Kabul

Capital of Afghanistan, capital of Kabul province, and the leading economic and cultural centre of Afghanistan, lying at an altitude of 1,800 m/5,900 ft above sea level, on the River Kabul; population (2001 est) 2,080,000 (the majority Farsi-speaking Tajiks, with a large Pathan (Pashtun) minority). Products include textiles, plastics, leather, and glass. It commands the strategic routes to Pakistan via the Khyber Pass. The city was captured by the Taliban on 27 September 1996, and recaptured in November 2001 by forces of the Northern Alliance during the US-led war on terror.

Features
Kabul's university (1932), closed since September 1996, when the Taliban took control of the city. Other educational institutions include the Afghan Institute of Industrial Management as well as colleges of commerce, agriculture, and art. The tomb of Babur, founder of the Mogul empire is found in the city. Another feature is the Dar ol-Aman Palace, which houses the parliament and government departments.

History
Kabul has been in existence for over 3,000 years. In 1504 it became capital of the Mogul Empire under Babur, but in 1526 was replaced by Delhi as the imperial capital. In 1747 it became part of an independent Afghan state, and in 1776 replaced Kandahar as the capital of Afghanistan. It was captured by the British in 1839 and 1879, and was under Soviet control 1979–89. In 1992 the city saw fierce fighting during the Mujahedin takeover and ousting of the Soviet-backed Najibullah regime, and by the end of 1993 it had been severely damaged in the course of the civil war.