Afghan diaspora

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 neighboring countries have been fluid and vague.[21] 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.[22] This means that historically there was much movement across present day barriers.[22]

Afghan Diaspora

Regions with significant populations
Iran	2.5 million (2015 estimate) Afghans in Iran[1]
Pakistan	2+ million Afghans in Pakistan[2]
Germany	260,000 (People holding Afghan citizenship as of 31.12.2018) Afghans in Germany[3]
United Arab Emirates	300,000 UAE[4]
Russia	150,000 Afghans in Russia[5]
Turkey	120,500 Afghans in Turkey[6]
United States	97,865 (2014 ACS) Afghan Americans[7]
Canada	83,995 (2016) Afghan Canadian[8]
United Kingdom	83,000 (2015) Afghans in the UK[9]
Netherlands	60,000 (2013) Afghans in the Netherlands[10]
Australia	46,800 by birth (2016)[11]
Austria	45,259[12]
Sweden	34,754 (2016) Afghans in Sweden[13]
Denmark	18,379 (2017) Afghans in Denmark
India	12,000-18,000 Afghans in India[14][15][16]
Israel	10,000[17] History of the Jews in Afghanistan
Finland	9,667 Afghans in Finland
Qatar	3,500 Afghans in Qatar[18]
New Zealand	3,414 Afghans in New Zealand[19]
Ecuador	300-2,500[20]
Languages
Dari and Pashto or languages spoken in the respective country of residence
Religion
c. 99% Islam followed by c. 1% other religions

After the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, refugees fled to neighboring Pakistan and Iran. Some rural Afghan refugees began returning to their homeland in 1992, but the outbreak of a major civil war after the mujahideen took over control of Kabul and the other major cities meant that Afghans again began fleeing to neighboring countries, this time many being urbanites. Afghan Sikhs and Afghan Hindus journeyed to India.[23]

Since March 2002, most Afghan refugees have been repatriated to Afghanistan with UNHCR's assistance.[24] Around 1.3 million still remain in Pakistan,[25] while 2.5 million are in Iran.[1] Several countries that were part of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have granted permanent residency to smaller number of Afghans that worked with their respective forces.[26] Afghan natives now reside in at least 78 countries around the world.[27]

Some Afghans returning from Pakistan often complain that "they have been beaten and slapped and told nobody in Pakistan wants them anymore."[28] Still, many refugees regard Pakistan as their home.[29] Returnees from Iran experience similar or worst punishments.[30] A number of returnees to Afghanistan make new journeys to the European Union (EU) to seek asylum there.[30] To abide by United Nations Convention against Torture, the Pakistani government has agreed that no Afghan refugee would be forcefully removed from their country. Under a new agreement between Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UNHCR, the Afghans in Pakistan were officially allowed to remain until the end of 2017.[25] In June of 2019, Pakistan's cabinet decided to extend the Proof of Registration (PoR) cards of Afghan refugees until 30 June 2020.[31] The Afghans in Iran have also been given extended time.[32][33][34]