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AUTHOR Palka, Eugene J., Ed. TITLE : A Regional . INSTITUTION Military Academy, West Point, NY. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Engineering. PUB DATE 2001-00-00 NOTE 60p.; Foreword by Wendell C. King. Color figures/maps may not reproduce adequately and contain small print. AVAILABLE FROM Military Academy, West Point Department of Geography & Environmental Engineering, Building 600, West Point, New York 10996. Tel: 845-938-3128; Fax: 845-938-3339; Web site: http://www.dean.usma.edu/geo/gene.htm. PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom (055) Reports Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS ; *Educational Resources; Foreign Countries; Geographic Concepts; Geographic Location; Higher ; Secondary Education; *World Geography; *World Problems IDENTIFIERS *Afghanistan

ABSTRACT Afghanistan and its people are not well known or understood by the United States, yet many U.S. people now consider the U.S. and Afghanistan to be at war. How is it possible to know the enemy? This book offers a complete, but not exhaustive source of information about Afghanistan, the land and its people. The book is intended as a guide for anyone wanting to know more about Afghanistan, and as a resource with references to detailed descriptions of the many physical and human sub- disciplines of geography. An approach to doing geography, the regional method is best described as a synthesis of all the pertinent subfields of the discipline applied to a specific . Following a "Foreword" (Wendell C. King), chapters in the book are: (1) "Introduction" (Eugene J. Palka); (2) "Location" (Wiley C. Thompson); (3) "Geomorpholgy" (Matthew R. Sampson); (4) "" (Richard P. R. Pannell); (5) "" (Peter G. Anderson); (6) "" (James B. Dalton); (7) "" (Jon C. Malinowski); (8) "" (Andrew D. Lohman); (9) "" (Albert A. Lahood);(10) "" (Brandon K. Herl);(11) "" (Dennis D. Cowher); (12) "Medical Geography" (Patrick E. Mangin); and (13) "Conclusion" (Eugene J. Palka). (Contains 71 references and 32 figures/maps/tables.)(BT)

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Afghanistan a 4,#{ (,) 8-13 ND mr--CO Doortmenc:01C:ograplo. Wr fre Fact: it>. of die. C.octrapliv Programllstricdicate We 5r Poinc,Mloli'ork 1i1irary Az:micro,. Eatgitiacring EDUCATIONAL. RESOURCESMice of Educational INFORMATION ResearchU.S. DEPARTMENT and Improvement OF EDUCATION Cl Minor changes.have been madeoriginatingreceivedThis todocument from it. the has person been reproduced ororganization as CENTER (ERIC) ° Points of view or opinions statedofficialdocumentimprove in OERI this reproduction do positionnot necessarily crquality.. represent AFGHANISTAN: A REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY A RegionalAFGHANISTAN: Geography MazAr-eSharil Konclaz FOREWORD TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 .ShincIand. . . .Bagrarn Ialalabad Asit, - CHAPTER 2:1: LOCATIONINTRODUCTION 710 Zaranj Oandahar Cease-Fire- Line CHAPTER 3: 2114 150 300 PAKISTANml CHAPTERCHAPTER 4: 5: BIOGEOGRAPHYCLIMATOLOGY 31 Department of Geography & EnvironmentalAuthored and Engineering compiled by theIRAN Geography Faculty INDIA CHAPTER 7:6: CULTURALHISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY 4338 Colonel Eugene J. Palka, Ph.D.,United editor States Military Academy West Point, New York (5 October 2001) CHAPTER 9:8: ECONOMICPOLITICAL GEOGRAPHYGEOGRAPHY 6152 Jon C. Malinowski, Ph.D. Foreword by Colonel Wendell C. King, Ph.D. Contributors: CPT Matthew R. Sampson CHAPTERCHAPTER 10:11: 12: POPULATIONURBANMEDICAL GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHY 709482 MAJLTCPeter JamesWileyRichardAndrewG. Anderson, B.C. P. D.Dalton,Thompson Pannell Lohman Ph.D. Ph.D. CPT Jeffery S.W.CPTMAJ Gloede DennisPatrickCPT D.E. MAJAlbert CowherMangin Brandon A. Lahood K. Herl BIBLIOGRAPHYCHAPTER 13: CONCLUSION 109108 FOREWORD publication.and to know the ground," that serves to motivate us to produce this pointthisanxiousresolve generation in toto actact, offor as yetAmericans our a Nation.looking Nation. for forThe all answers. direction time, and we may turn well will prove depend a turning on ourSeptember 11, 2001, is a day that will be etched in the memory of The aftermath of terror has left America Who could have done this geographyreadingallin of the those writingsSun inquestions planning Tsu, of Liddellthe posed military great above? Hart,military operations Again,or thinkersClausewitz, isI thinkabsolutely throughout we thecan clear. importancefind history. Further, the answer Whether the ofHow do we go about the task of knowing our enemy--- answering ofquestionsimportantly,horrible our national act than how of attention,answers, terror? do we stop butOsama onethese binperson acts Laden in and the and onefuture? Afghanistan. place has been the focusNow, only days after this national tragedy, we still have more Why did they do it? And, perhaps most Bin Laden perspectivetoolsstrategicits people,and methods military on and Afghanistan, how ofanalysis analysis they thatthe interact, of landis the critical andgeographer, systematically its to people.successful which First, yieldmilitary describe they a basisare planning. a trained place, for theThe authors of this book are uniquely qualified to offer a special theLadenfundamentalistswornis a formerrich, ashatred mysterioushe Soviet became for Islamic America, Union aArab notable religious in of couchedAfghanistan, Saudi figure belief. Arabian duringin hisThe the dogmatic his decent,world place involvement was mostwho version introduced hasin thewith expressed of minds anfighting to ultra bin of a geography.geographerstheycountrygeographers, also over are theexperiencedacademicallywho gamut can addof militaryphysical andfocus experientially toofficers, and unique cultural and military qualified disciplines.in some concerns tocases, examine military of thethe But more, AmericanswayatAmerica, war. around How today. yet themanyshould world, Americans we a deal land with nowof barely thisconsider abjectly 28 themillion USpoor and people, country Afghanistan thousands nearly to half be ofAfghanistan and its people are not well known or understood by wasfoundaninformation expeditious a muchsynthesis aboutdata, review of someAfghanistan data ofgood, into the asomeexisting andconceptual its not people. literature very understanding accurate. In consideringwas conductedWhat of wasthis the missingproject, andcritical weOur goal is to offer a complete, but not exhaustive source of theseareescapewhom the assaults ?arethe fleeingharsh on What ruleour right ofsecuritydo thenow, they Taliban? represent?seekingand peace. Again, refuge And, The more why infirst adjoining are questionsrule we of enemies? conflictcountries arise. Whowas toUltimately we must decide how we, as a Nation, will respond to "knowdoesthatThisissues not considers yourpublication relatedpropose enemy...know to the a our providesstrategy culture, security the oritsa view policy.concerns ground",history, of Thea andwith placeand latter the Afghanistan.will and physical must be its the people,necessarily focusenvironment. This a of publicationperspective others. follow It is statedtheenemy,recordedfind ground, Sun this know in Tsuguidance knowthe yourself; in very The the passé, Artearliest weather; and of made yourWar, records and victoryobsoletewritten your of willsome warvictoryby nevermodern andtime will strategy.bebefore war.endangered. then 200Many, be "Know BC.total." however, KnowSome the So here.physicalandintended as resource asand a guidehuman with for sub referencesanyone disciplines wanting to detailedof togeography know descriptions more that about are ofAfghanistan,summarized the many asembodiedmilitarytheincluding I twentiethhad coveredstrategists B.H. almost century,Liddell in as more today.much Hart, find than aboutQuoting onethe twenty ofadvicethe the Hartfundamentals books." most of "... Sun respected in thatTsu of oneto strategymilitary be short still andscholarsbook valid tactics was for of It is to "know the enemy, -Wendell C. King Geography is one of the broadest academic disciplines that has INTRODUCTION 1 wide-rangedisciplinemajorThemaintained discipline's strength, is ofa aconstant problems,strong breadth as well point presence hasat as various inbeenits that "Achilleswithin variously itscales, enables university at heel."characterized different practitioners curricula points as to ingeography'sin examine America.time, and a The breadth of the otherhavegeographersacross no academic disciplines, subject are matter disciplines.frequently from of atheir unique referred own, spatial but to asrather perspective."fence-straddlers" rely on other On the disciplines. because other hand, theyFigure 1.1 depicts this unusual relationship between geography and Where geography overlaps with other interdisciplinaryregions.examinedsystematicdisciplines, in distinct a collective and subfields multidisciplinary. can fashion be ofstudied withingeography individually, the context emerge. ofthey While particular are alsoeach placesroutinely of these or Thus, by definition, most regional Geography is geography not, however, is both method.perspective,definedform ofby Regional the the methodologies, 's overlaps geography with tools, art." otherhas andAs been disciplines, antechniques. oftenapproach referred but to by doing toits as unique geography,the "highest spatial theRegional geography is the discipline's most important overarching refergeographersarea,subfieldsregional to areal methodof the chooseextents discipline is best toof definethe described applied 's them. tosurface as a aspecific synthesis that enableregion. of all the All of geographer regionsthelocation, pertinent have to and boundaries and are based on whatever criteria As organizing principles, wesoenablesdegreecompare thatlive. weofone and proficiencycan to contrast distinguishbetter understand different in oneareal place differentiation.places the from physical so all that others andone humancanwithin ultimately aworld global in reachcontext which a Simply put, the latter 7 historical, political, economic, urban, population, and medical subfields to interactionlifesubsequentlyenvironment,be most using appropriate a between human transition describing geographicpeople for to this variousa and discussion work. theirframework. aspects We natural ofbegin the of surroundingsUltimately, physicalinhabitantswith a focus geography. weand and on focus theiridentifythe natural onway thethe of We oughtTexas.ofunique a physically to cultureNor be carriedis ourthat and treatment hasin culturally the emerged cargo suitable pocketswithindiverse as the ofaplace pre-deployment country.individual that is soldiers.roughly handbook Rather,the size that our ofThe desired endstate of our efforts is not the definitive geography -Eugeneexistingofferhope isa well-organized, to voidJ. providePalka for personnel a point informative, whoof departure have a easy-to-usevested for more interest detailed reference in Afghanistan. studies, that fillsand anto DeREFERENCES Blij, H. D., and Muller, Peter 0. 2001. Geography: Realms, Regions, Figure 1.1: Relationship between Regional and Systematic Geography and Concepts, 10th ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Afghanistan,least a decade a state or so, that and has even not then, been our in concernthe American was perhaps conscious more for related atThe intent herein Source: De Blij and Muller, 2002.is to provide a regional geography of providegeography,Afghanistan,governmentitself.to the Soviet an appreciation officialsandweinvolvement have we havewithintegrated withinforcurrent,further the material the distinguishing synthesizedaccurate, country from andrather the the relevantappropriate characteristics thanmaterial with information subfieldsthein order country of theon intoIn order to provide academics, military planners and leaders, and considerscountry. Of the the geomorphologic, subfields depicted climatologic, in figure 1, biogeographic, this regional geography 8 cultural, 9 ABSOLUTE LOCATION LOCATION 2 deceptivelyproruptionN in the northeastern into wide the as Hinduits corner west-east Kush to 29°Rangeextents 23' makesNrun along from Afghanistan it's 60° southern 34' E toappear 74°border. 