Afghanistan

I

Introduction

Afghanistan (in Persian, Afghánistán), republic in south-western Asia, bordered on the north by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan; on the east by China, Jammu and Kashmir, and Pakistan; on the south by Pakistan; and on the west by Iran. Afghanistan is roughly ovoid in shape and has a maximum length, from north-east to south-west, of about 1,450 km (900 mi) and a width of about 725 km (450 mi). It has an area of 652,225 sq km (251,825 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Kabul.

II

Land and Resources

Afghanistan is a predominantly mountainous country; about three quarters of its surface consists of uplands. The main lowlands are a series of river valleys in the north and various desert regions in the south and south-west. The principal mountain system of the country is the Hindu Kush, which, with its various offshoots, extends for about 965 km (600 mi) from the Pamirs, a range in the north-east, to the borders of Iran in the west. The average altitude of the Hindu Kush is about 4,270 m (14,000 ft); some peaks are about 7,620 m (25,000 ft) high. Natural passes penetrate the mountains of Afghanistan at various points, facilitating travel within the nation as well as communication with neighbouring countries. In the Hindu Kush the only pass lower than 3,050 m (10,000 ft) is the Shibar (2,987 m/9,800 ft), which connects the Kabul region with the northern part of the country. Probably the best known of the mountain passes is the historic Khyber Pass on the north-eastern border, which traverses the Sulaiman Range and affords relatively easy access to Pakistan.

A

Rivers and Lakes

The chief rivers of Afghanistan are the Amu Darya, known in ancient times as the Oxus, on the border of Tajikistan; the Kabul, which flows into the River Indus; the Helmand, the longest river in the country, in the south; and the Harīrūd, in the west. All these rivers except the Kabul empty into lakes or swamps.

B

Climate

Climatic conditions in Afghanistan exhibit great daily and seasonal variations, largely because of the extremes in elevation that characterize the country. During the day, variations in temperature may range from freezing conditions at dawn to almost 38° C (100° F) at noon. Summer temperatures as high as 49° C (120° F) have been recorded in the northern valleys. Midwinter temperatures as low as -9.4° C (15° F) are common at the 1,980-m (6,500-ft) level in the Hindu Kush. Kabul, situated at an elevation of about 1,830 m (6,000 ft), has cold winters and pleasant summers. Jalālābād (altitude about 550 m/1,800 ft) is subtropical, and the climate of Kandahār (about 1,070 m/3,500 ft high) is mild. Afghanistan is a relatively dry country, the annual rainfall averaging about 305 mm (12 in). Most of the rainfall occurs between October and April. Sandstorms occur frequently in the deserts and arid plains.