Asia · Southern Asia

Afghanistan

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Flag of Afghanistan
Local Time
--:--:--
UTC+04:30
🏛️ Capital
Kabul
👥 Population
43,844,000
📐 Area
652,230 km²
💱 Currency
Afghan afghani (؋)
🗣️ Languages
Dari, Pashto, Turkmen
📞 Calling Code
+93
🕐 Time Zones
UTC+04:30
🌐 Region
Asia / Southern Asia

About Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked nation in South Asia that rewards the adventurous traveler with some of the most breathtaking landscapes on Earth. You'll find soaring mountain ranges including the Hindu Kush, vast desert plains, and fertile river valleys that have shaped civilizations for thousands of years. The country sits at the crossroads of ancient trade routes that once connected China, India, Persia, and the Mediterranean world, leaving behind a rich tapestry of cultural influences that you can still observe today.

Kabul, the capital, offers glimpses of a city working to rebuild and redefine itself. Visitors can explore the historic bazaars filled with dried fruits, spices, and carpets for which the region is famous worldwide. The landscape outside the city shifts dramatically from the green valleys of Panjshir to the stark beauty of the Wakhan Corridor, where the Pamir and Karakoram mountain ranges converge in a remote wilderness unlike anywhere else on the planet.

Despite the challenges that have shaped recent decades, Afghanistan's cultural heritage endures in its music, poetry, and craftsmanship. You'll encounter a people defined by extraordinary resilience and hospitality — the concept of melmastia, or unconditional hospitality to guests, is deeply embedded in Pashtun culture and extends across many ethnic groups. Afghan carpets, lapis lazuli jewelry, and pomegranates from Kandahar represent crafts and agriculture that have sustained communities for centuries. For the traveler willing to engage deeply with a complex destination, Afghanistan offers experiences that few other places on Earth can match.

History & Background

Afghanistan's strategic location at the heart of Asia has made it a crossroads of empires and civilizations for over three millennia. Alexander the Great passed through in 329 BCE, founding the city of Alexandria Ariana near modern Herat. The Silk Road brought Buddhist, Zoroastrian, and later Islamic influences, and the region flourished as a center of Islamic scholarship during the Ghaznavid and Timurid dynasties. The magnificent Friday Mosque of Herat, begun in the 12th century, stands as testament to this golden age of architecture and learning.

The 19th century brought the Anglo-Afghan Wars as Britain and Russia competed for influence in what became known as the Great Game. Afghanistan secured full independence in 1919 under King Amanullah Khan. The Soviet invasion of 1979 began a prolonged period of conflict that continued through the mujahideen resistance, the Taliban's rise in the 1990s, and the post-2001 international presence. Each era has left architectural and cultural marks that historians and visitors can trace across the country's ancient cities and contested landscapes.

Culture & People

Afghan culture is a mosaic of Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, and Turkmen traditions, each contributing distinct music, dress, and customs to the national fabric. You'll find that hospitality is not merely a social nicety but a moral obligation — guests are treated with extraordinary generosity regardless of the host's own means. Poetry holds a revered place in daily life, with the works of Rumi, who was born in the region, still quoted in conversation and sung at gatherings.

Traditional music featuring the rubab lute and tabla drums accompanies celebrations, while the game of buzkashi — a horseback sport using a goat carcass — serves as both entertainment and a display of skill and strength. Visitors can observe intricate embroidery on traditional dress, particularly the colorful fabrics worn by women in northern provinces. Nowruz, the Persian New Year celebrated in March, brings communities together with feasts, kite flying, and communal games that reflect the region's deep connection to nature and the changing seasons.

Food & Cuisine

Afghan cuisine reflects the country's geography and trade connections, combining Central Asian, South Asian, and Persian influences into dishes of remarkable depth and flavor. You'll find that rice is the centerpiece of most meals — qabuli palaw, a fragrant rice dish layered with lamb, carrots, and raisins, is considered the national dish and is served at celebrations and family gatherings throughout the country. Slow cooking techniques allow cheaper cuts of meat to become tender and richly spiced with cardamom, cumin, and coriander.

