The nation and people of Afghanistan have adapted over the years. To understand the culture of Afghanistan it is necessary to know the history not only of the people but of the land itself. The history of Afghanistan is full of wars, which have played a decisive role in the development of the Afghan people. Location and landscape have an important role to play in the development of the Afghan people. With the invasion of so many different forces, the country is rich in the culture of different invading forces who left soldiers to make a home in the country. The Shia and Sunni factions of Islam divide the country, the Shia being the larger of the two, and from there it further divides into tribal influences that speak a multitude of languages, although there are many different tribes that will unite in times of invasion because of each other's religious beliefs. Due to the level of poverty, people place their loyalty towards small tribal groups and in many cases place more importance on the good of the group than on their own well-being. The current situation in Afghanistan is that of a developing country trying to maintain its history and traditions that have made its people hardy and resilient. The country of Afghanistan is strategically located between Central Asia and the Middle East. The terrain, through its natural physical barriers, has helped shape the country and its people throughout history. In many parts the climate is predominantly dry, although there are some waterways that flow mainly into neighboring countries. Areas along the border with Pakistan experience rainfall during the Indian monsoon season. When the snow melts in spring, local people will dig wells, called Kariz in Pashto, to collect water for use throughout the year...... middle of paper ......anistan.saarctourism .org/ethnic- groups.html>."Russian invasion of Afghanistan." Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Np, January 1, 2008. Web. June 12, 2014. .Cahn, Dianna. "Troops fear corruption outpaces Afghan forces' progress." Empty striped RSS test. Stars and Stripes, December 9, 2009. Web. June 12, 2014. .Newell, Nancy Peabody, and Richard S. Newell. The fight for Afghanistan. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1981. Print.Nyrop, Richard F. and D.C. Washington. Afghanistan, a study on the country. 5th ed. Washington, DC: The Studies:, 1986. Print.Tomsen, Peter. The wars of Afghanistan: messianic terrorism, tribal conflicts and the failures of great powers. New York: PublicAffairs, 2011. Print.