53' to E.beAThe north-south extents of Afghanistan's borders run from 38° 26' analysis,geographersAfghanistan they andseekexamine its to answer the concept the question of location of in"where" two ways. in their The firstregional wayOne of the keys to understanding the importance and complexity of role in current events lies in its location. As soldier?theNewThis + east-westYork4:30 It timemeansCity extent zone.to that Ft. ofLauderdale,to 1300reach kilometers the FL.capital The is of entireequivalent Afghanistan, country to theis Kabul, located distance a soldierwithin fromWhat does Afghanistan's absolute location mean to the deploying geographictermsonfundamentalto examinethe ofsurface latitude center ageographic regionof theand of Afghanistanearth. islongitude inconcept termsOne oftenor that oflies some its refers atsees absolute approximately other absoluteto the coordinate location.exact location position33° Thesystem.North expressed latterof latitude a place is in a The duringnon-stopstopdeploying flight his from twelvefromwould Ft Ft and take Lewis,Bragg, one-half approximately WANC hour mustto Kabul flight. cover thirteen would 11,594 hours. cover kilometers. A 10,858 soldier kilometers deploying This non- and 65° East longitude (Fig 2.1). ARAL SNA KAZAKHSTAN RdqtrA kdi ithke --- TURKMENISTAN Ashgabat ushe Tashke CHINA Tehran AFGHANISTAN '444 Islamabad New . -1) PRRSIANGU INDIA Figure 2.1: Location of Afghanistan, Global Scale (33° N, 65° E). SAUDI ARABIA UAE OMAN? coz,0,0,444, Figure 2.2: Regional Map of Afghanistan. ARABIAN 3 an equals approx 830 denotes captialRegional city Map km Source: Author. 10 Source: Author. 11 state between the former Soviet and British Empires, and although things.describes"where"RELATIVE isthe through LOCATIONlocation the of concepta place relative of relative to the location. position Theof other latter places concept andAnother methodThe by relative which locational perspective answer theis affected question by of distance and practicesinThetheAfghanistan the former country, north of empires and hasShiawith southwest,been andits has high, anSunni left independent rugged hasa Islam,lasting played mountains Sikhism,imprint country the role onin since Hinduism,of theits a landscape religiouseast1919, and itsand its buffer proximityand Buddhismarid people. plainsas the to realm.accessibilityAfghanistan'sgeographygeographer's to of otheranalysis relativea region. resources of location the andhistorical, willinfluences be cultural, given within now, political the saving larger and theregion economic critical or The relative location of a region is a key element in the As such, only a cursory introduction to diversecountry.undoubtedlyfundamentalistconverge cultures in thiscan form region.bein theviewed of region Islam, as a isthe centrifugal apparent proximity inor theofdividing other many religiousforce ethnicities within groups andthe Likewise, Afghanistan's relative location to other distinct and While the ruling Taliban party adheres to a east,byanalysis Turkmenistan, Pakistan for later to thechapters. Uzbekistan east and south and and Iran to the to theWest north, (Figure China 2.2). to The theAfghanistan is a central Asian, that is bordered authorsandgeographer'slanguages will focus be found applied analysison withinhow to theandthe its peoplepoliticalunderstandingvarious have themesborders. interacted of or a geographic region. with Thesetheir subfields neighbors concepts as andcantheThe concepts of absolute and relative location are key to -WileyAfghanistan.geographerthe surrounding C. Thompson can environment.better explain the physical and of It is through this framework that the

Figure 2.3: Local map of Afghanistan. Source: Author. itselfcountry at theis only crossroads slightly of smaller western in . size than the state of Texas, but finds 12 It has played the role of a buffer 13 shape them. It entails understanding the terrain, or the lay of the land, andGeomorphology is the study of landforms and the processes that GEOMORPHOLOGY 3 blowingmovementmaterialssurfacehow it gotinclude wind, either ofthat weathered orweathering way.by glacial physical The surfaceice. geomorphic and or erosion.chemical material processesThe bymeans. formerwave The action,that breaks latter shape running down refers the surface earth'swater,to the The result is a dynamic landscape that is landscapesmountainousresult.dominantcontinually geomorphicinto being landscape. geographic reshaped forces regions. by at the work, forces distinct of nature. physical landscapes will If tectonic forces are dominant for example, they would cause a Geographers often categorize these distinct Depending on the AfghanistanprovincesmassiveGEOGRAPHIC Hindu and into theKush threeREGIONS rest distinctMountains of the geographic country. form a regions:barrier betweenthe Central the Highlands, NorthernAfghanistan is dominated by rugged, mountainous terrain. This divides The theTHE2001). Northern CENTRAL Plains, HIGHLANDSand the Southwestern Plateau ("Land and resources"The Central Highlands comprise about 70% of Afghanistan. This Vakhanextendsimpenetrabletheregion country. consists forCorridor about regions primarily 1,000in thein thekilometers northeastof worldthe Hindu (English almostin aKush, southwesterly to1984). which the border The occupies Hindudirection with theKush Iran fromcenter inrange the of It is a rugged, snowbound highland that is one of the most Figure 3.1: Shaded Relief Map of Afghanistan Source: CIA Worldbook, 2001 thereduringconsistswest. areFrom the alsoprimarily Tertiary the areas Hindu markedperiodof Kush,granites (66 by other the and overthrustlower schists ranges thatof Cretaceousradiate were probablyin all limestones directions. uplifted onThe forms the western extremity of the Himalaya and 2 million years ago.) Within the system northeast.2,700EncyclopediaCenezoic meters shalesSmall and 2001). glaciersand the claysThehighest and average ("Hindu year-roundpeak, elevation Nowshak,Kush," snowfields Microsoft® of reaches this mountainous are 7,485 commonEncarta® meters region(Lonely Online in the is 14 comparativelyHinduPlanet 2001).Kush extends wide, plateau-like southward. summit, dotted with small glacial , In the first 160-kilometer section west of the Pamirs, the 15 In this section the system has a Theand passessystem ranging then turns in height southwest from and3,800 gains to 5,300 in elevation, meters aboveand the sea plateau level. EncyclopediaAfghanistan 2001). in 1979 ("Afghanistan," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Pamirsmetersmeters,summit ("Hindu in breaks Pakistan.the upper Kush," into Many northeastpeaks, Microsoft® other the of peaks highest the Encarta® Vakhanin this of whichsectionOnline Corridor, isEncyclopediarise Tirich morethe Mir, than 2001). 7,6906,100Other major mountain ranges within Afghanistan include the eitherAfghanistan,Safedand Pakistan. sideKoh can near Itvarying be is , climbedcontrolled in width only Pakistan, by fromPakistanin a few 5 for to places.and 137about winds meters. Steep48 northwestkilometers cliffsThe mountains that through to surround Kabul, theonKhyber Pass is the most important pass connecting Afghanistan THEPakistan.KohRanges range,SOUTHERN in the which northeast, formsPLATEAU the part Parapamisus of the frontier Range between in the north, Afghanistan and the Safed and EARTHQUAKESMicrosoft®the pass vary Encarta® in height Online from Encyclopedia about 180 to 2001). 300 meters (","The northeast portion of Afghanistan is one of the most seismically Turkistandeserts. Basin Plains, and the Helmand Heart-Ferah River Lowlands valley of ofthe the southwest, extreme andnorthwest, the Rigestan theThis region of AfghanistanIt is essentially is made the lowland up of high area plateaus of Afghanistan and sandy and includes the plate,hasAustralianaactive transform been resultingareas moving plate. inboundary thein in For theworld. a northeasterlytheHimalayas. exists pastIn terms between65 millionThese ofdirection plate the two years, tectonics,Eurasian convergingplates the slideIndo-Australian thisplate withpast is andan theone area the Eurasain another whereIndo- plate DesertthisaboveinEncyclopedia the ofseasouthwest. the level. 2001). Sand The The storms average soil arehere altitude common is very of infertile,in this the area deserts except is about regionand along and 900 theplains meters rivers of ("Land and resources," Microsoft®south ("Afghanistan," Encarta® Online Microsoft® Encarta® Online borderoneearthquakesin the in with Takhararea Tajikistan. of(Hudson province Afghanistan and on Espenshade 4 February and Pakistan, 1998,2000). about whichRecent 50 producesearthquakeskilometers frequent from include the The earthquake (magnitude 6.1 on the Richter THEEncyclopedia15% NORTHERN of the country.2001). PLAINS It consists of foothills and plains through which theThe most fertile part of Afghanistan, this region comprises about injuriesnortheastern20,000scale)1998). affected withoutor deaths Afghanistan shelter28 were villages, ("Thousandsreported with killed a (OCHAmagnitude aboutreported 1998). 4,000 of killed 6.4 Just people, on in three the Afghanistan Richter andmonths left scale. later,another quake" Noon On 20 February 1998 another strong earthquake occurred in PASSES2001).levelAmu ("LandDarya flows.and resources," The average Microsoft® elevation Encarta® is about 600 Online meters Encyclopedia above sea 70,000(FigureBadakshan301998). May, people3.2). a magnitude and in Takhar 70 villages 6.9 provinces, earthquake were affected again occurred in ("Impact northeastern along of thethe Afghanistan boundaryearthquake" of Approximately 4,000 people were killed, and as many as throughthecountry. Kushan theInthem the Passlow have320s Khyber(about BC,been 4,370 AlexanderPass of profound meters)(1,072 the m/ in Greatimportance the3,517 westinvaded ft) and to in invade the exitedthe country history India.it to throughthe of easttheBecause Afghanistan has so many high mountains, the passes The perchedmakingthedevastating days roadonpreceding landslides.the access mountainsides the impossible 30 May wereearthquake, in many simply areas. causedswept Simple away.immense rural The destruction, landslidesdwellingsIn the mountainous areas of Afghanistan, earthquakes can trigger Landslides of mud, made worse by heavy rain in centralfamous Hindu Salang Kush Pass was (3,880 one of meters) the main and routes its Soviet-built the Soviets used tunnel to invade in the 16 ("Impactalso destroyed of the earthquake" water sources 1998). with the collapse of wells and springs 17 reachedMicrosoft®flooding, the when AralEncarta® overflowsSea from Online the went Encyclopedia Amu into Darya. The 2001).Sarykamysh largest single ("Amu cause Darya," of theDuring the 1980s several years passed in which little or no water basin.cutownthedecline km former of Reducedper in Oba the yearabout Soviet theriver's water canal Union water one-ninthflow diverts andlevel has water onerestricted isof the allof from Garagum thethe water longestthewater river transportationCanal, diverted in at the the the world. rateinlongest the onof AralNearaboutthe canal Amu Sea the12 in AfghanistancrossStill,lengthDarya, itthe ("Amuwhichis thedeeper and only wasDarya," flowsareas oncenavigable Microsoft®to ofnavigable theother riverwest rivers. forinand Encarta® Afghanistan, light northwest The draft Harirud Online vessels to although form RiverEncyclopedia over part risesferryboats nearly of thein centralhalf2001).border can its RIGES1A1: extensivelycrosseswith Iran. the for southwest irrigation ofand the agriculture, country, althoughand ends in in recent Iran. years its water The long rises in the central Hindu Kush, It is used Figure 3.2: Magnitude 6.9 Earthquake on 30 May 1998 Source: "ImpactDESER of the earthquake," 1998 joindecreasedsalthas the flats;experienced Indus its the usefulness. River, Kabul awhich progressiveRiver Most empties is of an the exception. intobuild rivers the upend Indian of in mineral inland , ("Afghanistan,"salts, swamps, which or has It flows east into Pakistan to thesummerConsequently,RIVERS danger with of theflooding. the arrival greatest The of snowmeltstream flow from occursis thethe largest mountains,in the lateriver spring bringingof Central and with early Asia itMany of Afghanistan's major rivers are fed by mountain streams. significantSUMMARYMicrosoft® verticalEncarta® relief Online covering Encyclopedia an extensive 2001). portion of the country.Afghanistan is best described as a rugged landscape with atandThetributaries the thePanjmeasures Vakhsh forms are the border.2,540flowspart Panj of throughkilometers theand boundary Vakhsh southwest in rivers, betweenlength. Tajikistan which Tajikistan both to join rise and the in Afghanistan, Amuthe Pamirs. Darya The Amu Darya follows a northwest course The Amu Darya's main barrierregionallandscape.andUnderlying produce to isolation anyone These unpredictable, processes who internalamong attempts continue theand ifcountry's external longnot to catastrophicdistance shape processesinhabitants the travel earth's changescontinue andwithin surfacepose theto a contributethecountry. formidable in physical the region to Turkmenistanbetweenwestwardseveralinto the times.Aral from and Sea. Inthe Uzbekistan, the Khoreztn 3rd and Oasisand 4th then millenniainto flows Lake northSarykamysh,BC the through Amu and DaryaUzbekistan from flowed there Tajikistan Over the andcenturies Afghanistan, the river has shifted its course continues northwest between REFERENCES-Matthew R. Sampson emptiedto the Caspian exclusively Sea. From into thethe 17thAral centurySea, except until duringthe 1980s periods the Amu of intense Darya 18 "Afghanistan," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia, 2001.http://encarta.msn.com (last accessed 29 September 2001). 