Afghanistan
Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Capital: Kabul
Ethnic Make-up: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%
Religions: 99% Muslims and 1% other.
Language in Afghanistan :Pashtu and Dari (Afghan Persian/Farsi) are the official languages of Afghanistan. Pashtu (also written Pushtu) was declared the National Language of the country during the beginning of Zahir Shah's reign, however, Dari has always been used for business and government transactions.
The Ethnic Make-up and Tribes:o Afghanistan is a vast country and as a result has a rich mix of ethnicities and tribes.
o The Pashtun are Sunni Muslims who Pashtu. They constitute around 42% of the population and are concentrated in Nangrahar and Pakhtya provinces. A large population also live in neighbouring Pakistan.
o Tajiks comprise roughly 27% of the population. They are Iranian in origin and speak a form of Persian found in Eastern Iran. Most are Sunni Muslim. Most reside in Kabul and Herat provinces,although some reside in the mountains north of Hindu Kush, and the Iranian border. o Hazaris make up about 9% of the population. They are descendants of the Mongols, and speak a dialect of Persian that contains many Turkish words. They are also Shiite Muslims which led to much of their persecution under Taliban rule. Most live in the Hazarajat region.
o Uzbeks live in the northern parts of the country and also comprise only 9% of the population. They are Sunni Muslims and speak a dialect of Turkish.
o The Turkomen are a small minority with making only 3% of the population.
o Baluchis are pastoral nomads who speak Baluchi, an Iranian language. They comprise 2% of the population.
The Family:o
The family is the single most important unit in the Afghan culture.
o Men and women's roles are much more defined along traditional lines.
o Women are generally responsible for household duties, where as men will be the bread winners. In the cities professional women do exist.
o Families commonly arrange marriages for their children.
Factors such as tribe, status, network, and wealth are the major factors forming any choice. o Families traditionally live together in the same walled compound, known as the kala. When a son gets married he and his wife begin their married lives in a room under the same roof.
o As with much of the Muslim world, the family is sacred and as such, is highly protected. As a result, probing about the family is not advised.
Afghanistan Clothing:
Traditional Afghanistan clothing is, and always has been, unique with beautiful designs and colors. The Style of Afghanistan Clothing during the king Zahir Shah government (in the 1950s) was much like western clothing during that time. When it was in fashion in the west, women in the capital city of Kabul were also wearing short sleeve shirts and mini skirts!
The typical Afghanistan clothing for men is the long knee lenght dress with the baggy trouser called 'Perahan Tunban' or (Kamiz Shalwar), but people are wearing jeans and suits as well. Men also wear a long-sleeved, calf-length Chapan. This long coat is made of silk, and it comes in striped colors. Chapan is very exclusive due to the cost and is worn over the Perahan Tunban. Only the most well known or rich people can afford to wear it. Men are covering their heads by wearing different types of hats with different names such as Qarakul, (made from lamb skin) Pakool, (made of wool) Turban, (made of silk or cotton) or regular caps which mostly come in white and black colors. In the summer the open toe sandals are very common in southern provinces as part of Afghanistan clothing in southern province. In the winter time people wear thick woolen, hand-knitted stockings with leather boots and warm hats due to very cold weather.
The Traditional Women Clothing in Afghanistan is really unique and beautiful. It is is unique because of the well handmade embroidery and design. The dress is really long and made of cotton with a combination of different colors and comes with a matching trouser, a head scarf, a purse and a flat shoes known as paizar. The style of pure Afghanistan clothing has changed during several decades of war and cultural invasions and now the clothing for women is mostly shirts with jeans and a head scarf for covering the head, or more typically, long sleeve ankle length dress with embroidery or long knee length dress with a trousers and a headscarf. Women clothing for inside the house are usually a long knee length dress with a white, black or matching trouser which is mostly made of cotton and worn in summer. This is the basis of Afghanistan's clothing for women. In the northern areas striped material is used, and often dyed red from madder or in shades of blue and brown. Loose sleeveless, hip-length jackets are worn in full-length striped coat for warmth as well.
~ I will die loving my land <3
