Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south-central Asia. It lies between Iran to the west, Pakistan to the east and south, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the north, and China at the eastern end of the narrow Wakhan Corridor. Its capital and largest city is Kabul. Afghanistan's terrain is dominated by mountains, particularly the Hindu Kush, together with high plateaus, northern plains and desert regions.[1]
Afghanistan has been a meeting point between Central Asia, South Asia, the Iranian plateau and the Middle East for centuries. The modern Afghan state is commonly associated with the rise of Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747. Afghanistan later became a focus of rivalry between the British and Russian empires, and its modern international boundaries largely emerged during the 19th century.[2][1]
The country experienced repeated political upheaval and warfare during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, including the Soviet intervention beginning in 1979, civil war, the first period of Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, the United States-led military intervention beginning in 2001, and the restoration of Taliban control in August 2021.[3][4]
Since August 2021, Afghanistan has been governed in practice by the Taliban. International organizations, including the United Nations, commonly describe the Taliban administration as the country's de facto authorities. Hibatullah Akhundzada is the overall Taliban leader, while Mohammad Hassan Akhund serves as acting prime minister.[5][6]
Name
The English name Afghanistan is used internationally for the country. In Dari and Pashto, the country is written افغانستان. The term Afghan is used as the demonym for a citizen of Afghanistan.
United Nations geographical-name records list Afghanistan as the country's English short name. Dari and Pashto forms are also recorded in the United Nations geographical-names system.[7]
History
Early and pre-modern history
The territory of present-day Afghanistan has historically connected regions of Central Asia, Iran and the Indian subcontinent. Its position on important overland routes contributed to the movement of peoples, armies, religions and trade across the area over many centuries.[1]
Various ancient and medieval powers controlled parts of the territory at different times. The region was influenced by Persian, Hellenistic, Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic civilizations. Kabul and other settlements became important points along wider commercial and cultural networks linking Central and South Asia.[1]
Emergence of the modern Afghan state
The beginning of the modern Afghan state is generally associated with Ahmad Shah Durrani, who established an independent polity in 1747 following the death of the Persian ruler Nader Shah. The state created under Ahmad Shah and his successors became known as the Durrani Empire.[2]
During the 19th century, Afghanistan became strategically important in the rivalry between the British Empire and the Russian Empire, often called the Great Game. A series of Anglo-Afghan conflicts accompanied British efforts to influence Afghan foreign affairs, while the country's modern borders were gradually defined during this period.[1]
Afghanistan regained control over its foreign relations following the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 under Amanullah Khan. The United States recognized Afghanistan in 1921 and established diplomatic relations with it in 1935.[8]
Monarchy, republic and communist period
Afghanistan remained a monarchy until 1973, when former prime minister Mohammed Daoud Khan overthrew King Mohammed Zahir Shah and established a republic. In April 1978, members of the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan seized power in the Saur Revolution, killing Daoud and members of his family.[3]
Political unrest and armed opposition expanded after the communist takeover. In December 1979, the Soviet Union sent large numbers of troops into Afghanistan, removed Hafizullah Amin and installed Babrak Karmal as leader. The intervention developed into a prolonged war against Afghan mujahideen groups.[3]
Soviet forces completed their withdrawal in 1989. The communist government remained in power until 1992, after which rival mujahideen factions competed for control of the country. The conflict caused heavy destruction, particularly in Kabul.[1]
First Taliban government and 2001 intervention
The Taliban emerged during the 1990s and captured Kabul in 1996. The movement controlled most of Afghanistan until 2001 and governed through a strict interpretation of Islamic law.[1]
Following the September 11 attacks in the United States and the Taliban's refusal to meet U.S. demands concerning Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, the United States and coalition partners began military operations in Afghanistan in October 2001. Kabul fell to anti-Taliban forces in November, and the Taliban government collapsed soon afterward.[8]
A transitional political process produced a new constitution in 2004 and an internationally supported republic. Afghanistan nevertheless continued to experience armed conflict between government forces, foreign troops, Taliban insurgents and other armed groups for the next two decades.[1]
Taliban return to power
In 2021, United States and other international forces proceeded with their final withdrawal. The Taliban rapidly expanded its territorial control during the summer. Taliban forces entered Kabul on 15 August 2021 after President Ashraf Ghani left the country, bringing the previous republic to an end in practice.[4]
