AFGHANISTAN BRIEFING (Classified)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01018A000600100001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 44
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 9, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 1, 1964
• Content Type: STUDY

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GEOGRAPHIC SUPPORT STUDY
25X1 C BRIEFING
otur n to DOOM
.
Room 3-11-51k
CIA/RR GS 64-13
May 1964
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Research and Reports
SECRET
GROUP 1
Excluded from automatic
downgrading and
declassification
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WARNING
This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manner
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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If CIA attribution is undesirable in
the use of this report, this page and
the front cover may be removed.
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S-E-C-R-E-T No. 2 5
AFGHANISTAN
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May 1964
GROUP 1
Excluded from automatic down-
I grading and declassification
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This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws.,
Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manner
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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CONTENTS
Page
I.. Maps and Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
1
A. Recommended Maps and Charts . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
1
B. Limitations of Available Maps and Charts . . . . .
.
1
II. Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
3
A. General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
3
B. Highlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
C. Lowlands - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
6
D. Drainage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
7
III. Vegetation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
9
A. Types of Vegetation . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
9
B. Altitudinal Zones . . . . . . . . . . .
10
A. General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
13
B. Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
13
C. Precipitation . . . . . . . . . .- . . .
. .
13
D. Winds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
14
V. Transportation . . . . . . . . . .- . . . . . . . . .
. .
15
VI. People . . . .
A. General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
17
B. Ethnic Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
19
1. Pushtun . . .
19
2. Ta j ik . . . .
21
21
4. Uzbek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
5. Chahar Aimak . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .
.
22
6. Turkome n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.. .
22
7. Nuri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
23
8. Kirghiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
23
9. Baluchi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
23
10. Hindus, Sikhs, and Jews . . . . . . . . . .
23
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Plate
ANNEX
(under separate cover)
Maps and Photographs
I Map showing Physical Regions
Plate II Map showing Ethnic Groups
Plate III Map showing Vegetation
Location 1 - Foothills near Herat
Plate IV
(34020'N-62?12'E)
Location 2 - Part of stony desert near Herat
Location 3 - Old road between Herat and Kushka, USSR (35?16'N-62?08'E)
Location 4 - Bed of Kushk River near Kushk, Afghanistan (34053'N-62030'E)
Location 5 - Old man of the Hazaras
Plate' V
Location 6 - Native dwelling near Panjao (34?22'N-67?01'E)
Location 7 - Tajik encampment near Daulet Yar (34?32'N-65?47'E)
Location 8 - Band-i-Amir Valley (approximately 35013'N-660141E)
Location 9 - Scene near village of Chahil Dukhtaran (35045,i[-65011'E)
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Location 10 - Caves just west of Belchirag (35?48'N-65013'E)
Location 11 - Road between Andkhui (36?56'N-65?08'E) and Maimana
(35055TN-64o46'E), March 1959
Location 12 - Eastern outskirts of Tashkurghan (36042'N-67041'E)
Location 13 - Level grassy plain near Hazrat Imam (37014'N-68046'E)
Location 14 - Frontier post near Shah Rawan (37006'N-69?17'E)
Location 15 - Market section of Khanabad (36?42'N-69?05TE)
Location 16 - Bridge over Kokcha River near Faizabad (37006'N-70?34'E)
Location 17 - Wakhan Corridor just east of Sarhad-i-Wakhan (36059'N-73?27'E)
Location 18 - Wursach Pass (approximately 36020'N-70010'E)
Location 19 - Nuri tribesmen near Kivisht (35016'N-70013'E)
Location 20 - Khyber Pass (34007'N-710l0'E)
Location 21 - Tajik villagers at Tala Barfaq (35025'N-68ol4'E)
Location 22 - Road from Bulola (34053'N-68005'E) to Bamian (34050'N-67050'E)
Location 23 - Road near Shibar Pass (34054'N-68014'E, elevation 9,800 feet)
Location 24 - Rugged mountains of the Hindu Kush
Location 25 - Kabul (34031'N-69012'E), the capital of Afghanistan
Location 26 - Pushtuns, near Ghazni (330331N-680261E)
Location 27 - Plain with bunchgrass near Mukur (32?52'N-67?47'E)
Location 28 - Kandahar - Spin Baldak highway near Kandahar (31035'N-65045'E)
Location 29 - Boghra diversion dam near Girisk (31048'N-64034'E)
Location 30 - Irrigated fields in Arghandab Valley (approximately
31029'N-64020'E)
Location 31 - Registan Desert in southwestern Afghanistan
Location 32 - The Dasht-i-Margo or Desert of Death (300451N-630l01E)
Location 33 - Foothills of high lands in western Afghanistan
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AFGHANISTAN
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AFGHANISTAN
I. Maps and Charts
A. Recommended Maps and Charts
Two basic series of aeronautical charts are available for Afghan-
istan. The USAF Jet Navigation Charts (JN) at 1:2,000,000, which are
useful for planning routes and for navigation, and the general purpose
World Aeronautical Charts (WAC) at 1:1,000,000 cover the area. All charts
of the area should be used with caution.
