Ethnic groups

Peoples of Afghanistan, their regions and languages — profiles reviewed before publication.

Pashtun

Pashtuns are one of Afghanistan’s largest communities, with a strong tradition of hospitality (melmastia) and a language, Pashto, spoken across the south and east as well as the diaspora.

Tajik

Tajiks are a Persian-speaking community with deep roots in cities such as Herat, Kabul, and the northeast, known for poetry, crafts, and urban life.