Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. The country shares borders with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Pakistan, China, and the disputed Kashmir territory. Once the centre of many powerful empires, the country has been in chaos and turmoil since the 1970s. Political unrest is rampant, and the country suffers from many social problems, such as war, drought, a public health crisis, terrorism, corruption, warlordism, poverty, and low literacy rates. However, under less extreme circumstances, this vast, mountainous country offers a lot to the adventurous, thrill-seeking traveller. Its landscapes are simply majestic, the history lover can appreciate numerous historical sites from all eras, and the architecture lover can feast their eyes on such wonderful Islamic architecture. There's even a shrine that houses a cloak once worn by Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Afghanistan is a melting pot of cultures, with Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks constituting the largest ethnic groups. Islam is the state religion, hence the name "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan". A majority of Afghans are Sunni Muslims, although about 20% of them are Shia Muslims. Agriculturally rich and traditionally a Muslim nation, Afghanistan is a mostly tribal society with each of the country's own subcultures in some specific regions. Despite poverty and political and religious extremism, tourists often find themselves being treated as celebrities here; in fact, they might be showered with a lot of hospitality and care, even if they unintentionally make a few cultural blunders. Since March 2026, the process for obtaining a tourist visa is quite easy for most travelers, as it can be obtained entirely online as an eVisa. Only a small number of countries, none of them Western, are restricted from this process. See the Get in section below for details.