AFGHANISTAN

The first of 195 countries - here we go!

Afghanistan is a landlocked country located in the heart of Asia. Bordered by Pakistan to the south and east, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the north, and China to the far north-east. Now if you're like me and like to memorize bordering countries, try this: PITUTCh (Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China). Silly exercise, but it works for me!


Interesting Fact: Afghanistan is very rich in natural resources that remain largely untapped, to the tune of approximately one trillion dollars. They remain untapped due to ongoing wars.

Population: approximately 29,000,000
Capitol City: Kabul
41st Largest Country (249,984 square miles)

I have to admit, I got lost in all the political and historical details of this country; it has been in turmoil for centuries. I will spare you the details, but just be advised that Afghanistan is not a safe place for the world traveler. How very unfortunate, because I found in my reading, that Afghanistan has some beautiful architecture and as my fellow blogger, Chris, discovered - some very wonderful cuisine.

Interesting Fact: Afghanistan has farming communities that are some of the oldest in the world.

The Blue Mosque in Mazar i Sharif

Afghanistan is comprised of 34 Provinces...I won't name them or give them kitschy little words to help you memorize them :)

Terrain: Mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest. The Hindu Kush mountains run northeast to southwest, dividing the northern provinces from the rest of the country, with the highest peaks found in the northern Wakhan Corridor. South of Kandahar is desert.


Well, that's Afghanistan 101 - VERY condensed. To be honest, I really did not enjoy the read on Afghanistan, mainly because of the horrible living conditions (amongst the poorest countries in the world with 35% unemployment) and the ongoing wars. All we can do is to pray for this country to find peace.

Thanks for reading....next stop....ALBANIA!