The capital and largest city of Afghanistan; located in eastern Afghanistan; Also called: capital of Afghanistan.
Capital of Afghanistan, 2,100 m/6,900 ft above sea level, on the river Kabul; Products include textiles, plastics, leather, and glass. It commands the strategic routes to Pakistan via the Khyber Pass.
Kabul has a university (1931), the tomb of Zahir (Babur), founder of the Mogul empire, and the Dar ol-Aman palace, which houses the parliament and government departments.
Kabul has been in existence for over 3,000 years. It became the capital 1776, was captured by the British 1839 and 1879, and was under Soviet control 1979–89. In 1992 the city saw fierce fighting during the mujaheddin takeover and ousting of the Soviet-backed Najibullah regime, and by the end of 1993 it had been almost reduced to rubble in the course of the civil war.