Ethnicity in Afghanistan

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Afghanistan is a multiethnic country, with its population comprising a variety of social, linguistic, cultural, and tribal communities. The formal categorization of ethnicity in Afghanistan is a relatively recent development, emerging primarily in the 20th century and gaining political significance during the conflicts that began in the 1970s. Major ethnic categories traditionally identified in Afghanistan include Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks. Minor categories include Aimaqs, Turkmens, Balochs, Nuristanis, and Arabs, among others. However, the boundaries between these communities are fluid, with language, self-identification, urban or rural residence, and regional affiliations intersecting in complex ways. Reliable data on the size and distribution of communities is limited due to decades of conflict, population displacement, and the absence of comprehensive national censuses including these categories. Estimates are based on surveys, historical records, academic studies, and reports...

Read on Wikipedia · Image United States Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook. Vectorized by Furfur. Translated by Alternative Transport, CC BY-SA 3.0