Afghanistan A–Z

A prized spice grown in the fields around Herat.

Deep-blue stone mined in Badakhshan for thousands of years.

Steamed dumplings topped with yoghurt and lentil sauce.

City of tilework, miniature painting and Timurid architecture.

A hillside town known for its turquoise-glazed pottery.

A 12th-century minaret standing alone in a river gorge.

The capital, in a valley ringed by mountains.

Hand-knotted rugs whose patterns vary by region and weaving community.

One of Afghanistan’s two official languages, the Afghan variety of Persian.

Festivals of family visits, new clothes and shared meals.

A delicate milk pudding scented with cardamom and rosewater.

Seat of the Ghaznavid court and its two famous minarets.