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Destination : AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan was invaded and occupied by the Soviet Union in 1979. The USSR was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, but the fundamentalist Islamic Taliban movement has been able to seize most of the country. In addition to the continuing civil strife, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread live mines. The estimated population in July 2000 was 25,838,797 people.

The land of the Afghans (the literal translation of Afghanistan) lies far away from the sea. In the west the country is bordered by Iran, in the north by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tadzjikistan. In the east Afghanistan has a tiny piece of common border with China (the province of Sinkiang). More than half of the border, however, is shared with Pakistan (east and south). The total surface of the country is 652.000 km². Almost all of Afghanistan consists of a northeast orientated mountain range, a transition area between the high plains of Iran and the Pamir Mountains, a foothill of the Himalaya. The northeastern part of this mountain range is known under the name Hindukush. The highest peak (7699 m) lies in Pakistan. The highest peak in Afghanistan is the Noshaq (7485 m). The northern part of the country is flat, a part of the Turan plains. The southern part of Afghanistan is desert area (Registan). The rivers here are very often dry, which contrasts with the swollen rivers going east towards the basin of the Indus.

The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul. It is not a particularly beautiful city, and since the civil war that has certainly not improved. Numerous bombardments, shootings and street fights have caused extensive damage and taken a huge toll of human lives. In Kabul is an old citadel, surrounded by a wall encompassing large parts of the lower city quarters. A walk on these walls could easily take a few hours, provided permission is granted to undertake such a walk. Like everywhere else in the Islamic world, the biggest attraction is the bazaar. The Kabul bazaar lies at the Jodi Maiwand road, a busy traffic artery which runs alongside the river. Afghan fur coats are no longer "a must" like they were for the hippies of the sixties, but the enormous offer of handcrafted objects is still considerable. The open air market is actually a maze of little winding alleys and dead-end streets where the competitors in one branch gather as close as they can to each other.

The busy life of the bazaar contrasts heavily with the quietness of the famous gardens of Babar, close to the city wall. It used to be different, especially when public executions took place here. Every day, at noon, the big gun was fired. Eye-witnesses say that this is no longer the case, because it might cause panic among the citizens. The Afghans have heard enough firing and shots. The most beautiful building in the city is the Pol-i-Chisti Mosque, which at present can no longer be visited. The Kabul Museum has been severely damaged and a large part of the collection has been plundered. Outside of the city the traditional camel market is still taking place, a very fascinating an picturesque happening.