19 4 English,"Amu Darya," P. W. Microsoft®1984. World Encarta® regional geography:Online Encyclopedia, A question 2001. of place. NewYork:http://encarta.msn.com John Wiley & Sons. (last accessed 29 September 2001). INTRODUCTION Climatology is the subfield of geography that examines the long- CLIMATOLOGY "HinduHudson, Kush," J. and E.Microsoft® Espenshade, Encarta® Jr., eds. Online Goode's Encyclopedia, World Atlas, 2001. 20th ed. Rand McNally, 2000. influenceswatershedofatmosphereterm environmental conditions ,humanand the of processes Earth'sactivitiesthe andatmosphere surface. geomorphicsuch in a as numberClimate vegetativeand the profoundlyof interactions ways growth, ranging influences soil between formation, from a host thethe denudation. also "Impact of the earthquake,"1998. accessedhttp://www.oxfam.org.uk/atwork/emerg/afghan0698.htmhttp://encarta.msn.com 30 September 2001). (last accessed 29 September 2001). (last atmosphericusedlocation,Thedevelopment term to examinebut climate thisteleconnections,of agriculture is istheoverly often simplisticpractices referred and atmospheric toand to the as misleading. conduct the "averagevariability of Climatologymilitary weather" in additionoperations. can of be toa spatial distribution of atmospheric extremes, "Land"Khyber and Pass," resources," Microsoft® 2001. Encarta® http://www.afghan- Online Encyclopedia, 2001. http://encarta.msn.com (last accessed 29 September 2001). theemergescaleorganizingbegin timeframe considered into theplay the analysis shortens, patternsan or increasingly the of of timeframe aany hostaverage region. importantof factors conditions.used, As the role ainternal variety spatial in Depending developing to scopeof the different climate narrows ona clear the patterns system spatialandanalysis as Lonely Planet, 2001. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/middle_east/afghanistanweb.com/geography/lr.html (last accessed 29 September 2001). particularanvegetation,of "average"important regional atmosphericpart in pressure determining conditions. variability the climate and even for El a Nifio particular phases season may play or year. This is especially important Factors such as topography, in our analysis of Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (last"Afghanistan accessed20 February 29 September 1998. http://stone.cidi.org/disaster/98a/0033.html 2001). Earthquake," OCHA Situation Report No. 9. theistoAfghanistan. muchbe Asian associated different monsoon, with due the anto massivemacroand desert scale Hindu or pressure semiarid Kush oscillationsmountain steppe climate, range associated that the bisectsreality withWhile the average conditions of Afghanistan at first glance appear "Thousands reported killed in Afghanistan quake," CNN, 6 February (last1998.http://www10.cnn.corn/WORLD/9802/06/afghanistan.quake/ accessed 30 September 2001). controlsavailable.threetheis country, useful years. will to Inand be first order assessedongoing examine to develop anddrought the the amean influenceworking (since climate 1999) climatology of conditionsother that hasfactors, of lasted basedAfghanistan, such for on asalmost the local datait After an examination of the regional climatology, climate 20 topography,clearer picture altitude, of the and local wind climate patterns in several will beareas addressed of the country. to develop Finally, a 21 anfactors examination influencing of climate the potential variability for continued is made, particularlydrought. in light of the (AFCCCSouthwest 1995). regions, The presence while wintertime of high mountains lows can influences reach belowlocal -25°C latitudeGENERAL steppe inlatitude mostclimate areas to the whileof states Afghanistan other of New areas isMexico aresimilar drier and as subtropical well,Arizona. exhibiting deserts.In some subtropical respects theto mid Afghanistan sits astride the 35th parallel, making it similar in byfoggy,AfghanistanU.S.,regimes. decreasing the and Themajority snowy.temperatures whereclimates, of Periods conditions precipitation however, at ofhigh increased in altitudesare manyoccurs very precipitationareas in anddifferent. the affecting such winter Unlikeas often andKabulthe precipitationearlyresultthe are Southwest spring incloudy, flash in 2000).system ForFigure as the modified 4.1purposes shows by theof theTrewartha ourdesert regional climate Southwest, is KOppen usedanalysis, to Afghanistan describeclimate KOppen's classification.climate hasclimate hot types summersalthoughclassification (GWALike andwinters cool in winters, the Afghani highlands are more extreme. differentlyclimateactivityflooding orcanas in monsoon-likeephemeral Afghanistanbe attributed stream thanrains to channels ina (AFCCC hostthe Southwest. of are climate 2001).quickly controls filled by thatthunderstorm operate These differences in Summertime high temperatures frequently exceed 38°C particularly in the -111kent temperature,CLIMATE CONTROLS temperature range, precipitation, and wind. Theses controlsClimate controls influence a variety of climatic variables such as 40N DeseMid atitude BWk) UZBEKISTAN TAJ I KI STAN CHINA Knsh3:ir. currentsweatherprovide anregimesplay insight very of littleto Afghanistan. the role critical in determining factors that Afghanistan's determine the climate climate due and to Some climatic factors such as ocean AsNob3I I TURKMENISTAN Step id-Latitu e (B e DusPn_qbe H land Climat H) climatelatitude,itssuch location as of continentality, those the in thecountry. of interiorKhandahar In and examiningof the andtopography Asian Faizabad these . areinclimate Figure central Other controls, 4.2 to arecontrols explaining used. climographs such the as 35N AFGHANISTAN e ct,d result,andAfghanistan 38° north receives latitude, is Afghanistan primarily a functionlies just northof its oflatitude. the subtropics. Between As29° Thea amountthe country of incoming receives solar radiation or insolation that relatively high amounts of insolation, IRAN Subtropical Step BSh) Aw `TZ.:11. sunparticularly and periods in summer of daylight when are the longer. northern This hemisphere results in iswarm tilted temperatures towards the 30N 7.zt (BWh)Desert PAKISTAN evapotranspiration38°C.with daily maximum rates temperatures affecting across the availability the country of often soil exceedingmoisture. Additionally, this high level of insolation creates high potential 60E 65E (BWh) 713E., 75E andWinterlocation day insolationlengths of the are country is shorter, considerably within resulting the less Asianin ascooler the suntemperatures. is lowerresults on in thebroad horizon annualIn addition to the variability of insolation in Afghanistan, the Figure 4.1: Regional KOppenSource: climate Modified classification from Air applied Force to Combat Afghanistan. Climatology Center, 2001. 22 andsurface daily temperaturedue to its relatively ranges. low The specific rapid heating heat result and incooling a controlling of the landfactor 23 known as continentality (McKnight 2002). As a result, periods of heating in temperatures makes it very difficult to characterize broad regions as temperaturesresultshowsincreases,such in as broadrapid summer while from annualcooling. summerperiodsor thetemperature middle ofto reducedwinter of ranges theor insolation even day over canfrom 20°C suchresult day for as to in both winternight. rapid stations. Figureortemperature nighttime 4.2 This situation creates climates of extreme surfaceusedclassification,having to uniformdesignate pressure the climate these changesuse ofareas. types. undifferentiated and the effect highlandsof orographic climate precipitation. (type H) isPrecipitation regimes in Afghanistan are largely controlled by As a result, within the Koppen climate KHANDAHAR AFGHANISTAN 3130 °N 65 51°E FAIZABAD, AFGHANISTAN 37 07°N 70 31°E subtropicalcold,Winters dry are continental influenced jet stream by airsouth the outward Siberian of the inHimalayas.high pressure system which spreads all directions and pushes the During this period 404550 3040 404550 4030 Afghanistantheprevailing potential winds everyfor stormsare few typically days. from As fromthe a westernresult, the northwest the Mediterranean potential or north. for precipitation toThis track results across inis 3035 IIMIA11111 20 E.-) E 3035 Asgreatest the Asian in the landmass winter and heats early up inspring summer, and theis often subtropical in the formjet shifts of snow.North 152025 INIAMMILIE 10 I- cca 152025 2010 a blockedtheof the north by and mountains, northeast and the resultingthe area southwest of Afghanistan in little monsoon to no receives precipitation. that warmaffects dry India air from and Typically 10 05 Ir n n. 0 10 10 05 nnfl: 0 10 Pakistanthree or can four on days occasion at time cause (AFCCC thunderstorms 1995). in eastern Afghanistan forThe influence of topographic barriers has a dramatic effect on AnnualMean Annualiln Rainfall: Temp:JFMAMJ 18.9°C JA SOND 17.5cm JFMAMJAnnualMean Annual Rainfall: JASOND Temp: 14.4°C 50.8cm upwardstheprecipitation windward and regimes cooledside of throughoutadiabatically.mountain ranges the country. is common Orographic as moist precipitation air is forced on In the winter this is common, Elevation: Subtropical Desert (BWh) 1010m Elevation: Humid Subtropical (Cfa) 1200m (figurepeaksHinduparticularly of Kush.4.3). Afghanistan as For low-pressure example, averages the systems Salang almost track Tunnel 130cm from region ofthe precipitation northwestamidst the over highest a year the TheSource: temperatures Data from Air in Force Afghanistan Combat Climatology vary widelyFigure Center, 4.2:due OCDS, KOppen to the 1995 variabilityclimographs for Khandahar and Faizabad. receivescentralwheredescends theAfghanistan less and air than iswarms warmer 25cm is adiabaticallyon of and theprecipitation leeward much drier.resulting side (AFCCC of the in 1995). Paropamisusa "rainshadow" Range effect and By contrast, on the leeward side of mountain ranges air The city of Chakhcharan in temperatureselevation.environmentalin topography. decrease lapse rate, as elevation which averages about 6.5°C per 1000 meters of With much of Afghanistan dominated by the HinduAltitude Kush has a dramatic effect on temperatures. increases as a function of the Air understandingexaminingFigurefactors, 4.1 it becomes are climate ofinadequate. climatic apparentdata fromregions By that consideringexisting can the begeneralizations stationsestablished. these inclimate Afghanistan of climatecontrols typesa and better byinBy examining the climate in Afghanistan in terms of controlling Mountains,degrees5000 meters, Celsius altitude these over must mountains relatively be considered have short temperatures horizontal carefully. distances. thatWith may peaks varySuch exceeding by variability 10 to 20 24 25 N-, AFGHANISTAN 3519 °N 6901 °E CHAKHCHARAN, AFGHANISTAN 34 32°N 65 16°E Mawr -I-Shari c Kur _1 404550 4030 404550 4030 RANGE Cgt.I.AU° SalaNt furnet E 3035 20 i3 c.)E 3035 20 I lent halbeharaa arc AGharai .Kabul Jallabart 10 rt'c% 202515 NM/AMMO' 010 Farah. ILlsoasj., 0 10 10 05 n n 10 Bust. Kmabbar Slid-Latitude Steppe (85k) LEGEND JFMAMJ JASOND JFMAMJ JASOND n2 I Subtropical SteppeDesert ILIShl(BWh) AnnualElevation:Mean Rainfall: Annual Temp: 0°C 3365m125.0cm AnnualElevation:Mean Rainfall: Annual Temp: 7.8°C 2230m22.1cm Figure 4.4: Regional climate patterns based on station data. Undifferieruitued Highland BB Source: DataFigure from 4.3:Air KOppenForce Combat climographs HumidClimatology Continental for Salang Center, (Dfc) Tunnel OCDS, and 1995.Chakhcharan. Humid Continental (Dsb) precipitationvery unexpected due to orographicclimates for lifting the region.and the cooler temperatures result inSource: Data from Air Force Combat Climatology Center, OCDS, 1995. Variability in altitude, slope differentCLIMATE picture REGIONS of the regional climate. By examining the local climateAnalysis of climate data from multiple stations creates a much periodssuchHighlandsdifficultaspect, as andof heavyto weekscharacterize.