Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/716

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AFGHANISTAN

They form the principal food of a large class of the people throughout the year, both in the fresh and preserved state, and in the latter condition are exported in great quantities.

An extremely curious variety of fat- tailed sheep is native to Afghanistan. It is characterised by the immense weight and size of its tail, caused by development of masses of fat, forming stores of nourishment which are drawn upon during the winter months, when fodder is scarce. These sheep furnish the principal meat diet of the inhabitants, and the grease of the tail is a substitute for butter. The wool and skins not only provide material for warm apparel, but also furnish the country's main article of export.

Northern Afghanistan is reputed to be tolerably rich in copper, and lead is found in many parts. Iron of excellent quality comes from Bajaur (outside Afghanistan), and the Farmuli district (or Birmal), and a gold mine is being worked under the supervision of a British mining expert at Kan- dahar ; gold in small quantities is also brought from the Laghman Hills and Kunar. Badakshan was famous for its precious stones, especially lapis lazuli.

Silks, felts, carpets, articles from camels' and goats' hair, are some of the principal industries. At Kabul, soap, cloth, boots, and some other articles are manufactured for local consumption, but chiefly for the army. The sheepskin coat, or pontln, manufacture is one of the important industries. The government factories and workshops at Kabul have as their partial object public education in mechanical methods and appliances, and as a feature of such work classes are organised in different industries.

Trade. — No accurate registration of the trade of Afghanistan has yet been obtained. The trans-frontier trade between India and Afghanistan (according to Indian statistics) was as follows in five years ending March 31 :

Imports into India Exports into Afghanistan

1,116,000 1,021,000

1916-17

£ 1,144,000 1,150,000

1917-18 1918-19 191i»-20

1,147,000 1,258,000

£ 1,194,000 2,020,000

' £ I 1,975,000
 * 1,607,000

Of the exports from India to Afghanistan the chief items are cotton goods, indigo and other dyeing materials, sugar, hardware, leather and silver trea- sure. The imports into India include timber, fruits and vegetables, grain and pulse, ghi and other provisions, assafoetida and other drugs, spices, wool, silk, cattle, hides, and tobacco. Formerly the trade with Afghanistan was subject to many restrictions in the way of heavy duties and monopolies ; but with the removal of some of them, trie trade with India has expanded of late years, but not to such an extent as seems possible.

The imports from Bokhara are stated to amount to nearly 4,000,000 roubles, and the exports to Bokhara to as much.

Communications — Afghanistan is not a member of the International Postal Union, so that the sending of letters or parcels to the country is at- tended with some uncertainty and inconvenience. Letters, etc., from all Eirtsof the world have to be sent, at present, to the Political Agent, Khaibar, andi Kotal, who arranges to forward them to the Afghan border. Letters are despatched by runners twice a week ; they require three days for delivery. Bulky packages and boxes are forwarded by the Afghan trade agent in Peshawar.

The trade routes of Afghanistan are as follows : — From Persia by Meshed to Herat ; from Bokhara by Merv to Herat ; from Bokhara byKarshi, Balkh, and Khulm to Kabul ; from Fast Turkistan by Badakhshan and Kandahar to Kabul ; from India by the Khaibar road to Kabul ; from India by the Gonial