Rafiristan, a country of central Asia, lying between lat. 35° and 36° N., and lon. 69° 20' and 71° 20' E., bounded N by Badakhshan, E. by Chitral, and S. and W. by Cabool; area, about 7,000 sq. m.; pop. unknown. The surface is very rugged, and the climate exhibits great extremes of temperature. In the north the snow-crested spurs of the Hindoo Koosh range divide the country into narrow valleys and rocky chasms, which form the beds of torrents; but in the south it is more level. There are no roads but narrow foot paths, and the two passes through the mountains into Badakhshan are open only during the summer months. This wild and almost inaccessible region derives its name from the epithet ka-firs or infidels applied by the surrounding Mohammedans to its people. They assert that they are descendants of the troops of Alexander the Great, and differ in features, customs, and creed from the neighboring tribes. They are fair in complexion, blue-eyed, of regular features, intelligent, social, kind, and hospitable. They believe in one God, but worship various intercessory idols. Their language is a dialect of the Persian. Domestic slavery is practised, the slaves being sometimes those taken in feuds with hostile tribes and sometimes orphans of their own tribe.

In the working of metals, which abound in their mountains, they exhibit much skill, and their silver drinking cups are often of elaborate and tasteful designs. They are almost continually at war with their Mohammedan neighbors, who make annual incursions into their territory for slaves. Their weapons are bows and barbed arrows, which are sometimes poisoned, and for close conflict daggers and knives; but they have recently begun to use firearms. Their principal occupation is the raising of cattle and sheep, of which large herds are fed on the hills. In the valleys are raised wheat and millet, and Various kinds of fruit, particularly grapes. They make excellent wine, and both sexes indulge in it to excess. Their favorite amusement is dancing to the music of the pipe and tabor. It is not •known that they have any regular government, nor have they any general name for their nation; but they are divided into tribes, each with its separate name, and all matters affecting the common welfare are settled by consultation among the chief men.

They are sometimes distinguished as black Kafirs and white Kafirs, from peculiarities in their costume, the former being clad in black goat skins with the hair outside, the latter wearing a dress of white cotton.