Kabul Province

Kabul is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in the east of the country and the capital of the province is Kabul, which is also the capital of Afghanistan. Some important cities are: Baġrāmī, Mir Baččekut, Paġmān, Qarabāġ and Sarawbi At the beginning of the 13th century it was considered one of the most cultured and beautiful cities in the world; Since then it suffered destruction due to various wars. The city of Kabul is located at about 1800 m above sea level. n. m., which makes it one of the highest capitals in the world.

History

The province is situated at an elevation over 1800 m s. n. m., developing one of the highest capital cities in the world. At the beginning of the 13th century, Kabul was considered one of the most educated and beautiful places in the world. Since then it has been demolished in harsh wars and strong political movements as well as invasions of foreign power. It is also one of the most cosmopolitan areas of the country and is the center of government.

The history of Kabul dates back more than 5000 years. It was once the center of Zoroastrianism and was subsequently also home to hundreds of Buddhists and Hindus. The Arabs attempted to conquer the area in the 7th century, but were defeated by the Hindu Shahi of Kabul. The area was conquered by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1002, when the Hindu shahi Jay Pala committed suicide. It was obscured by Ġaznī and Herāt until Babur made it his capital in 1504.

It remained under the Mughal Empire until its capture in 1738 by Nadir Shah of Persia followed by Ahmed Shah Abdali. It was succeeded by Qandahār as the capital of Afghanistan in 1776.

During the Afghan Wars in 1839, the British army took over Kabul. In 1842, retreating British troops were ambushed and nearly wiped out after the Afghans promised safe passage; In relation another British force partially burned Kabul. The British again occupied the city in 1879, after their residential staff were massacred here.

On December 23, 1979, Soviet armed forces landed at Kabul International Airport to help reinforce the communist government. Kabul became the Soviet command center for approximately 10 years during its stay in Afghanistan. In February 1989, Soviet forces withdrew from the city after they were defeated by the Afghan mujahids.

In the spring of 1992 during the collapse of Mohammad Najibullah's government, Kabul falls into the hands of the mujahid forces. The destruction of the city increased with the coalition of parties within rival guerrilla factions, all of Kabul was damaged. In 1996, the Taliban took over the city and began a strict new Islamic Sharia law that included Islamic schools, government, clothing, food, and recruitment into Al Qaeda, impacting the lives of the Afghan people daily. On November 12, 2001, US military forces controlled the city of Kabul, and Taliban forces have since fled. Kabul is under a new regime, and has slowly begun the reconstruction of new buildings, schools, and universities.

Geography

Kabul is located between Latitude 34°, 31' North and Longitude 69°, 12'.

Kabul is strategically located in a valley surrounded by high mountains and at the crossroads of north-south and east-west trade routes. A million years ago the Kabul region was surrounded from east to south between the Lawgar and Paġmān mountains; the Čārīkār mountains in the north and the Ningai Ghar in the west. This region is formed by a glacial sea. In Silurian times, during the end of the ice age, icebergs gradually melted and the territory of this region was flooded with water under heavy rains. Some deep wells in the present Poli Charkhi region in the eastern part of the city are the evidence during that time. Kabul is surrounded by Koh-e Paġmān Mountain to the east, Koh-e Qrough Mountain to the southwest, and Koh-e Shirdarwaza Mountain to the northeast.

Kabul has the Kabul River, which extends from the Paġmān Mountain towards the South Pass about 70 km west of Kabul. It flows in an easterly direction, passing through Kabul, and through the city of Jalālābād, and then in Dakka where it enters Pakistani territory and ends reaching the Indus at Attock.

The climate within the Kabul region is considered to be arid to semi-arid steppe. Because of very low rainfall, especially from May to November, Kabul can be very dry and dusty. Extreme temperature changes occur from night to day, season to season, and place to place. The main characteristic of the climate in Afghanistan is its cloudy blue sky with only 300 days of sunlight annually.

Just during winter, the skies still remain clear between snowfalls, which average 15 to 30 cm annually. The daily temperature in winter is –15 °C to –20 °C, and in summer it is +15 to +30 °C. The coldest month of the year is January when the average temperature is –12°C, and the hottest month is July when the average is 25°C. The maximum temperature recorded was 36.9 °C in July and the minimum temperature was –21.7 °C in February.

Territorial organization

The province is divided into districts, which are:

• Bagrami
• Chahar Asyab
• Dih Sabz
• Guldara
• Istalif
• Kabul
• Kalakan
• Khaki Jabbar
• Mir Bacha Kot
• Musayi
• Paghman
• Qarabagh
• Shakar Dara
• Surobi

Politics

Kabul has long been known for its politicians and different military personnel. It was under the control of many political and military groups when Mohammad Najibullah's government collapsed. The city of Kabul is in the hands of many political groups who fought for power until they were taken over by the Taliban in 1996 and its politicians are changed. Kabul politicians became more aligned with the Islamic regime and new laws were introduced by the Taliban. There was only one leader for Afghanistan Mohammed Omar, leader of the Taliban who participated in a political party in Kabul until the US invasion on October 7, 2001. The new laws of humanity come in effect to soften Kabul's recovery from destruction caused by the Taliban. The Loya jirga took place to solve the current political problems and situation in Kabul and the introduction of new laws. The citizens of Kabul have been given the right to vote.