(H). prevailing snowfall Extreme or months. winds ensureAs conditions such, It make isthat commonthe thethe arelatter roads centralthe forare norm andthe labeled highlands hightrails here aspasses areand Undifferentiated of impassable severe Afghanistanto be closedevents for Center.supportedemerges.theclassifications climate by controls the of theavailable thirteenthat influence data climate from the stations the country, Air inForce figure a better Combat 4.4 climateand Climatology considering picture Figure 4.4 illustrates a more appropriate pattern of climates subtropicalelevationsfrom November above desert 3,655 through (BWh) meters climatelate (AFCCC March based and 1995). on snow average pack temperatures is permanent above forThe northern region around Mazar-I-Sharif is classified as a determiningandclimatesChakhcharan, the Salangthat can Salang Tunnel be found Tunnel are within humid and these continentalFaizabad highland demonstrate (Typeareas. BothD) climates the Chackcharan variety while ofClearly the Hindu Kush Mountain Range plays a dominant role inlocal climate. The analysis of climate stations at Kunduzrainfallthestrengthfreezing early and tospring ofand maythe the little east and beSiberian classified precipitation.is highlyone high. of as variable.these Surrounding subtropical The areas precipitation that steppes the receivesregion that (BSh) aredoes more inareas occursome rainfall. of peakscases.variable in Again, this is dependent on the Faizabad is actually a humid subtropical (Type C) climate. The increased 26 However,increasedbe more with desert-like. frequency the drought of To low-pressure theof 1999-2001, southwest disturbances. conditionsthe current The areclimate areawetter aroundis likelydue toHerat to the 27 highlyis a subtropical variable. steppe (BSh) climate, but here again, precipitation may beThe southern region of the Rigestan desert is the largest expanse of faminethatmultiple about as famine a6 resultmillion alerts of peoplethe over prolonged arethe vulnerablelast droughttwo years to (FAO the on effectsAfghanistan 2001). of crop and failure estimate and thedominateddeserttemperaturesdry. effects inThe the mountainofby country. thethe may northeastsubtropical fallranges below monsoonnorth high freezing. of throughout this resulting region Summers the inprotect dryyear are winters, itandextremely in theis extremely althoughwinter hot fromwith The area around Khandahar, Bust, and Farah is dataAttemptingSUMMARY and the to high characterize altitude mountainsit regionally that is difficult cover much due to of the the absence country. ofThe climate of Afghanistan is complex and is not fully understood. subtropicalPakastaniconditionstemperatures border steppeare exceeding cooler (BSh)data 45°C andindicate climates. moister,in July that However,(AFCCC particularlyboth 1995). there inis awinter. and climate Khowst Near gradient theareFinally, in the eastern steppe areas around Kabul and Jalalabad, highlands.extremes:influencetemperatureClimate controls precipitationhot regimes summers such aswhile patterns.and altitude bitterpressure and winters, continentality systems arid anddeserts significantly topographic and snow-packed affect barriers the Additionally, the potential for severe anomalous conditions The overall result is a climate of steppeswinterconsiderablyindicated are (BSk) westward below higher in thesefreezing as elevations elevations areas. resulting All and increase.of inthese average the areasBothclassification monthly Kabulare subject and temperatures of Ghazni mid-latitudeto migratory are inat -Richardchallengingimportantsuch as drought P. inR.environment. thePannell are planning being felt and today. conduct A careful of military analysis operations of climate willin this be CLIMATICduringlow-pressure these periods.ANOMALIES systems in winter and are occasionally cloudy and rainyUp to this point, the spatial patterns of climate types in REFERENCES ofHowever,narrativeAfghanistan Suchlong-term a severenoneclimatologies havedrought of drought beenthese that examinedresources represents fromhas gripped the usingcan aAir significantcompletely the climateForce country Combatdata, anomalous account since climate ControlJanuary for pattern controls,the presence ofCenter. from1999. and the Air Force Combat Climatology Center.bin/index_mil.pl?aafccc_info/products.html.Summary for Afghanistan, Jan 1995.2001. https://www2.afccc.af.mil/cgi- (accessed Narratives 1 Oct for 2001). Afghanistan. https://www2.afccc.af.mil/cgi- 1995. Operational Climatic Data theexpectedthe lackstrength more of climate precipitation oflikely the norm. Siberianwesterly inThe the high low-pressurecause winter pressure. of and these spring, The systemsdroughts stronger which will is inthe closely beturn Siberian blocked is related linked high, from to bin/index_mil.pl?aafccc_info/products.html(accessedSystem Data (GIS).. 2001. K6ppen 1 Oct Climate 2001). Classification. Geographic Information https://www2.afccc.af.mil/cgi-bin/index_mil.pl exceedtherebyoversystems,reaching the availableexacerbating lastsurfaceAfghanistan. year. temperatures moisture drought by conditions.havean order been of anomalously Typicalmagnitude. evapotranspiration Thehigh ultimatein Afghanistan cause rates This leads to increased potential evapotranspiration,In addition to the blocking of low-pressure Barry, Roger G. and Richard J. Chorley.Climate,?aafccc_info/products.html(accessed 1998. 7th Atmosphere, Edition. London Weather and and New 1 York:Oct 2001). Routledge. theteleconnectionsof these effects drought of these such conditions droughtsas El Nifio remains have cannot been indeterminate. be severe. statistically correlated. To date 28 The FAO has issuedLinkages to known 29 Food and Agriculture Organizationfaoinfo/economic/giews/english/alertes/2001/SRAFGH31.htmAfghanistan, (FAO)Global ofInformation the 20 UnitedSeptember and Nations, Early 2001. Warning 2001, http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/ System Special Report No 318, INTRODUCTION BIOGEOGRAPHY 5 McKnight,Goode's World Atlas, 20th Edition. 2000.9/28/2001(accessed Rand McNally. 1 Oct 2001). Tom L. and Darrell Hess. 2002. : A disciplinesThiswhere field these of biotic study entities utilizes occur, information and why they derived occur from at these many locations. otherBiogeography is the study of the distribution of plants and animals,and subfields, such as , climatology, LandscapeHall. Appreciation, 7th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice geomorphology,northernAfghanistanregionaland resource grasslands, .is physiography, a regional and a central scaleThe botany, biogeographic highlandsstudy, zoology, consisting area. scale , ofof southernstudy and normallyland deserts, use is to continental and global. The biogeographic study of aboutfromenvironmentalSaba which(2001)the country's to informationdraw biogeography. conclusions, pertaining onlyAs tosuch, general Afghanistan. this inferenceschapter Without will may characterize a bedatabase madeStudies related to Afghanistan's plant and animal mosaic are few. states that there is a lack of vegetation and other activity.duringalthoughcharacteristics.the the Afghanistan the past natural thousand isvegetation no exception. years for due much to natural of the worldprocessesbiogeography has beenand humanaltered This description refers to a natural vegetationof cover, Afghanistan based on general vegetation approximatelydesert,andVEGETATION vegetation and the regions:652,500 northernTYPES thesquareOF plains centralAFGHANISTAN kilometers and highlands, grasslands. (251,825 the southern sq mi) plateau (Microsoft andAfghanistan is a country of three primary climatic, physiographic, It is a country of relatelandvegetation;twothe2001), remaining thirdsis oftopasture whichthe ofone central 39%Afghanistan and 12%sixth isfarmland. is termedofhighlands, arable the country is"other" land, mountainous the3% (CIAis desertisdesert forestland, 2001). land;andsouth, Saba supports and46% and (2001) one is the pastures, sixthlittle statesnorthern ofor that and theno Essentially, these land characterizations 30 Afghanistan.grasslands, the arable lands. Figure 5.1 portrays the vegetation patterns of 31 However, the primary condition of the highland desert and steppe region is rains,ofconcentratedsparse Afghanistan's howevervegetation. in the the forests amount eastern coincides of portion rain withthat of thefalls western central is minimal edge highlands. of compared summer The monsoon withlocation theForests characterize three percent of Afghanistan's land and are ,pistachiowillow,(Tableeastern honeysuckle, 5.1)Himalaya. oak, (Bandyopadhyay include: poplar, hawthorn, pine, ash, spruce, rhododendron, 1992, current, , Microsoft hemlock,and gooseberry wild 2001). larch, hazelnut, Common (Arianaejuniper, , alder, 2001).shrubs birch, and are Trees that may be found in Afghanistan's forests altitudearidcommonhigher environments) between than tree 10,000 species 5,500 and feet andof fir the (Arianae 7,200is lowera common feet, treeline2001). whereas species and the ofwoodlands theupper upper treeline (opentreeline. occurs forest ofLower treeline or forest development in Afghanistan occurs at an Cedar, , and oak are ismilesouthernSouthern classified region plateau Deserts isas an a areasubtropical isof about poor desert soils,3,000 andwith feet it (SabaAridisols is hot 2001). during being This summer most 50,000 common. and square mild ItWithin the Southern Deserts region, the average elevation of the Central Highlands The Central Highlands region of approximately 160,000Figure square 5.1. Vegetation patterns in Afghanistan. humanminimalduringspiny wintersettlement. restharrow,precipitation (Microsoft Plants mimosa, and common2001).soil moistureand wormwood,to this deficits. area are: a variety camel thorn,of sage locoweed, (MicrosoftAfghanistan's southern desert is an area of sparse vegetation and Desert conditions are characterized by milesincreasingclassifiedft)elevation (Microsoft (Saba of 2001)elevation.as about highlands,2001). consists one The half normalsinceof of high Afghanistan the characteristicsmountains weather is greater and are deepclimate warm,than valleys. 2,000 changedry summersm (6,600 with The climate of this mountainous region may be The ephemerals.includesurvive2001). Many the during loss of ofthetimes leaves, plants of little leatheryfound or in noleaves, desert soil environmentsstemsmoisture. that store are moisture, xerophytes small or Xerophytic plants have adaptations that allow the plant to These adaptations grassland-steppehighlanddryand coldwith winters. coldregion winters, vegetation. are not Grasses conducive and small, to plant herbaceous growth. forbs Most that of aretheThese conditions, characterized by high elevation that is warm and is classified as subtropical desert and midlatitude (Arianaesouthernrapiddormantsize, andplant desertsroot2001).deep growth mass root ofDuring Afghanistan and systems.or asreproduction this a seed. time following period, occurs. the rainydesert season is alive of with early grasses spring Ephemerals survive from year to year as When sufficient soil moisture exists, These events occur in the presentother tendmoist to locations, be widely the spaced. vegetation In sheltered may be sites, more along dense waterways and continuous. and 32 and small herbaceous forbs in bloom. 