, in southwestern Asia, bounded on
the north by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan; on the east
by China and the part of the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir
controlled by Pakistan; on the south by Pakistan; and on the west by
Iran. Afghanistan was a monarchy from 1747 to 1973, when the king
was overthrown by military officers and the country was proclaimed a
republic; the republic dissolved in 1992 as the country erupted in
civil war. Afghanistan lies across ancient trade and invasion routes
from central Asia into India. This position has been the greatest
influence on its history because the invaders often settled there.
Today the population includes many different ethnic groups. Most of
the present borders of the country were drawn up in the 19th
century, when Afghanistan became a buffer state, or neutral zone,
between Russia and British India. Kabul is the capital and largest
city.
Ahmad Shah Durani also known as
(Ahmad Shah Baba) is the founder of today's Afghanistan. Pir Sabir
Shah, the spiritual guide of the time, showered his praise for the
young Ahmad Shah by declaring him Dar-e-Durran (pearl of the pearls)
not because that he was a military giant but for his humanity a
definite quality of a statesman. He was the King of Afghanistan from
1747-1772 AD.
