AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan offically named Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is part of central Asia.
The capital is Kabul, and the languages are Pachto and Dari.





Afghanistan neighbors are Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Uzhekistan and China.
This country is an Asia main's crossroad, who saw a lot of people passing his territory. In the past, antique period, Afghanistan was an important spot for the silk road, and also a obligatory passage for some famous conquerors who wanted to control India, as the terrible Gengis Khan, the amazing Alexander the great and the emperor Babur.

History

This country was persecuted by the Soviet troops invasions in 1979. The Afghan will resist badly and bravely. It's a clan and a tribal country wich means that they are very proud warriors traditionnaly and culturaly. They got rid off the soviet occupation in 1989.
In 1996, a very radical ultra religious governement named the Taliban took the control of Afghanistan country and governement.
They were kicked out in 2001 by a Internationnal coalition.

In 2004, the country became an "Islamic Republic" with a new president named Hamid Karzaï.
Of course we can't talk about this without mentionning Colonel Massoud who led the troops and the movement with all his love for his country. I respect a lot this man, he was devoted to his country and it was such a pleasure to listen him talking about
Afghanistan in some interviews. France was one of the rare countries who let him comes on their territory and let him talk on TV.


Eden garden before a land of war

Agriculture

Before the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan was an agricultural country, and famous for his fruits (watermelons, cherries, apricots, 30 kinds of grapes...) production with his good climate. Sunny in the south and humid in the north. The city of Kandahar is famous for his figs and Kabul for his blackberry. They export almost all their production in the neighbouring countries or India.

A big part of their lands are used to produce opium poppy instead of producing cereals, fruits or vegetables. Consenquently, food is rare in the market which is a paradox because they have at least to import cereals, fruits and vegetables to answers the Afghan market's demand. Then, the food is very expensive for the Afghans.

It used to be for a long time a wine producer before the Islamic regim. Before 1992 they were also a Vodka producer.

Stones and not stoning

Since Antiquity period, Afghanistan represents the principal world resource of the Lapis lazuli's stone. This stone was also used as blue pigment for the Renaissance painting period in Europe. They also got Emerald, ruby and saphire. The country give his name to a stone, the Afghanit. An emerald and lapis lazuli stones business helped the colonel Massoud to pay for the expensive war that he lead against the Taliban to buy weapons.

One of the biggest rug producers of the world
In 2005, the rug exportation reached 140 million $, which makes officially the exporattion product the most important for the country.

Opium, what's the deal?

They gave a term for that, called the Narco-economy. Since the Soviet troops pullback of the country, the opium production became an important financial gain for the Afghans. 1/3 of the economy is represented by the opium traffic or Hashish. Due to the fact that it's part of the economy, it's a big conflict with the international scene.