33 Table 5.1. Major forest types, dominant species, and their most fertile soils and favorable climate (Saba 2001). Normally, TemperateForestelevational type Forestdistribution Group in Afghanistan. Dominant species Occurrence commonWhereMollisolsmoisturetemperature these inbalance. (soils a and conditionsmidlatitude precipitationcharacteristic Where are steppe soil not regimes moisture met,areof prairiesshort Aridisols of and grassesthis and plantclimate are grasslands)and present. growth herbaceousfavor Plants area positiveare favorable, forbsthatfound. aresoil on 1) Montane Moist Forest Machilus,Picea,Betula,Pinus, Tsuga,Quercus, Alnus, Rhododendron Taxus, Abies, Acer, 1800-3600 m currentlyHowever,(Aridisols).moist sites used only (Mollisols) as about farmland one and (Sabahalf bunch of 2001). Afghanistan'sgrasses Environmental and dry agricultural shrubs problemsIt onis indrierlands this such sites regionare as that much of Afghanistan's agriculture occurs. 2) Montane Dry Forest Caragana,Juniperus,Rhododendron,Picea,Pinus, Tsuga,Quercus, Populus,Acacia, Cedrus, Larix,Betula, Zizyphus, Salix, 2100-3600 m onabandonedagriculturalsomedesertification, the ofdrier the some sites, landsarable salinization, farmlands however (Saba lands. 2001, mostdue and to Afghani'schemicalMicrosoft war. Irrigation contaminationare 2001), too is poor neededand to Afghani's haveafford to grow degraded modern cropshave Recent warfare has also damaged prime Alpine1) Sub-alpine Forest Group Forest Juniperus,Picea,Fraxinus Tsuga, Rhododendron Betula, 2200-3600 m knownAFGHANISTAN'Sirrigation to technology. exist in Afghanistan. WILDLIFE Some of the animal speciesBeniston are: bears, (2000) indicates that 123 animal and 460 bird species are 1-1, 2) Alpine Forest Caragana,Berberis,Tsuga, Betula, Rhododendron Hippophae, Juniperus, Salix 2400-3600 m gazelle,are(Microsofturials,wolves, nearing foxes,markor 2001). extinction, hyenas, goat, Among and jackals, such Bactrianthe 123as mongoose, the: different deer , (Microsoft wild animal snowboar, species2001). Marcoleopard, Birdsare Polo some goitered species sheep, that ibex, hedgehogs, hares, shrews, bats, and numerous rodents barrenSource: Bandyopadhyayand few plants (1992). are present. Ephemeral plants are commonIn the hottest in this environments of the southern desert, the landscape is ENVIRONMENTALdiminishingflamingos,include partridge, and in numbers eagles pheasant, ISSUES(Arianae (Microsoft quail, 2001). 2001). Birds that are widely hunted are vultures, ducks, pelicans, cranes, present,individuals.spaced,landscape. as are ephemerals. In both environments, plants tend to be widely in relationIn the cooler, highland desert landscape, xerophytes are to plant diameter, with bare ground between becomeanddecades,Very burned. little polluted. warfare of Agricultural this hascountry degraded islands conducive life are in being Afghanistan. to abundant degraded. life,Forests Water andAfghanistan have sourcesduring been recent have cut is characterized by a harsh, inhospitable landscape. However, the presence of more than 10 million land grassland-steppe.The Northern Grasslands This 40,000 square mile region includesThe Afghanistan's vegetation of the northern plains is classified as midlatitude 34 Themines30 number 'non-combatants' is considered of deaths to due per be todaythe land worst(Saba mines environmental2001). is estimated hazardto be between (Saba 2001).20 and 35 flora.westudies don't We have know do been know, the conducted impact however, that in that Afghanistanrecent the warfareforests during ofhas Afghanistan hadthe pastArianaeon the 20 faunaareyears (2001) being and suggests that we remember that no serious ecological Saba, D. 2001. Geography: Land and Resources. http://www.afghan-web.com/geography/environment.html haveincreased.duringused forexperienced recent fuel These andwarfare. trendsbuilding Where may material. be the expected forests They have tohave continue. been been degraded, negativelyPasture erosion influenced and hasagricultural lands have also been burned and these lands increased overgrazing, salinization, and erosion. population.trendstoperpetuateContinued diminish. contribute soil destruction Water degradation and airof pollution forests,in Afghanistan. pastures, are increasing. Wildlife and agricultural Thesepopulations environmental lands continue will to a declining quality of life for Afghanistan's REFERENCES-Peter G. Anderson Bandyopadhyay,Arianae. 2001. Afghanistan's J. 1992. The Climate, Himalaya: Plants Prospects and Animal for and life. constraints on http://www.arianae.com/ctryclimate.asb Beniston, M. 2000. Environmental Change in Mountains and Uplands. Ltd,sustainableWorld's London. Mountains: development. A GlobalPages 93-126, Report. in:P.B. The Stone, State ed. of Zedthe Books, CIA. 2001. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency, http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.htmlWashington,Arnold Publishers, D.C. London. Microsoft. 2001. Afghanistan. Microsoft Encarta Interactive World Atlas. http://www.microsoft.com/encarta 36 37 6 replacedeventually Arab it became rule and the the predominant Persians were religion. subsequently replaced by the The Persians (Iranians) INTRODUCTION Historical geography is the study of the human geography of the HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY ofthosecenterTurkic Ghazni1219 of and ' variousC.E. consolidateda base princes for conquestoperations the after Afghan hisin into 998 death Kingdom India C.E. lasted inThe searchand untilconquest produced ofthe riches. Mongol lead a greatHisby InvasionsMahmud rule culture and After Genghis Khan's death in 1227, a succession of statepast,intoit relates ofand the Afghanistan. so present tothis people chapter conditions The who will history have specificallyand controlled ofthe this current regionexamine the geopolitical providesspace Afghanistan's now valuable reality. occupied history To insights acquire by as the Timurids,rulerareachieftains fellTimur under and Afghanistan (Tamerlane) princes the relatively controlled inwitnessed the peaceful late parts 14th a of transitionand century. present-day prosperous Under period Afghanistan rulehis during successors, of the theuntil Uzbek the 15th andestablishmentactionscurrentthese Britain, insights era.in the These will of 18thwe Afghanistan. beearlybegin and examined events 19th by reviewing centuries,The helped as interactions those to the shapewhich confrontations historical ofthe subsequently colonial environment events powers,impacted before led for Russia tomajor andthe divided,ofIndia,forcefullycentury. the whichMughal between expanded lasted Empire, the well toMughals the Afghanistan into east, the and establishing 19th the found Safavidcentury theitself Empire in Mughal some caught, in form. EmpirePersia and On sometimes(Iran). in the greater edge In the early 15th century, rose to power in Kabul and theCenturycontinuedresulted current inevents throughoutpoliticalconflicts will geography contributewithin the 20th the of toregion.Century. the a deeper region The understanding andinfluence Afghanistan of colonial and (Chapter context powers 8). forAfghanistan's close proximity to "" (India prior to An inspection of these 20th thefollowed18TH fragmented AND by the 1911I rule elements CENTURIESof Ahmad of region Shah into what who would was able become to consolidate modemIn the 18th Century, the passing of the Moghul Dynasty was havethispartsthepartition past land ofconquered threeAfghanistan. inas 1947)the thousand gateway thishas contributedThe areayears, to physical andand different from armies to geography itsIndia. Indian closely from Consequently, emperors outside intertwined(Chapters havethe 2-5) Indian history.regionruled describes variousarmies haveOver groupMarxistAfghanistan.formlong to line of coupdominate organization of Hed'etat Afghan was other in from 1978rulers dependedtribal the(Jackson from groups Pushtun onthis et"highlyenabled tribalal.tribal 2001). federation confederationpersonalizedthe Thefederation ability that and andlasted toof exist. onecharismatic first until tribal Thisin athe conqueredandthetraversed Turks,area west range this Asiawho by landfrom peoplesoverthrough enroute Alexanderthe from centuriesthe to region outsideIndia. the followed Great, toThe the India. list region,the the of Scythians, naturalpeoples different routes traveling White Indian from Huns through centralrulers and When not being ruled or conditionspower,encountersubgroups"(Tarock19th and Century. on thatas precarious,their the Those respective colonial1999). conditions fleeting The powersempires events agreements included ofexpandedof Englandthe 18thtribes between toward Century andof people tribes Russiaeach established andfromother would tribal Mongol,in the PRE-18THimportantcontrolled center portions CENTURY of earlyof present-day Afghanistan. (Jackson et al. This 2001) country was also anThe first major incursion into the region during the current era was towardenvironment.aPersian, closely andthe related TurkicNorth language ethnicand West backgrounds who looking were that conditionedto offsetshared whata common to livingthey religionsaw in a as harsh andtheBy the 19th Century, the British Empire was expanding out of India Thisreachingconducted invasion the by area the and around occupation 642under C.E. the introduced and leadership taking theKabul of region the 664 Syrian C.E.to Islam, (PolkUmayyads, which1991). 38 TheBritishexpansion British expansion of would Russia beinto intoinvolved areas central that in threeAsia.they Anglo-Afghansaw Russia as their was spherealso wars, concerned ofthe influence. first fromwith 39 1832 until 1842 and the second from 1878 until 1880. These two wars eventually conducted, these groups were left out. As a result, the fighting establishmentthenotoriouslyawere reputation second extremely cruel Anglo-Afghanas of ferocious, "amongborders Pathan thatTribes"the with wouldbravest, War, the (Margolis Afghan becomeBritain and Afridi certainly2000). theand present (aRussia Pathan the day cruelest, agreed Tribe) Afghanistan, earning toof the At the conclusion of rivalriesorSovietdid unifying not exodus end (Jackson force),with removed theet thus al. Soviet 2001, thereturning common Union'sTarock Afghanistan 1999). enemywithdrawal (the to country's inold February tribal key and 1989.centripetal factional The (Jacksonlatterand20TH Britain served CENTURY et al. retained as 2001). a catalyst effective that wouldcontrol spark over theKabul's third foreignAnglo-Afghan policy. warThe to7)presentCONCLUSION andcan befrom situation explained India in imparting Afghanistan.in part by language, the First, pre-18th the religion culturalCentury and diversity movements political (See influence. of Chapter armiesThis brief discussion helps to understand four key areas of the Kabul'sAfterWWI,India. the Afghanistan foreignThe World British policy War, quicklyremained anti-Britishlead to gave a neutral short up sentiment control third despite war of and GermanAfghanistan's(1919) the British with encouragement. an controlforeign attack overpolicyintoFrom the end of the second Anglo-Afghan War until the end of conquesttheIndia",periodsSecond, introduction than wherethe produced currentas aAfghanistan result and ties a legacyof adoptionwith current wasPakistan of a ageopoliticalof partshared the are of Islamic asand/or faith much concerns with controlled faitha result countries ofduring Pakistan.of bythe athe ofhistorical "greater NorthThird,Arab thewereendinguntilreform clergy. a theseries1973. and warIn modernization,1933,of in assassinations the King same Zahir year which Shadandit started. alienated an succeeded abdication From some 1919to thecausedconservative through throne by and1933,attempts members reigned there at of He introduced a democratic constitution that allowed the establisheddeterminationoutsideonAfrica Afghanistan, and of Westernthe of strongdominance specificallythe Asia. Afghantradition Lastly, of tribes ofreinforcing colonial theresistance tocolonial remain powers. theto period foreign freelatter's from had rule. desire a the lasting This British to tradition remainimpact that It was the fierce demiseandDemocraticformation combined in theof Party politicalsummer with of poorAfghanistan parties.of 1973.economic A (PDPA) former conditions, (Jacksonprime aminister military et al. 2001). declared coup led himself to hisAt the end of his reign, King Zahir Shad was accused of corruption One of these parties was the People's -Jamespromotesdivided,continued B. perhaps a Daltonthrough loose senseuntil the aSovietof common unity occupation. among enemy its threatensdiverse peoples. the political entity and This diverse country remains greatlywaseconomicpresidentSoviet this resisted coupUnion. andand abolishedsocialthat by abrought largereforms, the number the monarchy. another PDPA of Afghanis. bloody to power coup with followed the support in 1978. of the This government was fractured from within and was Despite numerous attempts at It became apparent that It REFERENCES thethemoreDecember PDPASoviet Soviet willing wouldUnion. 