Afghanistan

1. Afghanistan In General PowerPoint By: Hailey Rector, Julianna Suderman, and Kiria Shantz

2. Meet Afghanistan:Also Known As: The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan • Afghanistan has seven main ethnic groups that make up their population: • Pashtun 42% • Tajik 27% • Hazara 9% • Uzbek 9% • Aimaq 4% • Turkmen 3% • Baloch 2% • Others 4% • Population: 29,820,000 • The capital: Kabul. • Area: 405,185 sq. km. • 32 provinces. • Official Languages: Pashtu and Dari. • Currency: Afghani. • Life Expectancy: About 60 years "Afghanistan Flag Map - Mapsof.net." Afghanistan is 99% Muslim. 80% of the Muslim population is Sunni, and the other 20% is Shi’a. Afghanistan was ranked the 15th least developed country in the world.

3. http://www.onislam.net/english/oimedia/onislamen/images/mainimages/3332573831_f9117b4784.jpghttp://www.onislam.net/english/oimedia/onislamen/images/mainimages/3332573831_f9117b4784.jpg History • People were on the land as early as 4000-2000 B.C. • When Ahmad Shah Durraini united most of the Afghan tribes in 1747, it was said to mark the beginning of modern Afghanistan. • Afghanistan as we know it today didn’t actually exist until 1775, when they lost land and made the officially border lines of the country. • The country went through three Anglo-Afghan wars and didn’t regain their full independence until 1919. • The Soviet Union invaded on December 25, 1979 and withdrew in February 1989. After the Soviet Union collapsed the Taliban took over on April 18 1992. • The United States invaded the country in 2001 along with secret Canadian soldiers. Canadian troops weren’t officially sent in until January 2002. • Canada ended their combat role in Afghanistan in 2011. http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/background/images/gould%20homepage%200910271.jpg

4. Health and Education Health: Education: • Over decades of war, Afghanistan’s school system had been destroyed. But recently, in the last decade, thanks mainly due to the Karzai administration, 5,000 schools have been rebuilt, and 100,000 teachers have been trained and staffed. • There are now over 16,000 schools in Afghanistan. • Grades range from Kindergarten to Grade 12. • The literacy rate is low- possibly 28% for males and 10% for females. • The approximate ratio of people to one doctor is 6430:1. • 57% of the population has good healthcare. • Only 60% of the population is within a two hour walking distance from a hospital. Unfortunately, when you are in distress, a two hour walk will probably be too long. • About 1,000,000 people in Afghanistan have disabilities, which is a very high amount. • 80,000 people have lost limbs due to land mines planted in the ground.

5. It is estimated that 85% of workers in Afghanistan work in agriculture. Economy • Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. • Their national currency is the Afghani. 47 Afghanis=1 US Dollar. • Agriculture is the most common occupation. • The main crop is wheat, but barley, corn, cotton, etc. are also grown. • Some farmers are sheep and goat herders. • In Asia, Afghanistan is famous for its production of pomegranates. • Afghanistan is known for its production of opium. Many farmers resorted to growing poppies because it makes more money. The government has tried to limit this in recent years.  By 2010, only 10 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces contained poppy farms. • The country has no railroads. • It has plenty of minerals, but the rugged terrain has caused Afghanistan’s mining to be underdeveloped. • Economy has been improving since 2003 because of small companies and factories which create jobs.  Example: Textile factories – Afghan rugs. Jobs like this are open to women.

6. There are 8 televisions per 1000 people in Afghanistan. Media & Entertainment • Afghanistan has one national television station and one national radio station. • Radio is more accessible than television. • Bollywood films from India are popular. • Most people in Afghanistan are illiterate, so folklore, folk songs, and folk dances are important in their culture and are used to pass on values and traditions.  Example: “Attan” is an energetic folk dance. It is very common at community celebrations, i.e. weddings. • A popular activity among men is hunting. Afghan hounds are commonly used as hunting dogs. • Popular games among children include “Aaqab” (translated to “Eagle”), a variation of Tag; BujalBazi, which is similar to Marbles but uses knuckle-bones of farm animals; Gudi-paran-jangi, or kite-fighting; and Sang Chill Bazi, which is similar to Jacks and is played exclusively by girls.

