In what world is Afghanistan Central or South Asian?

[Myanthropologies]

I'm confused as to why Afghanistan is classified as belonging to South Asia or Central Asia when it belongs to neither the former, nor the latter. Afghanistan is technically not South-Central Asia either. Technically speaking, that is the Indian subcontinent. it's clear cut in West Asia. North vs South wise, Afghanistan is smack down Central, so not in South Asia. Arabia is far more south and in Asia than Afghanistan. In Europe, Spain and Greece are both classed as South Europe even though they are miles apart, but somehow Afghanistan is "South Asia" according to the world and Saudi Arabia is "West Asia."

Afghanistan is nowhere near the center of Asia either, so they aren't Central Asians. They are clear cut West Asians, and are central-east West Asians to be more specific, but nonetheless they are West Asians. Even Turkmenistan and parts of Kazakhstan are part of Northeastern - Western Asia.

Here is a map of Asia and I will explain it under it:


So the big black dot in the center is the center of Asia. The regions circled in red represent the true Central Asia, which is Western-Central China, Central Russia, Western Mongolia, and a portion of Kazakhstan. The light blue represents West Asia which includes the Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, parts of Kazakhstan, Tajikstan, the Levant, Iraq, and Northern Saudi Arabia. Yellow is East Asia, and dark blue is South Asia, which includes the Indian subcontinent and the islands below it, South Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman (i forgot to highlight the last three). Black is Northern Asia.

The brown dot is where Afghanistan is around, and it is clearly in West Asia.

[torkham]

I guess we are in similar situation as Turkey, "cross-roads". Depending upon your maps, we are in South Asia or Central Asia, or straddling both.

Who would you prefer we be associated with, south asian, central asian or south central nigga?

[Aryana]

My guess is the classifications are based more on culture and politics rather than geographical location.

True. The only reason why even have a "Europe" continent is because of cultural reasons.

[Forreigner]

You are using the wrong map...Russia and the Asian continent on a flat world map is way too distorted to, to correctly account the precise location of north, south, central etc. Often times Asian Russia (Siberia) is considered North Asia, from Ural mountains to the Bering Strait. Mongolia is North Asia as well, but for political reasons considered Northeast Asia....This leaves us the Stan countries, whom are no doubt Central Asia.

Afghanistan is sometimes classified as Middle East, sometimes SOuth Asia, and Central Asia...West Asia begins with Iran. South Asia begins with Indus River. ei. Pakistan. Out of the three, the most correct is that Afghanistan is the heart of Central Asia, this would include Iran as central Asian, rather than West Asia. West Asia would include Levant, Turkey and Arab peninsula.

Afghanistan is often classified as to belonging to South Asia, this is incorrect though:



as you can see even Afghanistan is too far away from India to be South ASia, but due to cultural ties to India, Pakistan is definitely South Asia, at least from Indus River.

South Asia technically begins with Indus River, dividing Pakistan into western and eastern half:




...but obviously you cannot devide a nation into two regions, and since you have Pashtuns and Baloch in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, all thanx to Durrand Line, I guess this is the reason used to include Afghanistan as ''South Asia'' as well, even though it's technically it very far from the borders of Indian Subcontinent, and less South Asia, than even southern half of China.

Other times Middle East (since war on terror, it was made easier to classify Afghanistan as Middle Eastern to relate it to the war in Iraq)...

In my opinion, since geographical regions are all based on political and cultural reasons...

North Africa, the Levant, and Arabian peninsula is what should be ''Middle East'', since they are all Arabic in langauge, culture, etc....

Nations that are part of the Iranic linguistic and cultural family tree, should be classified as Central Asia (Iran in west to most Stan countries in central asia)...

Nations that are part of the Indic linguistic and cultural family tree should be classified as South Asia (Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, etc.)....

[Golden]

Afghanistan is central asian and part south asian. Afghan pathans being south asians and others like tajiks/hazaras central asians. But not west asian though.

[Aryana]

Afghanistan is central asian and part south asian. Afghan pathans being south asians and others like tajiks/hazaras central asians. But not west asian though.

How are Pashtuns south Asian?

[Kabulistan]

How are Pashtuns south Asian?

He is implying you guys look Indic, Apu type....thus Pathans are Indians...Tajiks//Farsiban/Persians are central asians, same as their Aryan/Eastern Iranic ancestors...

[Myanthropologies]

South Asia as regional classification doesn't really fit a country like Afghanistan...What major cultural ties really do Afghanistan have in common with proper South Asians from the Indian subcontinent like India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, etc.?

In the UK South Asian is used for Pakistanis and people from the Indian subcontinent. While Afghans are generally classified as Middle Eastern, which is also wrong, since Middle Eastern implies = Arab/Semite.

West Asia as as regional classification does not fit a country like Afghanistan either. Aside from Islam, what do Afghanistan really majorly have in common with Arab nations of West Asia (aWest Asia is primarily Arabic or Semetic in linguistic and culture)

Central Asia is the correct classification for Afghanistan, considering history, culture, langues, etc. and it makes more sense geographically as well. Pakistan is the border between proper South Asia and Central Asia.

But Afghanistan is often dubbed the heart of Asia...thinking it this way, Afghanistan has ties to both West Asia and South Asia. Afghanistan is truly a central nation.

West Asia isn't just Arabic culture. It includes Turkish, Persian, Azeri, etc. Pashtuns are ethnically close to Azeris and Persians. I consider Afghans as West Asians as they are definitely geographically i. The West part of Asia and share most cultural and ethnic ties with Persians who are definitely West Asian.

[Karachi]

pashtuns are not south asian at all, yesterday I saw the perfect example of this, I went to Gerard India town here in Toronto, to Lahore Tikka house resturant, now there was Pashtun family there, speaking pashto, they clearly stood out from rest of the south asian (indian/pakistani) crowed, I think the owner of the place who is a pakistani guy thought they were white, because they were dressed in western attire, he was guiding them, as if they have never eaten pakistani/indian food

[Karachi]

South Asia is a amazing place to be, even Malidives the most beautiful Islands of this world belong to south asia.

Sri Lanka, South India all are so beautiful!

[Bengal_Tiger]

Afghanistan, Afghans and Pashtuns are not South Asian.

[mungojerry]

pashtuns are not south asian at all, yesterday I saw the perfect example of this, I went to Gerard India town here in Toronto, to Lahore Tikka house resturant, now there was Pashtun family there, speaking pashto, they clearly stood out from rest of the south asian (indian/pakistani) crowed, I think the owner of the place who is a pakistani guy thought they were white, because they were dressed in western attire, he was guiding them, as if they have never eaten pakistani/indian food

yup. i mean if I seen these fashtuns in Gerard st I couldnt be sure if I should ask them Spreken ze Deutsch or Parlez-vous français? lmao

[Karachi]

^ they still do not look south asian in your pics, they could easily fit in middle east though

[Kabulistan]

They look what they are: Iranic/Aryan, Eastern branch.

Unless you guys believe Persians are also South Asian, then yes not only Pashtuns, but also Turks, Arabs, Kurds, Syrians and Egyptians are also South Asian.

[mungojerry]

^ they still do not look south asian in your pics, they could easily fit in middle east though

haha. my friend write my commant for me last time. he knowing english full. i not knowing full english.

I am agreeing Pashtunes not looking south asian. they not also looking white men to me. They looking white to desi people? Desi not thinking Pashtunes white people. I seeing in photo I show Pashtunes people have much looking mixed with Mongolian looks.