Afghanistan Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Afghanistan?

Overview

Afghanistan is a landlocked country. Because of its geographic location, it has served as a crossroads for traders and conquerors from all points on the compass, and its people reflect the diversity resulting from these major migrations and invasions. Afghanistan's recorded history begins about 2000 B.C. and traces of its history can still be seen in its ancient cities of Kabul, Kandahar, Mazar-I-Sharif, and Herat.

Afghanistan's geography consists of irrigated land, small but fertile river valleys, deep gorges, deserts, high plateaus, and snow-covered mountains. The eastern portion of the country is divided by the towering mountain ranges of the Hindu Kush and Pamirs, with peaks rising about 24,000 feet.

The principal rivers drain to the southwest into the Helmand and Arghandab Valleys and then into a desolate, marshy area on the Afghan Iranian border called Seistan. Other rivers, including the Kabul River, flow southeast into the Indus River. The Amu Darya (or Oxus of ancient times) forms a large part of the northern boundary with the Central Asian republics.

Geography - note

Landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)

Afghanistan Use of Natural Resources

Geographic Location	Asia
Total Area	251,826 Square Miles 652,230 Square Kilometers
Land Area	251,826 Square Miles 652,230 Square Kilometers
Land Boundaries	3,436 Miles 5,529 Kilometers
Irrigated Land	7,696 Square Miles 19,933 Square Kilometers
Border Countries	China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km
Geographic Coordinates	33 00 N, 65 00 E
Terrain	Mostly rugged mountains; plains in the north and southwest
Highest Point	7,485 Meters
Highest Point Location	Nowshak 7,485 meters
Lowest Point	258 Meters
Lowest Point Location	Amu Darya 258 meters
Natural Resources	Natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones
Time Zone	UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time	does not observe daylight savings time

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