Kabul (kå' bul) or Cabul was made the capital of Afghanistan by Timur in 1774. It stands 6,000 feet above the sea, and is overshadowed by the once famous fortress of Bala Hissar. The city has a large trade with India and Central Asia; its bazar rivals that of Kandahar; and it is noted for its fruits and its carpets. It is the seat of the reigning emir, and has a mint, a gun-factory and a modern arsenal. Kabul was captured twice by the British (1842 and 1880). Hindus, Jews and Afghan tribesmen make the population (75,000).
