books and alcohol were banned, women were significantly curtailed in their rights. In the same year, Mojaddidi transferred power to the Tajik ethnic group Burhanuddin Rabbani. However, the civil war did not end there. Pashtun (Gulbetdin Hekmatyar), Tajik (Ahmad Shah Masud, Ismail Khan) and Uzbek (Abdul-Rashid Dostum) field commanders continued to fight among themselves.
By the end of 1994, Rabbani's authority as a national leader was so weakened that his government practically ceased to exist. Even the faint semblance of centralized leadership disappeared. The country was still divided along ethnic lines, there was a classic picture of feudal civil strife. There was a complete decentralization of state administration, there were no economic ties. In this situation, a new Islamist radical movement was born among the Pashtuns - the Taliban group under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Omar.
September 26, 1996 - The Taliban advance from Sarobi towards Kabul and capture it by night assault. Officially announced that the city was taken without a fight. The former government of Rabbani - Hekmatyar flees and goes into armed opposition. In fact, we are talking about the coming to power of Islamic radical groups, since other anti-government groups by that time are clearly inferior to the radicals in armament, numbers and organization.

Under the Taliban, the media in Afghanistan was severely limited. Radio Afghanistan was renamed "Voice of Sharia" and promoted the values ​​of fundamentalist Islam preached by the Taliban. The Taliban banned television altogether, declaring it a source of moral decay.

September 27, 1996 - The Taliban completely occupied Kabul. Former President Najibullah and his brother Ahmadzai, who were hiding in the building of the UN mission, were captured and publicly hanged in one of the squares of the capital.
1996, September 28 - Iran, India, Russia and the republics of Central Asia condemned the execution of Najibullah. The US administration and UN representatives express regret over what happened, but at the same time declare their readiness to establish relations with the new authorities in Kabul.
1996, September 29 - The Taliban proclaimed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and announced the creation of a Provisional Ruling Council consisting of 6 members, headed by Mullah Omar.
September 30, 1996 - The Taliban offer negotiations to Dostum and move north after the outgoing Massoud.
October 6, 1996 - Massoud successfully repels the Taliban's offensive in the Panjer Valley.
1996, October 9 - meeting and fraternal embrace of Dostum and Rabbani in the vicinity of Mazar-i-Sharif. Almost all the main opponents of the Taliban (Massoud, Dostum, Rabbani and Khalili) entrenched themselves in the north, where they together established their Supreme Council and joined forces for a common fight against the Taliban. The new military force was called the Northern Alliance and formed the virtually independent state of Northern Afghanistan in 1996-2001, which retained the name of the Islamic State of Afghanistan.

After the international invasion

The US leadership used the September 11, 2001 attacks as an excuse to invade Afghanistan. The purpose of the operation was to overthrow the Taliban regime, which harbored the terrorist Osama bin Laden. On October 7, Afghanistan was subjected to massive air and missile strikes, which weakened the forces of the Taliban and contributed to the advancement of the armed opposition of the Northern Alliance, which had settled in the mountains of Badakhshan. On November 9, the forces of the armed opposition entered Mazar-i-Sharif, and on November 13, they entered Kabul, abandoned by the Taliban. On December 7, the last stronghold of the Taliban, the city of Kandahar, fell. The intervention of the international community did not allow the Northern Alliance to take power into their own hands. In December, the Loya Jirga is convened - the council of elders of the Afghan tribes, which is chaired by Pashtun Hamid Karzai (since 2004 - President of Afghanistan). Meanwhile, NATO is occupying Afghanistan. The Taliban are moving to guerrilla warfare.

After the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the level of drug trafficking has increased dramatically. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in 2005, Afghanistan accounts for 87% of the world's supply of heroin (and this share is constantly growing), and many peasant farms are involved in the production of opium. Since 2007, there has been a decrease in drug production.

On December 19, 2005, the first meeting of the parliament in 30 years was held in Afghanistan - the National Assembly of Afghanistan, elected in the course of general elections - 249 deputies of the lower house and 102 senators (elders). His inauguration ceremony was attended by US Vice President Dick Cheney and King Mohammed Zahir Shah, deposed in 1973. Of the 249 deputies of the lower house of parliament, 60% are the so-called "mujahideen", that is, those who fought against the Soviet troops in the 1980s. Warlords became deputies thanks to American military and financial assistance and hostility of the world community to the Taliban.