Visitors can explore street food culture through bolani, flatbreads stuffed with potato or lentils and pan-fried, or mantu — steamed dumplings filled with minced lamb and topped with a tangy yogurt and tomato sauce. Fresh nan bread emerges from tandoor ovens throughout the day, and no meal is complete without it. Afghanistan's famous dried fruits and nuts — including pistachios, almonds, and mulberries — are sold at every bazaar and make for excellent souvenirs. Green tea flavored with cardamom, called kahwa, accompanies conversation throughout the day.

Top Attractions

  • Band-e-Amir National Park — Afghanistan's first national park features six stunning turquoise lakes separated by natural travertine dams in the Hazarajat highlands, offering hiking and extraordinary natural scenery.
  • Minaret of Jam — A UNESCO World Heritage Site standing 65 meters tall in a remote river gorge, this 12th-century Ghurid minaret is one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in the world.
  • Herat Old City — The ancient core of Herat preserves a Friday Mosque with stunning tilework, a medieval citadel, and a bazaar where traditional crafts have been practiced for centuries.
  • Buddhas of Bamiyan Valley — Though the giant Buddhist statues were destroyed in 2001, the niches and surrounding caves remain, and the valley itself is one of Afghanistan's most historically layered landscapes.
  • Wakhan Corridor — This remote finger of territory stretching toward China offers trekking through extreme wilderness past Kyrgyz nomad settlements and views of some of the world's highest peaks.
  • Kabul Museum — The National Museum of Afghanistan houses remarkable artifacts spanning 50,000 years of the region's history, including stunning Bactrian gold objects and Gandharan Buddhist art.

Practical Travel Tips

  • Check your government's travel advisory before planning any trip; conditions can change rapidly and many foreign ministries advise against travel to specific regions.
  • Dress conservatively at all times — women should cover hair and wear loose clothing, and men should avoid shorts in public areas.
  • Always carry cash in Afghan afghani (AFN) as international banking cards are not widely accepted outside major hotels in Kabul.
  • Learn a few phrases in Dari, the most widely spoken language; even basic greetings are warmly received and open doors to genuine hospitality.
  • Never photograph people, especially women, without explicit permission, and avoid photographing military installations or checkpoints.
  • Travel with a trusted local guide or fixer who understands current conditions on the ground — this is essential for both safety and cultural navigation.
  • Carry a supply of any prescription medications you need, as reliable pharmacies can be difficult to find outside Kabul.

Visa Overview

Most foreign nationals require a visa to enter Afghanistan, typically obtained through Afghan embassies or consulates abroad. The e-visa system has been available in the past, though functionality varies significantly depending on the governing authority at any given time. Journalists, researchers, and aid workers often require special permissions in addition to standard visas. Given the complex and frequently changing political situation, travelers should contact their nearest Afghan diplomatic mission well in advance and consult their own government's foreign affairs guidance before applying.

Getting Around

Getting around Afghanistan requires careful planning. Domestic flights operated by Kam Air connect major cities including Kabul, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Kandahar, and flying is strongly preferred over road travel for long distances. Shared taxis and minibuses connect towns but road conditions and security vary enormously by region. In Kabul, motorcycle taxis and private car hire are common, while many visitors working with NGOs or media rely on armored vehicles and professional security drivers for intercity travel.

Safety Notes

Afghanistan remains one of the world's most complex security environments. Armed conflict, kidnapping risk, and improvised explosive devices are serious concerns across many parts of the country. Most Western governments advise against all travel to Afghanistan. Those who do travel — typically journalists, humanitarian workers, or researchers — do so with specialized risk management support, vetted local contacts, and detailed contingency plans. Anyone considering travel should obtain current professional security briefings and maintain constant communication with reliable contacts on the ground.

