Religion

Afghanistan's culture is fundamentally shaped by religion, which also has an impact on other areas of national life. In Afghanistan, 99.7% of people identify as Muslims, making Islam the dominant religion in the nation. However, Zoroastrianism, which is thought to have its roots in Afghanistan reaching back to the 18th century BC, is the oldest religion still practiced today in that nation. Zoroastrians are thought to number 2,000 in contemporary Afghanistan. In 305 BC, when Afghanistan was a part of the Maurya Empire, Buddhism first appeared in that country.

Early in the eighth century, Islam was brought to the land, and by the ninth century, it had become the majority religion. About 10% of the population identify as Shia Muslims, compared to 90% of the population who practice Sunni Islam. Additionally, a sizable portion of Muslims in the nation identify as nondenominational and contemporary Muslims. According to estimates, Afghanistan's Christian population numbers between 500 and 8,000 people.