Physical Geography

Afghanistan is a dry, landlocked country, consisting mainly of rugged mountains, barren plateaus, and wind-swept steppes and deserts. Its most prominent feature is the Hindu Kush, a towering mountain range trending northeast-southwest from Kashmir to central Afghanistan. Within the country, the range's loftiest peaks attain heights of more than 20,000 feet (6,100 m); just beyond the Pakistan border, more than 25,000 feet (7,600 m). Plateaus and fingerlike mountain spurs, such as the Koh-i-Baba and Paropamisus ranges, make up most of central Afghanistan.

Nearly all of Afghanistan's rivers rise in the mountains, yet most carry limited amounts of water. Only those fed by the Hindu Kush, especially its glaciers, have relatively steady flows. Many streams are intermittent. Among the principal rivers are the Amu Darya in the north, the Kabul in the east, the Helmand in the south, and the Harirud in the west. Except for the Kabul, its tributaries, and a few headstreams in the east, Afghanistan's rivers never reach the sea. They drain inland and end in steppes, deserts, salt lakes, and alkali flats.

Dryness and great ranges in temperature characterize the climate. Both are due mainly to the mountainous terrain of south-central Asia and to the country's distance from the sea.

In the north, winters are cold, for the region lies in the path of frigid winds from Siberia. During the coldest periods, temperatures drop well below 0 F. (-18 C.). Summers on the northern steppes are hot, with daytime temperatures often rising above 100 F. (38 C.). Southern Afghanistan has less severe winters and hotter summers. Climate on the high plateaus and in the mountains becomes more temperate with increasing elevation, especially during the summer.

Precipitation varies from less than 2 inches (50 mm) to about 10 inches (250 mm) a year, depending on location. Everywhere but in the south, part of it falls as snow. The period from late fall to early spring brings most of the precipitation. Dust storms bring prolonged and sometimes violent winds, accompanied by dense clouds of dust, and are among the country's worst storms.