Live Exchange Rates

Current exchange rates for currencies used in Afghanistan.

Afghan afghani (AFN) ؋
Updated: 2026-05-19
⌕
Currency CodeRate
1INCH 0.174800
AAVE 0.000180
ADA 0.063629
AED 0.058752
AKT 0.019846
ALGO 0.148980
ALL 1.312944
AMD 5.887700
AMP 19.120393
ANG 0.028822
AOA 14.695141
APE 0.110930
APT 0.016945
AR 0.007488
ARB 0.136878
ARS 22.334356
ATOM 0.007776
ATS 0.189098
AUD 0.022415
AVAX 0.001733
AWG 0.028636
AXS 0.013624
AZM 135.981510
AZN 0.027196
BAKE 21.637205
BAM 0.026878
BAT 0.165124
BBD 0.031996
BCH 0.000042
BDT 1.965865
BEF 0.554364
BGN 0.026878
BHD 0.006015
BIF 47.658517
BMD 0.015998
BNB 0.000025
BND 0.020478
BOB 0.110878
BRL 0.080146
BSD 0.015998
BSV 0.001063
BSW 18.690491
BTC 0.000000
BTG 0.041587
BTN 1.542010
BTT 49,724.758266
BUSD 0.016006
BWP 0.217490
BYN 0.043994
BYR 439.936813
BZD 0.032199
CAD 0.021993
CAKE 0.011316
CDF 36.714068
CELO 0.198808
CFX 0.271678
CHF 0.012571
CHZ 0.325370
CLP 14.414404
CNH 0.108849
CNY 0.108812
COMP 0.000726
COP 60.777733
CRC 7.242447
CRO 0.228927
CRV 0.067805
CSPR 5.415501
CUC 0.015998
CUP 0.383867
CVE 1.515366
CVX 0.009217
CYP 0.008043
CZK 0.334085
DAI 0.016006
DASH 0.000373
DCR 0.000950
DEM 0.026878
DFI 16.291488
DJF 2.846624
DKK 0.102693
DOGE 0.153383
DOP 0.947001
DOT 0.012811
DYDX 0.110602
DZD 2.123831
EEK 0.215021
EGLD 0.004081
EGP 0.853040
ENJ 0.372475
EOS 0.197764
ERN 0.239966
ESP 2.286530
ETB 2.519093
ETC 0.001796
ETH 0.000008
EUR 0.013742
EURC 0.013732
FEI 0.016059
FIL 0.016578
FIM 0.081708
FJD 0.035276
FKP 0.011927
FLOW 0.443341
FLR 1.915142
FRAX 0.016110
FRF 0.090144
FTT 0.049514
GALA 4.757964
GBP 0.011927
GEL 0.042738
GGP 0.011927
GHC 1,830.130880
GHS 0.183013
GIP 0.011927
GMD 1.181809
GMX 0.002418
GNF 140.328946
GNO 0.000135
GRD 4.682695
GRT 0.636071
GT 0.002255
GTQ 0.121957
GUSD 0.016033
GYD 3.345878
HBAR 0.177726
HKD 0.125283
HNL 0.425576
HNT 0.019425
HOT 40.319958
HRK 0.103542
HT 0.110322
HTG 2.093909
HUF 4.955399
ICP 0.006194
IDR 283.562251
IEP 0.010823
ILS 0.046431
IMP 0.011927
IMX 0.093977
INJ 0.003069
INR 1.542010
IQD 20.961238
IRR 21,087.621683
ISK 1.970636
ITL 26.608841
JEP 0.011927
JMD 2.529676
JOD 0.011342
JPY 2.542588
KAS 0.462925
KAVA 0.277778
KCS 0.001997
KDA 1.923252
KES 2.068805
KGS 1.399433
KHR 64.162147
KLAY 0.307557
KMF 6.760778
KNC 0.111422
KPW 14.397673
KRW 24.079446
KSM 0.003213
KWD 0.004925
KYD 0.013306
KZT 7.506635
LAK 350.902927