Small-scale topographic coverage for all of Afghanistan is available
in seven sheets of the International Map of the World (IMW) series at
1:1,000,000, which is distributed by the Army Map Service as AMS 1301.
Larger scale topographic coverage is available for 80 percent of the
country in 91 sheets of the Quarter Inch series (1:253,41), which is
distributed as AMS N571, U501, and U511. The entire Afghanistan - USSR
border is covered by 10 sheets of the Army Map Service series N502 at
1:250,000. Parts of the Afghanistan - Pakistan border east of Kandahar
are covered by five sheets of the AMS U502 series at 1:250,000, the only
other coverage available at this scale.
B. Limitations of Available Maps and Charts
The major limitations of available sheets are as follows:
1. For much of the area, survey data on which
to base detailed mapping are lacking.
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2. Most elevations are approximations. Spot
heights are unreliable.
3. Cultural detail is inaccurate and incomplete.
4. Grid and topographic detail do not match
across some sheet lines.
5. Place names are not consistent from one
series to another.
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II. Terrain
A. General
Afghanistan is a landlocked country with an area of slightly more
than 250,000 square miles (650,000 sq km) -- about the size of Texas (see
map, Plate I). International boundaries are shared with Iran, the USSR,
China, and Pakistan. The terrain of northeastern and central Afghanistan
is characterized by high rugged mountains, hills, narrow valleys, and
gorges. In north-central Afghanistan a level to rolling plain borders
the USSR for more than 150 miles (2!0 km). Although relatively flat, a
large area of the southwest.is rough, dry, and barren.
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B. Highlands
The rugged Hindu Kush mountain ranges are the most prominent
features of the highland area of central and northeastern Afghanistan
(see Plate IX, Location 24). Elevations range from 5,000 to 15,000 feet
(1,500 to 4,500,m) above sea level, but some elevations in the northeast
are as high as 20,000 feet (6,100 m). Crests are generally sharp and
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jagged in the east but are rounded or flat-topped and lower in the west
(see Plate IV, Location 3). The mountain slopes in the northeast are
typically steep and rocky, and the passes are 12,000 feet (3,650 m) or
more above sea level. The Wakhan Corridor, an eastward-jutting panhandle
that is approximately 180 miles (290 km) long by 10 to 35 miles (16 to
56 km) wide, is flanked by the highest and most forbidding mountain ranges
in the country (see Plate VII, Location 17).
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The Baroghil Pass (360541N-730211E), the =Lowest pass
leading south into Pakistan, is 12,460 feet (3,700 m) above sea level
and is closed by deep snow from November to April.
The sparsely populated region of Badakshan, in the mountainous area
west of the Wakhan Corridor, is forbidding. Only narrow pack trails
crass the ranges. Movement is channeled chiefly along the valleys, which
ina few places widen to form isolated pockets of grazing land. Most of
the nomads found in the area in the summer return to the KabuL River
Valley for the winter. Travelers moving from this area southward toward
Ka'dul cross the Anjuman Pass (13,860 feet or 4,200 meters) and descend
along the Panjshir Valley.
