The name, Afghanistan means Land of Afghan. Variations to the word, Afghan in reference to people may go back as early as the third century A.D. Sasanian reference to Afghan.
Afghanistan first appeared in recorded history in 516 BC, when the Persian emperor conquered it, Cyrus the Great. Along with the rest of the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great subjugated the region, about 334-333 BC.
The earliest
known reference to the Afghan in the Muslim source has probably occurred in
982 A.D., but tribes related to those of the modern Afghan probably have lived
unrecorded in regions for many generations. Islamic culture achieved great heights
under the Afghan or Iranian Ghuri dynasty (1148-1215).
In about 1220, Afghanistan was conquered by Genghis Khan, and remained under
Mongol control until the close of the 14th century. The next most prominent
conqueror was Babur, founder of the Mughal dynasty of India.
Afghanistan is in central Asia, surrounded by Russia to its north, Pakistan
to its southeast, China to its northeast, and Iran to its west.
| Area: | 720,000 Sq. Kms. |
| Population | 28,513,677 (July 2004 est.) |
| Capital: | Kabul |
| Languages Spoken: | Pashtun, Afghan Persian (Dari/Farsi) |
| Religion: | Sunni Muslim 84%, Shi’a Muslim 15%, other 1%. |
| Ethnic Groups: |
Pashtun 38%, Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, minor ethnic groups (Aimaks Turkmen, Baloch, and others) 12%, Uzbek 6%. |
| Current President: | Hamid Karzai |