LBP 1,434.166140
LDO 0.044918
LEO 0.001586
LINK 0.001651
LKR 5.327869
LRC 0.987117
LRD 2.932051
LSL 0.266352
LTC 0.000295
LTL 0.047449
LUF 0.554364
LUNA 0.252758
LUNC 203.536134
LVL 0.009658
LYD 0.101584
MAD 0.147227
MANA 0.181522
MBX 0.408547
MDL 0.276843
MGA 66.940154
MGF 334.700771
MINA 0.280046
MKD 0.846860
MKR 0.000009
MMK 33.583229
MNT 57.255666
MOP 0.129042
MRO 6.396292
MRU 0.639629
MTL 0.005900
MUR 0.756423
MVR 0.247079
MWK 27.843422
MXN 0.276837
MXV 0.031327
MYR 0.063580
MZM 1,021.783659
MZN 1.021784
NAD 0.266352
NEAR 0.009915
NEO 0.005533
NEXO 0.017986
NFT 56,563.170510
NGN 21.933943
NIO 0.588040
NLG 0.030284
NOK 0.148357
NPR 2.468373
NZD 0.027325
OKB 0.000196
OMR 0.006154
ONE 7.804610
OP 0.124605
ORDI 0.003843
PAB 0.015998
PAXG 0.000004
PEN 0.054748
PEPE 4,344.122954
PGK 0.070680
PHP 0.987240
PI 0.105394
PKR 4.457073
PLN 0.058300
POL 0.175993
PTE 2.755088
PYG 97.369469
QAR 0.058232
QNT 0.000214
QTUM 0.017717
ROL 715.899659
RON 0.071590
RPL 0.009218
RSD 1.612929
RUB 1.159437
RUNE 0.035746
RVN 2.894636
RWF 23.390552
SAND 0.222144
SAR 0.059992
SBD 0.128081
SCR 0.234857
SDD 960.235189
SDG 9.602352
SEK 0.150524
SGD 0.020478
SHIB 2,775.469046
SHP 0.011927
SIT 3.293209
SKK 0.414001
SLE 0.366427
SLL 366.426689
SNX 0.051645
SOL 0.000188
SOS 9.141697
SPL 0.002666
SRD 0.595514
SRG 595.513575
SSP 75.423513
STD 340.316370
STN 0.340316
STX 0.066970
SUI 0.015120
SVC 0.139980
SYP 1.768323
SZL 0.266352
THB 0.521852
THETA 0.081032
TJS 0.148912
TMM 280.538500
TMT 0.056108
TND 0.046459
TON 0.007950
TOP 0.038057
TRL 729,233.684169
TRX 0.044852
TRY 0.729234
TTD 0.108514
TUSD 0.016017
TVD 0.022415
TWD 0.506134
TWT 0.033480
TZS 41.626510
UAH 0.706166
UGX 60.290719
UNI 0.004531
USD 0.015998
USDC 0.016003
USDD 0.016014
USDP 0.016019
USDT 0.016012
UYU 0.641248
UZS 192.485509
VAL 26.608841
VEB 827,606,060.9560
VED 8.275691
VEF 827,569.138752
VES 8.275691
VET 2.374929
VND 421.227610
VUV 1.899477
WAVES 0.042091
WEMIX 0.059221
WOO 0.947280
WST 0.043115
XAF 9.014371
XAG 0.000210
XAU 0.000004
XAUT 0.000004
XBT 0.000000
XCD 0.043312
XCG 0.028822
XCH 0.005764
XDC 0.514631
XDR 0.011703
XEC 2,180.901297
XEM 24.037444
XLM 0.108970
XMR 0.000041
XOF 9.014371
XPD 0.000011
XPF 1.639895
XPT 0.000008
XRP 0.011574
XTZ 0.046788
YER 3.817385
ZAR 0.266352
ZEC 0.000028
ZIL 4.069054
ZMK 302.357674
ZMW 0.302358
ZWD 5.789590
ZWG 0.414506
ZWL 1,035.735112

