Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan (Historical Dictionaries of Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East)

During almost 250 years of its existence, Afghanistan has evolved from rule by a tribal aristocracy to constitutional monarchy and people’s democratic republic, culminating in the establishment of a theocracy in which power rests with the religious establishment, the ulama. A civil war, subsequent to the communist defeat in 1992, resulted in the emergence of the Taliban
who intended to establish a “true Islamic state.” Taliban misrule, support for terrorist groups, and alliance with Osama bin Laden led to American intervention resulting in a renewed attempt to establish a broad-based democratic government.

This third edition of the Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan provides researchers with updated information and considerable new material. It includes entries on major historical events, important places, leading personalities - past and present - and significant aspects of the country’s culture, religion, and economy. The introduction contains an outline of
Afghanistan’s political history, an appendix includes a number of documents, and a comprehensive bibliography introduces the reader to additional sources.