The Pashtuns or ( Pax̌tānə; singular masculine: Pax̌tūn, feminine: Pax̌tana; also Pakhtuns), historically known by the exonyms Afghans (, Afğān) and Pathans (Hindi-Urdu: पठान, پٹھان, Paṭhān), are an ethnic group with populations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are generally classified as Eastern Iranian who use Pashto language and follow Pashtunwali, which is a traditional set of ethics guiding individual and communal conduct. The origin of Pashtuns is unclear but historians have come across references to various ancient peoples called Pakthas (Pactyans) between the 2nd and the 1st millennium BC, who may be their early ancestors. Often characterised as a warrior and martial race, their history is mostly spread amongst various countries of South and Central Asia, centred on their traditional seat of power in medieval Afghanistan.