Introduction+to+Afghanistan+Website+(period+2)

__**Economy**__ Afghanistan is one of the poorest nations in the world, and has one of the world’s lowest living standards. This is mainly due to the ongoing wars on the land, beginning with the Mongols in the 1200’s and continuing throughout history with conflicts with Persia in the 1500’s, Britain in the 1700’s and Russia, The Soviet Union and Pakistan and the Taliban in general through the 1900’s. That is 400 years of war that is still continuing and there is still social and political unrest to this day. 53% of the population lives below the poverty line with much of the population to suffering from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. 46% of Afghanistan’s population is employed, which is about 15 million people out of 32,738,376. Naturally, Afghanistan’s economy is recovering from centuries of conflict, but has greatly improved since the supposed fall of the Taliban in the nation in 2001, with 14 flourishing national banks. Even so, the nation is still heavily dependant on foreign aid. In March of 2004 more than 60 countries worldwide joined together and raised 8.9 billion dollars in aid for Afghanistan. Most of the money came from Russia, which previously invaded the country. Afghanistan is mainly an agricultural country. Its main crops are wheat, rice, cotton, tobacco, madder, castor beans, sugar beets, fruits and nuts. The majority of the employed either work as farmers or herders. Its main exports are fur and skins textiles and processed fruits and nuts. Even though agriculture is a main staple of the Afghan economy, only 12% of its total land is actually fit for crop growth, and less than 6% is currently used. Much of the viable land was damaged by warfare during the 1980s and 90s. Afghanistan is also known for its important minerals and resources such as natural gas, coal, iron ore, copper, and chromium, petroleum, gold and silver. But most of its resources aren’t utilized. With Afghanistan’s abundance of important resources, it is capable of greatly improving its economy, but the Afghan government’s inability to create and enforce laws across the nation and keep corruption at bay is holding the economy back.


 * RELIGION**
 * Hazaras** are mainly Shi'a Muslims, mostly of the Twelver sect. Most of Afghanistan is not of the Twelver Shi'a [[image:http://www.farsipraise.net/blog/uploaded_images/worship%20hands%20color-722539.jpg align="right" caption="Worship Hands "]]denomination which has contributed to the discrimination against the Hazaras. A small number of Hazaras are Sunni,primarily among the Taymani Hazara and the Hazara Aimaks.
 * Uzbeks**: Islam is the dominant religious faith in Uzbekistan. Many versions of the faith have been practiced in Uzbekistan. The conflict of Islamic tradition with various agendas of reform or secularization throughout the twentieth century has left the outside world with a confused notion of Islamic practices in Central Asia. Although the Uzbek constitution guarantees religious freedom, the government shows little tolerance for Muslims who do not practice their religion according to government.
 * Turkmens**: All Turkmen are Sunni Muslim, and almost every tribe or clan has an account of how it became Muslim. Because they continue their pre-Islamic religious practices, the Turkmens have often been described as "half" Muslims. Members may conduct pilgrimages when necessary
 * Tajiks**: Most Tajiks belong to the Sunni sect, and within this to the Hanafi juridical school. The people of Tajikistan generally follow Islamic belief patterns. Belief in the supernatural, outside of formal Islam (ie: curative customs, fortune-telling, and ascription of bad fortune to the power of fate or of evil beings called jinn.)
 * Pashtun**:Islam was introduced to the Pashtun in the eighth century. All but a few Pashtun tribes are followers of the Sunni Muslim sect. Most Pashtuns follow Sunni Islam, almost completely the Hanafi school. Most Pashtuns believe that they are descendants of Qais Abdur Rashid who professed to have been an early convert to Islam and thus bequeathed the faith to the Pashtun population.
 * Aimiqs/Timuri :**The Timuri people are 98.8 percent Sunni Muslims. Radical Iranian government has forced the Timuri to convert to its dominant Shiite beliefs. The Muslim may be uninhibited in talking about religion since it is very much part of her or her being.
 * Nusturani:**All the Nuristani groups once shared a common religion. Gods determined people’s destiny which was based on sacrifices. Shamans (witch doctors) acted as mediators for the people. Purification rites and sacrifices were performed by others. They believed the world was divided into pure and impure, corresponding to the division between gods and people.
 * Baluchis**: The Baluchi today are Sunni Muslims, yet in the past they were once Shia Muslims. Religious belief and practice are considered to be a private affair—there is no Baluchi concept of a "religious state."

Traditional Clothing Of Afghani People