Afghanistan's topography has contributed towards keeping people and communities isolated from each other. During the course of the 1900s, contact between different groups increased with development of the country's communication system and consolidation of state power. This contact continued after the Soviet invasion, although the country's development stagnated, and occupation gave the different groups a common enemy to fight against.

Pashtuns

Pashtuns are historically and politically the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. Before the Soviet invasion, Pashtuns were considered to constitute around 6 million people. Most Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims. Pashtuns are the world’s largest (patriarchal) tribal community and they have dominated government forces in Afghanistan since the 1700s. Most Pashtuns are farmers, but a minority is commercial nomads. Pashtuns speak Pashto language which is an Indo-European language.
Pashtuns are divided into four main tribal groups: Sarbans, Batani, Ghourghushti and Karlanri. Pashtunwali is very important in Pashtun culture which is a concept or philosophy of living of pashtuns and regarded as an honour code. Pashtunwali is an un-written law and and ideology of Pashtun society inherited from their forefathers. Pashtunwali consists of important concepts like self respect, equality, respect to elders, respect to all, revenge, law, hospitality, honour, pride, clan ship and to offer asylum etc.

Tajiks

Tajiks constitute the second largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. They live mostly in the country's north-eastern parts of Herat province in the west to the border with Iran. Most people speak Dari (a language of Persian descent), which is one of Afghanistan's official languages.
Like Pashtuns, a clear majority of Tajiks are Sunni Muslims, while about 5% are Shiite Muslims. Afghan-Tajik live mainly on agriculture, handicrafts and trade.

 

Hazara

Hazaras are Afghanistan's third largest ethnic group. Majority is located in Hazarajat, a small and poor area in the middle of Afghanistan. The majority belongs to twelve sect, the dominant Shiite Muslim group in the country, and only a minority are Sunni Muslims. Hazaras speak hazargy, a Persian dialect that uses many Turkish and Mongolian expressions. According to history, Hazaras are the descendants of the Mongol troops of Genghis Khan's army. Hazaras have low status compared with other ethnic groups and are often victims of discrimination and persecution. Since the late 1800s, many hazaras moved to Kabul. Many have lived in their own district and they have traditionally constituted a large part of the unqualified workforce.

Uzbeks and Turkmen

The Uzbek and Turkmen are minorities in Afghanistan.They amount to almost equally large proportion of its population as that of the Hazaras. They are traditionally associated with the areas north of the Hindu Kush mountain range near the border river Amu Darya. Uzbeks sustain themselves through agriculture, crafts and trade, while the Turkmen follow a standard lifestyle with his goat, horse or camel herds. This lifestyle has traditionally given them a relatively good economic basis, but at the same time making them highly vulnerable to war and drought. Both the Turkmen and Uzbeks are known for their craftsmanship of hand-woven carpets.

 

Smaller groups of people

Aimaqers is a group of people settled in western part of the Hindu Kush. They are Sunni Muslims, but their primary language is Dari and they use a lot of borrowing phrases from Turkish. Aimaqers are either settlers, nomads, or a combination of both.

Farsiwan are settled in western Afghanistan, near the border with Iran. They speak Dari and belong to twelve Imam sect, the dominant Shiite Muslim group in Afghanistan.

Nuristani people are settled in the east Afghan mountains where they make their living from agriculture and livestock. They are Sunni Muslims and their language is very similar to Dardic, a language spoken in Chitral province in northern Pakistan. The language is considered to be very old, and it has features from both Persian and Hindi.

Kyrgyz are Turkic-speaking, and before the war they lived mostly in Pamir Wakhan Corridor, a small mountainous area available. Kyrgyz lived in the highlands, and often struggled with the harsh climate. They lived mostly with cattle of Yak-oxen, goats and camels. There are only few Kyrgyz living in Afghanistan today. Most of them fled to Turkey, China, Pakistan or other countries during the Soviet invasion.

Among other smaller ethnic groups are Arabs, Brahuries, Mongols, Quzilbash, Hindus, Kohistani, Gujars and Sikhs.