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Afghan diaspora

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Not to be confused with Pashtun diaspora.
Afghan Diaspora
Regions with significant populations
Pakistan1.5 to 2.5 million[1]
Iran1,380,000[2]
UAE300,000[3]
Germany247,000 (People holding Afghan citizenship)[4]
United States97,865 (2014 ACS)[5]
United Kingdom56,000[6]
The Netherlands44,000[7]
Austria35,108[8]
Australia19,416[9]
India13,000-31,000[10]
Canada16,240[11]
Denmark15,854[12]
Sweden6,904[13]
Turkey3,900
Qatar3,500[14]
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.[15] 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.[16] This means that historically there was much movement across present day barriers.[16]

Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, a total of about 6 million Afghan refugees have settled in neighboring Pakistan and Iran.[17] 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.[18] As opposed to fleeing to neighboring Pakistan or Iran, Afghan Sikhs and Afghan Hindus, often journeyed to India.[19] 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.[20]

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."[21] Afghans returning from Iran experience similar or worst punishments.[22] 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.[22] 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.[citation needed] The Afghans in Iran have also been given extended time.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ "UNHCR country operations profile - Pakistan". United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  2. ^ "Balkhi visits Islam Qala to assess returnees' registration". Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN). September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  3. ^ Shahbandari 2012
  4. ^ Mehr als 12 000 Afghanen sollen Deutschland verlassen Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  5. ^ "2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates: Afghan". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  6. ^ Jones 2010, p. 2
  7. ^ http://decorrespondent.nl/2826/Dit-is-het-Nederland-van-44000-Afghanen-/475317125712-6199981d
  8. ^ http://www.statistik.at/web_de/statistiken/menschen_und_gesellschaft/bevoelkerung/bevoelkerungsstruktur/bevoelkerung_nach_staatsangehoerigkeit_geburtsland/index.html
  9. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006
  10. ^ Associated Press 2013
  11. ^ Statistics Canada 2006
  12. ^ Denmark Bureau of Statistics 2014
  13. ^ Government of Afghanistan 2007
  14. ^ bq magazine - Qatar´s population by nationality
  15. ^ "The Durand line:History, Consequences, and Future" (PDF). Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  16. ^ a b Carberry 2013
  17. ^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1999
  18. ^ Stainburn 2013
  19. ^ Bose 2006
  20. ^ Braakman, Marije. "Roots and Routes: Questions of Home, Belonging and Return in an Afghan Diaspora" (PDF). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. ^ Joseph Goldstein (February 23, 2015). "Refugees Are Pushed to Exits in Pakistan". The New York Times. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  22. ^ a b Joseph Goldstein (September 13, 2015). "For $14.50, Afghan Refugees Make a Desperate Bet on a Way Out". The New York Times. Retrieved September 15, 2015.

Further reading

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