AFGHANISTAN

22

AFRICA

brace cloths, silks and felts and various articles made from goat's and camel's hair, together with carpets and a variety of products made from sheepskin. Among the exports are asafcetida, madder and the castor-oil plant.

Transportation. Is done largely on camel and pony back, for there is little in the way of wheel-carriage facilities, and there are practically no navigable rivers and but one local railway; hence the resort to transportation by camels and caravans on the few made roads and highways. The domestic animals are limited to camels, goats, dogs, horses and ponies, with some few cattle and sheep, raised by the pastoral Afghans. The population is of a very mixed and rather discordant character, speaking for the most part Persian and preferring Islam as a religion. The army comprises about 68,000 foot soldiery, with 7,000 horse and 350 guns. The mounted levies are, for the most part, the retainers of the great chieftains, or of the latter's wealthier vassals.

Government. The government, which is a hereditary monarchy, based on tribal organization, consists of a state council with governors for the separate provinces, under the ruling amir, who, at present is Habibullah Khan (succeeded 1901), son of Abdur Rahman Khan, and great-grandson of Dost Mohammed Khan.

Climate and Race Characteristics. The climate varies greatly. A traveler remarks that at a day's journey from Kabul you can find a place where snow never falls, and after two hours' journey places where snow almost never melts. The Afghans are a brave race, trained to bloodshed from childhood, but very treacherous. The traveler takes at once to their frank, open-hearted and manly manners, but though an Afghan may respect a stranger within his threshold he will very likely overtake and plunder his guest after he has quitted his roof.

History. Afghanistan was a part of the empire of Timur the Great, and after changing masters several times, became an independent state in 1747, under Ahmed Shah, who called himself "Pearl of the Age." In 1809 , the first Englishman was sent to the country as an envoy to the reigning amir, Shah Shuja. And it was to put on his throne this same prince, who had been driven into exile in India, that in 1838 the British sent the army of the Indus, 21,000 strong, against Kandahar. They were successful at the time, but Kabul revolted in 1841, and the garrison, some 45,000 soldiers and 1,200 followers of the army, was forced from the country, beset on the entire march by the Afghan hordes, and on reaching Guadamak mustered only 20 muskets. This revolt was Suppressed, and ever since British influ-

ence has been felt in Afghanistan. In 1879 the English resident and his officers and escort were massacred by the Afghans. Severe revenge was taken by the English, who have since established themselves firmly in the country.

Africa (ăfrï-ka), until recently termed "The Dark Continent," so little was known of it, save as a land, in large degree, given up to barbarism and as the chief market of the slave-trade. Within late years, however, a marvelous change has come over the aspect of the whole country, as the result of exploration and colonization and the parceling out between the chief European powers of large tracts of the vast continent. Since it has been so extensively opened up, following upon the discoveries of notable travelers from Mungo Park's day down to the era of Livingstone, Stanley, Emin Pasha and later explorers, the size and mighty resources of the continent have been better understood.

Area. The greatest length of the continent is 5,000 miles, extending from latitude 37⁰ 20' North to 34° 51' South; and its greatest breadth is 4,600 miles, extending from longitude 17⁰ 32' to 51⁰ 16' East. Its area is 11,500,000 square miles. It is joined to Asia on the northeast by the Isthmus of Suez, and is separated from Europe on the northwest by the Strait of Gibraltar, only eight and one-half miles wide. It has the Mediterranean Sea on the north, the Red Sea and Indian Ocean on the east, the Atlantic Ocean on the south and west.

Surface. The northern end of the continent is a plateau with an elevation of 1,500 to 3,000 feet, traversed by the Atlas range of mountains, which runs parallel to the Mediterranean coast and reaches a height of 14,000 feet. South of this region is the vast desert plain of the Sahara. Recent explorations have determined that in this desert region there are elevated plateaus with streams and valleys which sustain a nomadic population. South of the Sahara is a pastoral region, extending across the continent through the Sudan to the high plains of Abyssinia. South of this region the country rises, and at about 10° north latitude the high plateau of Southern Africa is reached. This tableland is inclosed by mountain ranges, which are higher on the east than on the west. The highest mountain peaks are Mt. Kilimanjaro 19,600 feet, Mt. Kenia 18,370 feet, and Mt. Ruwenzori 18,000 feet. Others reach a height of from 13,000 to 15,000 feet, and many are of volcanic origin. The central plateau in the vicinity of Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa has an average elevation of 4,000 feet. The southern part of the continent is marked by high tablelands with mountain groups and ranges. On the west in the Congo region