Kandahar Province

Kandahar
کندهار
Province
Nickname: 
Loy kandahar
Map of Afghanistan with Kandahar highlighted
Map of Afghanistan with Kandahar highlighted
Coordinates (Capital): 31°00′N 65°30′E / 31.0°N 65.5°E / 31.0; 65.5
Country Afghanistan
CapitalKandahar
Government
 • TypeProvince
 • BodyUlema Council[1]
 • GovernorMullah Shirin Akhund[2]
 • Deputy GovernorMaulvi Hayatullah Mubarak[3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
54,844 km2 (21,175 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[5]
 • Total
1,431,876
 • Density26/km2 (68/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+4:30 (Afghanistan Time)
Postal code
38xx
Area codeAF-KAN
Main languagesPashto
Websitehttps://kandahar.gov.af/

Kandahār (Pashto: کندهار; Kandahār, Dari: قندهار; Qandahār) is one of the thirty four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country, sharing a border with Pakistan, to the south. It is surrounded by Helmand in the west, Uruzgan in the north and Zabul Province in the east. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is Afghanistan's second largest city, which is located on the Arghandab River. The greater region surrounding the province is called Loy Kandahar. The Emir of Afghanistan sends orders to Kabul from Kandahar making it the de facto capital of Afghanistan, although the main government body operates in Kabul. All meetings with the Emir take place in Kandahar, meetings excluding the Emir are in Kabul.

The province contains about 18 districts, over 1,000 villages, and approximately 1,431,876 people (the 6th most populous province), which is mostly tribal and a rural society.[5] The main inhabitants of Kandahar province are the ethnic Pashtuns. They are followed by the Baloch people, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmens and Hazaras.[6]

  1. ^ آزادی, رادیو (11 January 2022). منبع: رهبر طالبان دستور داده تا شورای علما در کندهار ایجاد شود [Source: The leader of the Taliban has ordered the creation of a council of scholars in Kandahar]. Radio Azadi (in Dari). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  2. ^ Trofimov, Yaroslav (2021-08-13). "Taliban Seize Kandahar, Prepare to March on Afghan Capital Kabul". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  3. ^ "Respect amnesty for ex-officials: Taliban chief". December 30, 2021 – via pajhwok.com.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference president was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b "Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2021-22" (PDF). nsia.gov.af. National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA). April 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference nps-kandahar was invoked but never defined (see the help page).