Afghanıstan
AFGHANISTAN
Country Official Name: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Country Location: Central Asia
Capital: Kabul
President: Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani
Neighbors: Afghanistan borders Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the north, Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south, China and India in the east.
Ethnicity: The majority of the population of the country is Pashtuns. Then Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmens and other groups come respectively.
Management Type: Republic with a presidential system
Area: 652.864 km²
Telephone code: +93
Currency: Afghanistan Afghan
Population: 35.5 million
Official languages: Darice 50% (official language), Pashto 35% (official language), Uzbek-Turkmen 11%, other 4%
Religion: Islam (90 percent Sunni, 8 percent Shia)
Alphabet: Arabic alphabet
Local Time: Afghanistan time zone GMT +4.30. one and a half hours ahead of Turkey.
Popular cities: Kabul, Herat, Kunduz, Jalalabad, Bagram, Kandahar, Mezar-i Sharif.
Climate / Weather:
In Afghanistan, located in a very rugged geography, most of the country is surrounded by mountains high above sea level, plateaus and deep valleys. In the country where the harsh steppe climate prevails, summers are hot and dry, winters are extremely cold and snowy. The country is covered with white snow during the winter months.
When to go to Afghanistan?
The best time to visit Afghanistan, which is extremely hot in the summer and extremely cold in the winter, is the spring and autumn months. The months of March-May and September-October are the periods with the temperature to explore the country easily.
Afghanistan, which has an unstable political past due to invasions and coups, is one of the countries that changed the flag the most in the world.
The Afghan flag used today The Afghan flag, which started to be used in 2004, has three different colors on the vertical. The far left of the flag is black, the middle is red, and the right is green. In the center of the flag, there is a classical coat of arms with a white mihrab and a depiction of a mosque facing Mecca.
Geographical position:
Afghanistan has no way to the sea as a geographical location. It is located in the middle of Central Asia and South Asia and bears the position of the bridge of these two very important Asian geographies. On the other hand, it has borders with the Middle Eastern countries such as Iran.
Climate:
Afghanistan experiences four seasons a year as a climate. High mountain regions, forest areas and excessive water resources distinguish it from its other neighbors.
Area: It has an area of 241652000 square km and is the 41st country in the world in terms of land size.
Number of Provinces: 34
Population: 29117000
Official Languages:
Darice (Afghanistan Persian) and Pashtunce are the two official languages of Afghanistan, in accordance with Article 16 of the Constitutional Law. On the other hand, Uzbek, Turkmen, Peşey, Nuristan, Beluç and Pamir, which are spoken by the majority in some regions, are regionally among the third official languages of Afghanistan.
General Information
Kabul is the capital city of Afghanistan, which is located in the Middle East and has no sea border. It has a population of around 30 million. Afghan and Persian have been accepted as the official languages in Afghanistan. Afghanistan Afghanis is used as the currency in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is among the countries that require a visa, you must have made your visa application and obtained a visa to Afghanistan before you go.
Location
It borders with China in the East, Turkmenistan in the North, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran in the West, and Pakistan in the Southeast.
Most Visited Cities Kabul, Herat, Belh, Jalalalabad
Climate / Weather
The days are long in the summer in Afghanistan and it is very hot because it is a country in the Middle East. It also experiences extreme cold in winters. Rainfall is usually seen in the form of snow in November and April.
When to Go?
It is more advantageous to go to Afghanistan in September and October, when both extreme heat and cold are less common.
Country Cuisine / What to Eat What to Drink?
Afghanistan has a cuisine rich in local food. They consume their meals using their bread. The fact that Afghan cuisine consists mostly of meat dishes can also cause problems for vegetarians.
Afghanistan, which served as a buffer zone between the British and Russian empires for many years, gained its independence after the war with Britain in 1919.
Afghanistan, whose population is decreasing day by day due to instability, has rich underground resources that are not yet untouched.
In Afghanistan, which is still dependent on foreign countries in many areas, there are very rich coal and iron deposits as well as copper, lead, beryllium and zinc. The rich hydro energy potential in the country cannot be used due to poverty.
General situation
Afghanistan, which ranks 41st in the world in terms of area and has been home to many civilizations for centuries, was occupied by the British in the middle of the 18th century. The independence struggle that King Emanullah Khan started at the beginning of the 19th century ended successfully in 1919.
Afghanistan, neighboring Pakistan, China, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, has no coast.
Two-thirds of Afghanistan, which has one of the harshest geographical conditions in the world, is covered with mountains. The geographical structure of the country, which has various geographical features from deserts to dense forests and mountains, reaching a height of 6 thousand meters in places, makes transportation, communication and trade difficult.
In the country known for its biological diversity, the Mughal Shah Garden, Ravzai Sharif, Amu River, sports festivals with colorful scenes and food culture stand out.
Economy
The gross domestic product of Afghanistan, the world's 173rd economy, is $ 19.2 billion according to 2015 estimates. The per capita income in the country is around 590.27 dollars, exports are 865 million dollars and imports are at the level of 7.63 billion dollars.
In Afghanistan, inflation rose by 5.9 percent in 2016 and the unemployment rate increased by 40 percent.
Political Situation
Due to its strategic location and being one of the crossroads of trade, Afghanistan was invaded by Iranians, Arabs, Mongols, British and Soviets for many years.