Nuristan, another isolated but slightly less rugged region, lies
south of Badakshan and east of the Anjuman Pass. The narrow valleys of
this region are separated by spurs of the Hindu Kush mountains that rise
to!more than 15,000 feet (+,600 m).
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West and southwest of the Hazarajat, mountain
spurs fan out and lose much of their jagged nature. The intervening
In the southeastern Afghan Highlands, ranges of narrow mountains and
hills are separated by broad valleys. Most of the ranges trend northeast
to southwest, with elevations descending from 12,000 feet (3,700 m) in
the north to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in the south. Valley floors are gen-
erally level to rolling, interrupted by hills, low sand dunes, gravelly
knolls, and steep-sided gullies.
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The Koh-i-Baba Range, in the central part of the country, continues
westward from the Hindu Kush. The Koh-i-Baba is a rugged, barren region
that is the source of important rivers such as the Hari Rud, Kabul, and
clmand. Snow prevents vehicles -- and at times, animals -- from using
the passes.in the winter. West of the Koh-i-Baba the Paropamisus Range
gradually descends from an elevation of 12,000 feet (3,700 m) above sea
level in the east to about 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in the west (see Plate III,
Location 1). To the north the bare and rounded summits of the Band-i-
Turkistan Mountains (see Plate V, Location 9) descend to the foothills
that border the Northern Plain.
South-central Afghanistan is a maze of ridges and valleys known as
the Hazarajat.
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valleys are narrow gorges that gradually widen out into the southwestern
desert basins (see Plate XI, Location 33).
C. Lowlands
In Afghanistan the two distinct lowland regions, the Northern
Plain and the Southwest Desert Basin, contrast markedly with the Afghan
Highlands.
The Northern Plain, which lies between the USSR and the Afghan High-
lands, is a predominantly level to rolling region about 280 miles (450 km)
long and 10 to 70 miles (16 to 110 km) wide. The center of this plain, a
sandy region about 25 miles (40 km) wide, is extremely dry and barren.
There are some hills in the southwest and hills and low mountains in the
east.
,The Southwest Desert Basin is an area of level to rolling plains, low
hills, and sand dunes. The western part of the region is a gravelly and
stony desert (see Plate IV, Location 2), with some low hills in the north.
The 2-mile-wide Helmand River Valley extends generally east-west across
the southern part of the region (see Plate X, Location 29). Sand ridges
and shifting sand dunes characterize the desert in the southeastern part
of the region. Most of the dunes are 50 to 100 feet (15 to 30 m) high,
but some in the east may reach 500 feet (150 m). The Seistan Basin, which
straddles the Afghanistan - Iran border is an area of rocky and sandy
desert into which the Helmand River drains. Intermittent lakes, marshes,
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D. Drainage
Most streams in the Afghan Highlands flow all year, but many of
them are frozen in the winter. Mountain streams customarily flood in
late spring because of snowmelt and in many areas cannot be crossed ex-
cept over precarious bridges (see Plate VII, Location 16). In the desert
basins of the southwest, the Helmand River is the major exception to the
prevailing pattern of intermittent streams. All the streams of the North-
ern Plain flow north to the Amu Darya (see Plate VII, Location 14), but
none crosses the sandy part of the plain.
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III. Vegetation
A. Types of Vegetation
True forests grow only in small areas of eastern Afghanistan, on
the mountain slopes of Nuristan and the Safed Koh, and in the Kunar Valley
and the Khost region (33020'N-70o00'E). These forests consist of oaks
and evergreen trees such as pine, fir, spruce, and cedar. Thin clusters
of oaks and evergreens also are found along the northern highlands and
in the Hindu Kush and Koh-i-Baba. The Paropamisus Range in western Af-
ghanistan has many junipers, and in the foothills of both the Hindu Kush
and the Paropamisus Range the pistachio tree grows in isolated clumps.
Scrub and scattered trees are found throughout the country, but usually
(see map on Plate III).
