A Bordering Concern: Exploring Afghanistan's Neighboring Countries

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordering six countries and one disputed territory. To the east and south of Afghanistan is Pakistan, with whom it shares its longest border, known as the Durand Line. In the northeast, Afghanistan has a small border with China. Afghanistan also shares a border with Iran to the west, Turkmenistan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, and Tajikistan to the northeast.

Afghanistan's border with Pakistan to the south and east is the longest, at 1,510 miles

The Durand Line was established in 1893 as the international border between the Emirate of Afghanistan and the British Indian Empire. It was the result of an agreement between Mortimer Durand, a British diplomat, and Abdur Rahman Khan, the Emir of Afghanistan, to fix the limit of their respective spheres of influence and improve diplomatic relations and trade. The Durand Line effectively cut through the traditional homeland of the Pashtun people, dividing their tribal lands between Afghanistan and what is now Pakistan.

The Durand Line has been a source of controversy and dispute ever since its establishment. Afghanistan has never officially recognised the Durand Line as its international border with Pakistan, considering it to be void and imposed on them by the British. This refusal to recognise the Durand Line has led to tensions and conflicts between the two countries, with Afghanistan seeking the return of Pashtun territories.

The Durand Line has also been a factor in the complex relationship between the Taliban and Pakistan. The Taliban, which includes many Pashtun members, has encouraged the Pashtun people inside Pakistan to seek their own separate state. The Durand Line has been the site of frequent battles between the Pakistani army, composed mostly of Punjabis, and the Taliban, composed mostly of Pashtuns.

In recent years, the situation along the Durand Line has become even more volatile, with frequent cross-border attacks and skirmishes between the Taliban and the Pakistani military. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of harbouring terrorist groups, such as the Pakistani Taliban, that carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban, on the other hand, has accused Pakistan of conducting retaliatory strikes and killing civilians. The Durand Line continues to be a major point of contention and a source of instability in the region.

The Afghanistan-China border is the shortest at 91km

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordering six countries and one disputed territory. The country is predominantly mountainous, with plains in the north and southwest. The Afghanistan-China border is the shortest of Afghanistan's borders at 91km or 92km. This border is located in the far northeast of Afghanistan, at the end of the long, narrow Wakhan Corridor, which is a buffer zone between Afghanistan and Tajikistan to the north, and Pakistan to the south. The corridor is home to around 12,000 inhabitants, and the terrain is notoriously difficult. The border crosses several mountain passes, including Wakhjir Pass, which is the only border connection between Afghanistan and China. The border marks the greatest terrestrial time zone difference on Earth, with China 3.5 hours ahead of Afghanistan.

The Wakhan Corridor was formed after an 1893 agreement between Mortimer Durand of the British Raj and Emir Abdur Rahman Khan of Afghanistan, creating the Durand Line. The corridor acted as a buffer zone between the Russian Empire and the British Empire. The border between Afghanistan and China was established in an agreement between the British and the Russians in 1895 as part of the Great Game, although the Chinese and Afghans did not agree on the border until 1963.

China has resisted calls to open the Wakhan Corridor, largely due to unrest in its far-western province of Xinjiang, which borders the corridor. The corridor is closed to visitors, except for local residents and herders from the area. China has no customs facilities in the area and has shown no intention of adding a formal crossing point. The Taliban has expressed interest in opening the corridor to boost commerce, imports, exports, and cross-border transit. However, analysts expect Beijing to be cautious due to security concerns.

The border between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan is considered the second most heavily guarded in the world

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordering six countries: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The country's border with Uzbekistan is considered the second most heavily guarded in the world.

The Afghanistan-Uzbekistan border is 89 miles long and runs along the Amu River from the tripoint with Turkmenistan to the tripoint with Tajikistan. The Uzbek city of Termez and the Afghan town of Hairatan are the closest major population centres to the border. A major crossing point between the two locations, known as the Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge, was constructed by the Soviet Union in the 1980s to send military personnel into Afghanistan. It remains the only fixed crossing between the two countries.

In 2001, Uzbekistan built a barrier along the border consisting of a barbed wire fence, a second, taller, 380-volt electrified barbed-wire fence, landmines, and a patrol of heavily armed Uzbek soldiers. The barrier was erected to prevent refugees from fleeing the US-led attacks in Afghanistan.

The Tajikistan-Afghanistan border is approximately 810 miles long and is characterised by difficult and dangerous terrain

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordering six countries: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, China, and Iran. The Tajikistan-Afghanistan border is approximately 810 miles long and is characterised by difficult and dangerous terrain. The border crossing at Ishkashim connects the Tajik and Afghan Wakhan valleys, and is the only feasibly safe way to access the narrow Wakhan Corridor. The border is shut periodically, usually during disease outbreaks or when the Taliban push into the Badakhshan Province. The border area is volatile due to the Tajikistani Civil War and the Afghan Civil War, and it remains poorly policed, with a history of being a major drug smuggling route.

The Tajikistan-Afghanistan border begins at the tripoint with Uzbekistan in the west and ends at the tripoint with China in the east. It runs for 843 miles, mostly along the Amu Darya, Pyanj and Pamir Rivers, except for the easternmost section along the Wakhan Corridor. The border's creation dates back to the 19th-century Anglo-Russian rivalry in Central Asia, known as the Great Game. The Russians and British agreed to leave Afghanistan as an independent buffer state between them. The border was officially established in 1873, with the Amu Darya declared to be the border going east from the village of Khwaja Salar to Lake Zorku, and the Wakhan Corridor remaining in Afghanistan.

The Tajikistan-Afghanistan border is a major route for drugs being smuggled from Afghanistan to Russia and Europe, and both governments are concerned about the issue. The border is also a key crossing point for refugees. In recent years, thousands of Afghans have crossed the mountainous border into neighbouring Tajikistan, with the UNHCR estimating a total of 10,000 Afghan refugees in the country.

The border between Afghanistan and Iran is marked by the Helmand River in the south and the Heray River in the north

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by six countries: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The country's border with Pakistan is known as the Durand Line, and it is often considered one of the most dangerous borders in the world due to the presence of the Taliban and other militant groups.

The border between Afghanistan and Iran is marked by two rivers: the Helmand River in the south and the Heray River (also known as the Hari River) in the north. The Helmand River is the longest river in Afghanistan, rising in the Hindu Kush mountains and flowing southwestward for about 715 miles (1,150 km) before emptying into the Sistan Basin, a large drainless basin shared by both countries. The river is of great importance to both Afghanistan and Iran, providing water for agriculture and human consumption.

The Helmand River has been a source of tension and conflict between Afghanistan and Iran for centuries. Disputes over water rights and the construction of dams on the river have led to clashes and political turmoil between the two countries. The river is crucial for irrigation and supports a fertile, populous belt along its course. However, the varying water levels in the river due to droughts and dam construction have impacted the flow of water into Iran, leading to disputes and violence.

The Heray River, a tributary of the larger Amu Darya River, also rises in the Hindu Kush mountains and flows westward. The Amu Darya River forms part of the borders between Afghanistan and both Tajikistan and Turkmenistan before flowing into the Aral Sea. The Heray River is an important natural landmark that separates the two countries, although it may experience low water levels during arid periods.

Both the Helmand and Heray Rivers play a vital role in shaping the geography and politics of the Afghanistan-Iran border region. The rivers provide essential water resources for agriculture and human settlements while also serving as natural boundaries between the two nations. However, the management of these shared water resources has been a longstanding source of conflict and remains a complex issue that requires careful diplomatic resolution.

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