Tourism in Afghanistan is regulated by the Ministry of Information and Culture. There are at least 350 tourism companies operating in Afghanistan. [1] Tourism was at its peak before the 1978 Saur Revolution, which was followed by the decades of war. [2] Between 2013 and 2016, Afghan embassies issued between 15,000 and 20,000 tourist visas annually. [3] [4]
Afghanistan has four international airports, which include Kabul International Airport, Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport, the Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport in Kandahar, and Herat International Airport. It also has a number of smaller domestic airports such as Bamyan Airport, Bost Airport, Chaghcharan Airport, Farah Airport, Fayzabad Airport, Ghazni Airport, Jalalabad Airport, Khost Airport, Kunduz Airport, Maymana Airport, Nili Airport, Tarinkot Airport, and Zaranj Airport.
Guest houses and hotels are found in every city of Afghanistan. Some of the major hotels in Kabul are the Serena Hotel, the Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul, and the Safi Landmark Hotel. Most places in the country serve traditional Afghan cuisine.
Fayzabad, the capital and largest city of Badakhshan Province, has several hotels and tourist attractions. The Fayzabad Airport serves the population of the entire province. There is also a road network from Fayzabad to other districts. Tourists can book a hotel in the city and then drive from there to Ishkashim, which is a border town next to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border. They can then drive to the Wakhan National Park in Wakhan District to as far as Baza'i Gonbad or the Wakhjir Pass (Afghanistan–China border). [5] [6] [7] Wakhan is one of the most coldest and isolated districts of Afghanistan. [8]
The Shrine of Ali is located in the center of Mazar-i-Sharif. From there many people visit the border town of Hairatan, which sits next to the Amu River near the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan border. [9] The ancient town of Balkh is located about 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Mazar-i-Sharif. [10]
The Band-e Amir National Park is located in the Bamyan Province of Afghanistan. [11] There are several modern hotels in Bamyan, which is the capital of the province. [12] The site of the Buddhas of Bamyan is also located in this province. [13] Some people visit Bamyan in the winter for skiing purposes. [14] Below are some notable tourist sites in Bamyan Province:
A number of mausoleums of Ghaznavid rulers are located in and around the ancient city of Ghazni. Below are some notable sites for travelers to visit in Ghazni Province:
Herat, which is the capital of Herat Province, is an ancient city that has many historical sites for visitors to see. [15] [16] Below are some notable tourist sites in Herat Province:
Kabul has many hotels, guest houses and tourist attractions. [18] The Kabul International Airport has an international terminal and a domestic terminal. There is also a bus terminal that provides coach (bus) service to other provinces of the country. [19]
The Ghazi Stadium often hosts football matches. Next to the stadium is an indoor skating ground called Skateistan. There are two bowling alleys, one is named Bravo Bowling and Cafe while the other is named Striker Bowling. There are also two indoor water parks, and several snooker and billiards clubs in different parts of the city. Below are some notable sites for travelers to visit in Kabul Province:
The Abdul Rahman Mosque, which was completed in late 2009 and officially inaugurated in July 2012, is one of the largest mosques in Kabul. It is adjacent to the Zarnegar Park in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood of the city, not far from the Kabul Serena Hotel.
The Gardens of Babur is a historic park in Kabul. It is the resting-place of Babur, the first emperor of the Mughal Empire. The gardens are thought to have been developed in the 16th century when Babur gave orders for the construction of an avenue garden in the city, described in some detail in his memoirs, the Baburnama. [20]
The Bala Hissar is a fortress believed to be built over 1,500 years ago. It was last destroyed by the British in the 19th century and then abandoned. It is being restored. [21]
The Chihil Sutun Palace was built in the late 19th century for Habibullah Khan, who was Prince at the time. It was later used primarily as a guest house for diplomats and important figures such as U.S. President Eisenhower and Nikita Khrushchev of the USSR.
The Darul Aman Palace (King's Palace) was built for King Amanullah Khan. It sits directly across from the parliament building in the southern section of the city.
The Id Gah Mosque is one of the oldest and largest mosques in Kabul. Its historical importance has been that of Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, where top officials and the city's wealthy people would perform Eid prayers.
Habibullah Zazai Park is the largest amusement park located in and around Ahmad Shah Baba Mina, which is in the far eastern part of Kabul. The park sits on a hillside and provides large walking space with great views of the city. [22] Another such park is called the City Park, which is much smaller and located near Kabul Zoo.