Small bushes, mulberry thickets, and scattered poplar and willow
trees are found in river valleys that are not cultivated (see Plate V.
Location 8). Little vegetation of any kind is found in the southwestern
deserts. Both sandy and stony areas are almost completely barren, but a
few small thorny shrubs may grow in depressions. Grass also may appear
after the rains in the spring. Some marsh grass grows near the Seistan
Basin. On the uncultivated sections of a riverbank, tamarisk bushes
Also sparse brush, which grows from 2 to 6 feet
(60 to 180 cm) high, in the northwestern part of 25X1C
the desert basin and in the hill areas.
Most of the cultivated areas of Afghanistan are found along the
rivers where water for irrigation is available (see Plate XI, Location 30).
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The chief crops are small grains, fruits, melons, and vegetables. The
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Altitudinal Zones
Below 4,500 feet (1,400 m) grasses growing as high as 3 feet
(90 cm) predominate in the stony areas of the Northern Plain, and thorny
shrubs sparsely cover the drier sandy stretches. Both grasses and shrubs
are green from March to mid-July, then wither away, and are brown from
rid-July to spring.
The Southwest Desert has widely dispersed areas of small, thorny
shrubs, 2 to 4 feet (60 to 120 cm) high, and scattered patches of short
spring grasses. There is sparse brush 2 to 6 feet (60 to 18C cm) high
7n the northwestern part of this region and in the mountain and hill
areas. Dense, coarse marsh grass up to 10 feet (30.5 cm) high is found
in:the Seistan Basin.
From 4,500 to 10,000 feet (1,400 to 3,100 m) dry mountain scrub
miiture consisting of scattered bushes, grasses, and some flowering plants
predominates, but the only woodlands in Afghanistan also grow in this
zone. The forests in the east -- largely evergreen trees such as pine,
fir, spruce, and cedar interspersed with sparse to dense undergrowth --
are found at elevations between 8,000 and 10,000 feet (2,450 and 3,100 m).
From 6,000 to 8,000 feet (1,800 to 2,450 m) patches of oak with well-
deieloped undergrowth are mixed with some walnut, alder, ash, and juniper.
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From 10,000 to 13,000 feet (3,100 to 4,000 m) mountain meadows
with short grasses and flowering plants are common. A type of mountain
scrub that consists of generally thorny and widely spaced shrubs from
2 to 6 feet (60 to 180 cm) high grows below 12,000 feet (3,700 m). From
March to July shrubs in this zone are green and leafy, and the ground
between them is covered by grass and herbs. After July they have little
foliage, and the ground between the bushes is nearly bare.
Above 13,000 feet ()+,000 m) the Afghan Highlands are mainly bare
rock or, at the highest elevations, glaciers. Scattered meadows of
sparse grass and flowering plants occur in the eastern mountains south
of the Kabul River Valley.
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IV. Climate
A. General
Summers in Afghanistan are characteristically hot and dry; winters
are cold, with snow in the mountains and northern lowlands. An outstand-
ing feature of the climate is the great contrast in temperature between
day and night and between highland and lowland.
B. Temperature
Winter temperatures in the lowlands range from 40? to 60?F (4?
to 16?C) in the afternoon and drop to 25? to 35?F (-4? to 2?C) at night.
Summer temperatures in the lowlands reach 95? to 105?F (35? to 410C) in
the afternoon and are seldom less than 65? to 750F (180 to 240C) at night.
Temperatures in the highlands are considerably cooler than those at
lower elevations. Maximum temperatures in the winter may be near freezing
in the afternoon and drop to 0?F (-18?C) at night. In the northeast
mountains, the highest terrain in the country, temperatures as low as
-45?F (-430C) have been recorded in the winter. Summer temperatures
reach highs of 85? to 95?F (29 to 35?C) in the afternoon but may be as
low as 50?F (10?C) at night.
C. Precipitation
Most precipitation occurs in the winter and spring. Average
annual precipitation in the Northern Plain is less than 8 inches (20 cm)
and is usually a mixture of snow, sleet, and rain. The snow seldom
exceeds 1 foot (30 cm) in depth. In April and May the streams are swollen
because of the melting snows and thundershowers.
