Pashtuns,[1] also known as Pakhtuns or Afghans, are an ethnic group that inhabit the Pashtunistan region of Afghanistan and Pakistan.[2][3] They are one of the most populous ethnic groups in both countries. There is a significant Pashtuns diaspora in neighbouring countries such as Iran and India.[4]
Pashtuns are traditionally organised into tribal divisions, and their society is defined by the Pashtunwali, the traditional code by which they live. It is extremely important in the social structure and interactions of the Pashtun tribes.
There are more than 350–400 Pashtun tribes making Pashtuns the world's largest segmentary lineage society.[5]
- ^ Minahan, James B. (2012-08-30). Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-660-7.
- ^ Spain, James William (1963). The Pathan Borderland. Mouton. p. 40.
- ^ "Pashtun | Definition, People, Culture, & Religion | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
- ^ "The Hindu : Miscellaneous / This Day That Age : dated July 20, 1954: Pakhtoons in Kashmir". 2004-12-09. Archived from the original on 2004-12-09. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
- ^ Romano, Amy (2003). A historical atlas of Afghanistan. Internet Archive. New York : Rosen Pub. Group. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-8239-3863-6.