Beautiful mountainous
Afghanistan lies in south-central Asia and is bordered by Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Pakistan. The Wakhan Corridor connects it with
China. Afghanistan is approximately 652,000 square kilometres (252,000 square miles)
in area. The official name is the Islamic State of Afghanistan. Major
languages are Pashto and Dari (Persian).
Wildlife includes the
leopard, snow leopard, goitered gazelle, markhor goat, bactrian deer, wolves,
foxes, hyenas, jackals, and mongooses. Ibex, wild goats, and sheep are
among the grazing animals. You can also find wild boar, jerboa, hedgehogs,
shrews, hares, mouse hares, bats, rodents, many species of birds and fish,
snakes, lizards, skinks, salamanders, and frogs.
Afghanistan has
magnificent mountain ranges like the Hindu Kush, and Pamirs. Owshak
7,485 metres (24,557
feet) is the highest peak. It is also well known for its beautiful
lakes and rivers like Ab e Istadeh ye Moqor, Sari Qul, Band e Kajaki
lakes, and Amu Darya, and Helmand rivers. Major cities well worth visiting
are Kabul, Qandahar, Herat, and Mazar-e Sharif. The monetary unit is 1
afghani = 100 puli.