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In the desert, short heavy rains produce flash floods that can rapidly
filla dry wadi and sweep away people or vehicles. Annual precipitation
averages less than 6 inches (15 cm) and water seldom remains long on the
surface. The heaviest downpour customarily impedes travel for only a
few hours.
Precipitation in the highlands is generally between 10 and 15 inches
(25 to 38 cm) a year. Strong winds predominate in the winter, and deep
snow blocks most of the passes that are 7,000 to 8,000 feet (2,100 to
2,150 m) above sea level. Sudden storms are common.
D. Winds
Strong winds occur throughout Afghanistan and may become a severe
hardship both in summer and winter. In summer the "wind of 120 days,"
a strong dust-laden wind that reaches velocities of 45 to 5.5 miles (72
to 88 km) per hour, blows across western Afghanistan. Over wide areas,
dust ;devils 10 to 12 feet (3 to 4 m) in diameter rise as high as 1,000
feet !(300 m) above the surface. Severe turbulance may be encountered
over the plains and deserts and over mountain slopes during the summer.
Piercing winter winds that sweep across the plains from the north and
funnel through the mountain valleys choke the passes with drifted snow
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V. Transportation
Afghanistan depends primarily on trucks for transporting cargo and
for much of the passenger movement. The camel caravan is still widely
used. Road and village signs are very rare and villages and physical
features are often known by more than one name. Local usage is sometimes
the only true test of spelling or pronunciation of a local name.
Good roads are rare. The USSR is constructing a road that is designed
for heavy trucks from the Soviet border through Herat to Kandahar. Soviet
engineers also built a 70-mile (113 km) shortcut on the main route between
the Soviet border and Kabul over the Salang Pass. Aid from the United
States has been applied largely to the road from Kabul to Kandahar and
on to in Baldak(see Plate X. Location 28) and to the road from. Kabul
through the }(J ~;) ).? Pass, both of which lead to Pakistan (see Plate VIII,
Location 20). The road to the Iranian border and the railhead at Meshed
is largely unimproved but is used by limited numbers of through trucks.
Other roads are little more than unimproved tracks, and many areas are
accessible only by pack trail. Guides are often required to select the
right trail among several that appear to lead in the general direction
of intended movement.
Roads shown on maps are often no more than trails, but nevertheless
nrvA /1
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(see Plate VI, Location 11). Telephone lines gen-
erally follow routes between the larger settlements, and over these lines
the security personnel customarily report any unusual activity. - 25X1C
- 15 -
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Routes through the mountains are often impassable because cf drifted
snow for extended periods during the winter (see Plate VIII, Location 18).
In the spring, movement is impeded by high water in the streams and wash-
outs'on the roads and trails. Also in the mountains, vehicles are re-
stricted to tracks that have received some preparation (see Plate IX,
Location 23), and in many areas all movement is on foot or on horses,
donkeys, and yaks. On the plains, off-track vehicular movement is pos-
sible in many places and may be better than on the track itself'.
The best months for travel in the mountains are late May through
early November,when snowmelt has subsided and before new snow falls.
In the southwest the cooler winter months offer the best conditions for
movement of any kind.
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VI. People
A. General
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Most
individuals place their own.welfare and that of their tribe or village
above the interests of the central government. The general population
traditionally ignores the law of the land, especially if personal gain
is at stake. They see little sense in laws that have been made "down
in the city," by city people, and for the benefit of the goveriunent --
laws. that work real or imagined hardships on the country man.
The population of Afghanistan, about 12 million people, is split into
a number of ethnic and tribal groupings. Although there has been some
blending of the population, these individual groups have retained many
of their traditions. The great majority of the people are sti=_l rural
villagers or nomads who have little concept of national unity. To these
people, loyalty to the village or the tribe comes before support of a
government in Kabul (see Plate IX, Location 25). A relatively few polit-
ically conscious persons have been responsible for a shaky national unity
under the leadership of Pushtuns -- the largest ethnic group in the country.
