 Kabul (کابل) Travel Guide, Afghanistan
Kabul skyline, Afghanistan
Author: Casimiri (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Kabul (کابل) is the capital and biggest city in Afghanistan. The city proper covers an area of 275 sq km (106.2 sq mi) within a metropolitan area of 425 sq km (164 sq mi). The population of the Kabul metropolitan area is 3.9 million people. The city observes the Afghanistan Standard Time, which is four and a half hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+4:30).
Kabul is located in a narrow valley between the Hindu Kush mountains and the Kabul River, at an average elevation of 5,900 ft. A circular highway that goes around the country links it to other major Afghan cities including Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-e Sharif.
Kabul, Afghanistan
Author: Christopher Killalea (public domain)
Located at the crossroad of ancient trade routes, the city of Kabul has a history going back thousands of years. It has been the capital of many empires over the ages. Froim 1504 to 1526 it served as the capital for Babul, the conquerer who laid the foundation of the Mughal Dynasty. In 1776, Timur Shah Durrani made it the capital of the modern state of Afghanistan.
The city of Kabul has been plunged into political turmoil since the 1980's, with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which led to various forms of militant government ruling the city and the country at large. Since the Taliban was ousted, Kabul is slowly redeveloping itself. However, constant counterattacks by the Taliban has slowed the process of recovery for the city.
Visiting Kabul
Kabul International Airport (KBL) is the hub for Ariana Afghan Airways. Arriving foreign visitors need to complete the foreigner registration card. Bring along two passport-size photos for the purpose, and you can complete your form at the airport itself. Otherwise, you will have to complete your registration at the Ministry of Interior - a major hassle, to say the least.
For security reasons, it is best to have someone pick you up at the airport than to rely on strangers.
Kabul City Center Shopping Mall
Author: Aryob Zazai (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
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Places of Interest in Kabul
- Afghan National Gallery
- Afghan National Museum
- Bagh-e Babur (Babur Gardens)
- Bagh-e Bala
- British Cemetery
- Darul Aman Palace
- Daoud Khan Memorial
- Kabul Zoo
- Lake Qargha
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