7. Islamic Religion:Sunni VS. Shi’a Sunni Muslims believed that Abu Bakr, a close ‘Companion of the Prophet’, should be succeed Muhammad. He gained this votes primarily due to political reasoning, not spiritual reasoning. They argued that since the ‘Prophet’ requested Abu to pray while he was on his deathbed, that Abu was the Prophet’s choice. Shi’a Muslims believed that Ali, Muhammad’s son in law and cousin, should succeed him as Caliph (a political and social leader). Shi’as defend that since Muhammad called Ali a spiritual leader for all believers, he was to be the new Caliph. • Muslim Religion • When Muslim religion had just begun, all the Muslims trusted in Muhammad. They all believed the Quran. But when Muhammad the prophet died, the Muslims separated. The division of Belief Shi’a Muslims Abu Bakr was chosen. Sunni means ‘one who follows Sunnah’. Essentially, they believe all that the prophet does. Shi’a means ‘Shiat Ali’. That means that they are followersof Ali. Sunni Muslims • Shi’a Muslims have two taxes, Khums (20% of their annual excess income) and Zakat. • Shi’a only believe Hadith and Sunnah that comes from higher Muslims. • Shi’a combine their prayers and place their foreheads on clay tablets while they pray. • Believe that a man by the name of Mahdi will come at the end, bringing peace. • Sunni Muslims charge Zakat as their religious tax, which charges 2.5%. • Unlike Shi’a, the Sunni’s have no hierarchy. • Sunni’s believe that any Hadith and Sunnah literature is valid, coming from any Muslim ‘companion’. -Pray five times daily. -Believe Quran.

8. For more about CULTURE go to: http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Afghanistan.html Clothing Women in Afghanistan Sports Culture Hospitality Addressing Others Male vs. Female Roles Food Social Life

9. Culture continued… Food Clothing • For the most part, women prepare the meals. • Food is made over flames or using a clay oven. • Naanis an extremely popular flatbread that has even become popular in North America. • Soup (e.g. ash), kebabs (mixture of vegetables and meat), dairy, eggs, nuts, pasta, onion are all used regularly. • Foods with rice are common, for example dampokht, pilauor kichri. • Common beverageswould be tea, sherbet (a sweet, fruit drink), water. • Shalwars (loose-fitting pants) are worn by both men and women. • Something longer is worn on top, for example men wear a long shirt, and women, long dresses. • Men might also wear a turban • Chupons, sheepskin or wool coats may be seen on the men that live in the cooler areas of Afghanistan. • It is customary to see bright, multi-coloured attire on infants. Sports • Children participate in games that resemble hopscotch and tag, as well as more cultural games like Akhamchai and Buzul-bazi. • Buzkashiis an Afghan game in which horsemen fight for a headless, dead goat, or calf, trying to bring it to a goal. • Flying kites, hunting, NaizaBazi, Pahlwani(like wrestling) football, basketball and volleyball are other sports the Afghans engage in.

10. Culture continued… Social Life Hospitality Addressing Others Elders are addressed by a title, not by name. Husband will call his wife, “Mother of my son”. Last names are uncommon. Friendship or respect are expressed through kinship terms. • Very important in Afghan culture. • Host does not eat until guests have started. • Dinner guests ask permission to leave after dishes have been cleared.

11. It is customary in Afghanistan for men and women to avoid direct physical contact. Culture continued… Male vs. Female Roles Men Women Their domain: Domestic Be modest, obey orders of male relatives Take care of children, cook, clean, weave, sew, may have a small garden. Girls learn how to help mother at a very young age. • Their domain: Public • Participate in public decision making. • Boys learn about hospitality, looking after family business (either urban or rural).

12. Afghan houses contain a female part and a public part. Culture continued… Women in Afghanistan Technically have equal rights, but religious and cultural barriers prevent them from participating in economy, politics, and society. Some women are more included, mainly among nomads and peasants. Girls are often exchanged to pay back debts or settle feuds. Marriages are often forced and early. The only place where women can go out in public without being accompanied by a male relative or wearing a covering is the Kabul City Centre. Marriage is not considered an option. It is normal to marry close relatives, so cousins getting married is quite common.

13. Bibliography • "Afghanistan”. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikimedia Foundation Incorporated. n.d.Web. 11 Sept. 2013. • "Afghanistan Flag Map - Mapsof.net." A collection of world, country and city maps - Mapsof.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <http://mapsof.net/map/afghanistan-flag-map#.UjiXiH_N7HQ>. • Rennie, Ruth. “Afghanistan in 2008”. The Asia Foundation. The Asia Foundation. 2008. Web. 11 September 2013. • RostamiPovey, Elaheh. “The Reality of Life in Afghanistan since the Fall of the Taliban”. Sate of Nature. State of Nature. 2006. Web. 11 September 2013. • Cagle, Anne. “Afghan Traditional Kids Games”. eHow Mom. eHow. n.d. Web. 17 September2013. • Monsutti, Alessandro. “Afghanistan”. Countries and Their Cultures. n.p. n.d. 11 September 2013. • “A brief history of Afghanistan”. New Internationalist. N.p. November 1, 2008. Web. 11 Sept. 2013. • Banting, Erinn. Afghanistan: The People. St. Catharines: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2003. Print. • "BBC - Religions - Islam: Sunni and Shi'a." BBC - Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2013. • Gouttierre, Thomas. World Book. Chicago, IL. World Book Inc. 2005. Print. • Monsutti, Alessandro. "Afghanistan." Countries and Their Cultures. Ed. Carol R. Ember and Melvin Ember. Vol. 1. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. 1-11. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 16 Sept. 2013. • “The World Fact Book”. Central Intelligence Agency. N.p. n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.