Is
Afghanistan a middle-eastern country? No, a South
Central Asian country.
People
of Afghanistan are called Afghans, not Afghani.
Afghani is name of the currency used in Afghanistan.
Are
Afghans and Arabs the same? No, people of
Afghanistan are Afghans, consisting of many different
ethnicities, but we are united as Afghans.
Are all
Afghans Muslims? Islam is the dominant religion in
Afghanistan, but there are also Sikh, Hindu, Jewish
and Christian people living in Afghanistan.
Major Ethnic Groups in Afghanistan:
Pashtuns: Mostly living in south and eastern
Afghanistan. People living in the western regions of
Pakistan (previously Afghan territories) are also
Pashtuns. Pashtu (Pakhtu/Pukhto) is the language
spoken by Pashtuns.
Tajiks: They speak Dari and mostly live in
northern and western half of Afghanistan. Tajiks also
live in Tajikistan, the northern neighbor of
Afghanistan, an ex-Soviet republic.
Hazaras: They live in the central mountainous
areas of Afghanistan and are known to be very talented
and hardworking group of people. They speak Hazaragee,
which is almost the same as Dari.
Uzbeks: It is mostly the Uzbek riders who play
Buzkashi, the Afghan national sport. Living mostly in
the northern areas of Afghanistan, they speak Uzbeki,
a language also spoken in Uzbekistan, an ex-Soviet
republic north of Afghanistan. Uzbeks are famous for
their round breads and red rugs.
Turkmens: Also living in the north, they speak
Turkmeni.
Sikhs:
living in different parts of Afghanistan, They
speak Pashto, Dari, and their Own Language
There
are also other smaller ethnic groups living in
Afghanistan..
Afghans
are working hard to re-unify and rebuild their war
torn country, eradicate terrorism and poppy
cultivation from their native land. They need the
support of its neighbors and other democratic
nations.
The biggest
challenge we are facing today is to cut-off external
interference in our domestic and international
policies from foreign countries such as Pakistan and
other players in the region.