The country of Afghanistan, which is located in the southwest Asia, is 250,000 square miles. Afghanistan is about the size of Texas. The country is completely landlocked. On the north the country is bordered by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, the extreme northeast by China, the east and south by Pakistan, and the west by Iran. The Hindu Kush mountain range splits the country east and west. The mountains rise in the east to heights of 24,000 ft. Most of the country is covered by tall snow-capped mountains and is traversed by deep valleys, except the southwest. Afghanistan has rugged terrain and seasonally harsh climate.More than 49% of the total amount of land area sits above 2,000 meters. The highest mountain peak in the country is Nowshak, which is at 7,485 meters. Laterally, the Hindu Kush system reaches about 966 kilometers. The most important mountain pass links Kabul and points south to northern Afghanistan, and is the called the Kotal-e Salang. The roads through the Salang and Tang-e Gharu played critical roles during the recent conflicts and were used by large military vehicles. The roads are in very bad shape. There are also many other important passes in Afghanistan. Actual forests cover barely 2.9 of the country's area.Afghanistan has many rivers, river basins, lakes, and desert areas. The four major river systems are the Amu Darya, the Oxus of antiquity, the Hilmand, and the Kabul. The Kabul river is the only river leading to the sea. Other rivers only flow seasonally. The three major dams in the country are the Arghandab Dam, the Kajakai Dam, and the Naglu Dam. None of the dams, however, are functioning to full capacity.No scholars seem to agree on the regions of Afghanistan. Louis Dupree's theory seems to be the most respected of them all. Dupree's theory divides Afghanistan into 11 geographic zones. The Wakhan Corridor-Pamir Knot, Badakhshan, Central Mountains, Eastern Mountains, Northern Mountains and Foothills, Southern Mountains and Foothills, which are the first 6, are connected to the Hindu Kush systems. The Turkistan Plains, Herat-Farah Lowlands, Sistan Basin-Hilmand Valley, Western Stony Desert, and Southwestern Sandy Desert, the final 5, contain deserts and plains that surround the Mountains in the north, west, and southwest.Afghanistan's plate-tectonic activity has contributed to the creation of the geologic riches of the country. On the other hand, the country also produces frequent earthquakes. Around 50 earthquakes are recorded each year. Most of the earthquakes are usually mild. On July 29, 1985, Afghanistan had their most severe earthquake in recent history. According to French scientists, the quake measured 7.3 on the Richter Scale. According to the United States Geological Survey, since then Afghanistan has experienced ten earthquakes that have registered above 6.0 on the Richter Scale.
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