1979Union's to be listenthatThe unable long inassistance to essence thebloodyto survive experts replacedcame conflict without from in the that the PDPAincreasedform Sovietwould of leadership groundUnion.not assistance end troopsThis withuntil from began those 1989in Jackson,Ahrari, M. B., Ehsan. Christina 2001. Surowiec, Jihadi Groups, JulieGreat Zhu Game. Nuclear and Carlisle: et Pakistan, al. 2001. Strategic andCountry the Studies New Watch Institute.Afghanistan 2001-2002. Houston: CountryWatch.com. againstseven(Jackson different the et PDPAal. 2001, groups and Tarock Sovietin Afghanistan 1999). Forces. formed a loose alliance to fight 40 As a result of a common enemy,When peace negotiations were Johnson, R.J., Derek Gregory and Davidof HumanM. Smith. Geography, 1994. The 3rd Dictionary Ed. Cambridge: Blackwell. 41 Poe,Margolis, William Eric. R. 1991. 2000. The War Arab at the World. TOPAfghanistan, OFCambridge: THE , WORLD, Harvard and The University . Struggle New for York: Routledge. history and geography. Wedged between major culture hearths andAfghanistan's cultural landscape is a mottled pattern painted by CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY 7 Tarock, Adam. 1999. The politicsAfghanistanPress. of the pipeline: conflict. the Iran Third and World Quarterly 20:801-20. chapteralsoasrepeatedly studydramatic the bothwayaddresses crossed and theculture patternsvaried overthe modifies distributionbyas of itsinvaders,cultural forbidding the natural traits, ofthe major cultural suchterrain. and culturalasbuilt landscapereligion environment. patterns and of language,this such area as isand Cultural geographers This beliefs.theseethnolinguisticaspectsholidays, basic of traits thedaily groupingsworkweek, affectlife. So, much anand schooling, understanding morereligion, than andbut communication ofitcriminal mustAfghanistan's be justice remembered and basicamong spiritual cultural thatother Religion alone affects dietary habits, clothing, architecture, patternsRELIGIONof Afghani is the lives,first step landscapes, to an awareness and longings. and appreciation of the very fabricIt is commonly known that Afghanistan is primarily a Muslim formsbeenAfghanistanpercentcountry. affected of of Inreligion the fact, over populationby followers manyand1200 the yearsevents (Britannica.comrise of ago, andMuhammad's over butfall the theof centuries. dynasties currentInc. teachings 2001). religious Invaders changed Islam make landscape likely broughtthe up nature over entered newhas 99 of fromcommunitiesreligiousstatuesspiritual a religionby lifeideas the inin Taliban flourished thatthe region.countryarose government inbefore (Economist the 16th Islam, inand early 2001).as 17th do 2001 isolated centuries,A small remind Hindu number shows us and that ofthat Jewish Sikhs,early later The destruction of 2000 year-old Buddhist worldwideSunniandideas large, andbranch beliefAfghanistan (see of FigureIslam,systems iswhich7.1). alsoa Muslim Unlike penetratedaccounts country. most for the Sunnites, about mountainous 90 somepercent of country. ofAfghanistan's all Muslims But byThe vast majority of Muslims in Afghanistan are followers of the 42 Sunni Muslims, including members of the ruling Taliban, are quite 43 theMuhammad'sreferred modem to asusage authorityTwelvers. of this was wordWithin known by the Sunnites as early the imam Shi'iteto refer (not community, to tothe be leaders confused the of heir prayer with toMost of the Shi'ites in the country are from the sect commonly Indkan Ali,at a mosque).and ending Twelvers with the acceptdisappearance a line of of twelve a child imams, around beginning874 C.E. (Awn with Islamabad * ) ., Clixaael fireconnol r grouplegitimacyimam,1984). are Musa, Some known of Musa's during Shi'ites, as Ismabrother the however, eighth'ilis Isma'il. or century.Seveners. disputed theWhile authority a discussion of the seventhof the Today, followers of this splinter This faction backed the 14edinao R yad* Bahr 07...QatarMan Persian ti: Doha GO '.\--- er--2, "." Shi'itesSunnites practices,Afghaniparticulars Muslimsor of attitudes. early Muslimshould nothistory be consideredmay seem academic, to have the it reminds same beliefs, that allMost Muslims do, however, share a core of beliefs based on the Red\ , *Mecca Saudi Arabia 1 Source: CIA, 1995 Godfive "pillars"and Muhammad of Islam. His The prophet first pillar ("There is a professionis no god but of God,faith thatMuhammad Allah is fundamental and conservative in their practice. The fundamentalist ideas Figure 7.1: and Surrounding Countries Source: Central Intelligence Agency, 1995 r understand(Koran).hisis the word, messenger Forrecorded the this teachings of reason, word-for-wordGod"). of Muslims God Through in its inworldwide original,Muhammad, Arabic onand study the thus Allah pages Arabicpure, gave of form. inthe the order Qur'an world toThe remaining pillars of Islam outline basic practices of daily and acceptedthe(Kaplanbecomeof Wahabism Saudi increasingly2000). form cleric fromof Wahabism Muhammad the Saudi religionimportant Arabiahas in ibnits amongSaudi originsand'Abd DeobandismArabia. someal-Wahhab in the Afghani Deobandism 18th andfromcentury clerics is Pakistan the arose teachings andofficially duringrulers have of midArabia.Ka'ba,religiousfaith. afternoon, the MeccaPrayer, life. sacred A is sunset,precededMuslim cubethe birthplace known and must by during ritual prayas of the washing,Muhammadfivethe Holy evening.times House takes a dayand Prayer of place in theGod the holiestdoesat indirection daybreak, Mecca, not city have ofinSaudi noon, thethe to moretoBritish (KaplanPakistan extremist rule 2000). duringin South views the Asia Soviet of asIslam ainvasion reaction in refugee of to the colonial 1980s camp ideas.were schools often Refugees and taught colleges fleeing theseThe balance of Muslims in Afghanistan comes from two sects of takepercentMuslimandmosque place government ofatto anoonone'sgive mosque, almson annualoffices Friday. butto incomethe willmany Because religious close Muslims is aon ofnumber communityFriday. this do practice,attend sometimes The andathird prayermany to pillar quoted,the banks,service needy. requires but stores, at Tenthea a deathShi'itesreligionShi'ite/Sunnitethe other argued were inmajor the thatfollowers split yearsbranch the in leaderfollowing Islam of of the Ali, of resulted religion, the Muhammad's the religion, deathover the political Shi'itesofthe Muhammad son-in-,caliph, (seedifferences should Figure andin come 632within7.1). after C.E.. fromThe histhe ablesummer.becausetheactual daylight must number itThe make is hours based fifth varies a ofpilgrimage, and onthe greatly. a final28-day lunar pillar theThe calendar,month Haj fourthmandates j,of once Ramadan, pillarbut duringgenerallythat mandates every which his or fallsMuslim changesfasting her during life whoduring yearlyto the is fromhis lineage. leaders Sunnites within the felt community more pragmatically (Awn 1984). and accepted caliphs drawn 44 spiritualtheholy world, city feats. of adherents Mecca in completeSaudi Arabia. a multi-day There, with sequence Muslims of physicalfrom all over and 45 importance of Islamic law, or shari'a. Another aspect of Islam that should be understood Drawn from the Qur'an, the is the countrya catalog (Ethnologue of world languages, 2001). Because identifies certain forty-five languages languages or familieswithin the of boththeologicalcustomsshari'a 1984).religious ofhas In reasoning,Muhammad been largelylife and replaced secular theand (sunna),common, community byMuslim more everydaycountries, universal consensus, lives such legal shari'a ofas systems, MuslimsIndonesia rules butgovern(Mayer or ,under tradition (hadith), academic and thousandethnicAfghanistan.discussionlanguages groups people arewill Asare generally outside lookan Arab, aside, at andof the associated itreligious theismost worthy language important services. with to noteArabic particular ethnolinguisticthat is noneonly ethnic spokenof Afghanistan's groups, groups by a fewthis of womenformsTaliban of rule(the Islamic inburqa) Afghanistan law and dictate beards it dress is forthe codes, men.primary Alcoholsuch legal as the structure.is prohibited,wearing Conservative of asveils is thefor Ethnolinguistic Groups in Afghanistan The largest ethnolinguistic group in the country is the , fr somepreparedeating would of foodpork. argue, is All known meat distorted as must halal. to be a slaughteredbarbaric degree. in a specific Stories way;of executions properlyUnder Taliban rule, Islamic law has been strictly enforced and, TURKMENISTAN TAJINISTAN CHINA orcontrol.crime.media.and a otherbeard KiteAs People forms anthat flying, example, is haveof too westerncorporal beenshort thieves beaten music, (Shahpunishment commonly orand2001). chased television have Crimeshave with been a arehand dogssuch widely illegal lopped foras homosexualityimproperreported under off forTaliban indress their the IRAN I almostexecuted.wallmight collapsed be every dealt neighborhood. withon them by throwing (Shah Ranging 2001). the guilty from Converts elaborateoff a highto other to building simple, religions or a commonhaving can be aIslam also affects the built environment. Mosques are common in INDIA callfeature worshippers is the ubiquitous to prayer. minaret, Mosques or tower, serve notthat onlyenables as a spiritual place of leaders religious to IRAN PAKISTAN Lame. ConiteavesemercIparers Cent PrOgrakao. tr sed 33W Sea* 111.3,13.070 gathering,theschool center center. but of also the Many city.as alarge communityMadrasas, towns have Islamic center, bigger, schoolspersonal more orelaborate retreat, colleges and mosques that after- have at 77 erm.q ac.55.0w.500 503 Inn 0:5.05 .105s551.50 103,0,5556.5 beenlarger educating mosques. young Muslims for centuries, are often located near the C 131911BA W3O nazismAlmak mooch Iranian GF qaTurkic mix*TwomonlOrghti H CElJ O annul Nudetani Other ensuredtheETHNOLINGUISTIC former that empire invading states groups GROUPS of Central settled inAsia, the Persiaarea as (Iran),they moved and South through Asia orThere is no single Afghani people. The country's location between ED C=3O patto Tot Qtrilbash Source: Central Intelligence Agency, 1997 Slioneb InAnliateduninhabited or thecountrytemporarily process enabled of controlled acculturation groups toterritory. remain and the isolatedIn sharing addition, from of cultural the each rugged other, traits. terrain thusEthnologue, slowing of the 46 Figure 7.2: Ethnoliguistic GroupsSource: Central Intelligence Agency, 1997 47 in Afghanistan languagesspeakcountrypopulationalso known an of Indo-European in Afghanistan,(Centralas the Pushtuns, country Intelligence Pakhtuns, theand language Pashtuns spoken Agency or called Pathans,by were about2001). ,known which 35% Before asmakeofone Afghanis.all history of upcitizens two 38% created official of(CIA the a They areas,Therethat all knownis Pashtuns also anas Pashtoonwai,areethical as fundamental code among or the as "waysome the Taliban of Pushtuns, the Pashtuns". in their especially views This of incode Islam. rural of PakistanispredominantlyPakistan,southern2001). While Afghanistan linkingacross there Pashtun, the these are border. (Figure nearly twowhich countries7.2), 8,000,000 explains, there (Figureare millionin twice part, 7.3). Pashtunsasthe many support in in neighboring easternfrom many and The Taliban are membervengeanceconduct ofboth a or clan encourages strict or tribe penalties (Kaplan hospitality for 2000). crimes and chivalry committed while against also calling a fellow forThe second largest ethnic group in the country is the , Yi 0 010 AV% dam., ,!