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Cities in Afghanistan 423
Browse all cities and towns
'Ali Khayl Achin Anar Darreh Andarab Andkhvoy Aqchah Asadabad Asmar Awbeh Aybak Azraw Baghlan Baghrami Baghran Bak Bala Morghab Balkh Bamiyan Baraki Barak Batsawul Chaghcharan Chah Ab Chahar Burjak Chakhansur Charikar Dahaneh-ye Ghawri Dalan Pass Daraz gerd Darwishan Darzi Ab Dasht-e Archa Dawlatabad Dawlatabad Deh Rawud Deh Shu Emam Saheb Eshkamesh Eshkashem Eslam Qal'eh Farah Farkhar Fayzabad Gardan Diwal Gaz Ab Gereshk Ghardez Ghazni Ghurian Hazart Imam Herat Hugyani Jabal-os-Saraj Jalalabad Joy Haft Jurm Kabul Karukh Khanabad Khandud Khash Khawst Kholm Khwajeh Ghar Kuhestan Kushk Lashkar Gah Mahmud-e Raqi Maydanshahr Maymanah Mazar-e Sharif Mehtar Lam Mir Bachchekut Mirabad Nader Shah Kawt Nahrin Nuristan Obātu Orgun Paghman Panjab Pol-e Alam Pol-e Khumri Qal'eh-ye Naw Qal'eh-ye Panjeh Qal'eh-ye Zal Qalat-e Ghilzay Qandahar Qarabagh Qarabagh Qarchi Gak Qarqin Qil Qal'eh Qunduz Rostaq Rudbar Sang-e Charak Sangin Sarawbi Shahr-e-naw Bamyan Shahrak Shibarghan Shindand Shulgara Taghab Taloqan Tarin Kawt Tash Gozar Tawraghudi Taywarah Tir Pol Tunian Uruzgan Yangi Qal'eh Zaranj Zareh Sharan Zarghun Shahr Zendejan آب بند آب کمری آسمار آق کپرک آقچه اچین ادرسکن ارغستان ارغنداب ارگون اسدابادښار اسلام قلعه اشکاشم افغان دوشی اله سای الیسگان د مهاجرینو ښارګوټی امام صاحب انار دره اندخوی اندراب اوبه اومنه ایبک بارگی بازار تشکان بازار مالستان بازار يکاولنگ بازارک بالا مرغاب بامیان برکی برکی برک بغران بغلان بگ محمد بگرام بگرامی بل چراغ بلخ بنو بنی حصار بهارک بهارک وسوالۍ ، تخار بهرامچه بورکه پارون پر چمن پروان د مهاجرینو ښارګوټي پساب پسنی پشتون زرغون پغمان پل حصار پل خمری پل علم ښار پل متک پنجاب پوستین پیر نخچیر تالقان ترخج تروې ترين كوت تکزار تگاب تگاب جریه خانه تڼی تورغونډۍ تولک تيوره جاجی میدان جبل‌ سراج جپرهار جرقنه جرم جلال آباد جلگه بهادر جوند چاریکار چال چاه آب چپه دره چخانسور چرخ چشت شریف چک وردګ چمتال چهار باغ چهار بولاق چیچکه حاجی خېل حضرت سلطان حکومتی ازره حکومتی دهنه غوری حیرتان خاص کنړ خان آباد خان نشین خانقاه خدیر خرم و سارباغ خلم خمياب خنجان خواجه بهاالدین خواجه جیران خواجه دو کوه خواجه غار خوست خوشامند خوشی خیربین څوکۍ د پنجوايي بازار د شمولزیانو سيمه د یوسف خېلو بازار دادو دانگام درايم درز آب درقد درۀ نور دشت قلعه دلارام دمحمدآغي ولسوالي ده حیات ده خواهان ده راود ده صلاح ده نوی فرزه دهدادی دهک دواب دور بابا دور رباط دولت آباد دولت آباد دولت شاه دولتیار دي سي ډاډوال رباط سنگی پائین رستاق روی دواب ولسوالی رویی دو آب زرغون شار زرمت زرنج زنده جان زېباک ساغر سپین بولدک سپېره سر پل سرکاڼی سره سروبی سلطانپور سمنگان‎ سنګه ماشه سنگر سنگین سوزمه قلعه سیاه گرد سیغان علاقه داری سیګانه شبرغان شهر بزرگ شهرستان شهرک شهرک اتفاق شور تپه شين کوټ شیخ امیر کلی شیر خان خېل شیرزاد شینډنډ شېرخان بندر ښرنه ښواک صیاد عزت مینه علاقه داری المار علاقه داری خاک جبار علاقه داری شاه جوی علاقه داری قلعه کاه علاقه داری کران و منجان علاقه داری نیش علی آباد علی خېل علی شېر غازی آباد غزنی غورغوری غورک غورماچ غوریان فراه فراه رود فرخار فیروزکوه فیروزی د معلمینو ښارګوټي فیض آباد فیض‌آباد قادس قال زبید قرغان قرقین قرمقل قره باغ قره باغ قلات‎ قلعه قلعه حشمت خان قلعه نعيم قلعه نو قلعۀ زال قلعۀ سنگ تخت قلعۀ فارسی قندوز قوش‌تپ قیصار كربوړی كوز نرنگ کابل کارېزک کامدېش‎ کان عزت کجکی علیا کرخ کږه کشک کهنه کشم کلدار کلفگان کلکان کندهار کهسان کهمرد ولسوالی کوکران کوه صياد ګرمسير گذره گردیز گرزیوان گرشک گلبهار گلران گوسفندی گوشته گیزاب لاش چوين لال خان آباد لانجی خېل وسطی لښکرګاه لعل لعلپوره ماڼوگی متا خان محمود راقی مردیان مرکز حکومت سلطان بکواه مرکز سيد آباد مرکز کجیران مرمل مروره مزار شريف مسجد جامع مشخېل معروف مقر مقر منگجک مهترلام مهمند دره مورچاق موسى قلعه ميران میدان ښار میر بچه کوټ میمنه مېست ناخوني نادر شاه كوټ نادر شاه کوټ نادعلي ناړی ناوه نجراب نهرین نو زاد نور گل نیلی هرات هوتل واشیر وټه پور وحدت ورسج ولسوالی میرامور يمگان یحیى خېل یعقوبی یفتل سفلی ینگی قلعه یوسف خېل