The Taliban subsequently established a new administration. United Nations bodies generally refer to this administration as the de facto authorities rather than treating recognition of the government as universal.[6]
Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban-led government in July 2025. A United Nations Security Council monitoring report later recorded Russia as the country that had formally recognized the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan", while other states maintained varying levels of diplomatic engagement without equivalent formal recognition at that time.[9][10]
Geography
Afghanistan has no coastline. It borders Pakistan in the east and south, Iran in the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China through the Wakhan Corridor in the northeast.[1]
The country covers about 652,230 square kilometres. Much of the landscape is mountainous or arid. The Hindu Kush is Afghanistan's dominant mountain system and extends across the central and northeastern parts of the country.[1][11]
Afghanistan can broadly be divided into the central highlands, northern plains and southwestern plateau. The northern plains include comparatively fertile agricultural areas along and south of the Amu Darya. The southwest contains deserts and semidesert landscapes, including the Registan region.[1]
Major rivers include the Amu Darya, Helmand River, Hari River and Kabul River systems. Many rivers depend heavily on snowmelt from mountain regions, making water availability sensitive to seasonal precipitation and drought.
Climate
Afghanistan generally has a dry continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers in many areas. Elevation produces major local differences in temperature and precipitation. Mountain regions can experience severe winters, while southwestern lowlands are much hotter and drier.[11]
The country's location in an active tectonic region also makes parts of northeastern Afghanistan vulnerable to earthquakes.[1]
Government and politics
The Taliban has exercised effective control over Afghanistan since August 2021. Its administration describes the state as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. International organizations frequently use the terms de facto authorities or Taliban de facto authorities when discussing the administration.[6]
Hibatullah Akhundzada is the Taliban's supreme leader and the movement's highest authority. Mohammad Hassan Akhund serves as acting prime minister. The Taliban administration also maintains ministries and other government institutions operating from Kabul and provincial centres.[5]
Afghanistan remains a member of the United Nations. It was admitted on 19 November 1946.[12]
International recognition of the Taliban-led administration remains limited. Russia formally recognized it in 2025, while many other governments have maintained diplomatic, humanitarian or technical contacts without taking the same recognition step.[9][10]
Human rights
The human-rights situation has been a major focus of international monitoring since 2021. UNAMA continues to document alleged violations and restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities, as well as civilian casualties associated with armed violence.[6]
Restrictions affecting women and girls have been especially significant. UNESCO reported in August 2026 that Afghanistan remained the only country in which girls and women were formally prohibited from education beyond the primary level. UNESCO estimated that approximately 2.4 million girls were excluded from secondary education in 2026, while women had been excluded from university education since 2022.[13]
The United Nations has also reported restrictions on women's participation in public life, employment and access to UN workplaces in Afghanistan.[14]
Administrative divisions
Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces. Provincial administrations are further divided into districts. Kabul Province contains the national capital.
Major cities include Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kunduz and Ghazni.
Economy
Afghanistan has a low-income economy that has been strongly affected by decades of conflict, political uncertainty, limited infrastructure, changes in foreign assistance and isolation from parts of the international financial system.
The World Bank reported that the events of August 2021 were followed by a sharp economic contraction and major disruption to international aid, banking connections, investment and public services. Economic activity later began to recover gradually, although poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, weak investment and restrictions on women's economic participation remained major structural problems.[15]
World Bank data recorded a nominal gross domestic product of approximately US$17.78 billion for 2024 and a population of 43,844,111 for 2025.[16]
The World Bank estimated in May 2026 that real economic output had continued to grow, but said rapid population growth and large return movements of Afghans were putting pressure on income per person, jobs, infrastructure and public services. Limited finance, unreliable electricity, weak investment and dependence on imports remained important constraints on private-sector development.[17]
Agriculture and food security
Agriculture remains important for employment and rural livelihoods. Wheat is one of the country's principal crops, while livestock, fruit, nuts and other agricultural products also contribute to rural incomes.
