Afghanistan is a country located in South and Central Asia. It has a rich history and culture that lends itself well to riddles. Here are 59 riddles about Afghanistan along with their answers.
Geography Riddles
Q: What do you call the highlands and mountains that dominate much of Afghanistan’s landscape?
A: The Hindu Kush mountains. They run across much of central Afghanistan.
Q: What is the name of the country’s highest point at 7,492 meters (24,580 ft)?
A: Noshaq. It is located in the northeast section of the Hindu Kush mountains.
Q: Afghanistan shares a border with how many other countries?
A: 6. The countries are Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China and Pakistan.
Q: What do you call the plateau that covers most of northern and western Afghanistan?
A: The Central Highlands. They are arid plateaus punctuated by mountains.
Q: What major waterway forms part of Afghanistan’s border with Iran?
A: The Helmand River. It flows for over 1,100 km entirely within Afghanistan.
Q: What desert covers much of southwestern Afghanistan?
A: The Dasht-e Margo, which means “Plain of Pebbles.”
History & Culture Riddles
Q: Afghanistan has historically been at the crossroads of many ancient civilizations and empires. Which three are most notable?
A: The Persian Empire, the Greek Empire established by Alexander the Great and various Central Asian empires.
Q: What commodity helped Afghanistan gain prominence along the famous Silk Road trading route?
A: Silk and spices that made their way across Afghanistan between Asia and Europe.
Q: Afghanistan was once home to many what, which were destroyed by invaders?
A: Buddha statues. The two most famous that were lost were the Buddhas of Bamiyan, destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
Q: What Afghan ethnic group makes up about 42% of the population?
A: The Pashtuns. Most Pashtuns live in southern and eastern Afghanistan as well as western Pakistan.
Q: What are Afghanistan’s two official languages?
A: Pashto and Dari. Dari is a dialect of Persian while Pashto comes from the Indo-Iranian language family.
Q: What is Afghanistan’s most beloved sport?
A: Buzkashi. It is a traditional Central Asian sport similar to polo played on horseback with a headless goat carcass.
Culture Riddles Continued
Q: Who is the national hero of Afghanistan, a freedom fighter against the British in the 19th century?
A: Ahmad Shah Massoud. He later became known as the “Lion of Panjshir” for his resistance against Soviet forces.
Q: What beloved Afghan instrument is carved out of mulberry wood with three strings?
A: The rubab. It produces a soothing, melancholic tone.
Q: Famously intricate Afghan carpets incorporating geometric designs are known by what term?
A: Afghan rugs or Afghan war rugs. The best known type is the Baluchi rug.
Q: What type of head covering might an Afghan woman wear in public?
A: Usually a hijab headscarf or a burqa veil if following traditional customs.
Q: What popular drink served hot might you find at an Afghan dinner party?
A: Green tea. It is typically served hot in small glasses with sugar cubes.
Q: Which Afghan city is renowned for its high quality grapes and raisins?
A: Kandahar, in the south of the country. Kandahar raisins are prized globally.
Riddles on Cities & Places
Q: What Afghan city is located closest to the border with Uzbekistan?
A: Mazar-i-Sharif. It is only about 40 km from the border in northern Afghanistan.
Q: In what mountain pass did the Persian King Darius III make his last stand against Alexander in 330BC?
A: The Khawak Pass. Located between Kabul and Jalalabad, it has been an important trade route for millennia.
Q: What major Afghan city sits on the site of an ancient capital from the 2nd century BC?
A: Bagram. The Begram ruins from antiquity are located nearby this key city today.
Q: What city is home to a 15-acre royal palace for Afghanistan’s former kings?
A: Kabul. The Darul Aman Palace was badly damaged but is currently being restored.
Q: What Afghan province and its capital city share the same name?
A: Kandahar Province and Kandahar city. The city dates back to the 1st millennium BC.
Q: What Afghan province contains parts of the Wakhan Corridor connecting Afghanistan with China?
A: Badakhshan Province in the farthest northeast corner bordering Tajikistan, China and Pakistan.
Fun Riddles
Q: What colorful orange and black butterfly is named for the location Alexander the Great founded in Afghanistan?
A: The Alexanor butterfly is named for the city of Alexandria in Arachosia founded by Alexander, today known as Kandahar.
Q: What desert covers much of southwestern Afghanistan?
A: The Dasht-e Margo, which means “Plain of Pebbles.”
Q: What is Afghanistan’s approximate literacy rate among those over 15?
A: 43%. Afghanistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world though it is rising slowly.
Q: How long did the Soviet Union occupy Afghanistan during the 20th century conflict?
A: Almost 10 years, from December 1979 until February 1989.
Q: In what remote part of Afghanistan might you encounter Marco Polo sheep with huge spiraling horns?
A: The Wakhan Corridor bordering China. It is known for wildlife like snow leopards, wolves and the Marco Polo sheep.
