The climate is typical of an arid or semiarid steppe, with cold winters and dry summers. The mountain regions of the northeast are subarctic with dry and cold winters. In the mountains bordering Pakistan, a divergent fringe effect of the monsoon, generally coming from the southeast, brings tropical air masses that determine the climate between July and September. At times, these air masses advance into central and southern Afghanistan, bringing increased humidity and some rain.On the intermountain plateaus the winds do not blow very strongly, but in the Sistan Basin there are severe blizzards that occur during the winter, generally December through February. In the western and southern regions a northerly wind, known as the "wind of 120 days," blows during the summer months of June to September. This wind is usually accompanied by intense heat, drought, and sand storms, bringing much hardship to the inhabitants of the desert and steppe lands. Dust and whirlwinds frequently occur during the summer months on the flats in the southern part of the country. Rising at midday or in the early afternoon, these "dust winds" advance at velocities ranging between 97 and 177 kilometers per hour, raising high clouds of dust.Temperature and precipitation are controlled by the exchange of air masses. The highest temperatures and the lowest precipitation prevail in the drought-ridden, poorly watered southern plateau region, which extends over the boundaries with Iran and Pakistan.The Central Mountains, with higher peaks ascending toward the Pamir Knot, represent another distinct climatic region. From the Koh-e Baba Range to the Pamir Knot, January temperatures may drop to -15 C or lower in the highest mountain areas; July temperatures vary between 0 and 26 C depending on altitude. In the mountains the annual mean precipitation, much of which is snowfall, increases eastward and is highest in the Koh-e Baba Range, the western part of the Pamir Knot, and the Eastern Hindukush. Precipitation in these regions and the eastern monsoon area is about forty centimeters per year. The eastern monsoon area encompasses patches in the eastern border area with Pakistan, in irregular areas in eastern Afghanistan from north of Asmar to just north of Darkh-e Yahya, and occasionally as far west as the Kabul Valley. The Wakhan Corridor, however, which has temperatures ranging from 9 C in the summer to below -21 C in the winter, receives fewer than ten centimeters of rainfall annually. Permanent snow covers the highest mountain peaks. In the mountainous region adjacent to northern Pakistan, the snow is often more than two meters deep during the winter months. Valleys often become snow traps as the high winds sweep much of the snow from mountain peaks and ridges.Precipitation generally fluctuates greatly during the course of the year in all parts of the country. Surprise rainstorms often transform the episodically flowing rivers and streams from puddles to torrents; unwary invading armies have been trapped in such flooding more than once in Afghanistan's history. Nomadic and seminomadic Afghans have also succumbed to the sudden flooding of their camps.The climate of the Turkistan Plains, which extend northward from the Northern Foothills, represents a transition between mountain and steppe climates. Aridity increases and temperatures rise with descending altitudes, becoming the highest along the lower Amu Darya and in the western parts of the plains.
The unit of currency in Afghanistan is the afghani, which is divided into 100 puls. Since 1981 the official rate of exchange has been fixed at 50 afghanis equal U.S.$1. However, the actual market rate of the afghani has fluctuated, and in 1994 2400 afghanis equaled U.S.$1. Dramatic inflation (with rates of up to 57 percent), which has been taking place in Afghanistan since the Soviet invasion, contributed to the drastic decrease in the purchasing power of the afghani from 1981 to 1994.
Afghanistan's central bank was founded in 1938 and is the largest bank in Afghanistan. The central bank issues all notes, executes government loans, and lends money to cities and to other banks. All private banks in Afghanistan were nationalized in 1975, mostly because a lack of clear terms for borrowers and lenders had made it difficult for people to use the country's credit resources. No stock market or other modern form of economic development exists in Afghanistan. Instead, archaic "money bazaars" exist to provide money-lending and foreign exchange dealings.
On Monday Oct 7, 2002 Afghanistans interim government marked the first anniversary of U.S. air strikes that brought it to power by issuing new banknotes, aimed at reasserting central control over a war-ravaged economy.
Afghanistan is a landlocked and mountainous country in South-Central Asia, with plains in the north and southwest. The highest point is Nowshak, at 7,485 m (24,557 ft) above sea level. Large parts of the country are dry, and fresh water supplies are limited. The endorheic Sistan Basin is one of the driest regions in the world. Afghanistan has a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The country is frequently subject to minor earthquakes, mainly in the northeast of Hindu Kush mountain areas. Some 125 villages were damaged and 4000 people killed by the May 30, 1998 earthquake.At 249,984 sq mi (647,500 km²), Afghanistan is the world's 41st-largest country (after Myanmar).The country's natural resources include gold, silver, copper, zinc and iron ore in southeastern areas; precious and semi-precious stones such as lapis, emerald and azure in the north-east; and potentially significant petroleum and natural gas reserves in the north. The country also has uranium, coal, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, and salt. However, these significant mineral and energy resources remain largely untapped due to the effects of the Soviet invasion and the subsequent civil war. Plans are underway to begin extracting them in the near future.
Afghanistan emerged on the map of the world as an independent country on August 19, 1919 from British control. The landlocked country of Afghanistan (Area 652,000 sq km), located in Southern Asia, divided into 30 administrative divisions with population of nearly 26,813,057 (July 2001) is a land of rich hospitality and cultural traditions.
