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The Tajiks are mostly Sunni Muslims and speak Persian. Tajiks are the principle inhabitants of the republic of Tajikistan across the northern border from Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, they live predominantly in the north-east and in the west. Some also live in Kabul. Because they make up the bulk of Afghanistan's educated elite and possess considerable wealth, they have significant political influence. Their influence lies predominantly in the government ministries, public services and trade bodies. Those living in rural regions engage in agriculture and herding. They have no specific social structure and tend to adopt those of their neighbors. Slender and light skinned, the Tajiks have aquiline noses and usually black hair, although occasionally red and blond. Their history is vague, and it is possible that they were living in this area before the Aryan invasion. In Afghanistan, the Tajiks are the second largest group after the Pashtuns. They are also the Pashtuns' closest rivals for power and prestige. However, with two brief exceptions, one in the 14th century and one for nine months in 1929, they never ruled their region. They survived the Soviet occupation in a much less fragmented state than the Pashtuns, thus putting them in a better position to challenge Pashtun dominance.
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