AFGHANISTAN in Perspective TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: GEOGRAPHY......................................................................................................... Introduction .............................................................................................................................. Topographical Features and Geographic Divisions ................................................................. Climate ..................................................................................................................................... Major Cities ............................................................................................................................. Kabul ................................................................................................................................ Kandahar ........................................................................................................................... Herat ................................................................................................................................. Mazar-e Sharif .................................................................................................................. Bodies of Water ....................................................................................................................... Natural Hazards ....................................................................................................................... Environmental Concerns ......................................................................................................... CHAPTER 2: HISTORY .............................................................................................................. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ Early History .................................................................................................................. The Vedic Aryans ........................................................................................................... The Persians .................................................................................................................... Alexander the Great ........................................................................................................ Waves of Invaders ................................................................................................................. The Muslim Conquest .................................................................................................... The Mongol Invasion ..................................................................................................... The Safavids ................................................................................................................... The Beginnings of Afghan Independence ...................................................................... The Anglo-Afghan Wars ....................................................................................................... The Second Anglo-Afghan War ..................................................................................... The Third Anglo-Afghan War ........................................................................................ Turbulent Post-WWI Years ................................................................................................... Zahir Shah ...................................................................................................................... The Afghan Republic (1973–1978) ................................................................................ The Communist Era in Afghanistan ...................................................................................... The Taliban Movement .......................................................................................................... Al-Qaeda and the Taliban ............................................................................................... Ahmed Shah Massoud .................................................................................................... September 11, 2001 ............................................................................................................... Recent Events ........................................................................................................................ © DLIFLC | i AFGHANISTAN in Perspective CHAPTER 3: ECONOMY ........................................................................................................... Introduction ............................................................................................................................ Agriculture ............................................................................................................................. Industry .................................................................................................................................. Economic Indicators .............................................................................................................. Opium Economy .................................................................................................................... Trade ...................................................................................................................................... Foreign Aid ............................................................................................................................ Foreign Investment ................................................................................................................ Banking .................................................................................................................................. Informal Sector ............................................................................................................... Formal Sector ................................................................................................................. Energy .................................................................................................................................... Electricity ....................................................................................................................... Oil and Gas ..................................................................................................................... Coal ................................................................................................................................. Energy Transit Corridor ................................................................................................. Mineral Resources ................................................................................................................. Transportation ........................................................................................................................ Roads .............................................................................................................................. River and Rail Transportation ........................................................................................ Airports ........................................................................................................................... CHAPTER 4: SOCIETY .............................................................................................................. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ Ethnic Groups and Languages ............................................................................................... Pashtuns .......................................................................................................................... Tajiks .............................................................................................................................. Hazaras ........................................................................................................................... Uzbeks and Turkmen ...................................................................................................... Other Ethnic Groups ....................................................................................................... Religion .................................................................................................................................. Islam ............................................................................................................................... Sunni and Shi’a Islam ..................................................................................................... Islam in Afghanistan ....................................................................................................... Gender Issues ......................................................................................................................... Gender Equity and Political Representation ................................................................... Purdah ............................................................................................................................. Arts ........................................................................................................................................ Literature .......................................................................................................................