Most Afghans are nominal Muslims and belong largely to the Sunni sect.
The mosque, or village church, and the mullah, who corresponds to the
village priest, are important institutions. On Friday, special services
are held in the mosque and are attended largely by men, but on any other
day numerous people may be seen meditating, reading, or quietly talking
in: the mosque. Westerners are permitted to enter the mosque, but visits
should not interfere with services or prayers. Shoes are neve:^ worn in
a masque, but hats are permitted.
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The religious custom of the Muslims that is observed most frequently
is the call to prayer issued by the muezzin five times each day from the
minaret of the local mosque. Observance of the month of Ramadan, offi-
cially a Muslim calendar month of fasting, is a widely respected reli-
gious custom, during which time no Muslim is permitted food or drink
between sunrise and sunset, and activity during daylight hours is severely
restricted. (On the Western calendar Ramadan begins 11 days earlier each
year: in 1965, on 5 January and 25 December; in 1966, on 14 December;
and in 1967, on 3 December.)
Truly religious persons shun alcohol and tobacco at all times. For
many others, abstention is a matter of economic necessity. Islam permits
a man to have four wives, but few men can afford more than one. For many
people, convenience exerts a stronger pull than religious duty, but all
institutions of the church should be treated with respect. Real or imag-
ined criticism of Islam may occasion a violent reaction.
The Uzbeks, the Tajiks, and the Turkomen of Afghanistan are linked
with kindred groups in the USSR, which has exploited these ethnic and
cultural ties. The influx of Soviet technicians since 1954 has provided 25X1C
a potential source of Soviet influence throughout Afghanistan.
25X1 C
B. Ethnic Groups
1. Pushtun
The Pushtuns (often called Pakhtuns or Pathans) number approx-
imately 5 million persons and are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan.
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They are in a wide west-to-east arc across western and southern Afghan-
istanifrom the vicinity of Herat near the Iranian border to the Kabul
River: near the Khyber Pass. The two major Pushtun tribes are the Durani,
who live in the foothills of the southwest, and the Ghilzai, who live in
the foothills and highlands of the southeast (see Plates I and II).
These people speak a language called Pushtu that resembles Persian
(Par.s?). The traditional dress for men is a collarless white shirt reach-
ing to the heels, baggy trousers, a vest or a long coat, and a turban (see
Plate X, Location 6). Shoes or sandals are a mark of some means; the
poorer person wraps his feet in cloth. The women in the city wear a
burka, a cloth that covers the body from head to foot, but in the country-
side large shawls that can be used for veils are common. Women value
jewelry and trinkets. Because possessions are few and banking is unknown,
the gold in jewelry and trinkets often represents the worldly wealth of
the family.
25X1 C
Many nomadic Pushtun tribesmen traditionally wintered in the valleys
of the Swat and Indus Rivers in Pakistan and in the summer grazed their
hero-sin the mountain valleys of Afghanistan. Migration back and forth
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across the border was stopped in 1961. Some of the Pushtuns who were in
the Afghan valleys at the end of the summer and could not return to
Pakistan were moved by the Afghan Government to grazing lands in the
southwest because winters in the mountains are so harsh. Some Pushtuns
stayed in the mountains of Afghanistan; many others were forced to remain
in Pakistan. The international boundary is a barrier that divides these
people of similar culture and outlook. Although herds cannot be driven
across the border, individuals or small groups still make their way back
and forth.
2. Tajik
Approximately 2.5 million Tajiks are concentrated in the
northeast, from Kabul to the western half of the Wakhan Corridor; they
are also found in small numbers throughout the country (see Plate V,
Location 7). Tajik dress is similar to that of the Pushtuns (see Plate
VIII, Location 21) but includes leather boots and wool stockings. Many
women wear shoes with turned-up toes, have their trousers trimmed with
lace, paint their bodies, and wear earrings and mascara. They speak
Farsi and call themselves Farsiwan or Parziwan.
3. Hazara
The Hazaras are a Mongoloid group found in the central moun-
tains in an area called the Hazarajat (see Plate IV, Locations 5 and 6).
