Kabul[a][b] is one of the thirty-fourprovinces of Afghanistan, situated in the east of the country. The capital of the province isKabul city, which isAfghanistan's capital and largest city. The population of Kabul Province is over 5.5 million people as of 2022,[6] of which over 85 percent live in urban areas. The currentgovernor of the province isMohammad Aman Obaid.
It borders the provinces ofParwan to the north,Kapisa to the north-east,Laghman to the east,Nangarhar to the south-east,Logar to the south, andWardak to the west.
Kabul city, situated 5,900 ft above sea level in a narrow valley, wedged between theHindu Kush mountains.
Kabul is located between Latitude 34-31' North and Longitude 69-12' East at an altitude of 1800 m (6000 feet) above sea level, which makes itone of the world's highest capital cities. Kabul is strategically situated in a valley surrounded by high mountains at crossroads of north-south and east-west trade routes. One million years ago the Kabul region was surrounded from south-east betweenLowgar andPaghman Mountains;Charikar in the north and the Ningai Ghar mountains in the west. This region formed an icy sea. Some deep wells in the region of today's Poli Charkhi in the east part of city are the evidence of that time. Kabul is surrounded byKoh-e Paghman Mountain from the east,Koh-e Qrough Mountain from the south-west andKoh-e Shirdarwaza Mountain from the north-east. Kabul has only one river which is calledKabul River. Kabul River rises at the Paghman Mountain toward South Pass about 70 km (43 mi) west of Kabul. It flows in an easterly direction, past Kabul, and throughJalalabad city, and then on toDakka where it enters Pakistani territory and finally runs into the Indus atAttock.
The climate within region of Kabul is considered to bearid tosemi-aridsteppe. Because of the very low amounts of precipitation, especially from May to November, Kabul can be very dry and dusty. Extreme temperature changes occur from night to day, season to season, and from place to place. The chief characteristic of Afghanistan's climate is a blue cloudless sky with over 300 days of sunshine yearly. Even during the winter, skies usually remain clear between snowfalls, which are on average 15–30 cm (5.9–11.8 in) annually. The daily temperature forKabul city in winter is −1 °C (30 °F) and in summer 24 °C (75 °F). The coldest month of the year is January and the hottest month is July. The maximum temperature has been recorded as +42.7 °C[citation needed] in July and the minimum as −26.3 °C[citation needed] in January.
Timur, founder of theTimurid dynasty, invaded the region in 14th century and developed it into a major trading center. In 1504, the city fell toBabur from the north of the country and was made into his capital, which became one of the principal cities of his laterMughal Empire. In 1525, Babur describedKabulistan inhis memoirs by writing that:
In thecountry of Kābul there are many and various tribes. Its valleys and plains are inhabited byTūrks,Aimāks, andArabs. In the city and the greater part of the villages, the population consists ofTājiks (called "Sarts" by Babur). Many other of the villages and districts are occupied byPashāis,Parāchis, Tājiks, Berekis, andAfghans. In the hill-country to the west, reside theHazāras andNukderis. Among the Nukderi tribes, there are some who speak theMoghul(mongol) language. In the hill-country to the north-east liesKaferistān, such asKattor and Gebrek. There are eleven or twelve different languages spoken in Kābul:Arabic,Persian,Tūrki, Moghuli,Hindi,Afghani,Pashāi, Parāchi, Geberi, Bereki, and Lamghāni...[8]
For much of its time Kabul was independent until it became part of theDurrani Empire in 1747. During theFirst Anglo-Afghan War in 1839, the British army invaded the area but withdrew in 1842, although thousands of them were killed during a surprise ambush on their way to Jalalabad. In retaliation another British force partly burned Kabul before retreating back toBritish India. The British again occupied the city during theSecond Anglo-Afghan War in 1879, after their resident staff were massacred there, but withdrew about a year later when they installedEmir.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Kabul was known as the Paris ofcentral Asia as it was transforming into a European style city. Once the jewel of Asia, a very progressive and moderately modern capital. Kabul in those days had, modern cinemas, cafes, formal French gardens, schools, libraries, universities, fine boutiques. The inhabitants of Kabul known as "Kabulis" were highly educated, modern, progressive and cosmopolitan people. Where women and men attended primary school, high school and university. Mini-jupes (mini skirts) were a common sight in the 1970s. Highly educated, culturally aware and yet religious at the same time, there was never an issue with not having your hair covered or the clothes you wore in the Kabul of the 1960s and 1970s. This progressive peaceful society lasted until foreign interference occurred in the late 1970s plummeting the country to what Afghanistan has become today. In December 1979, Soviet armed forces landed atKabul International Airport to help bolster thePDPA-led government of Afghanistan.
