Badakhshan Province

Badakhshan (Persian: بدخشان - Badakhshān) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It has 28 Districts. The capital is Feyzabad. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya.

Location of Badakhshān
Coordinates: 38°N 71°E / 38°N 71°E / 38; 71Coordinates: 38°N 71°E / 38°N 71°E / 38; 71
Country Afghanistan
Government
 • TypeProvincial government
 • GovernorShah Waliullah Adeeb[1]
Area
 • Total44,059 km2 (17,011 sq mi)
Population
 • Estimate 
(2011-2012)
889,700
Demographics
 • EthnicitiesTajik, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Pashtun
 • LanguagesPersian, Pamiri, Pashto, Kyrgyz, Uzbek
Time zoneUTC+4:30
A Kuchi caravan traveling to the Shewa Valley in northern Badakhshan

Geography

Badakhshan is bordered by Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province and Khatlon Province in Tajikistan to the north and east. In the east is the Wakhan Corridor. The province has a total area of 44,059 km². Much of the land is the Hindu Kush and Pamir mountain ranges.

Economy

 
Classic lazurite specimen from Sar-e-Sang district. Size 7.4 x 5 x 5 cm.

Badakhshan is one of the poorest areas in the world. Opium poppy growing is the only real source of income in the province.

Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Sar-e-Sang mines for over 6,000 years. The mines were the largest and most well-known source in ancient times.[3]

Demographics

The population of the province is estimated at 889,700 people.[2] The majority of them are Persian-speaking Tajiks.

The residents of the province are largely Sunni.

Districts of Badakhshan

District map of Badakhshan Province
 
Districts of Badakhshan Province
District Map # Capital Population[4] Area Notes
Arghanj Khwa 6 12,000 Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District
Argo 6 45,000 Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District
Baharak 7 Baharak 14,000 Sub-divided in 2005
Darayim 6 65,000 Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District
Darwaz 1 Nusay 21,000 Sub-divided in 2005
Darwazi Bala 1 11,000 Created in 2005 within Darwaz District
Fayzabad 6 Fayzabad 46,000 Sub-divided in 2005
Ishkashim 8 Ishkashim 11,000
Jurm 10 3,000 Sub-divided in 2005
Khash 10 48,000 Created in 2005 within Jurm District
Khwahan 2 Khwahan 14,000 Sub-divided in 2005
Kishim 9 63,000 Sub-divided in 2005
Kohistan 7 12,000 Created in 2005 within Baharak District
Kuf Ab 2 16,000 Created in 2005 within Khwahan District
Kuran wa Munjan 11 Kuran wa Munjan 8,000
Ragh 4 Ragh 37,000 Sub-divided in 2005
Shahri Buzurg 5 Shahri Buzurg 42,000
Shighnan 3 24,000
Shiki 6 26,000 Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District
Shuhada 7 31,000 Created in 2005 within Baharak District
Tagab 6 22,000 Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District
Tishkan 9 23,000 Created in 2005 from Kishim District
Wakhan 13 13,000
Warduj 7 17,000 Created in 2005 within Baharak District
Yaftali Sufla 6 39,000 Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District
Yamgan 7 20,000 Created in 2005 within Baharak District
Yawan 4 27,000 Created in 2005 within Ragh District
Zebak 12 Zebak 7,000

Sport

The province is represented in Afghan domestic cricket competitions by the Badakhshan Province cricket team.

Notable people from Badakhshan

Badakhshan Province Media

Related pages

References

  1. "Database". www.afghan-bios.info.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Afghanistan Energy Information Center" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-01-10. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  3. Deer, William A.; Howie, Robert A, and Zussman, Joseph (1963) "Lapis lazuli" Rock-Forming Minerals Longman, London, OCLC 61975619
  4. "1 Badakhshan". www.rkabuli.20m.com.