- Languages of Afghanistan
[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html CIA World Factbook] ] )" legend|#58D87B|50% Persian legend|#665600|35%
Pashto legend|#C3272B|8% Uzbek legend|#FDA51F|3% Turkmen legend|#D8C3C8|4% Balochi smaller|2% other (Nuristani,Pashai , Arabic,Brahui , etc.)] There are two official languages ofAfghanistan , in addition to other languages that are spoken. The twoofficial language s are also the most commonly spoken; the Dari Persian language, is spoken by half of the population, though this percentage also includes speakers of theHazaragi dialect, about two million people. Pashtu is also an official language and is spoken by 35% of the population. In addition, manyTurkic language s such as Turkmeni and Uzbeki are spoken, as well as over thirty other languages. Much of the population isbilingual .cite web | url=https://cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/af.html | title=CIA - The World Factbook -- Afghanistan | publisher=Central Intelligence Agency | date=2006-10-17 | accessdate=2006-11-01 ]History
During 1978 to 1979, the
Khalq faction of thePeople's Democratic Party of Afghanistan also recognized Uzbeki, Turkmeni, and Nuristani as official languages. However, this was done only to reduce the status of Persian so that eventually Pashto could become the language of inter-ethnic communication. [The Decline of the Pashtuns in Afghanistan, Anwar-ul-Haq Ahady, Asian Survey, Vol. 35, No. 7. (Jul., 1995), pp. 621-634.]References
External links
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/afghanistan/story/2008/02/080210_v-hn-farsi-language-punishment.shtml New Fines for Using Persian words instead of Pashto words]
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