PRIN -sə-pə and /ˌsaʊ tɒˈmeɪ ənd ˈprɪnsɨpeɪ/ SOW to- MAY ənd PRIN -sə-pay . 21.Afghanistan The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South - Central Asia . It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, Western Asia , or the Middle East . It