The last official census in Afghanistan was in 1979 when the population registered at 15,551,358. The 1993 population estimate was 17,691,000, though the effect of the war-with its casualties and refugees have made it difficult to make a reliable estimate. In 1979 more than 85 percent of the population lived in rural areas, with about … Read more
The population of Afghanistan includes many different ethnic groups. The Pashtuns (Pushtuns), who make up more than half the population, have traditionally been the dominant ethnic group. Their homeland lies south of the Hindu Kush, but Pashtun groups live in all parts of the country. Many Pashtuns also live in northwestern Pakistan, where they are … Read more
Afghanistan is comprised of a variety of ethnic groups called Afghans, the overwhelming majority of whom are Muslim, usually either follower of Sunni or Shia Islam. The people of Afghanistan are related to many of the ethnic groups in Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; the borders drawn between these groups are arbitrary. For the … Read more