Kabul became theSoviet command center for approximately 10 years during their stay in Afghanistan. In February 1989, Soviet forces withdrew from Afghanistan after they were defeated by theMujahideens. In spring of 1992 the government ofMohammad Najibullah collapsed, Kabul fell into the hands of Mujahideen forces. Destruction increased as the coalition of the parties broke into rival warring factions, and much of Kabul was damaged. In 1996 theTaliban took over the region and started a new strict IslamicSharia rule which restricted most forms of education, entertainment, women from working, men from shaving beards, and many normal human activities or hobbies.
In early 2002 aNATO-ledInternational Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was deployed in Kabul and from there they began taking over other parts of the country. The war-torn city began to see some positive development as millions of expats returned to the country. Its population has grown from about 500,000 in 2001 to over 3 million by 2007. Many foreign embassies re-opened, especially the biggestU.S. Embassy. Afghan government institutions were also re-developed and modernized. Since 2008 the newly trainedAfghan National Police (ANP) and theAfghan National Army (ANA) have been in charge of security in the area, while NATO also has a heavy presence but is not patrolling the streets anymore.
While the city is being developed, it is also the scene of occasional deadly suicide bombings and explosions carried out by theHaqqani network, Taliban'sQuetta Shura,Hezb-i Islami,Al Qaeda, and other anti-government elements who are allegedly supported and guided by Pakistan'sInter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy network.[11]
Kabul was occupied by a number of mujahideen rebel groups and warlords before Najibullah's government collapsed in 1992. The city and province were contested by the various rebel forces who fought for power until it was captured by theTaliban in 1996. A new strict law was introduced by the Taliban. There was very little information on how Afghanistan was governed but the country had only one leader,Mullah Omar, the head of Taliban who fled to Pakistan after the US-led invasion on October 7, 2001. The Taliban laws were quickly abolished and humanities came in effect to enable Kabul to recover from the destruction caused by the mujahideen and Taliban forces. The2002 loya jirga took place to solve the country's political problems.
Afghanistan adopted a newconstitution in January 2004, establishing the country as anIslamic Republic. According to the constitution, the Afghan government consists of a President, two Vice Presidents, and aNational Assembly (Parliament). The National Assembly has two houses: the House of People (Wolesi Jirga), and the House of Elders (Meshrano Jirga). There is also an independent Judiciary branch consisting of theSupreme Court (Stara Mahkama), High Courts and Appeal Courts. The President appoints the members of the Supreme Court with the approval of theWolesi Jirga.
Afghanistan's presidentialelections were held in October 2004. Over 8 million Afghans voted in the elections. The Joint Electoral Management Body of Afghanistan certified the elections and declaredHamid Karzai, the interim President, the winner with 55.4% of the vote. Karzai's strongest opponent,Yunus Qanuni, received 16.3% of the vote. The elections were not without controversy; allegations of fraud andballot stuffing were brought up by many of the presidential candidates including Qanuni. A panel of international experts was set up to investigate the matter. The panel did find evidence of voting irregularities, however, they said that it was not enough to affect the outcome of the elections.
Skilled workers at a factory in Kabul, press operators are building new standards for themselves and their country. 1950
Kabul's products include: natural gas, cotton, wool, carpets, agriculture, and some small production companies. Kabul has trade partnerships with theUK, France, Germany, United States, India,South Korea,Turkmenistan,Kenya, Russia,Pakistan, China,Iran. Kabul's economy was influenced by the America and has increased by almost 3500% after shrinking for 25 years.[when?] A new currency was introduced to Afghans which helped the economy. New business was in the new regime. Many American industries were interested in the new Kabul and many new companies have since then opened their branches in Kabul. The Kabul City Centre Mall was built and has nearly 100 shops.[12]
The economy is at a boom level and is increasing dramatically. Housing costs are rising as are employee wages. The cost of living has increased dramatically which is a problem for the non-educated Afghans, who cannot support themselves. The UN helps Afghans in need of help by providing aid, food and school materials for schools. Many international aid organizations are contributing to the Afghan economy.