Historically speaking, Afghanistan has a centuries long history dating back to Stone Age (50,000 to 20,000 BC) as archaeologists have identified evidence of Stone Age technology in few areas of Afghanistan. In addition to it, the plant remains at the foothills of Hindu Kush Mountains indicate that North Afghanistan was one of the earliest places to domestic plants and animals. During the Bronze Age (3000 BC to 2000 BC), ancient Afghanistan was believed to be a crossroad between Mesopotamia and other civilizations. In 522 BC, Darius the Great invaded this land but few years later the constant and bloody tribal revolts from Afghans plagued the Persian Empire. Now in 329 BC, this land went to Alexander the Great but he was also unable to maintain his control on this land. Greeks, Bactrian and Parthian followed Alexanders empire until it fell to Kushans where King Kanishka ruled it in 50 AD. This was the time when Gandhara culture reached at its heights but 03 centuries later, White Huns (400 AD) destroyed the Buddhist culture and left most of the country in ruins.
In 07th century AD, Arabs introduced Islam in this region and in next 06 centuries it became the center of Islamic power and civilization. This was the era when great Afghan scientist, Ibn-e-Sina was born at Balkh in 980 AD. In 13th century AD, Genghis Khan invaded Afghanistan and had destroyed the irrigation system, which turned fertile soil into permanent deserts. This was the same century when Marco Polo crossed Afghanistan in 1273 AD. A century later Muslims reasserted the control over Afghanistan and in early 16th century AD, Babur, the founder of the Moghul dynasty took control of Kabul and later he invaded Indian sub-continent to lay foundation of his kingdom. The next 02 centuries were of revolts in Afghanistan as leaders of various tribes keep on killing each other to get the power. These clashes led to the British invasion in Afghanistan in 1836 AD. Few years later, British had to leave Afghanistan and once again the power went to local kings. In 1879, few areas of the Afghanistan came under the control of British Empire and it was in 1893 that Durand line was fixed between Afghanistan and British India, splitting Afghan tribal areas and leaving half of these Afghans in what is now Pakistan. In 1895, Afghanistan northern border was fixed and guaranteed by Russia but in earlier 20th century, Russia and Great Britain signed a convention in St. Petersburg in which Afghanistan was declared outside Russia sphere of influence.
In 1919, Afghanistan retains the control from British and once again the power went to local rulers. For another 35 years, Afghanistan was under the influence of United States of America but in 1955 they took a sharp turn to Soviet Union. Now former Soviet Union had an enormous pressure in Afghanistan due which they kept on changing the rulers and lastly in December 1979 they invaded Afghanistan. In result of this invasion, Afghan guerrilla (Mujahideen) movement was born and they bravely forced out Russia from Afghanistan in 1988. Russians went out of Afghanistan but they left the country at civil war and it was finally in 1992 when Islamic State under the leadership of Professor Burhan-ud-din Rabanni was established. In 1994, a new movement under the name of Taliban was born and in just 02 years time they got control of the whole Afghanistan except for the Northern part of the country in 1996.
The Taliban were ruling over Afghanistan when the incidents of Sep 11, 2001 took place in New York and Washington, which made United States of America to take a military action against Taliban Government in October 2001. Finally it was in November 2001 when Taliban moved out and on December 22, United Nations appointed leaders of various ethnic groups to be the part of an interim group that have ruled Afghanistan till June 30, 2002. Now a new Transitional Government is working in Afghanistan under the leadership of Pashtun leader, Mr. Hamid Karzai, which will remain effective till December 2003. The main task for this Government is to lay down a foundation for a new democratic Government in Afghanistan.
Independence Day, May 27. Anniversary of the day in 1921 when sovereignty was established.
Children's Day, August 30.
Mother's Day, June 14.
Jeshyn-Afghan Days, August 28-31. Commemorates the peace treaty of 1920. Also known as Independence Days.
National Assembly Day, second Wednesday in September (Sep 8, 2004).
Workers' Day, May 1. Labor Day.
Public holidays The national holidays are Eid al-Fetr, Eid al-Qorban, Afghan New Year (March 21 or 22), Yom Ashura, Workers' Day, Independence Day, Prophet's Birthday, Independence Festival, Pushtunistan Day, National Assembly Day, Deliverance Day, and the first day of Ramadan.
Afghanistan is comprised of a variety of ethnic groups called Afghans, the overwhelming majority of whom are Muslim, usually either followers of Sunni or Shia Islam. The people of Afghanistan are related to many of the ethnic groups in Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; the borders drawn between these groups are arbitrary. For the most part, Afghans are farmers, although a significant minority follows a nomadic lifestyle. In the years since the Soviet invasion and the later civil war, a large number of Afghans have fled the country and become refugees in neighboring nations, most typically in Iran and Pakistan.
Capitale: KABUL
Popolazione: 26.200.000
Superficie: 652.225 km2
Fuso orario: +3h30 rispetto all'Italia; +2h30 quando in Italia è in vigore l'ora legale.
Lingue: Dari e Pashto
Religioni: islamica
Moneta: Afgano
Prefisso per l'Italia: 0039
Prefisso dall'Italia: 0093
Telefonia: esistono due reti di telefonia mobile locale compatibili con quelle italiane.
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