KABUL |
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| Area& Location: |
Lies in a narrow valley along the Kabul River, the city is connected with the Tajikistan border by a tunnel under the Hindu Kush Mountains. It is located at 34°31' Latitude North and 69°11' Longitude East. The city, which sits 1,800 m above sea level, has a population of 5 to 6 million. |
| Tourist Attractions: |
Bazaars are the main attraction of Kabul. Besides this, the city also has many monuments built by its various ancient rulers. |
| Transportation: |
The main public transport of the city is bus. |
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Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan. It is one of the most mined cities in the world. The name Kabul has been derived from 'Kubha' the name of a river passing through it. Being the largest city of Afghanistan, the city is the economic and cultural center. The Bactrians founded the town of Paropamisadae near Kabul. Later in the 1st century BCE, the city was ceded to the Mauryans. Kushans captures it in the 1st century CE followed by Hindus until the Arabs captured it in 664. The Samanids of Bokhara, the Hindu Shahi dynasty, the Ghaznavid Empire and the Ghorids of Bamiyan took control over the city in the next 600 years. During the 14th century, while under the kingdom of Timur, the city developed into a trading center. In 1504 the city was captured by the Mughal Empire and was made their capital.Dost Mohammed took charge of the city in 1862. However, it was taken by the British army in 1839 and by 1940, it grew into an industrial center. Taliban captured the city in September 1996 and shifted the capital to Kandahar. After a rigorous fight by the Americans, the Taliban left the country in 2001 and the city came under the control of the Afghan Northern Alliance. After the U.S. invasion, it became the capital of the Afghan Transitional Administration. |
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Places of Attraction: There are many cultural sites as well as entertainment places that attract the attention of the tourists. The cultural sites include Kabul Museum, Afghan National Museum, statue of Surya excavated at Khair Khana, Babur's tomb and gardens, the mausoleum of Mohammad Nadir Shah, the Minar-i-Istiklal, the tomb of Timur Shah, Bala Hissar -a fort destroyed by the British, The Minaret of Chakari that had Buddhist swastika and Mahayana and Theravada qualities. West Kabul, Kabul Zoo, Babur Gardens, Bala Hisar, Shah Do Shamshera Mosque, the Afghan National Gallery, the Afghan National Archive, the Afghan Royal Family Mausoleum, the OMAR Mine Museum, Bibi Mahroo Hill, the Kabul Christian Cemetery and Paghman Gardens are the other interesting sites in the city. Tappe-i-Maranjan, a hill where Buddhist statues and Graceo-Bactrian coins from the 2nd century BC are placed is a significant place in the city, which is often visited by tourists.
Hotels: Hotels in Kabul are a favorite haunt not only for the tourists, but also for its residents. The Kabul Hotel located in the heart of the city has been renovated with $25 million. The landmark Inter Continental Hotel has refurbished partially to a world-class standard, that makes it comfortable for the tourists. The government is in the move to build up a 200-room Hyatt Regency hotel in the city.
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