Zahir Shah, Nadir Shan's son and successor, became Afghanistan's
final king. For his first thirty years on the throne, he accepted
the tutelage of powerful advisers in the royal family, first his
uncles, later his cousin, Mohammad Daoud Khan. And only in the
last decade of his sovereignty did Zahir Shah rule as well as
reign unencumbered.
Zahir Shah and His Uncles, 1933-53
Three of the four Musahiban brothers survived Nadir Shah's death,
and went on to exercise decisive influence over decision making
during Zahir Shah's first twenty years of reign. The eldest, Muhammad
Hashim, who had been prime minister under the previous king, retained
that post until replaced by his youngest brother, Shah Mahmud
in 1946.
Hashim put into effect the policies already orchestrated by his
brothers. Internal objectives of the new Afghan government focused
on strengthening the army and shoring up the economy, including
transport and communications. Both goals required foreign assistance.
Preferring not to involve the Soviet Union or Britain, Hashim
turned to Germany. By 1935 German experts and businessmen had
set up factories and hydroelectric projects at the invitation
of the Afghan government. Smaller amounts of aid were also forthcoming
from Japan and Italy.
Afghanistan joined the League of Nations in 1934, the same year
the United States officially recognized Afghanistan. The conclusion
of the Treaty of Saadabad with Iran, Iraq, and Turkey in 1937
reinforced Afghanistan's regional ties to neighboring Islamic
States.
After the outbreak of World War II, the king proclaimed Afghan
neutrality on August 17, 1940, but the Allies were unhappy with
the presence of a large group of German nondiplomatic personnel.
In October British and Soviet governments demanded that Afghanistan
expel all nondiplomatic personnel from the Axis nations. Although
the Afghan government considered this demand insulting and illegitimate,
it appeared to heed the example of Iran; Britain and the Soviet
Union occupied Iran in August 1941 after the government ignored
a similar demand. Afghanistan ordered nondiplomatic personnel
from all belligerents to leave, and a loya jirgah called by the
king supported his policy of absolute neutrality. As the war progressed,
it provided larger markets for Afghan agricultural produce (especially
in India).
Shortly before the end of the war, Shah Mahmud replaced his older
brother as prime minister, ushering in a period of great change
in both internal and external policies. Among other things, he
presided over the inauguration of the Helmand Valley Project,
a cooperative irrigation venture drawing Afghanistan into a closer
relationship with the United States, which financed much of the
work, He also oversaw the opening of relations with the newly
created state of Pakistan, which inherited the Pashtuns from the
formerly British-ruled side of the Durand Line. The Pashtuns (or
Pakhtuns) sought an independent or semi-independent statehood,
that would include the Pashto (or Pakhtu) speakers within Pakistan.
This issue would have a resounding impact on Afghan politics,
as would Shah Mahmud's political liberalization of the country.
Country
name Afghanistan conventional long form Islamic State of
Afghanistan conventional short form Afghanistan local long
form Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan local short form Afghanestan former Republic of Afghanistan
Area
- total: 647,500 sq km land: 647,500 sq km water: 0 sq km
Terrain
- mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Climate
- arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Geography
- landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide
the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in
the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)
Waterways
- 1,200 km note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2001)
Natural hazards - damaging earthquakes
occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Information
Courtesy: The Library of Congress - Country Studies
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