Kabul Zoo has around 280 animals, which includes 45 species of birds and mammals and 36 species of fish. [23] Among the animals there are two lions and a khanzir (pig), which is extremely rare in Afghanistan. [24] As many as 5,000 people visit the zoo during the weekends. [25]
The National Museum of Afghanistan sits next to the Darul Aman Palace in the southeastern section of the city. The museum's collection had earlier been one of the most important in Central Asia, [26] with over 100,000 items dating back several millennia. With the start of the civil war in 1992, the museum was looted numerous times resulting in a loss of 70% of the 100,000 objects on display. [27] Since 2007, a number of international organizations have helped to recover over 8,000 artifacts, the most recent being a limestone sculpture from Germany. [28] Approximately 843 artifacts were returned by the United Kingdom in 2012, including the famous 1st Century Bagram Ivories. [29]
Paghman has been used historically as a summer retreat. Most people go there for backpacking (hiking) and see large European style mansions and other structures, including the Paghman Citadel which was recently built. It is located northwest of Kabul. The Qargha picnic area is located on the way to Paghman. The area is being developed by the government to attract more visitors. There are a number of places to eat and relax.
The Tajbeg Palace (Queen's Palace) was built in the 1920's by King Amanullah Khan for Queen Soraya. It is located near the Darul Aman Palace. One of its purposes was for women of Afghanistan to address their issues with the Queen. Another was for women only parties to take place there. Afghanistan has always been a very conservative country where men and women do not sit or party together.
Visiting Kandahar Province has long been avoided by foreign tourists due to insecurity. Despite that, a number of foreigners have visited the province in recent years. [30] Aino Mina, which is located in the northeast of Kandahar, has a number of large mosques, parks, hotels, places to shop and eat, sports facilities, etc. There is also a bus terminal in Aino Mina. [31] Another is located in the western end of Kandahar. [32] Below are some notable sites for travelers to visit in Kandahar Province:
Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar Province, has a number of hotels and tourist attractions. Below are some notable sites for travelers to visit in Nangarhar Province:
Below are some notable sites for travelers to visit in Nimruz Province:
Below are some notable sites for travelers to visit in Panjshir Province:
Afghanistan is an Islamic country where alcohol and drugs are prohibited. In Islam, a tourist or a traveler is called a musafir . Such person is generally treated as a diplomat and well protected under Afghan culture. Every mosque is a place of ultimate protection against those wanting to cause harm. Although Afghans are generally very friendly to tourists or travelers, kidnapping for ransom still exists in the county. [33] [34] Several foreign tourists have been kidnapped and killed in Afghanistan in the past. [35] Finding an honest and reliable tour guide is the key to safety in Afghanistan.
In June 2022, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said that "anyone" can visit Afghanistan for tourism, [36] and the Ministry of Information and Culture started promoting it while claiming that Afghanistan is now safe. [37] This, however, does not mean that unexploded ordnances or land mines no longer exist because they likely still do. [38] [39] [40]
Below is a series of old post stamps of Afghanistan from the 1960s and 1970s that promote tourism in the country.
The economy of Afghanistan is listed as 103rd in the world in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) based on purchasing power parity (PPP). With a population of nearly 40 million people, Afghanistan's GDP (PPP) stands at around $77 billion with an exchange rate of $20 billion (2020), and the GDP (PPP) per capita is about $2,000. Its total external debt is 1.4 billion as of 2022. The Afghan economy continues to improve due to the influx of expats, improvement of national infrastructure, establishment of more trade routes with neighboring and regional countries, and expansion of the nation's agriculture and mining sectors.
Herāt is an oasis city and the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains in the fertile valley of the Hari River in the western part of the country. An ancient civilization on the Silk Road between the Middle East, Central and South Asia, it serves as a regional hub in the country's west.
Jalalabad is the fifth-largest city of Afghanistan. It has a population of about 356,274, and serves as the capital of Nangarhar Province in the eastern part of the country, about 130 kilometres (80 mi) from the capital Kabul. Jalalabad is located at the junction of the Kabul River and the Kunar River in a plateau to the south of the Hindu Kush mountains. It is linked by the Kabul-Jalalabad Road to the west and Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to the east through Torkham and the Khyber Pass.
Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province; it is administratively divided into 22 municipal districts. According to late 2022 estimates, the population of Kabul was 3.5 million people. In contemporary times, the city has served as Afghanistan's political, cultural, and economical centre, and rapid urbanisation has made Kabul the 75th-largest city in the world and the country's primate city.
Kandahar is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of 1,010 m (3,310 ft). It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118. It is the capital of Kandahar Province as well as the headquarters of the Taliban, formally known as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. It is also the centre of the larger cultural region called Loy Kandahar.
The Afghan Civil War was fought from 14 November 1928 to 13 October 1929. Rebelling, and subsequently governing Saqqawist (Saqāwīhā) forces under Habibullāh Kalakāni fought against various opposing tribes and rival monarchs in the Kingdom of Afghanistan, among whom Mohammed Nādir Khān eventually achieved a preponderant role. Despite early successes, such as the capture of Kabul and defeat of Amanullah Khan on 17 January 1929 or the capture of Kandahar on 3 June, the Saqqawists were eventually deposed by anti-Saqqawist forces led by Nadir on 13 October 1929, leading to Nadir's ascension as King of Afghanistan, who ruled until his assassination on 3 November 1933.
