The Unique Administrative Divisions Of Afghanistan: Exploring The Country's Structure

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The country is divided into 34 provinces, with each province encompassing a number of districts or over 1,000 villages. The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul, which is also the country's largest city and home to over 1 million people.

Afghanistan's geography and climate

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. It is a rugged country, with a landscape dominated by mountains and deserts. The Hindu Kush mountain range runs through the country, with peaks reaching over 24,000 feet. The country can be divided into three distinct geographic regions: the central highlands, the northern plains, and the southwestern plateau.

The central highlands are a region of deep, narrow valleys and high mountains, with an area of about 160,000 square miles. This region includes the famous Khyber Pass, a route to the Indian subcontinent. The climate here is typically dry, with cold winters and hot summers. The soil varies from desert-steppe to meadow-steppe.

The northern plains extend from the Iranian border to the foothills of the Pamir mountains, near Tajikistan. This region covers about 40,000 square miles of fertile foothills and plains, sloping gently towards the Amu Darya river. The average elevation is about 2,000 feet, and the region is home to a large portion of the country's agriculture. The northern plains also possess a wealth of natural resources, including natural gas and mineral deposits.

The southwestern plateau covers about 50,000 square miles and is characterised by high plateaus and sandy deserts. The average elevation is around 3,000 feet, and the region is crossed by several large rivers, including the Helmand. The climate is dry and mild, with the city of Kandahar enjoying a dry, yet mild climate at an elevation of about 3,500 feet. Sandstorms are common in the deserts and arid plains.

Afghanistan's climate is characterised by cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers, with extreme temperature changes from night to day and season to season. The country experiences little rainfall, with most precipitation falling between December and April. The lack of rainfall has led to droughts in recent years, impacting agricultural production.

The country's terrain consists mostly of rugged mountains, with plains in the north and southwest. The Hindu Kush mountain range divides the northern provinces from the rest of the country, with the highest peaks in the northeastern Wakhan Corridor. Afghanistan is home to a variety of wildlife, including snow leopards, Siberian tigers, brown bears, and various bird species.

The country's history

Afghanistan's history is characterised by foreign conquest and internal strife. The country's strategic location along the historic Silk Road has made it a target for empire builders, and its forbidding landscape of mountains and deserts has laid many imperial ambitions to rest.

Human habitation in Afghanistan dates back to the Middle Paleolithic era, and the country has witnessed numerous military campaigns, including those by the Persians, Alexander the Great, the Maurya Empire, Arab Muslims, the Mongols, the British, the Soviet Union, and a US-led coalition.

The modern state of Afghanistan began with the Durrani Afghan Empire in the 18th century, although Dost Mohammad Khan is sometimes considered to be the founder of the first modern Afghan state. The country became a buffer state in the Great Game between the British and Russian Empires, and the British attempted to subjugate Afghanistan in the First Anglo-Afghan War. However, the Second Anglo-Afghan War saw a British victory and the establishment of British political influence. Following the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919, Afghanistan became free of foreign political hegemony and emerged as the independent Kingdom of Afghanistan in June 1926 under Amanullah Khan.

Since the late 1970s, Afghanistan's history has been dominated by extensive warfare, including coups, invasions, insurgencies, and civil wars. The conflict began in 1978 when a communist revolution established a socialist state, and subsequent infighting prompted the Soviet Union to invade Afghanistan in 1979. Mujahideen fought against the Soviets in the Soviet–Afghan War and continued fighting amongst themselves following the Soviets' withdrawal in 1989. The Islamic fundamentalist Taliban controlled most of the country by 1996, but their Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan received little international recognition before its overthrow in the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan. The Taliban returned to power in 2021 after capturing Kabul and overthrowing the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, ending the 2001–2021 war.

The Taliban's rule

The Taliban, a predominantly Pashtun Islamic fundamentalist group, returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 after waging an insurgency against the US-backed government in Kabul since 2001. Their harsh interpretation of Islamic law has resulted in the prohibition of most girls from attending secondary school, the banning of all women from working and teaching at universities, and the prevention of women from working. The Taliban have also violently cracked down on demonstrations, restricted press freedoms, and re-established their Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which enforces prohibitions on behaviour deemed un-Islamic.