`" , accordingofPashtuns,accounting Farsi (Persian theyto thefor speak Centralorabout Iranian). an 25%IntelligenceIndo-European Overall, of the Agencypopulationabout language, half (2001). of (CIA allDari, Tajiks Afghans an2001). easternshare speak Like millions dialect the Afgha ista Fat, ad: \ Withinof ethnic Afghanistan, brethren in Tajiks neighboring are concentrated Tajikistan, in the Uzbekistan, northeastern and part China. of the Iranbrads i$ :a'aftr" %di :MILAN A Tribal Was. . 1 414 a. Tajikscomprisecountry are with an Sunnite important pockets Muslims, in part the of west groupsthey (see generally challenging Figure 7.2).are Taliban considered They arerule. reported toAlthough be less to gt, PunjabiPashtunBaloch 0 fundamental and conservative than the Taliban government. A third, important group in the country is the Hazara, who inhabit -: D -% ..A15. ;,"-i--5-- 4 Source:Sindhi CIA, 1980 themare2001),millionsmuch Shi'ite at ofHazaras odds andthe Muslims, centralwithaccounting speak the whichpart DariTaliban. forof likealong thejust Persecutionsthe country fewerwith Tajiks other than (Figure and ofcultural20% other Hazara 7.2).of groups. thedifferences withinNumbering population Many Afghanistan have Hazara in(CIA putthe as khels, which are then organized into tribes known as kaum or gab&Within PashtunFigure areas, 7.3: Ethnoliguistic communities Groups are organized in Pakistan andinto Surrounding clans known Areas Source: Central Intelligence Agency, 1980 Turkmen,Afghanistancityhave caused Uzbek, toa greatthe Kirghiz, brink deal of of Chahar war concern (Tarock Aimak, within 1999). Brahui, Iran. A and 1998 Balochof massacre Mazari-i-Sharif groups. in ThetheMajor of hundredsremaining ethnicof Shi'ites groups pushed in Afghanistan Iran and include Nuristani, nomadicconfederationother.togetherhistorically(Lierberman Most through Ghilzais tribalnotably1980). of confederations conflictsmostly Scoresgroup is the ofsedentaryinperiodic have differentthe that eastbeen alsostruggle tribestribes(Lierberman common. are sometimesoccupiedin between the Tribes south 1980). separate theat are odds andlarge Inalso areas,withthe termsDurrani linked more each and of 2001).centuryknownNuristaniculturallyinfidel), Due asand inhabitNuristan. this togiven different their group athe isolationregion Formerly namewas than offorced Nuristani, and theeastern known historicalrest to convert Afghanistan meaningofas Afghanistan,the differences, Kafirto "enlightened" Islam and(the during western NuristanArabicand despite (Britannicathe wordPakistan remains late fortheir 19th religion, most Pashtuns are Sunnite Muslims, but it should not be assumed 48 Indo-EuropeanLikeconversion others toin Islam,language.the region, polytheism their language, and animal Nuristani sacrifice or are Kafiri, still practiced. is also an 49 The Turkmen, Uzbek, and Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) groups share cultural to the western states of Iran and the , to the newly independent byTurkicandChina.areas Pashtuns, possess with languagesIn general,majority distinctTajiks, that they groups Hazara,cultural are are different inlater andneighboringdifferences. settlers the than like. the than Turkmenistan, AsIndo-European otheran example, groups Uzbekistan, tongues inthey the all country spoken speak and Islam is a unifying feature to -JoncreatingandCentral India.C. Malinowski Asiapuzzle-like republics, cultural and patternsto the demographic that defy simple powerhouses definitions. of Pakistan Afghanistan is truly wedged between cultural boundaries, probablyaboutdisagreementssome degree,six arepercent of but withMongolian ofthese the Pashtun populationCentral origin, fundamentalism. Asian a(CIA reminder minorities 2001). of past often invasions. have alone considerable account They have forThe Aimak of western Afghanistan are notable because they Awn,REFERENCES Peter J. 1984. Faith and Practice. In Islam: The Religious & Political thatAsianinMongoloid Mongolia includes origins, features partsand however, Western of and southern theylive China inspeak Afghanistan, yurts (Britannica the similar Farsi Iran, dialectto 2001). those and of DespitePakistanfound Dan. among their (see Figureseastern groupsFinally, the Baloch (Baluchi) and Brahui groups live in a large area Britannica.com Inc.. 2001. Various articles. In Britannica 2001 StandardEditionLifePraeger. of aCD-ROM. World Community. Chicago, IL:Edited Britannica.com by Marjorie Inc..Kelly. New York: periodicallyhasregiongovernments7.2 spawned and prompts 7.3). a distrust manyKnownof Pakistan, to of aslive central, asAfghanistan, nomadic outside (orsheepherders. authority,and Baluchistan), Iran. Mostand This the Balochthis isolation Baloch dry, are isolated have also Sunni made attempts to gain greater autonomy from the Economist.Central Intelligence 2001. The Agency Afghan (CIA). Iconoclasts. 2001. CIA Economist World Factbook.8 March 2001. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. TheytwoeightKurdish.Muslims million millionspeak andThey ina speakacross languageall number countries an the Indo-European that aboutregion. that is Dravidian250,000 live The among Brahui language in in Afghanistanthe origin, are Balochthat a smaller ais languagesomewhat (Ethnologue alone group andfamily related of nearly2000).about that to Ethnologue. 2000. Ethnologue: Volume 1 Languages of the World, 14thofEdition. . Barbara F. Grimes (Editor). Dallas, TX: Summer Institute 2000).wordstheBecausedominates fact from thatof itsin otherit isolationsouthernis not languages a writtenfrom India languagesand andlanguage, bilingualism which in Brahuis theincludes same is commonhave family, Tamil borrowed and(Ethnologue owing Telugu. many to Mayer,Kaplan, Ann Robert Elizabeth. D. 2000. 1984. The IslamicLawless Law. Frontier. In Islam: Atlantic The Monthly Religious & PoliticalSeptember Life 2000:of a World 66-80. Community. Edited by Marjorie Kelly. religiousdifferentCONCLUSION uniformity. sects and degreesAlthough of ethnic fundamentalism Pashtuns have shatter generally any dominatednotion ofAfghanistan is a diverse country. Although most are Muslims, Shah, Saira. 2001. Nightmare World. The World Today Aug/Sep 2001: 25-New26 York: Praeger. themajorlanguages country, world arethey language each remain spoken families less by than overare represented.40 35 percent percent ofofEthnicity thethe countrypopulation. ties Afghanistan and severalTwo 50 Tarrock, Adam. 1999. The Politics of the Pipeline: the Iran and Afghanistan Conflict. Third World Quarterly 20(4): 801-820. 51 POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY 8 ofessentiallyembroiled"ungovemability" Ahmedzai inbegan Najibullah.civil with war the since overthrow the late of1970s, the Soviet the current sponsored political government turmoil (Weisbrode 2001). Although Afghanistan has been processesand processes. across geographic areas and may occur at every scale ofPolitical geography is the spatial analysis of political phenomena Essentially, this field studies the interaction of political o Dushanbe TAJIKISTAN CHINA wellThisdominanttheanalysis, most aschapter its from basicgeopoliticalform will the andof discuss localpolitical common position to Afghanistan's the organization unitglobalin the of Central level.analysis internal in Asiathe ispolitical world region.the state, (Glassner arrangements which 1996). is the as Within political geography, TURKMENISTAN stateAFGHANISTAN: is defined as THEa politically STATE organized territory administered by aAs the fundamental unit of analysis in political geography, the JalatabadIslamabad 0 AfghanCentralserveinternationalsovereign as Asia,rulers a buffergovernment community Afghanistan's signed zone agreements between and (de current recognizedBlij Russian and with boundaries Muller the byand Russian a2001). Britishsignificant were governmentOriginally delimitedcolonial portion spheres createdwhen in of1885, the into PAKISTAN sharesRajnortherndefining in Indiaborders theboundary. inOxus 1893with River (MargolissixSubsequent other (now statesknown2000). agreements (China as the 76Amu were km, Darya) madeIran 936 aswith Afghanistan'skm, the Pakistan BritishWith over 5529 km (3317 miles) of land boundaries, Afghanistan Figure 8.1: Political map of Afghanistan INDIA Afghanistan2,430providesknown137 km, km)as Tajikistan Afghanistanthe is(CIA Wakhanactually World 1,206 Corridor awith Factbook).prompt km, a Turkmenistannarrowthat state, separates Although borderwith an Pakistan744 withvirtually extension km, China from and compact ofUzbekistaninTajikistan territorythe inrugged shape, and pressurethissupportof internal foreign for from thechallenges, aid, the communist thevarious Najibullah Russia ethnic government endedrebel government forces itsin Kabulfinancial, vying couldin forJanuary moral, controlnot withstand1992. and of the materialWithout state, theFollowing the collapse of the and facing a multitude nationsundisputed.nineteenthHindu Kush of people Mountains. and have (See createdFigure 8.1) a country out of a heterogeneousAlthough drawn by British and Russian representativescentury, in the These boundaries, however, essentially divided several the boundaries have proved fairly stable and Abdulofresistance(Margolisand a inTajik RashidApril factionfactions2000). 1992, Dostum, led unitedNajibullah by and Ahmed to theform wasHazara Shah the forced Northern Massoud,group to cedeHizb-i-Wandat Alliance, an control Uzbek which offaction (Weisbrodethe consisted country led by In the ensuing power vacuum, three of the main totogethermixture ofwith ethno-linguistic the difficult physical groups. landscapedescribe has led Kenneth Weisbrode Afghanistan's internal 52 This complex culturalpolitical geography, situation as one of 2001).leadership of Buhanuddin Rabbani, but the Alliance excluded Ghilzai Together, these groups established a new government under the 53 Pushtuns from the newly formed government, prompting renewed fighting Since their ascent to power, the Taliban has effectively enforced a (northeastShariif,andbetween maintain Ismail the of various controlKabul Khan ethnic overin Herat,the its groups region regional and (Weisbrode Massoudwhere base Parvan,areas in 2001). the with PanjshirKapisa, Dostam andValley in LaghmanMazar region -i-In the ensuing civil war, each ethnic group struggled to consolidate Pakistancountryonandstrict creating advocate adherence as is the athe truea Islamic returnonly to Islamic their country toEmirate narrowthe society traditional that of interpretation in Afghanistanrecognizes Afghanistan, ways of theof(Stump the the Taliban Islamic Talibantenets 2000). regime ofFaith. renamed Currently,the KoranIntentas thethe Qandahar2001).provinces(See Figure in meet southern 8.1). and extendsAfghanistan northeast and from into the Badakhshan) refugee camps (Weisbrode in PakistanThe TalibanMeanwhile, (the plural the form Taliban of Talib emerged or student) onto the is an political Islamic scene from country,haveEmirateslegitimate revoked which had government recognitionalso is divided recognized in into theAfghanistan thethirtywake Taliban provincesof the (Saudi leadershipterrorist (seeArabia attacksFigures in and Afghanistan inthe 8.2 the United and US). 