Durand Line

Durand Line

      boundary established in the Hindu Kush in 1893 running through the tribal lands between Afghanistan and British India, marking their respective spheres of influence; in modern times it has marked the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The acceptance of this line—which was named for Sir Mortimer Durand, who induced ʿAbdor Raḥmān Khān, amir of Afghanistan, to agree to a boundary—may be said to have settled the Indo-Afghan frontier problem for the rest of the British period.

      After the British conquered the Punjab in 1849, they took over the ill-defined Sikh frontier to the west of the Indus River, leaving a belt of territory between them and the Afghans that was inhabited by various Pashtun tribes. Questions of administration and defense made this area a problem. Some of the British, members of the so-called stationary school, wanted to retire to the Indus; others, of the forward school, wanted to advance to a line from Kābul through Ghaznī to Qandahār (Kandahār). The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Anglo-Afghan Wars) (1878–80) discredited the forward advocates, and the tribal area was divided into roughly equal spheres of influence. The British established their authority by indirect rule up to the Durand Line, at the cost of a number of tribal wars; the Afghans left their side untouched. In the mid-20th century the area on both sides of the line became the subject of a movement for Pashtun independence and establishment of an independent state of Pakhtunistan. In 1980 approximately 7.5 million Pashtuns were living in the area around the Durand Line.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Durand Line — The red line between Afghanistan and Pakistan is called the Durand Line, named after British Foreign Secretary Mortimer Durand in 1893. The Durand Line (Pashto: د ډیورنډ کرښه) refers to the porous internation …   Wikipedia

  • Durand — may refer to: Contents 1 Places 2 People 2.1 Given name 2.2 Surname 3 Other uses …   Wikipedia

  • Durand-Linie — Zentralasien am Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts: die Zeit vor der Errichtung der Durand Linie Die Durand Linie ist eine ungenaue, 2450 Kilometer lange Demarkationslinie zwischen Afghanistan und Pakistan. Nach den ersten beiden britisch… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Durand Township, Beltrami County, Minnesota — Durand Township, Minnesota   Township   …   Wikipedia

  • Durand, Wisconsin — Durand   City   City of Durand Skyline Motto: On The Banks Of The Chippewa …   Wikipedia

  • Durand, Michigan —   City   Location of Dura …   Wikipedia

  • Durand Airfield — 17 Mile Drome Part of Fifth Air Force Located near Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea …   Wikipedia

  • Durand (town), Wisconsin — Durand, Wisconsin   Town   Location of Durand (town), Wisconsin …   Wikipedia

  • Durand, Illinois — Coordinates: 42°26′02″N 89°19′41″W / 42.43389°N 89.32806°W / 42.43389; 89.32806 …   Wikipedia

  • Mortimer Durand — Mortimer Durand, 1903 Sir Henry Mortimer Durand (14 February 1850 – 8 June 1924) was a British diplomat and civil servant of colonial British India. Contents 1 Background …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”