AfghanistanAfghanistan

By: Jen Peterson and Lenia Coley

The LandThe Land

• Location: Central, South and Middle Location: Central, South and Middle East AsiaEast Asia

• Borders: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Borders: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and TajikistanUzbekistan and Tajikistan

• Landforms: Plains and Mountain Landforms: Plains and Mountain RangesRanges– Highest Point: Nowshak Peak at 24,557 ftHighest Point: Nowshak Peak at 24,557 ft

Natural ResourcesNatural Resources

• GoldGold

• SilverSilver

• CopperCopper

• ZincZinc

• Iron OreIron Ore

Climate and VegetationClimate and Vegetation

• Wildlife: Black bear, snow leopard, Wildlife: Black bear, snow leopard, marknor, ibex, wolf, brown bear and marknor, ibex, wolf, brown bear and Marco Polo sheepMarco Polo sheep

• Climate: Almost no rainfall in June Climate: Almost no rainfall in June through October. The land is desert through October. The land is desert like. It’s dry, dusty and hot.like. It’s dry, dusty and hot.

• Vegetation:Vegetation:

GovernmentGovernment

• They have had FIVE different Constitutions They have had FIVE different Constitutions since 1923since 1923

• Were a Monarchy from 1923-1931Were a Monarchy from 1923-1931• Constitutional Monarchy in 1964Constitutional Monarchy in 1964• Taliban was a Strict Islamic LawTaliban was a Strict Islamic Law• Mullah Myhanmmad Omar is the head of StateMullah Myhanmmad Omar is the head of State• Life Expectancy: male: 44.04 years and female: Life Expectancy: male: 44.04 years and female:

44.39 years44.39 years• Population: 32,738,376 people as of July 2008Population: 32,738,376 people as of July 2008

History

• determined by its geographic location at the crossroads of Central, West, and South Asia

• The Aryan peoples who arrived in Afghanistan left their languages, and culture behind

• reign of Ahmed Shah Durrani, who founded the monarchy that ruled the country until 1973

• Islam played a major part in Afghanistan’s society

• There has been a Afghan Civil War that started back in 1979 and continues into the present

Current EventsAfghan president stands up to critics

• With President Obama in office in the United States, it’s clear Afghanistan is going to be a priority to fix in the foreign policy

• During his election campaign, Mr. Obama said he told Afghan President Hamid Karzai, on a July trip to Kabul, "you are going to have to do better by your people in order for us to gain the popular support that's necessary".

• Mr. Karzai told me after I asked how he was going to fix the companies, "It's part of my responsibility and I am addressing it very, very forcefully.“

• Anyone involved in Afghanistan would agree this journey has been difficult and it took many wrong turns. Many, including Afghans across the country, are now saying the journey is failing.

• Mr. Obama is described as a leader who listens. He will also have to decide whether his Afghan counterpart is not just saying, but also doing enough to turn this situation around.

Economy

• Type of Industries:• Major Exports: opium, fruits and nuts,

hand-woven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

• Literacy Rate: male: 43.1% and female: 12.6%

• Currency: 1 US Dollar (USD) = 4,726.25 Afghanistan Afghani (AFA)

Culture• The Lungee (turban) Pakol (hat) Chapman (coat)

• The Pakol (hat) The country's traditional male clothing usually includes a Lungee (turban), Pakol (hat), and a Chapan (coat). Occasionally, some men wear or wrap

Keffiyehs on their head. Traditional Afghan clothes vary by regions and sometimes ethnicities as well as tribes. Most

traditional Afghan attire for women consists of a long colorful dress with round skirt.

More Culture

• Foods: Faluda, Kishmish panir, sheer yakh, haleem, fish and jelabi .

• Languages: Eastern Farsi and Southern Pashto.

• Religions: Islam, Hindu, Sunni and Muslim• Architecture: Greek and Buddhist stupas

and monasteries, arches, monuments, intricate Islamic minarets, temples and forts

Places to Visit

• Band-e-Amir: Five Lakes in known as “Lake of Jewels” and they have a deep Blue Color.

• Kabul Museum: Home of most valuable record of Central Asian History

• Khyber Pass: an important link between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Cited Work• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/af.html• http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART_II/food_history_and_facts/

afganistan_cooking/afghan_cooking.html• http://www.afghanistans.com/Information/People/ArtArchitecture.htm• http://icarusbungee.com/military/Afghanistan/Pics/Kings_Palace-05.JPG• Book: Afghanistan, Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2003• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Afghanistan • http://webdesignsphere.com/camels.jpg • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7730230.stm • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01114/karzai_1114

998c.jpg• http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/geography_images/

bermudian_bank_notes_currency_pounds_dollars.jpg• http://www.afghanistans.com/Information/Economy/CurrencyBanking.htm • http://afghanistan.saarctourism.org/places-visit.html• http://www.cuti.com.my/album/albums/Band-e-AmirLakeAfghanistan/band-

e-amir_2.jpg