Transport in Afghanistan is done mostly by road, rail and air. Much of the nation's road network was built in the mid-20th century but left to ruin during the last two decades of that century due to war and political turmoil. Officials of the current Islamic Emirate have continued to improve the national highways, roads, and bridges. In 2008, there were about 700,000 vehicles registered in Kabul. At least 1,314 traffic collisions were reported in 2022.
Kandahār is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country, sharing a border with Pakistan, to the south. It is surrounded by Helmand in the west, Uruzgan in the north and Zabul Province in the east. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan's second largest city, which is located on the Arghandab River. The greater region surrounding the province is called Loy Kandahar. The Emir of Afghanistan sends orders to Kabul from Kandahar making it the de facto capital of Afghanistan, although the main government body operates in Kabul. All meetings with the Emir take place in Kandahar, meetings excluding the Emir are in Kabul.
The Kabul–Kandahar Highway (NH0101) is 483-kilometer (300 mi) long that links Afghanistan's two largest cities, Kabul and Kandahar. It starts from Dashte Barchi in Kabul and passes through Maidan Shar, Saydabad, Ghazni, and Qalat until it reaches Aino Mina in Kandahar. It is currently being rehabilitated at different locations. This highway is a key portion of Afghanistan's national highway system or "National Highway 1". The entire highway between Kabul and Kandahar has no mountain passes but there are many mountains nearby in some places. Approximately 35 percent of Afghanistan's population lives within 50 km (31 mi) of the Kabul to Kandahar portion of the Ring Road.
Paghman is a town in the hills near Afghanistan's capital of Kabul. It is the seat of the Paghman District which has a population of about 120,000, mainly Tajiks and Pashtuns. The gardens of Paghman are a major tourist attraction, and why the city is also known as the garden capital of Afghanistan.
Bakhtar Afghan Airlines is an airline from Afghanistan, which offers domestic flights. The company was founded in 1967 as Bakhtar Airlines, a name it kept until 1985, when it was renamed Bakhtar Afghan Airlines by Pashtun governments. In 1985 the company absorbed Ariana Afghan Airlines and became Afghanistan's sole airline company. In 1988 the Ariana and Bakhtar brands merged. However, the airline relaunched in 2020.
Environmental issues in Afghanistan predate the political turmoil of the past few decades. Forests have been depleted by centuries of grazing and farming, practices which have only increased with modern population growth. In Afghanistan, environmental conservation and economic concerns are not at odds; with over 44% of the population dependent on herding or farming, the welfare of the environment is critical to the economic welfare of the people. In 2007, the World Health Organization released a report ranking Afghanistan as the lowest among non-African nations in deaths from environmental hazards.
Communities of various religious and ethnic background have lived in the land of what is now Afghanistan. Before the Islamic conquest, south of the Hindu Kush was ruled by the Zunbil and Kabul Shahi rulers. When the Chinese travellers visited Afghanistan between 399 and 751 AD, they mentioned that Buddhism was practiced in different areas between the Amu Darya in the north and the Indus River in the south. The land was ruled by the Kushans followed by the Hephthalites during these visits. It is reported that the Hephthalites were fervent followers of the god Surya.
Energy in Afghanistan is provided by hydropower followed by fossil fuel and solar power. Currently, less than 50% of Afghanistan's population has access to electricity. This covers the major cities in the country. Many rural areas do not have access to adequate electricity but this should change after the major CASA-1000 project is completed.
Nili Airport is located about one kilometer of driving distance from the center of Nili, which is the capital of Daykundi Province in Afghanistan. It is a domestic airport under the country's Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), and serves the population of Daykundi Province. Security in and around the airport is provided by the Afghan National Security Forces. It has been used in the past mostly for emergency relief purposes.
Deh Afghanan is a downtown settlement in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan. It forms part of administrative District 2. It was once a small Pashtun village that spread across the Zarnegar Park open space, which was home of the Zarnegar Palace built under Emir Abdur Rahman Khan around the early 1900s. Today Zarnegar Park is the largest urban park in downtown Kabul and contains a mausoleum of Abdur Rahman. Deh Afghanan is one of the city's main commercial districts and is home to the municipality headquarters, several ministry buildings, banks, the Serena Hotel, and the Arg. In 2009 the Abdul Rahman Mosque was completed and opened in the area. It also contains a mix of historic housing next to modern business buildings.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have spread to Afghanistan when its index case, in Herat, was confirmed on 24 February 2020.
This article documents the timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan.
The Battle of Kandahar began on 9 July 2021, as Taliban insurgents assaulted the city to capture it from the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). After heavy fighting for weeks the city's defenses had started to dissolve in August. This allowed the Taliban to enter and overrun most of the city on 12 August 2021, including the Sarposa prison, which included the release of over 1,000 prisoners, and ultimately the capture of the city. However, the siege for the nearby airport continued, where government loyalists held out until being evacuated on 16 August.