Kandahar

Kandahar کندهار Candahar
City
From top left to right: Overview of an area near Kandahar City; Aerial view of a section of Kandahar City; Kandahar International Airport; Arghandab Valley; Mausoleum of Baba Wali Kandahari; Mausoleum of Mirwais Hotak; Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani; Governor's Mansion.
Kandahar Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 31°37′N 65°43′E / 31.617°N 65.717°E / 31.617; 65.717Coordinates: 31°37′N 65°43′E / 31.617°N 65.717°E / 31.617; 65.717
Country	Afghanistan
Province	Kandahar
District	Kandahar
Government
• Mayor	Humayoon Azizi
Elevation	1,010 m (3,310 ft)
Population (2012)
• City	491,500
• Urban	557,118
Time zone	Afghanistan Standard Time (UTC+4:30)
Website	www.kandahardaily.com

Kandahar (/ˈkændəˌhɑːr/) or Qandahar (Pashto: کندهار‎ Kandahār, Persian: قندهار, Qandahār, known in older literature as Candahar) is the second-largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 491,500 as of 2012^[update]. Formerly called Alexandria Arachosia, the city is named after Alexander the Great, who founded it in 329 BC around a small ancient Arachosian town. Kandahar is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at an altitude of 1,010 m above sea level. The Arghandab River runs along the west of the city. The city of Kandahar has a population of 557,118. It has 15 districts and a total land area of 27,337 hectares. The total number of dwellings in Kandahar is 61,902.

Kandahar is one of the most culturally significant cities of the Pashtuns and has been their traditional seat of power for more than 200 years. It is a major trading center for sheep, wool, cotton, silk, felt, food grains, fresh and dried fruit, and tobacco. The region produces fine fruits, especially pomegranates and grapes, and the city has plants for canning, drying, and packing fruit, and is a major source of marijuana and hashish. The area is believed to be the birthplace of cannabis indica.