8.3), butArabLed by Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Taliban indirectly rules the expressedalongIslamicFundamentalist(Margolis and madrassas aim inside 2000). of group, ridding the(religious Margolis composedPakistani the countryschools) (2000) predominatelyborder, of furtherin lawlessness, Qandahar the contends Taliban of Pushtuns.and banditry, thattheformed refugeethe Drawnand Taliban with atheism camps from the was throughaforcrimesIslamic form a number local ofinclude law, religious councils ofor amputations othersharia. police that crimes. administer (known for To theft, enforce as the thestoning country theDepartment , for according adultery, the forTaliban the to and traditionalPropagation has execution created Under the , traditional punishments for r\D(c) Afghanistanhowspecificallyfrominitially the spilling thePakistani of productstate anarchyover that government the of Pakistan and Pakistan'sborder banditry, into supportedcreated Inter-Service Pakistan. but the also the Taliban, toTaliban Intelligence, prevent but and hesuch intended does created behavior describe to riduse Weisbrode (2001) doesn't the2000).enforcingof Virtuewesternrecreation the and influences restrictionsrestrictions the Prohibition from on imposed theirwestern societyof by Vice), influences the (Stump Taliban which within 2000). in is an also the effort country charged to eliminate (Stump with Dancing, movies, television, and popular music are but a few of ArabianhadPakistanHeratthe fundamentalists visions and Sea,and into ofbutCentral Turkmenistan, a suchpipeline to Asia. ventureshelp fromPakistanAlong thus would Central with opening open only this Asiaa occur roadhighway,a highway through from if the theIslamabad forviolence Pakistan Pakistanis trade and betweenthrough to alsocivil the regimetoideals.Taliban the Communist Margolisof has the been 1980s (2000) reportedera. and considersearly to 1990s, be theruthless social Taliban's inmodernization, their harshness enforcement to education, be a reactionof their andIn striving to create their version of a pure Islamic society, the Under the Soviet/Russian sponsored communist suchinQandaharwar large in support, Afghanistan part and due the the totwelve Talibanended Pakistani surrounding(Margolis has assistance over 2000). provinces,the past(Margolis six and years these 2000). expanded successes Armed weretheirwithBy March 1995, the Taliban had effectively seized control of TalibantheseAfghansinequality Afghanistan, forces has foras oppositionswomenusedfrom yet everyirreparably wereeach meansagainst imperativesof these changing necessary the initiatives tenets for the tocreating of natureensure Islam.were aof that consideredtrue Afghan the communist people society, by followmany state the In order to prevent recognizethatcontrolAfghanistan. the toTaliban theBuhanuddin point nowUnder where controls RabbaniRabbani's various approximately as governmentleadership,the legitimate ninety theand leader country's newspercent and agencies of governmentofficial the country.estimate name of isMeanwhile, the United States and the United Nations continue to mostlyembracedtheirdescribedinitially strict from the foundinterpretation how thebeliefs supportPushtunthe andTaliban's ofidealsin sectors Islamictheir strictof drive theof law. enforcement theTaliban. to population,create a trueof traditional Stump Islamic (2000) society, beliefs Not all Afghans, however, Although the Taliban thegovernment Islamic State is comprised of Afghanistan, of elements is ruled of theby anNorthern Islamic Alliance. Council, and the 54 Islam.""alienated Afghans who didn't follow the strict interpretation of Sunni 55 BaghlanBadghisBadakhshanProvince Area18,298 (mil) 6,6048,437 BaghlanQal'eh-yeFeyzabadProvincial NowCapital GhazniFaryabFarahBamianBalkh 18,4464,8619,0248,6006,722 MeymanehFarahBamianGhazniSharif KabulJowzjanHeratHelmandGhowr 23,66823,86614,925 1,770 KabulSherberghanHeratLashkarChaghcharan Gah KonarKapisaKandaharLaghmanKunduz 18,403 3,0214,0452,783 722 MehtarlamKonduzAsadabadRaqiQandahar PaktikaPaktiaNimruzNangarharLogar 15,963 7,4643,6982,9401,796 ZarehGardeyzZaranjJalalabadBaraki Sharan ParwanTakharSareSamangan Pol 4,7779,8565,9693,628 TaloqanSareSamanganCharikar -Pol Figure 8.3: Political Source:Map of CentralAfghanistan Intelligence Agency ZabulWardakUruzgan Figure 8.2: Provinces in Afghanistan 11,308 6,6753,483 QalatKowt-eTarin Kowt Ashrow onA GEOPOLITICAL the Afghan people, ANALYSIS the Taliban has at various times, "espousedBesides imposing their own ideals and interpretation of the Koran Source: World Geographical Encyclopedia, Vol III, Asia, 1995. 56 hasneighboringexpansionist since revoked countries"philosophy," such claims,(Stump and their neighboring2000). policies Although, andcountries beliefs the Taliban'scontinue have "antagonized toleadership fear that 57 oncethe Taliban they are may able wish to defeat to push the their Northern fundamentalist Alliance and agenda gain totalat a later control date, of whonumber are fightingof fighters against and assistanceIndian control to the of Muslimthat region. insurgents in Kashmir, geopoliticalCentralAfghanistanthe country. Asia, hasregions, since always the the occupied country Indian asubcontinent, liesposition at the of crossroadsgeopolitical Iran, and ofsignificanceCentral three Asia.great inAlthough landlocked and seemingly remote and isolated, (andanyIrancontinue natural andnot Pakistan)the to resourceresistTaliban's Talibanto oceanpipelines fundamentalist advances. ports from and Central theSunniBesides world Muslim Asia the market. conflictwill ideals, travel between Iran through hopes Shiite IranthatIran has also assisted the forces as the latter feltofwar."every(Parker the obligated transitionalAlthoughturmoil 1995) towithin eachsupport problem Afghanistan,neighboring or in assist Central onecountryin Eurasiamany side hasorcases is another generallylinked neighboring toin theordertried Afghan statesto to stay protect havecivil out In the region today, Weisbrode (2001) argues, "nearly ethnicexternalCONCLUSION groups challenges against today. each The other country (although is wracked many have by civil cooperated war that topits a Politically, Afghanistan faces a significant number of internal and Russia,andoftheir development prevent own India, internal it fromChina, in stability. order spreading and to thehelp politicalformer control Soviet dissentthe lawlessness republics into Pakistan. withinof Turkmenistan, Meanwhile, the countryPakistan is known to have assisted the Taliban in their early stages thebyexpressedoperatingcertain all conflict sectors degree legislativegoverning and of under society achieving body, principles,the (CIA Northern and a Worldpeaceful, the although Islamic Alliance). Factbook). cooperative the Courts latter Any under are attemptsdiplomatic not the fully Sharia at embracedresolving solution are the It has no Constitution or preventmanyTajikistan,independent factions the Talibanand ofstates, Uzbekistan the from Northern these exporting countries have Alliance supported their are in religious still order orreliant toassisted fundamentalism. contain on Moscow one the or fighting all to ofa certain theandAlthough Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are now refugeestoday,tobetween compromise Afghanistan the(over various onfive its million), is factionsideals currently of the havecreating theleading proved society the producer truefutile. with and The theofpure opiumTalibangreatest Islamic in has number theState. refused world, ofIn addition to hosting the longest running civil war in the world borders"underdegreeAfghanistan(Margolis the based toSoviet coincide2000). on and system.previous the with Taliban Moreover, economicthe boundaries regime, Russia ties Russia and of still thecooperatives fears considers former the expansion Soviet its established "strategic Union of the And, with these strategic borders adjacent to numberandAfghanistanwar)over has 10 (Weisbrode theof million obstaclesgreatest in the number2001). nearto political, future. of land social mines and within economic its borders development (estimated inat from the Soviet occupation as well as the on-going civil Singularly, each of these issues presents a Collectively, they paint a dismal picture jeopardizeRussia.torepublics,Islamic harbor, fundamentalist Russia's couldtrain, threaten andposition support ideals, Russia's in Central Chechenwhich relations Asia.if they fighters The with take Taliban therootin theirformer in isthe conflict also republicsformer believed against Soviet and -Andrewfor the country's D. Lohman future prospects. thegeopoliticalTaliban Northern in orderstances Alliance to and protect becausealliances, their the China own Taliban andinterests. India has been have allegedaided the to forces supply ofIndia and China also supported the forces arrayed against the In addition to the CentralREFERENCES Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook 2001, Washington, at: 2001).provincefighters, Additionally, assistance,in China, the the and , Taliban funding has to Yemen,been rebels charged and Indonesiaterrorists with supplying of(Weisbrode a great 58 D.C.:http://www.odci.govicia/publications/factbook/index.html The , 2001, available on-line 59 De---, Blij,Afghanistan H.J., and Political Peter 0. Map, Muller, available Geography: on-line Realms, at: Regions, and http:Concepts, / /www. 10thlib .utexas.edu ed., New /mapsYork: /afghanistan.htmlJohn Wiley and Sons, 2001. Over twoECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY decades 9 of conflict have reduced Margolis,Glassner, MartinEric S., Ira, War Political at the Top Geography, of the World: The Struggle for and Sons, 1996. ed., New York: John Wiley segmentoccupationimpoverishedlandlockedinfrastructure. Afghanistanthroughout the of Afghanistan's nations.Most of the more than six million Afghan Rebellionto oneinstitutional 1980sof the decimatedworld's most a large against and physical the Soviet Parker, Sybil, ed. World Geographical Encyclopedia, Volume 3, Asia,Afghanistan,New York: Kashmir, McGraw-Hill and Tibet, Inc., 1995.New York: Routledge, 2000. periodconsistingrefugees(CounrtyWatchlast have 12 yearswhonow of departedreturned.littlehas 2001, further 31).forContinued eroded Iran and the civil economyPakistan strife during duringto the pointthe this of more than subsistence farming... Weisbrode,Stump, Roger, Kenneth, W., Boundaries Central : of Faith: Prize Geographic or Quicksand? Perspectives Contending on LittlefieldReligious Publishers,Fundamentalism, Inc., 2000. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and vegetationenhancedto make a or living and constrained the (Johnston availability by ecological et. al.of 1994).technologically factors such as exploitable soil type, climate, naturalEconomic Geography is essentially about people and their struggle This endeavor, however, is NewInternationalViews York: of Oxford Instability Institute University for in StrategicKarabakh, Press, 2001.Studies, Ferghana, Adelphi and Afghanistan,Paper 338, reproductionGeographyaffectfinancialresources. internal institutions, Additionally, canof and socio-economic be external thought governmental structural economic of relationshipsas factors the intervention relationsstudy such with of as across human transportationnatureand interstate space. atproduction various Economic networks, relations scales, and time.andindustrialthe is Afghan aimed and atstate understandingtransportation and its economic sectors, patterns potential as and well variationby as reviewing its primary across the resource spaceagricultural, and base.This chapter will first consider the current economic conditions of .andtherehowSecondly, trade theywill that affectbethe an iscurrent overviewthenow Afghani theeconomic primaryof the people developmentconditions economic and their will enterprise of every illicitbe explored day opium of lives. many inproduction termsAfghan of Finally, 60 EstimatesAGRICULTURE indicate that from 67-85% of Afghanis are engaged inToday agriculture is the largest segment of the Afghan economy. 61 subsistence and commercial farming (Afghanistan Online 2001, CIA 2001,provincesproductionHarut and (seeDarya-yeinare the the Figures Kabul, irrigated Rivers, 9.1Nangarhar, landsand as evidenced9.2) centered Helmand, along by theHerat the increase Kabul, and Badakhshan Helmand,in poppy Country Watch 2001). The primary (United Nations 2001). regions of agricultural Of goats.accountareequatesAfghanistan's attempting forto a the physiological 647,500 pastoral to eek sqoutalpine km, densitya living. landsonly of 12%used roughly orfor 77,700 summer 250 peoplesq grazing km areper of arable.sq sheep km whoThis and This statistic does not, however, Land Use and Economic Activity a Couonre.Food pin dos oocoss,ng 41) Cwfmant EJec,o

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