The Food and Agriculture Organization reported in September 2026 that Afghanistan's 2025–26 wheat harvest was forecast at an above-average level, but cereal import requirements remained substantial. FAO estimated that about 13.8 million people faced acute food insecurity between April and November 2026.[18]
Mining and natural resources
Afghanistan contains deposits of coal, natural gas, copper and other minerals. Mining has received attention as a possible source of state revenue and private investment, but development has been constrained by infrastructure limitations, financing problems, regulatory uncertainty and political risk.[15]
Currency
The national currency is the Afghan afghani, commonly abbreviated as AFN. Da Afghanistan Bank states that the afghani is Afghanistan's monetary unit and is used for official monetary transactions.[19]
Demographics
Afghanistan has a young and ethnically diverse population. Major communities include Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks, alongside Turkmen, Aimaq, Baloch, Nuristani, Pashai and other groups.[11]
Reliable demographic measurement has historically been difficult because of conflict, displacement, migration and incomplete census coverage. World Bank estimates placed the country's population at about 43.8 million in 2025.[16]
Large numbers of Afghans have also lived outside the country as refugees, migrants or displaced persons during successive periods of conflict. Population movements from neighbouring states have continued to affect Afghanistan's labour market, housing, food supply and public services.[17]
Languages
Dari and Pashto are the two principal official languages traditionally recognized by the Afghan state. The 2004 constitution designated Pashto and Dari as official languages and provided for additional regional official status for several other languages in areas where they were spoken by a majority.[20]
Other languages spoken in Afghanistan include Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashai, Nuristani and Pamiri languages.[20]
Dari functions widely as a lingua franca between communities, while Pashto is particularly important across southern and eastern regions and among Pashtun communities.[11]
Religion
Islam is the dominant religion in Afghanistan. Most Afghan Muslims are Sunni, while a significant minority, including many Hazaras, follow Shia Islam. Smaller religious communities have also existed historically.[11]
Education
Afghanistan's education system expanded substantially during the two decades after 2001, including increased school attendance by girls. These gains were substantially affected after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Girls are currently permitted access to primary education but remain excluded by the de facto authorities from formal secondary schooling. Women have also been barred from universities since 2022. UNESCO estimated in 2026 that 2.4 million girls were excluded from secondary education.[13]
UNESCO and partner organizations continue to operate community-based education, literacy, skills and distance-learning programmes, but the organization states that these programmes are not substitutes for unrestricted access to formal schooling.[13]
Health
Afghanistan's health system has faced long-standing difficulties including shortages of funding, trained personnel, facilities and medical supplies, particularly in rural and remote areas. Conflict, poverty, displacement and geographic isolation have further complicated access to healthcare.
World Bank data recorded average life expectancy at birth at approximately 66 years in 2024.[16]
Infrastructure
Afghanistan's mountainous terrain has historically complicated construction and maintenance of transport networks. Roads provide the main form of internal transport, linking Kabul with major provincial centres and neighbouring countries.
Air transport connects Kabul and several regional cities. Afghanistan has no seacoast, so international trade depends heavily on road, rail and transit routes through neighbouring states.
Electricity supply has expanded over time but remains constrained by domestic generation capacity and infrastructure. The country imports a significant share of its electricity from neighbouring Central Asian states and Iran.
Afghanistan uses the international telephone calling code +93.[21]
Culture
Afghanistan's culture reflects its position between Central Asia, South Asia and the Iranian cultural sphere. Its communities maintain diverse traditions in language, poetry, music, clothing, crafts, architecture and cuisine.
Dari and Pashto both have long literary traditions. Poetry has played a prominent role in Afghan cultural life, while oral poetry and storytelling remain important in many communities.
