Afghanistan is a place.
Afghanistan ( [ æfˈɡænᵻstæn ] Pashto/Dari : , Afġānistān ) , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan , is a landlocked country located within South Asia and Central Asia . It has a population of 33 million , making it the 42nd most populous country in the world . Its territory covers 652,000 km2 , making it the 41st largest country in the world . Through the ages the land has been home to various peoples and witnessed numerous military campaigns , notably by Alexander the Great , Mauryas , Muslim Arabs , Mongols , British , Soviet , and in the modern era by Western powers .