1) Afghanistan has a long history as a crossroads between civilizations and was conquered by many empires over centuries before becoming an independent state in the 18th century. 2) The country experienced periods of internal conflict and instability throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and was invaded by Britain in the 1830s. It gained full independence in 1919. 3) The Taliban rose to power in the 1990s and imposed strict Islamic rule until being overthrown by U.S. forces in 2001 following the 9/11 terrorist attacks carried out by Al Qaeda while sheltered in Afghanistan.