Afghan Culture Afghan Culture

George, Josh, and DanGeorge, Josh, and Dan

Table of Contents Table of Contents 1.1. GeographyGeography2.2. PeoplePeople3.3. LanguagesLanguages4.4. ReligionReligion5.5. Rural LifeRural Life6.6. Sports and PastimesSports and Pastimes7.7. EducationEducation8.8. HealthHealth9.9. Art and Architecture Art and Architecture 10.10. Movie ClipMovie Clip

GeographyGeography

Located in central AsiaLocated in central Asia Bordered by six Bordered by six

countriescountries ChinaChina IranIran PakistanPakistan TajikistanTajikistan TurkmenistanTurkmenistan Uzbekistan Uzbekistan

GeographyGeography

Landlocked nation Landlocked nation (slightly smaller (slightly smaller than Texas)than Texas)

Total Population: Total Population: 31 Million31 Million

Capital: KabulCapital: Kabul

GeographyGeography

Mountainous Mountainous Hindu Kush: main Hindu Kush: main

mountain rangemountain range Climate: cold Climate: cold

winters and arid winters and arid summers summers

PeoplePeople

Major Ethnic Major Ethnic GroupsGroups Pashtuns- 42%Pashtuns- 42% Takijs- 27%Takijs- 27% Uzbeks- 9%Uzbeks- 9% Hazaras- 9%Hazaras- 9% Others- 13%Others- 13%

LanguagesLanguages

Most Afghans are Most Afghans are bilingual bilingual

Main LanguagesMain Languages Dari- 50%Dari- 50% Pashtu- 35%Pashtu- 35% Turkic- 11%Turkic- 11%

ReligionReligion

The religion The religion practiced by most practiced by most Afghans is IslamAfghans is Islam

99% of Afghans are 99% of Afghans are MuslimMuslim

Rural LifeRural Life

About ¾ of the About ¾ of the Afghan population Afghan population consists of farmers consists of farmers and nomadsand nomads

Only 12% of land is Only 12% of land is arable arable What problems What problems

might some farmers might some farmers encounter?encounter?

Sports and Pastimes Sports and Pastimes

Buzkashi is the Buzkashi is the national sport of national sport of AfghanistanAfghanistan Team game played Team game played

on horsebackon horseback Kite-fightingKite-fighting

Participants try to Participants try to cut through the cut through the strings of their strings of their opponentsopponents

EducationEducation

67% of boys go to 67% of boys go to schoolschool

37% of girls go to 37% of girls go to schoolschool

Constraints of Constraints of attendanceattendance Lack of teachersLack of teachers DistanceDistance Cultural constraintsCultural constraints Not enough schools Not enough schools

HealthHealth

Average life Average life expectancy: 42expectancy: 42

1 in 4 children dies 1 in 4 children dies before the age of 5before the age of 5

Many lack access Many lack access to basic healthcareto basic healthcare

Art and Architecture Art and Architecture

Influenced by Influenced by western techniques western techniques since 1900ssince 1900s Centered at the Centered at the

Kabul Museum Kabul Museum Two famous Two famous

mosques are in mosques are in Herat and Mazar-e Herat and Mazar-e Sharif Sharif Famous for its light Famous for its light

blue-green tile workblue-green tile work

The Kite RunnerThe Kite Runner

Movie depicting the hardships and Movie depicting the hardships and cultural attributes of Afghanistan cultural attributes of Afghanistan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW7aGiuKZaU&feature=related