Afghanistan Country

Afghanistan's beauties have been swamped by tyranny and war. Friendly, beautiful Afghanistan was once well known on the backpacking circuit as the place to stop for unparalleled hospitality, fantastic food, great hiking and...um...OK, we'll say it, that legendary hashish. Things, sadly, have changed a lot.

More than 25 years of war and Taliban rule left the dramatic countryside peppered with landmines and reduced many of the finest monuments and minarets to rubble. The poverty left in war's wake has taken an impossible human toll and encouraged the theft and sale of priceless national treasures. Asia is comparable to a living body composed of soil and water The heart that beats inside the body is Afghanistan The destruction of Afghans would be the destruction of Asia And in their progress and prosperity lies the well-being of Asia - Mohammed Iqbal, 1936

Destination Facts
Capital: Kabul
President: Hamid Karzai
Government: transitional
Time zone: GMT +4.5
Area: 652000
Population: 31.056.997
People: Pashtun (42%), Tajik (27%), Hazara (9%), Uzbek (9%), Turkmen (3%), Baluchi (2%), other (8%)
Languages: Belonging to the Persian subranch, 'Dari' is an Indo-European language closely related to Farsi, Tajik and Pashto. Dari is the most widely spoken language throughout Afghanistan.Closely related to Dari, Pashto is spoken by 12 million Pashtun Afghanis.Spoken by 1.5 million Afghanis, mostly among the Uzbek minority in the far north.
Sunni Muslim (85%), Shiite Muslim (15%)
Currency: Afghani (Afg)
Major industries: opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, hides and pelts, gems
Major Trading Partners: EU, FSU (Former Soviet Union), India, Iran, Japan, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea
Daylight Saving: From not in use to not in use
Country Dialing Code: 93

Weather
Afghanistan's mostly mountainous geography makes for varying degrees of harshness depending on the altitude. Most of the country experiences a severe winter from December to February where 8° C (47° F) is a warm day and -8° C (18° F) a very cold night. A light to moderate wet season occurs from October to May with March and April being the only particularly wet months. Between June and September it is quite dry with average highs of 30-32° C (86-89° F) and apart from the arid winds along the Iranian border it can be quite pleasant. However May and September to October provide particularly comfortable mid-20° C (around 80° F) days and a little more moisture. Afghanistan's lower areas have slightly warmer winters with the only significant rain for the year and summer days bake with an average high around 39° C (104° F) in July.

Warning
Large areas of Afghanistan remain extremely dangerous: NATO-led military operations are ongoing against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Acts of violence, often targeting foreigners, continue to occur regularly in Kabul and elsewhere. Travellers should contact their consular representative for the latest information, check out Safe Travel for updated government warnings.

Afghanistan's mountain regions inspire trekking that rivals Nepal, and its cities offer live music, markets and festivals. Detours along the Old Silk Road include the glittering blue lakes of Band-e Amir and the crumbling remains of the once-mighty Balkh.

Getting There
Check the political climate as well as a weather forecast: it's essential to know what's happening in Afghanistan before planning a trip.Afghanistan has four distinct seasons. There's fine weather in spring (March to May) and the country blooms, but rain and melting snow can make many roads difficult to traverse. Summer (June to August) can be blisteringly hot everywhere except the mountains - Herat, Mazar-e Sharif and Jalalabad all swelter, but Kabul and Bamiyan enjoy pleasant, cool nights. Autumn (September to November) is one of the best times to visit, as there is pleasant, dry weather and plenty of delicious Afghan fruit. From the end of November, winter sets in, and snow is common across much of the country. Travel in the mountains is particularly tricky at this time.

Getting there and away
There are few direct flights to Afghanistan from outside the immediate region. The most popular route from Europe or North America is to fly to Dubai, from where there are plenty of connections to Kabul. Coming from the east, the most convenient hubs to catch flights from are Delhi and Islamabad. When entering the country by air, formalities are fairly simple, but be prepared for long queues. Baggage reclaim can sometimes be something of a scrum, but at least the carousel normally has electricity these days. Customs checks on arrival are fairly cursory. Currently only Kabul International Airport (tel: 020 2300 016) receives commercial flights into Afghanistan. There is an ATM and currency exchange at the airport. Entering by land, Afghanistan maintains open border crossings with all its neighbours except China. Most of Afghanistan's borders are so porous, you'll be generally looked on as more a novelty than a bureaucratic hindrance. Bear in mind that Afghanistan has 30 minutes' time difference with all its neighbours. Some borders are closed on certain days, and everything grinds to a halt at Friday lunch time.

Getting around
The two Afghan airlines, Ariana (tel: 020 2100 271), www.flyariana.com) and Kam Air (tel: 020 2301 753); www.flykamair.com), both operate domestic schedules, linking Kabul with daily flights to Herat and Mazar-e Sharif, and Kandahar several times a week. There's also a weekly Ariana Kandahar-Herat flight. For other destinations, the schedule is less predictable. In theory, Ariana also operates a twice-weekly flight to Faizabad, and weekly flights to Kunduz, Maimana and Shiberghan. In practice, these services can be cancelled for months at a time. Kam Air operates a reliable twice-weekly flight between Herat and Mazar-e Sharif. Kandahar and Maimana flights are also apparently planned. Demand is high for flights, so book as far in advance as you can. Ariana's Kabul office can be chaotic but is surprisingly efficient. Kam Air run a slightly tighter ship. Elsewhere, things are more disorganised so you might need to be persistent to get your name on the list. You'll need your passport when you book your ticket. Always recheck the time of departure the day before you fly. Schedule changes are both common and unexplained. If you're in the provinces you'll probably depart late anyway, as you wait for the plane to arrive from Kabul. Failing an airline seat, your next best bet is a minibus; Afghanistan is held together by an indestructible fleet of Toyota HiAces that ply the country's atrocious roads. Yellow-and-white shared taxis are a popular way to travel between towns. They leave from the same terminal as minibuses. They're faster than minibuses and, with fewer seats, fill up and leave sooner. Fares are around a quarter to a third more expensive than the equivalent minibus. Cars are available for hire in Kabul, but always come complete with driver.