One of the events that changed Afghanistan's history was the Soviet occupation. Afghanistan, which was invaded by the Soviet Union between 1979 and 1989, suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties as a result of this invasion.
The attacks of September 11, 2001, one of the most important turning points in world history, started a new era for Afghanistan. The US held the al-Qaeda organization based in Afghanistan and its leader Osama Bin Laden responsible for the attack and asked the Taliban, which ruled the country, to close the al-Qaeda bases and hand over bin Laden to the USA.
After the Taliban refused this request, a new war broke out in Afghanistan on 7 October 2001, when the US and British planes carried out air strikes against Taliban and al-Qaeda targets. The war that lasted 13 years has witnessed great controversy and human rights violations.
There are two legislative branches in Afghanistan, which is governed by a presidential system, the 250-seat People's Assembly (Vulusi Cirge) and the 102-seat Senate Chamber (Mişranu Cirge). Afghanistan consists of 34 provinces. The provinces work under the central government.
Esref Gani, who received more than half of the votes in the last presidential election held in Afghanistan on 5 April 2014, came to power with the promise of fighting corruption and growing the economy.
Afghanistan has Durand border problems with Pakistan, which have not been resolved for years. Thousands of people lose their lives every year, especially in attacks by Taliban forces targeting foreign soldiers and security forces in the country.
Kandahar
Kandahar, which is at the point where Southern Afghanistan and Cape Mosque meet, is located across the mountains. The last Afghan Emperor Ahmed Shah Durrani used this place as the capital. You can also see inscriptions in the area full of mosques and tombs.
Mazar-e sharif
The building, which has an aesthetic beauty, is one of the famous places of Afghanistan. The grave of the Prophet's cousin Ali bin Talib is here. You can catch a pleasant religious atmosphere under the turquoise-blue domes. In the place where Mazar-e Sharif is also BC. You can find traces of Alexander's armies in the 3rd century.
Jalalabad
Celalabad, founded by Emperor Akbar, is a place where you can catch the ancient times. You can see the summit of Safid Mountain here. How the Mongol armies used to endure this cold is still a mystery.
You can visit the tomb of King Amanullah Khan and spend time in the green tones of the gardens. Ready to take pictures anytime.
Balkh
Considered the epicenter of the ancient Bactrian Empire, the old town of Balkh has a history dating back about 4,000. Zoroastrianism and Buddhism originated in these lands.
Although the town was destroyed and rebuilt over time, the great fortification walls remained the same. It is mostly known by tourists for its buzzing markets and Green Mosque.
Herat
It is wondered why Herat, the third largest city in Afghanistan, has such a name. The region close to the Iran border was under the influence of the Tirmurlu Dynasty. Because of this interaction, its name became Herat.
Here, the elegant structure of turquoise-tipped minarets and shimmering tiles will amaze your eyes. More than eight centuries of history are mentioned for Herat. The tombs of the venerable Sufi poets and Herat Castle are the places visited.
Samangan
Samangan Town was the stopping point for caravans using the old Silk Road. It is also used as a touristic place today. The mysterious cave structure attracts people's attention. Here you can see the inlays thought to have been made in the 4th and 5th centuries AD. You have the opportunity to closely witness what happened before Islam in Samangan.
Bamiyan
In ancient times it was known as a Hindu-Buddhist center of worship. Before Muslims entered these lands, they also had an artistic identity.
The giant Buddha statues found here are considered to be one of the most outstanding 4th and 5th century carvings in all of Asia. However, it was destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001. As a result of this destruction, which caused an international reaction, UNESCO preserved historical monuments.
Faizabad
Faizabad, which is one of the places that smells nature, offers its visitors a magnificent view of the Kokcha River. We recommend that you take it among the places to visit in Afghanistan and we recommend you to come for the second time if you have time.
Band-e Amir National Park
The breathtaking place of Band-e Amir became Afghanistan's first national park in 2009. It is not difficult to understand why. The region formed by geological movements is a great spot to look around. There is a busy season in the spring and summer months.
Kabul
Kabul has been in chaos since the fall of Mujahideen and al-Qaeda, Taliban rebels and other groups after the start of the country's modern wars. It is very sad for the city that offers exciting places for tourist trips. Kabul was one of the places where Zoroastrianism and Buddhism were most intense. You can see Afghanistan's rich past at the Kabul Museum.
Places to Visit in Kabul
Khyber Pass
Panjshir Valley, located on the outskirts of Hindu Kush, one of the eastern provinces of Afghanistan, stands out with its potential to be an industrial area. American investors are keenly interested in everything from emerald mining to hydropower generation. Here you can spare time for yourself in the lush nature.
Talucan
The Talukan are located just above the mountains in southern Afghanistan's Pashtun region, neighboring the massive Hindu Kush.
Mughal Garden
The Mughal Garden in Kabul stands out as one of the only places where people can breathe. Locals and foreigners show the expected level of interest.
Kabul Zoo
The zoo, located on the banks of the Kabul River, was put into service in 1967. The facility, which aims to protect and preserve the species, continues its activities with the support of the people.
Iydgâh Mosque
It is a historical mosque in Kashgar city in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The mosque built by Mizra without Saq in the 15th century covers an area of 16,800 square meters. It is the largest mosque in Xinjiang and Central Asia.
Qargha Reservoir
It is Afghanistan's important dam. There are nice hotels available for accommodation around. You can go into the city by using transportation vehicles.