In the 1960s and 70s most of Kabul's economy depended on tourism.[dubious –discuss][citation needed] Kabul had textile, cotton production, and carpet production industries, but most of its economy came through tourism which it lost during its destruction.[citation needed]
As of 2022, the total population of Kabul province is 5,572,630,[6] of which about 85 percent live in the urban areas (mainly in the Kabulmetropolitan area) while the remaining 15 percent are rural residents. It is one of the most ethnically diverse provinces.[13]
^Note: "Predominantely" or "dominated" is interpreted as 99%, "majority" as 70%, "mixed" as 1/(number of ethnicities), "minority" as 30% and "few" or "some" as 1%.
Transportation in Kabul is improving as the number of new vehicles and experienced drivers continues to grow. Public transportation services are available in the Kabul vicinity, but many roads are still in disrepair. Drivers also face challenges from the large number of cyclists. However, more vehicles are appearing in the city as car ownership increases. Taxis are widely available throughout Kabul, including in most districts, providing an essential mode of transport for locals and visitors.
Since the Taliban's return to power, local taxi services have improved as new roads are being constructed and public transportation infrastructure is being enhanced. Several companies are also working to further improve transportation options in the city. For instance,Tour.af, a company specializing in tourism and transportation, is planning to introduce an online taxi service to make travel within Kabul more convenient and accessible. This initiative is part of their broader efforts to support tourism and provide reliable transportation services in Afghanistan.
Kabul'sMilli Bus (National Bus) system, with approximately 800 buses, continues to serve the city and nearby areas. In addition, several new highways have been constructed in the province, and the government is committed to rebuilding smaller roads. Funding for these improvements comes from toll charges paid by drivers using highways and major roads. Motorists are required to obtain inspection certificates, issued monthly, quarterly, or annually, which are displayed on vehicle windshields.
Trucks are commonly used to transport goods between districts or to other cities in the country. With the support of foreign companies and organizations, the Afghan government has initiated extensive roadwork to improve Kabul’s infrastructure. Auto companies like Honda, Toyota, Ford Motor Company, and Chevrolet have also re-entered the Kabul market, further diversifying transportation options.
The percentage of households with clean drinking water fell from 65% in 2005 to 56% in 2011.[26]The percentage of births attended to by a skilled birth attendant increased from 46% in 2005 to 73% in 2011.[26]
The overall literacy rate (6+ years of age) fell from 58% in 2005 to 47% in 2011.[26] The overall net enrollment rate (6–13 years of age) increased from 46% in 2005 to 65% in 2011.[26]
Kabul is Afghanistan's center for education. People from all the provinces of the country come to Kabul for education. There are many schools and universities that have opened doors for men and women. In the 1970s, about 55% of Kabul's population was educated without materials or proper learning resources, but nowadays most of the young children are sent to work by their parents to support their living costs. The education rate has declined dramatically during the last 20 years. Most of the schools in Kabul were set as battle points during the wars and have been demolished.
Kabul is the center of annualbuzkashi Cricket andfootball tournaments, where teams from all over of Afghanistan, and sometimes from neighboringPakistan,Iran,Uzbekistan, andTajikistan participate. Sports is a daily routine for employees in Afghanistan, when they all join each other in tournaments and matches, specially soccer games. Golf is played at theKabul Golf Club, which is a short drive from the capital near theQargha water park.Cricket is the number-one sport in Afghanistan with big achievements. Annual cricket tournament happen under the name of Shpagizz and from all over Afghanistan teams attend in this tournament. Afghanistan cricket team has participated in world cups.Afghanistan national football team also participated in many Asian Soccer Leagues. Many Afghans who were living asrefugees in Pakistan and India repatriated, and they brought the game ofcricket with them. Afghanistan now has anational cricket team that plays internationally. The Province itself is represented in Afghan domestic cricket by theKabul Province cricket team, who were the inaugural winners of the 2010 Etisalat 50 over tournament.
There are alsobasketball,volleyball,golf,handball,boxing,taekwondo,weightlifting,bodybuilding,track and field,skating,bowling,snooker, andchess, teams in Kabul, which participate in tournaments locally and go on tours to other Asian countries. One of the oldest and most popular stadiums in Kabul is theGhazi Stadium, where tournaments, concerts, and national celebrations take place. TheKabul National Cricket Stadium is under construction as of 2011. The Ghazi Stadium is also currently going through a reconstruction programme whereby a new design and a new system will be established for the stadium. Schools and universities encourage participation in team sports, and Afghans are being trained in Kabul for the nextOlympic Games.
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