After being re-scheduled twice, Afghanistan's presidential elections were called on October 9, 2004. Over 8 million Afghans voted in the elections. The Electoral and Administrative Body Board of Afghanistan certified the elections on November 3, and declared Hamid Karzai, interim president, the winner with 55.4% of the votes. Karzai's strong opponent, Yunis Qanooni, received 16.3% of the votes. The elections were still controversial: allegations of fraud and stuffed candidacies were raised by many of the presidential candidates including Yunis Qanooni. Many feel that Hamid Karzai had an unfair advantage over the other candidates who have access to financial and logistical resources as much of the other candidates do not. An international panel of experts set up an investigation into the matter. The panel found evidence of irregular voting, however, they say it doesn't affect the election results much. Some people allege that they were forced to vote for the current president and some allege that they were paid to do so.

With the help of the United States and the United Nations, Afghanistan adopted its new constitution, establishing the country as an Islamic Republic, in early January 2004. According to the constitution, the Afghan government consists of a powerful and popularly elected President, two Vice Presidents, and a National Assembly consisting of two chambers: the House of the People (Wolesi Jirga), and the House of Elders (Meshrano Jirga). Here is also the independent Judiciary consisting of the Supreme Court (Stera Mahkama), High Court and Court of Appeal. The President appoints members of the Supreme Court with the approval of the Wolesi Jirga. Assembly elections were scheduled later in 2005.

Economy

Kabul's major economy depended on its tourism in the 1960s and 1970s. Kabul has textile industries, cotton production, and carpet production, but the majority of its economy comes through tourism in which it declined during its destruction. Kabul's production includes: natural gas, cotton, wool, carpets, agricultural products, and some small production companies. Kabul has traded with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, India, South Korea, Turkmenistan, Kenya, Russia, Pakistan, China and Iran. Kabul's economy was influenced by American power and has increased almost 35% after declining for 25 years. A new currency was introduced to the Afghans in which it helped the economy. The new businesses are in the new regime. Many American industries are interested in the new Kabul and new companies have since opened their branches in Kabul. The Kabul City Center shopping mall was built and has almost 100 stores. The economy is booming and has increased dramatically. Some costs are increasing as well as employee salaries. The cost of living has increased dramatically which is a problem for uneducated Afghans, who cannot support themselves. The UN also helps Afghans in need by providing food and school supplies in schools. Many international aid organizations have contributed to Afghanistan's economy.

Demography

Kabul is a mosaic of ethnic groups although the majority of its population speaks the Persian language (usually the Dari dialect). There are also a significant number of Pashto speakers. Bilingualism is common in the area due to large movements of people in other provinces within Kabul province.

The Tajik and Pashtun ethnic groups make up the largest percentage of the population in the province, while there are other important minorities such as Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Baluchis, Sikhs and Hindus, who are mainly found in the capital city.

About 85% of the population is Sunni while 14% is Shiite. Sikhism and Hinduism form the remaining 1%.

Population

The population of the province is made up as follows

Transportation

Transportation in Kabul has improved with the number of new vehicles and the increase in experienced drivers. There is a public transport service in the vicinity of Kabul, but many of its roads are in poor condition. Drivers are also impeded by the large number of cyclists. Many vehicles are visible in the city because people buy the cars. Taxis are found everywhere in the city, also in most districts of Kabul.

The Kabul Milli Bus (national bus) bus company, which has about 200 buses, provides services to the city and nearby areas. There are new roads in the province, and the government has planned the reconstruction of most of the small roads. The financing of the roads comes from current drivers who pay tolls in exchange for driving on highways and better roads. The money is collected by the government through complaints from motorists who inspect monthly, quarterly or annually the certificates that are attached to the windshields of their vehicles.

Trucks are well used when transporting from one district to another, or to other cities in the country. The Afghan government, with the help of foreign companies or organizations, has begun work on all roads in Kabul. Car companies such as Honda, Toyota, Ford Motor Company and Chevrolet are also being reintroduced to Kabul.

Education

Kabul is the center of education in Afghanistan. People from all over the world, including all the provinces of the country come to Kabul for a good education. There are many colleges and universities that have opened their doors to men and women. In 1970, about 55% of the population of Kabul was educated without their own learning materials or resources to obtain their own education. Most young people are sent to work by their parents to support their living costs. Education indicates that it has declined dramatically over the last 20 years. Most of the schools in Kabul were considered battle points during the wars and have been demolished.

The level of education in Kabul has progressed with the help of many international organizations, and all the people have returned to schools to obtain a course. The value of education has been reintroduced to the communities, and they have encouraged sending their children to school for a good education and a better life. Most of the people from Afghanistan, who took refuge in Pakistan, Iran and India, have returned to Kabul with their degrees and with their skills they get good jobs. Since then, most have contributed their knowledge to the community by opening new courses and institutes. According to UNICEF, the level of education in Kabul has improved and has been much better.

Universities in Kabul

• University of Kabul
• Polytechnic University of Kabul
• American University of Kabul

Sports

Kabul is the center of the annual Buzkashi and Football tournaments, where teams from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan participate. Sports are a daily routine for employees in Afghanistan, when they enjoy tournaments and matches, especially football. The Afghanistan National Football Team also participates in several Asian Football Leagues. Many Afghans who live as refugees in Pakistan and India returned to their country, and have since brought the game of cricket. Currently, Afghanistan has a National Cricket Team that plays internationally. They play most of their matches against Pakistani and Indian teams as well as some Arab nations in the Middle East.

There are Boxing, Taekwondo, Volleyball and Kung Fu teams in Kabul, in which they participate in local tournaments and make trips to other Asian countries. One of the oldest and most popular venues in Kabul is the Ghazi Stadium, where tournaments, concerts and national celebrations took place, until the city lost most of its stadiums and retained it. Ghazi Stadium is currently undergoing a reconstruction programme, according to which, a new design and system must be established for the stadium. There is also another new stadium being built near the city of Kabul. Colleges and universities have encouraged participation in sports teams, and there is a group of Afghans who are being trained for the next Olympic Games.