On April 2, 2011, riots erupted in Kandahar over a rumor that an American pastor had burned the Koran. The action was attended by several thousand citizens, there were clashes with the police. The main target of the protesters was the UN office. Earlier, a similar action took place in another Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. However, tensions between local residents and international forces have also occurred before, when, following an accident, soldiers of the international forces fired at the car in which the child and his father were killed. In total, during the unrest in Kandahar in early April, about 100 people died.

State-political structure

According to the 2004 Constitution, Afghanistan is an Islamic republic with a presidential form of government. The President is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the country, forms the government, is elected (no more than two consecutive terms) for four years by universal secret ballot.

Legislature

Judicial system

In Afghanistan, the judiciary is an independent branch of government. Currently, as part of the implementation of the 2001 Bonn Agreements, Afghanistan has temporarily returned to the 1964 judicial system, which combines traditional Sharia law with elements of European legal systems. Although it does not clearly state the role of Shari'ah, it does state that laws must not conflict with the basic principles of Islam.

Loya Jirga (High Council)

In the structure of the highest bodies of government there is also a traditional body of representative power - the Loya Jirga ("Great Assembly", "Supreme Council"), which includes members of both houses of parliament and chairmen of provincial and district councils.

Law enforcement

Law enforcement agencies are represented by the Afghan National Police, numbering about 90,000 as of 2010.

Due to the ongoing civil war, police functions are carried out by army units. Corruption and illiteracy among employees remain high. Police units are trained by instructors from NATO countries.

Administrative division

Military establishment

The current armed forces of Afghanistan were actually created anew with the help of instructors and NATO. As of January 2010, the strength of the armed forces was 108,000 people. By 2014, the number of military personnel is planned to increase to 260,000 people.

The armed forces are subdivided into the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Air Corps. Organizationally, the ANA consists of corps, subdivided into brigades and battalions. Also, the ANA includes a special forces battalion.

The heavy equipment in service with the ANA is mainly produced by the USSR, inherited from the DRA Armed Forces - BMP-1, BTR-60, BTR-80, T-55, T-62 tanks, as well as the United States - infantry fighting vehicles M- 113 and Humvees.

The air force is represented by the Afghan National Air Corps. The armament consists mainly of Soviet-made helicopters - Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-24, as well as Czechoslovak training aircraft L-39.

Geography

Relief

The territory of Afghanistan is located in the northeastern part of the Iranian plateau. A significant part of the country is made up of mountains and valleys between them.

In the north of the country is the Bactrian Plain, within which lies a sandy-clay desert, which is a continuation of the Karakum. In the south and east, it is bordered by mountain systems: Paropamiz, consisting of two ranges - Safedhok and Siahkok, as well as the Hindu Kush.

To the south are the Central Afghan mountains and the Ghazni-Kandahar plateau. In the west, along the border with Iran, lie the Naomid plateau and the Sistan depression. The extreme south of the country is occupied by the Gaudi-Zira depression, the clay-gravelly Dashti-Margo desert and the sandy deserts of Garmser and Registan.

To the west of the Hindu Kush is the Hazarajat highlands with a height of 3000-4000 m. On the border with Pakistan is the highest point of the country - Mount Noshak, with a height of 7492 m.

Climate

The climate of Afghanistan is subtropical continental, cold in winter and dry and hot in summer. Average temperatures and precipitation vary with height: in winter from +8 to -20 °C and lower, in summer from +32 to 0 °C. In the deserts, 40-50 mm of precipitation falls annually, on the plateaus - 200-250 mm, on the windward slopes of the Hindu Kush 400-600 mm, in the southeast of Afghanistan, where the monsoons from the Indian Ocean penetrate, about 800 mm. The maximum precipitation occurs in winter and spring. At an altitude of 3,000-5,000 m, the snow cover lasts 6-8 months, above - glaciers.

Geological structure

The territory of Afghanistan is located mainly within the Alpine-Himalayan mobile belt, with the exception of the Bactrian plain, which belongs to the southern margin of the Turan platform.

