Kabul is the capital of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the country’s biggest city, situated in the country’s east.

According to a 2015 estimate, the city has a population of roughly 3,678,034, which comprises all main ethnic groupings. It is the 64th biggest and the 5th fastest expanding city in the globe due to rapid urbanization and large-scale migration to the city.

Kabul is almost 3,500 years old, and several dynasties have ruled over the city, which is strategically located along South and Central Asian trade routes.

Since the Taliban’s demise in November 2001, the Afghan government and other nations have worked to restore the city, while Taliban rebels have hindered reconstruction works and launched significant assaults on the government, NATO-led troops, foreign diplomats, and Afghan civilians.

Kabul – Info Card

Tourism in Kabul

The ancient city of Kabul is teeming with bazaars hidden amid its winding, crooked lanes. Cultural sites include the National Museum of Afghanistan, which houses an impressive statue of Surya excavated at Khair Khana, the ruined Darul Aman Palace, Mughal Emperor Babur’s tomb at Bagh-e Babur and Chehlstoon Park, the Minar-i-Istiqlal (Column of Independence) built in 1919 after the Third Afghan War, Timur Shah Durrani’s tomb, and the imposing Id Gah Mosque (founded 1893). Bala Hissar is a fort that was demolished by the British in 1879 in punishment for the murder of their ambassador and has since been renovated as a military academy. The Chakari Minaret, which was demolished in 1998, included Buddhist swastika as well as Mahayana and Theravada elements.

Kabul City Center, Kabul’s first shopping mall, the shops on Flower Street and Chicken Street, the Wazir Akbar Khan district, Kabul Golf Club, Kabul Zoo, Abdul Rahman Mosque, Shah-Do Shamshira and other famous mosques, the National Gallery of Afghanistan, the National Archives of Afghanistan, the Afghan Royal Family Mausoleum, the OMAR Mine Museum, Bibi Mahro Hill, Kabul Cemetery, and Paghman Gardens are also worth seeing. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) was also engaged in the Bagh-e Babur renovation (Babur Gardens).

Tappe-i-Maranjan is a neighboring hill where Buddhist sculptures and 2nd century BC Graeco-Bactrian coins have been discovered. A citadel and the royal palace are located outside of the municipal limits. Paghman and Jalalabad are noteworthy valleys to the north and east of the city, respectively.

Climate of Kabul

Kabul has a semi-arid climate, with most of the precipitation falling as snow in the winter and spring months.

Temperatures are quite temperate compared to most of Southwest Asia, owing to the city’s high elevation.

Summer has low humidity, which provides respite from the heat.

Autumn is distinguished by warm days and dramatically chilly nights.

Winters are chilly, with a daily average temperature of 2.3 °C (27.9 °F) in January.

Spring is the wettest season, yet temperatures are normally pleasant. Sunny weather prevails all year. The yearly average temperature is 12.1 degrees Celsius (53.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

Geography of Kabul

Kabul, located 1,791 meters (5,876 feet) above sea level in a small valley nestled between the Hindu Kush mountains and the Kabul River, serves as the nation’s cultural and learning hub. It is connected to Kandahar, Herat, and Mazar-e Sharif by Afghanistan’s circumferential Highway 1. It is also the starting point for the major route leading to Jalalabad and then on to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Kabul International Airport is approximately 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) from the city center, in the Wazir Akbar Khan area. Bagram Airfield is located around 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Kabul.