For most of its long history, the nation of Afghanistan has been at the center of struggle

s for wealth and power in Asia. Its location in south central Asia made it a crossroads of trade and conquest. The greatest conquerors of the past—among them Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Tamerlane—saw Afghanistan as a prize to be won. Today Afghanistan is again a battlefield and receives worldwide attention. Its people have fought forces of the former Soviet Union, which attempted to gain control of the country.

Afghanistan means "land of the Afghans." But the Afghans include a number of different peoples. The most numerous are the Ushtuns, who live in the south. They speak Pushtu. The Tajiks, an Iranian people who live mainly in the northeast, speak Persian, which is related to Pushtu. The Hazaras are believed to be of Mongol origin but have adopted a Persian dialect. The Uzbeks and Turkomans, who live on the northern plains, speak languages related to Turkish. The various peoples are united by religion. Afghanistan is a Muslim country, and religion plays an important role in everyday life.

A rugged land, Afghanistan has produced a proud, independent people used to hardship. Centuries of warfare have developed an Afghan fighting tradition that continues to the present day.

In the past many Afghans were nomads. They were constantly on the move, searching the dry plains and plateaus for water and fresh pasture for their sheep, goats, cattle, and camels. Some Afghans still live a nomadic life as animal herders, but most now are settled farmers. The farms are small, and only the simplest hand tools are used. It is quite usual to see farmers plowing their fields with wooden plows or cutting their wheat crops by hand with sickles. Threshing machines are unknown. Farmers often thresh the wheat by hand, or they may walk cattle back and forth across large piles of wheat to separate the grain from the stalks.

Life in the villages has changed little over the years. A typical house is built of mud or mud brick and has three or four rooms, furnished with rugs and pillows. Round flat bread and rice are staple foods, together with mutton, goat meat, chicken, yogurt, and fruit. Traditional clothing for men consists of a turban-round around the head over a skullcap, and a long shirt worn outside baggy trousers. A vest and quilted coat are worn in cold weather. Village women wear a long dress over trousers and a long cloth covering their hair.

In the cities, European-style. clothing or a combination of traditional and modern dress are common. Men often wear a turban and a suit jacket over Afghan trousers. Men of higher social status may wear a suit and tie and the distinctive Afghan karakul hat. Women appearing in public were once required to wear the chaderi a long, tent-like garment that covered the body from head to ankle. Today many women have given up the chaderi for modern dress, particularly in Kabul, the capital. The life of women in the cities is changing in other ways. Many women now hold jobs outside their own homes.

Movement of people to the cities has increased in recent years, largely because of fighting in the countryside. The largest city is Kabul, which has a population of about 1,000,000, including the surrounding area. Other important cities are Kandahar, Heart, and Mazar-I-Sharif.

Only a small percentage of Afghans can read and write. To remedy this, more schools have been built so that all children can have at least six years of ,elementary education.

A.fghanistan' s national sport is buz-kashi. It is a form. of polo, in which players ride horseback. But instead of hitting a ball as in polo, buz-kashi players use the carcass of a goat or calf. It is a hard-fought game, and the horses that take part are swift and well trained.

The national dance is called the attan. It is intense and warlike. Both the tousle and the dance itself remind A

A．Afghanistan's national dance.

B．A sport popular in Afghanistan.

C．A language spoken by some Afghans.

D．Afghanistan's national costume.