*** Welcome to piglix ***

Kandahar Province

Kandahar
Pashto: کندهار ولايت
Persian: ولایت قندهار
Province
View of Arghandab River Valley
Nickname(s): 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; 65.5Coordinates: 31°00′N 65°30′E / 31.0°N 65.5°E / 31.0; 65.5
Country  Afghanistan
Founded by Alexander the Great
Capital Kandahar
Government
 • Governor Humayoon Azizi
Area
 • Total 54,022 km2 (20,858 sq mi)
Population (2012)
 • Total 1,151,100
 • Density 21/km2 (55/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+4:30
Area code(s) AF-KAN
Main languages Pashto

Kandahar (Pashto: کندھار‎) / (Persian: قندهار‎‎) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country next to Pakistan. 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 located on the Arghandab River.

The province contains about 18 districts, over 1,000 villages, and approximately 1,151,100 people, which is mostly tribal and a rural society. The main inhabitants of Kandahar province are the native ethnic Pashtuns, although smaller communities of Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks and Baloch are also found in parts of the city of Kandahar. The current governor of the province is Humayoon Azizi.

There is speculation about the origin of the name "Kandahar". It is believed that Kandahar bears Alexander's name, and derives from the Pashto rendering of Iskandariya or Alexandria. A temple to the deified Alexander as well as an inscription in Greek and Aramaic by the emperor Ashoka, who lived a few decades later, have been discovered in the old citadel.


...
Wikipedia

...