Nūrestān

Nūrestān

▪ historical region, Afghanistan
also spelled  Nūristān , formerly (until 1895)  Kāfiristān 

      historic region in eastern Afghanistan, about 5,000 square miles (13,000 square km) in area and comprising the upper valleys of the Alīngār, Pīch, and Landay Sind rivers and the intervening mountain ranges. Its northern boundary is the main range of the Hindu Kush, its eastern the Pakistani border, its southeastern the Konar (Kunar) Valley, and its western the mountain ranges above the Panjshēr and Nejrāb valleys. The region is mountainous, rainy, and forested.

      Nūrestān's regional unity and distinction from the rest of Afghanistan spring from its isolation and the common cultural characteristics shared by its people, who strongly cherish independence, have a clan organization with village governments, and are now settled agriculturists (growing cereals and fruits and raising livestock) living in the valleys. They speak various Kafir languages. The region did not become part of Afghanistan until the 1890s, when ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān, the Afghan emir, conquered it and forcibly converted the inhabitants to Islām. He subsequently changed its name from Kāfiristān (“Land of the Kāfirs,” i.e., infidels) to Nūrestān (“Land of the Enlightened”). The forests of Nūrestān provide most of Afghanistan's timber.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nurestan — Nourestân (province) نورستان (Nurestân) Administration Pays Afghanistan Type Province Capitale Nourestân …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Nurestan — Admin ASC 1 Code Orig. name Nūrestān Country and Admin Code AF.38 AF …   World countries Adminstrative division ASC I-II

  • Nurestán — (Nūristā´n; ant. Kafiristán) ► Región fisiográfica del NE de Afganistán, junto a la frontera pakistaní; unos 13 000 m2 …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Kamdish, Nurestan — Infobox Settlement official name =Kamdish other name = native name = nickname = settlement type = motto = imagesize = 300px image caption = flag size = image seal size = image shield = shield size = image blank emblem = blank emblem type = blank… …   Wikipedia

  • Hindu Kush — a mountain range in S Asia, mostly in NE Afghanistan, extending W from the Himalayas. Highest peak, Tirich Mir, 25,230 ft. (7690 m). Also called Hindu Kush Mountains. * * * Latin Caucasus Indicus Mountain system, south central Asia. Some 600 mi… …   Universalium

  • Kafiristan — Nourestân (province) نورستان (Nurestân) Administration Pays Afghanistan Type Province Capitale Nourestân …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Kaféristan — Nourestân (province) نورستان (Nurestân) Administration Pays Afghanistan Type Province Capitale Nourestân …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Nourestan — Nourestân (province) نورستان (Nurestân) Administration Pays Afghanistan Type Province Capitale Nourestân …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Nourestan (province) — Nourestân (province) نورستان (Nurestân) Administration Pays Afghanistan Type Province Capitale Nourestân …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Nouristan — Nourestân (province) نورستان (Nurestân) Administration Pays Afghanistan Type Province Capitale Nourestân …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”