They number between 0.5 million and 0.75 million and speak Farsi mixed
with words from Turkic dialects as well as some Mongolian words. Hazaras
wear loose fitting clothing, baggy trousers, a second-hand Western-style
coat if available or a sheepskin coat in winter.
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The Hazaras move with the seasons through the river valleys of their
area, Unlike most Afghans, they are Shia Muslims and are constantly at
odds:with their neighbors, the Sunni Muslim Pushtuns.
25X1 C
4. Uzbek
The Uzbeks, numbering 800,000 to a million persons, are lo-
catea in the northern provinces adjacent to the USSR. The Uzbeks (also
spelled Uzbegs) speak Uzbeki and Farsi. The nomadic Uzbek wears a sheep-
skincap, whereas the sedentary people customarily wear turbans (see
Plate VII, Location 15).
5. Chahar Aimak
The nomadic Chahar Aimak people number about 800,000 and are
found in the western part of the highlands. Their domed huts distinguish
them'from the Hazaras to the immediate east. Their clothing is similar
to that of the other groups, and many speak a language close to Farsi.
6. Turkomen
Located in the western part of the Northern Lowlands, the
Turkomen number about 100,000. They are primarily herdsmen and wear
tall, sheepskin hats over felt caps that cover their shaven heads. They
speak a Turkic language.
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7. Nuri
The Nuri -- a people estimated to number 100,000 to 300,000
inhabit the mountainous region north of the Kabul River in eastern
25X1 C
Afghanistan and speak an Indic language (see Plate VIII, Location 19).
They have only recently been converted to Islam. Government security
elements ring the Nuri tribal area but are not effective within it. ^
25X1 C
8. Kirghiz
Numbering only about 2,000, the Kirghiz are located in the
extreme northeast in the Wakhan Corridor leading to China. They want
nothing to do with the central government 25X1C
25X1 C
9. Baluchi
The Baluchi are found in the lower Helmand Valley and number
about 30,000. The highly mobile Baluchi maintain contact with smuggling
operations into both Iran and Pakistan
25X1 C
10. Hindus, Sikhs, and Jews
Numbering only about 30,000, the Hindus, the Sikhs, and the
Jews are found in scattered colonies in the major cities. Usually they
are merchants, shopkeepers, or money-lenders. Jews live mostly in the
north, whereas the Hindus and Sikhs live in the south. They all tend to
isolate themselves from other ethnic groups.
25X1 C
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25X1 C
25X1 C
VII. Food and Water
A. Adequacy of Supply
Food in Afghanistan is a carefully controlled commodity. Pro-
viding food for his family is a lifetime effort for many an Afghan peas-
ant. He must maintain a watchful eye over both crops and animals at all
B. Plant Food
Nuts and fruits grow wild in small areas of the lower and middle
mountain slopes. Grapes, mulberries, apricots, and walnuts are commonly
cultivated. Fruits and vegetables are generally found in compounds pro-
tected by mud wall enclosures; grains are protected during the harvest
grain are stored in huts for use during the winter.
C. Animals
The most common game animals in the area are the ibex, mountain
goat, wild sheep, gazelle, wolf, fox, and snow leopard. Waterfowl, par-
tridge, quail, snipe, dove, and pheasant as well as many varieties of
25X1 C
Dried fruit, nuts, and
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25X1 C
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25X1 C
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25X1C
S-E C-R-E-T
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25X1 C S-E-C-R-E-T
S-E-C-R-E-T
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25X1C
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 Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79TO1018A000600100001-4
SECRET
SECRET
 Approved For Re se4M$49k24i CA -RDZ79T018A000600100001-4
25X1 C 8 October 1963
25X1A
Following are requirements for copies of text and
25X1 A graphics, per hie date:
Ora ice Text
Laminated Unlamfnat a
25X1A 6 3 9
To be held in
D/GO File
Note: D/GO
will run addi-
tional copies
for record,
Ch/G, etc.
The above applies to the following projects.
