The Mountainous Landscape Of Afghanistan: Nature's Majestic Fortresses

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia, known for its rugged, mountainous terrain. The country is divided into three distinct geographic regions by the towering Hindu Kush mountain range and its subsidiary ranges: the Central Highlands, the Northern Plains, and the Southwestern Plateau. Mountains cover as much as 80% of the land, with more than 49% of the total land area lying above 2,000 meters. The highest peak, Mount Noshaq, rises to 7,492 meters in the Hindu Kush Range on the border with Pakistan. Afghanistan's forbidding landscape of mountains and deserts has proven challenging for empire builders and invaders throughout history, earning the country a reputation as a crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia.

The Hindu Kush mountains

The Hindu Kush has great historical and cultural significance. The range served as a passageway for invasions of the Indian subcontinent and was a significant centre of Buddhism, with sites such as the Bamiyan Buddhas. The range hosted ancient monasteries, trade networks, and travellers between Central and South Asia. While the region has been predominantly Muslim for centuries, some areas such as Kafiristan only became Islamized in the 19th century when it was converted by the Durrani Empire and renamed Nuristan, meaning "land of light".

The Hindu Kush also has significant geological and ecological characteristics. The range is part of the young Eurasian mountain range, consisting of metamorphic rocks and intrusives like granite and diorite. The Hindu Kush is prone to earthquakes as the Eurasian and Indo-Australian tectonic plates continue to push against each other. The range forms a boundary between the Indus watershed in South Asia and the Amu Darya watershed in Central Asia, and its meltwater feeds major river systems in Central Asia, including the Amu Darya, Helmand River, and Kabul River.

The Hindu Kush is sparsely populated, with inhabitants practising livestock farming and crop cultivation. The Kalash people, who claim descent from Alexander the Great, are one of the main ethnic groups in the region and have their distinct laws, religion, and culture.

The Central Highlands

The Hindu Kush mountains, which stretch for 965 kilometres (600 miles) from east to west, are the most important mountain range in the country and are considered a logical extension of the Himalayan Mountains. The Hindu Kush consists of parallel ridges that spread over 800 kilometres in length and about 350 kilometres in width. The system includes several glaciers, such as Chiantar, Artak, Tirich, and Kotgats. Most of the Hindu Kush mountain system is located in Afghanistan, with its eastern part belonging to Pakistan, where the highest peaks are found, including Mount Tirichmir (7,708 metres), the highest point of the Hindu Kush.

The Northern Plains

The Bactrian Plain, in the northern part of Afghanistan, has numerous rivers in the foothills of the Paropamisus and Hindu Kush mountain ranges. Towards the north of the country, the Bactrian Plain gradually turns into a desert.

The Southwestern Plateau

Several large rivers cross the Southwestern Plateau, including the Helmand River and its major tributary, the Arghandab. The Southwestern Plateau is also crossed by the Helmand River and its major tributary, the Arghandab. The Southwestern Plateau is part of a larger region of sandy deserts and semi-deserts that cover the southern and western parts of the country.

The Wakhan Corridor

The corridor is home to nomadic tribes, such as the Kyrgyz, who move their herds across the alpine valleys and high mountains. The Kyrgyz have a unique culture and traditions, including their clothing, music, and yurt dwellings. However, they face significant challenges due to their isolated location, including a lack of access to healthcare and education, and a high death rate, especially among children.

The corridor has been closed to regular traffic for over a century, and the lack of infrastructure makes travel difficult. Efforts have been made to build a road through the corridor, but the region's geopolitical situation and terrain complexity have hindered these initiatives.

Despite Afghanistan's long-running conflicts, the Wakhan Corridor has remained largely untouched by war, and the local communities continue to live their lives, enduring the hardships and embracing the beauty of this remote and rugged landscape.

Frequently asked questions