Afghánistán

Abstract

Afghánistán is a country of Asia lying between parallels 30° and 38° 20 of north latitude, and 60° 30′ and 74° 30′ of east longitude. On the northeast, the boundary follows a line running generally westward from a fixed point near one of the peaks of the Sarikol Range to Lake Victoria, thence along the line of that branch of the Oxus which issues from the lake, and so to Khamiab. From Khamiab, the line runs in a south-westerly direction to Zulfikar, on the river Harí-Rúd, and thence south to Kuh Malik-i-Siyah, a conspicuous peak south-west of the Helmand river. Here the boundary turns round and runs generally eastwardly to the Kwája Amran range. The eastern boundary of Afghánistán long remained uncertain, but the basis of a delimitation was settled, in 1893, at a conference between the Amir, Abdur Rahmán, and Sir Mortimer Durand, and the boundary agreed upon, with the exception of the Khaibar-Asmar section, has since been demarcated. The Amir agreed that Chitral, Bajaur, Swat and Chilas should be included within the British sphere of political influence, while he himself was to retain Asmar and the Kunar valley above it, as far as Arnawai, and the tract of Birmal, west of Wazíristán. In the subsequent demarcation, Kafiristán was included within the countries under Afghán control, and has since been partially garissoned by the Amir’s troops. The Amír has withdrawn his pretensions over Wazíristán.