Afghan diaspora

Not to be confused with Pashtun diaspora.

Afghan Diaspora

Regions with significant populations
Pakistan	1.5 to 2.5 million
Iran	1,380,000
UAE	300,000
Germany	126,334
United States	97,865 (2014 ACS)
United Kingdom	56,000
Austria	35,108
Australia	19,416
Denmark	15,854
India	18,000
Canada	16,240
Sweden	6,904
Turkey	3,900
Qatar	3,500
Languages
Pashto, Dari (Afghan Persian) or languages spoken in the respective country of residence
Religion
c. 99% Islam followed by c. 1% other religions

Afghan diaspora or Afghan immigrants are citizens of Afghanistan who have immigrated to other countries, or people of Afghan origin who are born outside Afghanistan. Traditionally, the borders between Afghanistan and its southern and eastern neighbouring countries have been fluid and vague. Like other nations that were created by European empires, the borders of Afghanistan with neighboring countries often do not follow ethnic divisions, and several native ethnic groups are found on both sides of Afghanistan's border. This means that historically there was much movement across present day barriers.

Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, a total of about 6 million Afghan refugees have settled in neighboring Pakistan and Iran. However, between 2002 and 2015, more than half of that population have been repatriated to Afghanistan with UNHCR's assistance. In the same period, several NATO countries that were part of ISAF granted political asylum to smaller number of Afghans that worked with their respective forces. As opposed to fleeing to neighboring Pakistan or Iran, Afghan Sikhs and Afghan Hindus, often journeyed to India. Those who were granted asylum or immigrant visas eventually made it to Western countries, where many other Afghans had gone for permanent settlement. Afghan natives now reside in at least 78 countries around the world.

Some of the refugees returning to Afghanistan from Pakistan complain that "they have been beaten and slapped and told nobody in Pakistan wants them anymore." Afghans returning from Iran experience similar or worst punishments. However, most of them have not experienced such incidents but are leaving Pakistan on their own choice, and a number of those are making new journeys to the European Union (EU) to seek asylum. The Pakistani government has agreed that no Afghan refugee would be forcefully removed from its country. Under an agreement between Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UNHCR, the Afghans in Pakistan are officially allowed to remain until the end of 2017. The Afghans in Iran have also been given extended time.

See also

• Afghan refugees