Traditional crafts include carpet weaving, embroidery, metalwork, woodwork and ceramics. Afghan cuisine commonly includes rice dishes, bread, meat, pulses, vegetables, yoghurt and dried or fresh fruit, with regional variations across the country.
Cultural heritage
Afghanistan possesses archaeological and architectural remains reflecting Buddhist, Islamic and other periods of its history.
UNESCO lists two Afghan properties as World Heritage Sites: the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam, inscribed in 2002, and the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley, inscribed in 2003.[22]
Both properties remained on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2026. The Minaret of Jam, a 12th-century brick minaret standing about 65 metres high in Ghor Province, is noted for its architecture, inscriptions and decorative brickwork.[23]
The Bamiyan Valley contains archaeological remains from the period when the region was an important Buddhist centre along trans-Asian trade routes. The two monumental standing Buddha statues for which the valley became internationally known were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
Environment
Afghanistan contains environments ranging from high alpine mountains and grasslands to dry steppe and desert. Water availability is a major environmental concern because much of the country depends on seasonal rain and snowmelt.
Drought, floods, earthquakes, land degradation and changing precipitation patterns have repeatedly affected agriculture and rural livelihoods. These pressures combine with poverty and limited infrastructure to increase vulnerability in many communities.
Band-e Amir in Bamiyan Province is known for a group of high-altitude lakes surrounded by limestone and mountainous terrain.
International relations
Afghanistan joined the United Nations in 1946 and remains a UN member state.[12]
Its location gives it important relations with neighbouring Pakistan, Iran, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, as well as with other regional and global powers.
Since 2021, foreign relations have been shaped by questions concerning recognition of the Taliban administration, humanitarian assistance, terrorism, human rights, migration, trade and regional security. Russia formally recognized the Taliban-led government in 2025, while other governments have pursued differing levels of engagement.[9][10]
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan continues to operate in the country. Its work includes political engagement, human-rights monitoring and coordination with international and Afghan stakeholders.[6]
Did you know about Afghanistan?
- Afghanistan has no coastline and shares borders with six countries: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China.[1]
- The modern Afghan state is commonly traced to Ahmad Shah Durrani's rise in 1747.[2]
- Afghanistan became a member of the United Nations on 19 November 1946.[12]
- The narrow Wakhan Corridor gives Afghanistan a short border with China in the country's far northeast.[1]
- UNESCO lists two World Heritage Sites in Afghanistan: the Bamiyan Valley and the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam.[22]
- UNESCO estimated in 2026 that about 2.4 million Afghan girls were excluded from secondary education under restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities.[13]
- FAO estimated that approximately 13.8 million people in Afghanistan faced acute food insecurity between April and November 2026.[18]
- Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban-led government after its return to power, doing so in July 2025.[9]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Afghanistan. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Kitāb musṭatāb-i Sirāj al-tavārīkh. Library of Congress. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and the U.S. Response, 1978–1980. Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 2021 UN Country Annual Results Report. United Nations in Afghanistan. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Afghanistan - World Leaders. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Update on the Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan (April to June 2026). United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. 28 July 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ Country Details - Afghanistan. United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Afghanistan - Countries. Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Russia becomes first country to recognise Taliban government of Afghanistan. Reuters. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team. United Nations Digital Library. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Afghanistan Country Summary. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Member States. United Nations. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Five years on: UNESCO calls for the full restoration of the right to education for Afghan girls and women. UNESCO. 11 August 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Afghanistan. United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. 7 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Afghanistan. World Bank. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Afghanistan - Data. World Bank. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Afghanistan's Economy Shows Resilience, But Living Standards Are Falling. World Bank. 26 May 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 FAO GIEWS Country Brief on Afghanistan. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 15 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ Da Afghanistan Bank Notification. Da Afghanistan Bank. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Afghanistan 2004 Constitution. Constitute Project. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ Afghanistan (country code +93). International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Afghanistan - UNESCO World Heritage Convention. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 29 September 2026.