Visa Requirements

Check what visa a citizen of Afghanistan needs to enter any country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capital of Afghanistan?
The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul.
What currency does Afghanistan use?
Afghanistan uses the Afghan afghani (؋) as its official currency.
What language is spoken in Afghanistan?
The official language(s) of Afghanistan include Dari, Pashto, Turkmen.
What is the population of Afghanistan?
Afghanistan has a population of approximately 43,844,000 people.
What region is Afghanistan in?
Afghanistan is located in Asia, specifically in the Southern Asia subregion.
What is the international calling code for Afghanistan?
The international dialing code for Afghanistan is +93.
What time zones does Afghanistan observe?
Afghanistan observes the following time zone(s): UTC+04:30.
What is the current time in Afghanistan?
The local time in Afghanistan is currently --:--. This time applies to the primary time zone.
What is the total area of Afghanistan?
Afghanistan covers a total area of 652,230 km².
How many states or provinces does Afghanistan have?
Afghanistan is divided into 63 states or provinces.
What are the public holidays in Afghanistan in 2026?
You can view the complete list of public holidays for Afghanistan in 2026 on the Holidays 2026 page.
What are the visa requirements for citizens of Afghanistan?
Visa requirements for citizens of Afghanistan vary by destination. Use our Visa Requirements Checker below to look up requirements for any destination country.