AfghanistanAfghanistan

Country ProfileCountry ProfileGEOGRAPHY:GEOGRAPHY:

SlightlySlightly smallersmaller thanthan TexasTexas

Southern Asia: north Southern Asia: north and west of Pakistan and west of Pakistan and east of Iranand east of Iran

Central Asia: Central Asia: Bordered on the north Bordered on the north by– Turkmenistan, by– Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan and Tajikistan as well as Tajikistan as well as on the northeast a on the northeast a tiny border with Chinatiny border with China

High snow-capped High snow-capped mountains—mountains—Hindu Hindu KushKush, also called the , also called the “Roof of the World” “Roof of the World” and is traversed by and is traversed by deep valleysdeep valleys

People and LanguagePeople and LanguageETHNICITIES:ETHNICITIES:

About 30 millionAbout 30 million Pashtuns, Tajiks, Pashtuns, Tajiks,

Hazaras, Uzbeks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Aimaqs, Baluchs Aimaqs, Baluchs and others…and others…

Live in urban and Live in urban and rural areasrural areas

Rural: Tribal Rural: Tribal system– system– JirgaJirga or or CouncilCouncil

LANGUAGE:LANGUAGE:

Over 70 Over 70 languages and languages and dialectsdialects

Pashto and Dari Pashto and Dari (Afghan Persian) (Afghan Persian) are the two main are the two main official languagesofficial languages

Share some Share some languages with languages with neighboring neighboring countriescountries

FOOD:FOOD:

Nice and delicious Nice and delicious foodfood

Usually eat on the Usually eat on the floor using floor using ToshakToshak

Nan, Qabuli Palaw, Nan, Qabuli Palaw, Kabab, Manto, Kabab, Manto, Ashaq and Piraki Ashaq and Piraki are the Afghan are the Afghan traditional foodtraditional food

The best fruit in the The best fruit in the region: Afghan region: Afghan apples, grapes, apples, grapes, pomegranate, pomegranate, melon, watermelon, melon, watermelon, raisins, pistachio raisins, pistachio and almonds are and almonds are the most famous the most famous ones.ones.

Short HistoryShort History 5,000 years of history5,000 years of history Independence day, Independence day,

August 19, 1919 from U.K.August 19, 1919 from U.K. The Soviet invasion 1979The Soviet invasion 1979 The The MujahideenMujahideen takes takes

over and the civil war over and the civil war starts 1992starts 1992

The The TalibanTaliban (students) (students) takes over 1996takes over 1996

The U.S. and International The U.S. and International Coalition overthrow the Coalition overthrow the Taliban in 2001Taliban in 2001

Presidential and Presidential and parliament election in parliament election in 2004 and 2005– Hamid 2004 and 2005– Hamid Karzai was elected as a Karzai was elected as a first democratic president first democratic president of Afghanistan.of Afghanistan.

Life Under the Taliban, 1996-Life Under the Taliban, 1996-20012001

Brutally oppressed Brutally oppressed the Afghan people the Afghan people (specially women)(specially women)

Prevention of girls Prevention of girls from going to school from going to school and women from and women from working outsideworking outside

Pakistan, Iran and Pakistan, Iran and other neighbor's other neighbor's intervention intervention

DictatorshipDictatorship FearFear Terror and country’s Terror and country’s

isolationismisolationism

Post Taliban Afghanistan, 2001-Post Taliban Afghanistan, 2001-20052005

About 6.5 million children About 6.5 million children who were banned from who were banned from attending schools are now attending schools are now going back to school after 5 going back to school after 5 yearsyears

Establishment of the Ministry Establishment of the Ministry of Women Affairs for the first of Women Affairs for the first time in its historytime in its history

More than 6 million Afghan More than 6 million Afghan refugees who were living in refugees who were living in Pakistan and Iran are now Pakistan and Iran are now returning home and half of returning home and half of them already returned.them already returned.

Building the infrastructure of Building the infrastructure of the countrythe country

Afghan KidsAfghan Kids Struggling to find a loaf Struggling to find a loaf

of breadof bread

Helping their mom or Helping their mom or dad to earn some dad to earn some money-- average 6$ per money-- average 6$ per monthmonth

Carpentry is most Carpentry is most common in the northcommon in the north

Feeding animals in Feeding animals in nomadic livesnomadic lives

Moreover, asking for one Moreover, asking for one Afghani, 2 cents, on the Afghani, 2 cents, on the streetsstreets

No electricity at night, No electricity at night, no heat in winter, no no heat in winter, no shelter in summer…shelter in summer…

Hope for Tomorrow!Hope for Tomorrow! In addition to all these In addition to all these

problems, poverty problems, poverty and inconvenience, and inconvenience, BUT, they still go to BUT, they still go to school…school…

They still struggle for They still struggle for learning and earning learning and earning something…something…

They still do not feel They still do not feel tiered walking hours tiered walking hours to get to school… to get to school… under the burning under the burning sunshine and freezing sunshine and freezing cold, bare feet… cold, bare feet…

You Can Also Make a You Can Also Make a Difference!Difference!