Q: In what decade did Afghanistan adopt a new constitution establishing an Islamic Republic?
A: In the 1990s following the withdrawal of Soviet forces. The new government faced ongoing civil war and conflict.
Nature Riddles
Q: What is the national bird of Afghanistan seen on its flag?
A: The golden eagle. It soars across Afghanistan’s open skies.
Q: What is Afghanistan’s national flower, an iris species that only grows in central and south Asia?
A: The Afghan iris. Its purple petals are ephemeral, only blooming for one week a year.
Q: What prized fur-bearing animal lives in remote mountain caves across Afghanistan?
A: Persian leopards. Afghanistan has a small and endangered population of Persian leopards remaining.
Q: Which species of pine tree is most common in eastern parts of the country?
A: The Himalayan cedar. These coniferous trees tolerate cold winters and rocky mountain soil.
Q: What type of hooved mammal can be found living at high elevations in the Pamir Mountains?
A: Siberian ibex. These wild goats are specially adapted with strong hooves and thick coats.
Q: The national dog breed of Afghanistan is a type of sighthound used to hunt what animal?
A: The Afghan hound was traditionally used by nomads to hunt hares, gazelles and other small game.
Ancient History Riddles
Q: What conqueror is said to have taken an Afghan wife named Roxana around 300 BC?
A: Alexander the Great. Roxana bore him a son who did not live long.
Q: What Dynasty ruled the Kabul and Gandhara region for several centuries after 200 BC?
A: The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom left Greek cultural influences before fading away around 10 AD.
Q: Afghanistan was once home to one of the largest standing Buddha statues ever constructed. How tall was it?
A: It stood at over 50 meters (165 feet) tall. This monumental 7th century Buddha statue in Bamiyan was destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 to worldwide outcry.
Q: What invading central Asian ruler sacked the city of Balkh in 1220 AD leaving it in ruins for centuries?
A: Genghis Khan ransacked Balkh as his empire expanded across Afghanistan in the early 1200s AD.
Q: What dynasty arose in Herat in western Afghanistan after 1380 and fostered arts/culture?
A: The Timurids. Their most famous leader was grandson Timur, known more widely as Tamerlane in the west.
Q: Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan were part of whose northern Indian empire during the 1500s-1800s before falling under British influence?
A: The Mughal Empire. Key cities like Kabul were linked to the Delhi capital by the Mughals.
Recent History Riddles
Q: What country did Britain fight in the 1800s to set Afghanistan’s present-day southern border?
A: Britain fought wars with Afghanistan setting the disputed border with British India, now Pakistan.
Q: Who was the last Afghan king before a 1973 coup established a republic?
A: Mohammed Zahir Shah was peacefully ousted in the coup after ruling for four decades as king.
Q: What group seized power in 1996 and infamously destroyed Afghanistan’s historic Buddha statues?
A: The Islamic fundamentalist Taliban held power and implemented the destruction of artifacts like the Bamiyan Buddhas.
Q: Who led the Northern Alliance against the Taliban in the 1990s with backing from western powers?
A: Ahmad Shah Massoud. He fiercely resisted the Taliban but was assassinated in 2001.
Q: What global event in 2001 led to the toppling of Taliban control of Afghanistan?
A: The September 11, 2001 attacks. This triggered the international intervention in Afghanistan against Al Qaeda and Taliban forces.
Q: Who was elected President of Afghanistan after the Taliban government was overthrown?
A: Hamid Karzai in 2004. He served two five-year terms as Leader before passing power in democratic elections.
Miscellaneous Riddles
Q: What is Afghanistan’s main unit of currency?
A: The Afghan afghani. It is divided into 100 smaller units called puls.
Q: About how many years did Afghanistan delay adopting the solar Hijri calendar in place of its traditional calendar?
A: Over 200 years. Afghanistan switched to the solar calendar in 1957 over two centuries after its adoption elsewhere.
Q: What is Afghanistan’s calling code when dialing into the country?
A: +93. This must be dialed before the local phone number on any call to Afghanistan.
Q: What type of electrical plugs and voltages are used in Afghanistan?
A: Type C and D plugs with 220 volts at 50 hertz, compatible with most of Europe and Asia.
Q: What side of the road do cars legally drive on in Afghanistan, left or right?
A: The right side of the road, as is done across continental Europe and in neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran.
Q: What agricultural crop is second only to wheat in production and export value for Afghanistan?
A: Grapes. Afghanistan’s climate allows a thriving grape and raisin industry.
Conclusion
From geography to culture, from history to nature, Afghanistan offers a wide array of topics for interesting and challenging riddles. These 59 riddles provide a sample of the kind of brainteasers you can create about this ancient crossroads of civilizations and empires in central Asia. Whether testing a student’s knowledge or having fun around a dinner party, riddles engage the mind and promote learning about Afghanistan in an interactive way.