Rivers and reservoirs

All rivers, with the exception of Kabul, which flows into the Indus, are endorheic. The largest of them are the Amu Darya, which flows along the northern border of the country, the Harirud, which is taken apart for irrigation, and the Helmand, which flows together with the rivers Ferrakh-Rud, Khash-Rud and Harut-Rud into the Sistan depression and forms a group of freshwater lakes Hamun there. The rivers feed mainly on the melt waters of mountain glaciers. The lowland rivers are flooded in spring and dry up in summer. Mountain rivers have significant hydropower potential. In many areas, groundwater is the only source of water supply and irrigation.

Minerals

The bowels of Afghanistan are rich in minerals, but their development is limited due to their location in remote mountainous areas.

There are deposits of coal and precious metals, beryllium ores, sulfur, table salt, marble, lapis lazuli, barite, celestine. There are deposits of oil, natural gas, gypsum. Copper, iron, manganese ores have been explored.

Economy

Afghanistan is an extremely poor country heavily dependent on foreign aid ($2.6 billion in 2009, with a government budget of $3.3 billion).

GDP per capita in 2009 - $ 800 (according to purchasing power parity, 219th place in the world).

78% of employees are in agriculture (31% of GDP), 6% in industry (26% of GDP), 16% in the service sector (43% of GDP). The unemployment rate is 35% (in 2008).

Agricultural products - opium, grain, fruits, nuts; wool, leather.

Industrial products - clothes, soap, shoes, fertilizers, cement; carpets; gas, coal, copper.

Export - $ 0.6 billion (in 2008, excluding illegal exports): opium, fruits and nuts, carpets, wool, astrakhan fur, precious and semi-precious stones.

The main buyers in 2008 are India 23.5%, Pakistan 17.7%, USA 16.5%, Tajikistan 12.8%, Netherlands 6.9%.

Import - 5.3 billion dollars (in 2008): industrial goods, food, textiles, oil and oil products.

The main suppliers in 2008 are Pakistan 36%, USA 9.3%, 7.5%, India 6.9%.

Drug production

At the end of August 2008, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published its annual report on opium poppy production in Afghanistan, which states: “No other country in the world, except China in the middle of the 19th century, produced as many drugs as modern Afghanistan. ".

After the invasion of US and NATO troops, drug production increased several times. Today, it is Russia and the EU countries that are the main victims of heroin coming from Afghanistan. It is noted that the rapid growth of drug consumption in Russia in the past ten years has occurred precisely due to drug trafficking from Afghanistan.

According to UNODC, more than 90% of the opium entering the world market is already produced in Afghanistan. The area of ​​opium plantations is 193 thousand hectares. The income of the Afghan "drug lords" in 2007 exceeded 3 billion dollars (which, according to various estimates, ranges from 10% to 15% of Afghanistan's official GDP). Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan now exceeds coca cultivation in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia combined. In 2006, the country produced 6,100 tons of opium, and in 2007, a record harvest of 8,000 tons.

At the same time, in the north and in the center, controlled by the government of Hamid Karzai, only 20% of the Afghan opium poppy is produced, and the rest is produced in the southern provinces on the border with Pakistan - the zone of operations of NATO and Taliban troops. The main center of drug production is Helmand province, a stronghold of the Taliban movement, where the planting area was 103,000 hectares.

Afghanistan is officially under the patronage of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) (to which the US transferred this responsibility after the official end of military operations), but the international forces have not been able to take control of the entire territory of Afghanistan, limiting their real influence mainly to Kabul and the surrounding area .

According to the UN, about 90% of drugs entering Europe are of Afghan origin. ISAF, for its part, verbally states that its troops are conducting a peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan and are ready to help the Afghan government in solving the drug problem, but this is primarily and mainly its own task.

Poppy cultivation is often the only source of income for Afghan farmers.

Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation decreased by 22% and 157,000 hectares in 2008, but remains at historically high levels; unfavorable growing conditions in 2008 reduced the amount harvested to 5,500 tons, down 31 percent from 2007; If the entire crop were processed, there would be about 648 tons of pure heroin; The Taliban and other anti-government groups are directly involved in opium production and profit from the opium trade. Opium is a key source of income for the Taliban in Afghanistan. In 2008, the Taliban's drug revenue was $470 million. Pervasive corruption and instability in the state hamper the enforcement of drug control measures; Most of the heroin sold in Europe and East Asia is derived from Afghan opium (2008).

