Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a country in South Central Asia. It has historically been in the path of the Silk Road.

Many peoples have tried to rule Afghanistan—these include the Medes, Archaemenids, Bactrians, Scythians, Kushans (who brought in Buddhism), Parthians, and the Sassanians. Alexander the Great controlled the region briefly.

From the 7th to the 10th centuries, Islam developed in the region and became the dominant religion. In the 13th century, it was invaded by the Mongols, then in the 14th century, by the Turks (Timurids). By the 18th century, Afghanistan (Durrani Empire) became a unified country of different Muslim tribes living in the area.

During the 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer zone between two powerful empires: the British Empire (which ruled Pakistan and India) and the Russian Empire (which ruled Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan). Both have tried to invade Afghanistan.

In recent decades, Afghanistan has fallen victim to political instability, civil unrest, terrorism, and widepsread corruption. The United States launched a 20-year war in response to the September 11 attacks. Currently, it is under the rule of the Taliban.