6102122A, North India (Assam)
62.2123, Congo
61.2122B,
North Cen.India
62.2148, Afghanistan
6].2122D,
Jammu/Kashmir
6202149, Syria
61.2132,
Indonesia
62.2150, UAR North of 280
61
2140
Hi
Tib
hl
t
d
,
.
g
e
an
an
s
61.2141,
Sinkiang
63.2147A, Czecho., Hungary, Rumania
61.2142,
Northeast China
63.211:7B, E.Germany, Poland
61.2143,
North China
63.2147C, Yugo., Bulgaria, Albania
61
2144
S
th Chi
.
,
ou
na
63.?145,
North Korea
64.2136, Kamchatka
6102146,
Nepal, Bhutan,
Sikkim
64.2137, Arctic and Far East
64.2138, Cen.Asia/So.West Siberia
64,2139, European USER
downgrading and
declassification
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 T
Approved For R I se 9/2 1 : -RDP79T 8A000600100001-4
NO FRIAR fleQ! "
To be Classified as necessary GROUP -I
xclu.4ed from automatic down-
and declassification
/GG REQUEST FOR GRAPHICS
Check whether SENSI?XVE eyes no
Sanitized `title (if any)
25X1 C
c"iassi#:icationd AMW
Date Gra ph i c s R c qu i t ed
Project Number
)!OG Analyst aid Branch-.
Da to Approved.,
(7rn757d
instructi.or s To be made up in triplicatez Two copies to D/GC, one of which w. 11 be
returned to O/C'h/D/GG with map number. The third copy to be held. in
O/Ch/D/GG until the second is returned; the third copy with map number
ailded to be sent to the Branch..
One D/OG Request for Graphics for each map, chart, etc
sr,
Excluded ;f
Number of Copies;
i/GG ? s Requester..
Phone No
25X1A
NQ FOREIGN DISSEM
SGiri ET
^ontro~l.?
de wngra u ipg . _'''Ina tic
?s.~__-.. and a
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 ~eved For Re a se , V9 i DP79TOIWA000e ffl
IMITIAl-
Afghanistan: Briefing on
-,02,2142
sequester for 05A) 2 A
Analyot/Branch GGLN-2 ?VA A Graphics Under separate cover.
11.1
1 - 9 Request4r with three codes of unlaminated a hics 29 April 64
16
Date
Ma'se If =Ca ion/
Control
17
18
21
22
24
,i
2
Nome 14 -
(O N EN A r
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Kelif rKhorog
A6"~ E3Zh~~ ??
JRAWALPINDI
(P o ,worn/ cope !)
PAKISTAN
JAMMU
A N D
Grass and scrub
Forest
Barren desert and
high mountain
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 Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79TO1018A000600100001-RLATE
Location 1 - Foothills near Herat (34?20'N-62?12'E). The settlement
along the road is a Soviet construction camp.
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 AQ K~,pr~k H e
Gelb
.~._ cabal .., aha
Ori
jPpst.
rw~ik
nK
1 H j li .l
Mato,
C) l j
Far // \ Bmba
AFGHANISTAN
Ethnic, Linguistic, and
Religious Groups
Turkic: Central
Asian
ETHNIC GROUPS
Ah k
Alma C
Tajik F
am
:_: ~an,3:. Sar aCi
a nla-..~'_~..-_Wak an
Nuri, Chitrali, and
allied peoples
Sparsely or not
inhabited
(11- < " r rgym, 1?-),
LINGUISTIC GROUPS RELIGIOUS GROUPS
Sunni Moslem
-- -Maximum Pushtoonistan-claimed area
- - - - Minimum Pushtoonistan-claimed area
CONFIDENTIAL
Statute Miles
Kilometers
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-4999/09/21 : CIA-RDP79TO1018A000600100001-4 PLATE I I
 ~~~ ~`?KhjI
~hrfse/ H
RGdba. Y
Yak
arakhl
OTyER
P,~ TNT N
Qa1sa.
100001-
0
Qara dhanga.an
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? _ t`ilaJch~ /
Qal :-,~ ?OSUr