A number of experts believe that during the reign of the Taliban, the production of drugs was banned and suppressed, while after the introduction of US and NATO troops, the production and supply of drugs increased significantly and are controlled by them.

For example, Dosym Satpaev, director of the Kazakh consulting organization Risk Assessment Group, believes that Afghan groups opposed to the Taliban are producing drugs. By supporting them, NATO turns a blind eye to their drug activities.

Also, according to Michael Bernstam, a professor at Stanford University, the Taliban "prohibited drugs and severely punished", carrying out repression against drug producers. He accused NATO of "humanitarian treatment" of the drug-producing population.

Population

Population - 28.4 million (July 2009 est.)
Annual growth - 2.6%
Birth rate - 45.5 per 1000 (4th place in the world)
Mortality - 19.2 per 1000 (8th place in the world)
Fertility - 6.5 births per woman (4th in the world)
Infant mortality - 247 per 1000 (1st place in the world; UN data at the end of 2009)
Average life expectancy - 44.6 years (214th in the world)
Urban population - 24%
Literacy - 43% male, 12% female (2000 est.)

Afghanistan is a multinational state. Its population consists of various ethnic groups belonging to various language families - Iranian, Turkic and others.
The most numerous ethnic group are the Pashtuns - their number varies, according to various estimates, from 39.4 to 42% of the population. The second largest group is the Farsivans ("Persian-speaking") - from 27 to 38%. The third group - the Hazaras - from 8 to 10%. The fourth largest ethnic group - Uzbeks - ranges from 6 to 9.2%. Less numerous ethnic groups - aimaks, Turkmens, Balochs - make up 4.3-01%, 1-3% and 0.5-2%, respectively. Other ethnic groups account for 1 to 4%.

culture

Afghanistan has an ancient history, a culture that has survived to this day in the form of various languages ​​and monuments. However, many historical monuments were destroyed during the war. Two famous Buddha statues in Bamiyan province were destroyed by the Taliban, who viewed them as "idolatrous" and "pagan". Other famous architectural monuments are located in the cities of Kandahar, Ghazni and Balkh. Jam minaret, in the valley of the river Khari, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Mohammed's cloak is kept inside the famous Khalkha Sharif in the city of Kandahar.

Literature

Although the literacy rate is very low, the Persian poetry plays a very important role in Afghan culture. Poetry has always been one of the main pillars of education in Iran and Afghanistan, to the extent that it has become integrated into the culture. Persian culture still has a great influence on Afghan culture. Closed poetry competitions, known as "musha'era", are quite often held even among ordinary people. Almost every home has one or more collections of poetry, even if they are not often read.

Sport

Buzkashi is the national sport in Afghanistan. The horsemen are divided into two teams, playing in the field, each team is trying to capture and hold the skin of a goat. Although the literacy rate is very low, the classics of Persian poetry play a very important role in Afghan culture. Poetry has always been one of the main pillars of education in Iran and Afghanistan, to the extent that it has become integrated into the culture. Persian culture still has a great influence on Afghan culture. Closed poetry competitions, known as "musha'era", are quite often held even among ordinary people. Almost every home has one or more collections of poetry, even if they are not often read.

The eastern dialect of Persian is commonly known as "Dari". The name itself comes from "parsi-e derbari" ("court Farsi"). The ancient name "Dari" - one of the original names of the Persian language - was restored in the Afghan Constitution of 1964 and was intended "... to show that the Afghans consider their country the cradle of the language. Thus, the name Farsi, as the language of the Persians, should be strictly avoided.”

Religion

The dominant religion is Islam - it is practiced by over 90% of the population. Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism are also widespread, various autochthonous pagan cults and syncretic beliefs (Yazidis, etc.)

According to the results of the study of the international charitable Christian organization "Open Doors" for 2011, Afghanistan ranks 3rd in the list of countries where the rights of Christians are most often oppressed.