The Taliban's takeover has also resulted in a worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The economy has shrunk by up to 30% since the takeover, and an estimated 700,000 jobs have been lost. More than 90% of the population has been suffering from some form of food insecurity. The situation has been exacerbated by a pause in aid by some countries and international organisations, which had been the lifeline of the economy and public health sector.

The Taliban have also struggled to provide Afghans with adequate food supplies and economic opportunities. The country's overall security situation has improved and civilian casualties have declined, but violence remains widespread, particularly as the Islamic State in Khorasan terrorist group has increased attacks on civilians throughout the country.

International observers are concerned that the Taliban could provide safe haven to terrorist organisations, particularly al-Qaeda, posing a threat to regional and international security. The Taliban maintain close ties with al-Qaeda, and experts warn that Afghanistan could become a base for terrorists to launch attacks against the US and its allies.

The Taliban's leadership is a council called the Rahbari Shura, led by Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada. The government is led by a 33-member caretaker cabinet, with all ministers being men and former Taliban officials or individuals loyal to the group. A majority of the ministers are ethnic Pashtuns, and some are considered terrorists by the US and are sanctioned by the UN.

Afghanistan's economy

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia with a population of around 41 million people. It is bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The country's economy is largely dependent on agriculture, with 60-80% of the population working in this sector.

The economy of Afghanistan is the 155th largest in the world in terms of nominal gross domestic product (GDP), with a GDP of $6.81 billion as of 2024. Its GDP per capita is $200, one of the lowest in the world. Afghanistan's economy has been severely impacted by decades of conflict, resulting in high unemployment, widespread poverty, and a lack of infrastructure. The country also faces challenges such as food insecurity, natural disasters, and a high level of external debt.

However, there are signs of economic recovery in Afghanistan. The country has seen an influx of expatriates, the expansion of its agriculture, energy, and mining sectors, and the development of new trade routes with neighboring countries. The service sector contributes the most to Afghanistan's GDP (55.9%), followed by agriculture (23%) and industry (21.1%). The country has a variety of natural resources, including extensive deposits of natural gas, copper, iron ore, lithium, and precious stones.

The World Bank and other international organizations have provided humanitarian and economic support to Afghanistan, but there are concerns about the impact of the Taliban's policies on the country's economic development, particularly regarding restrictions on women and girls' rights. The Biden administration's decision to withhold assets from the Afghanistan Central Bank has also affected the country's access to international banking and foreign exchange reserves.

Afghanistan's long-term growth prospects depend on its ability to reduce reliance on international aid and consumption-driven growth, and instead, focus on a more resilient, private sector-led economy that capitalizes on its inherent strengths, particularly in the agricultural and extractive sectors.

The country's people and culture

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia, bordering Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. It is a multiethnic country with a rich and diverse culture that has evolved over three millennia. The country's culture is historically strongly connected to nearby Persia, including the same religion, as the people of both countries have lived together for thousands of years.

Afghanistan is a mostly tribal society with different regions of the country having their own subculture. Despite this, nearly all Afghans follow Islamic traditions, celebrate the same holidays, dress the same, consume the same food, and listen to the same music.

Afghanistan's official languages are Dari and Pashto, with Dari serving as the lingua franca for the majority. Dari is spoken in the northern and central areas of the country, while Pashto is spoken in the south and east. Most citizens are bilingual, especially those living in major cities where the population is multi-ethnic. Several other languages are spoken in their own regions, including Uzbek, Turkmen, and Balochi. English is gradually becoming popular among the younger generation.

Afghanistan's culture is strongly tied to elements of Central Asian culture, which can be seen in the likes of language, cuisine, or classical music. Afghan cuisine is based on cereals like wheat, maize, barley, and rice, which are the nation's chief crops. Fresh and dried fruits are the most important part of the Afghan diet, and the country is well-known for its fine fruits, especially pomegranates, grapes, and its extra-sweet jumbo-size melons.

The family is the single most important unit in Afghan culture. Men and women's roles are much more defined along traditional lines. Women are generally responsible for household duties, whereas men typically take the role of breadwinners. Families commonly arrange marriages for their children, with factors such as tribe, status, network, and wealth forming the basis of any choice.

The country's recent history has been highly militarized, with over 40 years of continued war decimating older generations and creating a country in which the average age of an Afghan is 18 years old (as of 2020).

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