The History and Population of Afghans
Afghans are one of the large peoples of the world and Asia. Based on the research and findings of archaeologists and the historical remains that have been discovered, the historical background of Afghans goes back more than 5,000 years. With a long and rich history, Afghans have been known by different names in different periods of history.
Afghans have lived for thousands of years in the historical land of Greater Afghanistan and its surrounding areas. Archaeologists have found historical remains, ancient cities, and signs of past civilizations in this land, showing the long historical background of this region.
Afghanistan has been home to different civilizations, cultures, and religions throughout the centuries. Bactria, Balkh, Gandhara, and the Kushan civilization are among the important civilizations of this region. There are also many historical remains in Afghanistan from different religions and religious traditions from before Islam, showing that the historical background of Afghanistan goes back thousands of years.
Throughout different periods of history, Afghanistan had a large historical geography. This large region is known as Greater Afghanistan. Greater Afghanistan was a geographical area that existed until two and a half centuries ago. In addition to present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan was also part of the land of Afghanistan, while some important cities in India, such as Delhi, important cities in Iran, such as Mashhad, and some important areas of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan were also under the rule of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is located in the heart of Asia and shares land borders with India, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. Because of its geographical location, Afghanistan has historically been an important crossroads for travel, trade, and cultural relations between Central and South Asia, Iran, and China. Throughout different periods of history, the historical geography of Afghanistan was much larger than its present-day borders and had deep historical, ethnic, and cultural connections with the surrounding regions.
Afghans have had their own culture, languages, customs, traditions, and social practices since ancient times. This cultural heritage developed over thousands of years and continues to form an important part of Afghan identity today.
Throughout history, Afghans have also been known for hospitality, courage, the desire for freedom, and their love of peace and security. The rich literary and cultural heritage of Afghans shows their deep connection with nature, life, love, humanity, and social values.
Afghans have also contributed to the development of science, literature, art, philosophy, medicine, mathematics, and other fields. Many scientific and cultural achievements connected to the historical heritage of this land and its people form part of the world’s civilizational history.
The Population of Afghans in the World
In past centuries, Afghans lived together across the large geographical area of Greater Afghanistan. They lived across this broad territory, starting from Iran and extending through Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. To the north, they also lived across a large geographical area reaching China, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
When wars and invasions took place in Afghanistan, its geography was divided and Afghans were forced to migrate. Therefore, instead of remaining in one geographical area, they moved to different regions and countries around the world and settled there.
Today, Afghans have a population of more than 200 million people around the world.
Because of the many wars, a complete census of the people of Afghanistan has not been conducted. Our information is that the current population of Afghanistan is more than 50 million.
Afghan intellectuals say that Pakistan, which was previously part of the land of Afghanistan and where more than half of the population were and are Afghans, has never conducted a true and accurate census of Afghans. The government of Pakistan, which has always had problems with Afghans, does not want to conduct and publish an accurate census because it wants to show the number of Afghans in Pakistan as smaller, so that fewer rights are given to them and they remain deprived. The number of Afghans currently living in Pakistan is more than 130 million.
Similarly, in some areas of India that were under Afghan rule several centuries ago, millions of Afghans also live. More than 15 million Afghans live in India.
Similarly, more than 10 million Afghans live in Iran. In European and Arab countries, the Afghan population is more than 10 million.
In the United States, Canada, Australia, Russia, Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and many other countries, millions of Afghans live scattered around the world.
Likewise, millions of Afghans live scattered across all countries of the world.
Based on the calculation, the population of Afghans around the world is more than 200 million people.
