Balkh Province
Balkh
بلخ | |
---|---|
[5] |
Balkh (
Balkh, also called Vazīrābād, the name of the province is derived from the ancient city of
The province serves today as
Geography
Balkh Province is situated in the northern part of Afghanistan, bordering Turkmenistan in the north-west, bordering Uzbekistan in the north, Tajikistan in the north-east, Kunduz Province in the east, Samangan Province in the south-east, Sar-e Pol Province in the south-west and Jowzjan Province in the west. The province covers an area of 16,840 km2. Nearly half of the province is mountainous or semi-mountainous terrain (48.7%) while half of the area (50.2%) is made up of flat land.[10]
History
History of Afghanistan | |
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Timeline | |
410–557 | |
Nezak Huns | 484–711 |
Ancient history
The
The early Greek historian Ctesias c. 400 BCE (followed by Diodorus Siculus) alleged that the legendary Assyrian king Ninus had defeated a Bactrian king named Oxyartes in ca. 2140 BC, or some 1000 years before the Trojan War. Ever since the discovery of cuneiform enabled actual Assyrian records to be deciphered in the 19th century, however, historians have ascribed little value to the Greek account.
According to some writers, Bactria was the homeland of
It is suggested by
Alexander the Great conquered
"The famed Bactrian Empire of a thousand cities, wallowing in wealth (opulentissimum illud mille urbium Bactrianum imperium)"[15]
The many difficulties against which the Seleucid kings had to fight and the attacks of
The Greco-Bactrians were so powerful that they were able to expand their territory as far as India:
- "As for Bactria, a part of it lies alongside Aria towards the north, though most of it lies above Aria and to the east of it. And much of it produces everything except oil. The Greeks who caused Bactria to revolt grew so powerful on account of the fertility of the country that they became masters, not only of Bactria and beyond, but also of India, as Apollodorus of Artemita says: and more tribes were subdued by them than by Alexander...."[16]
The Greco-Bactrians used
The weakness of the Greco-Bactrians was shown by its sudden and complete overthrow, first by the
Under the Sassanids the province would become part of the area known as Khorasan.[9]
Kujula Kadphises, the Guishuang xihou (or prince) of the Da Yuezhi, united the region in the early 1st century and laid the foundations for the powerful, but short-lived,
The reports of Zhang Qian were put in writing in the
Following these reports, the Chinese Emperor
- "The Son of Heaven on hearing all this reasoned thus: Ferghana (Hanshu, Former Han History).
These contacts immediately led to the dispatch of multiple embassies from the Chinese, which helped to develop the Silk Road.
Modern history
As of January 2022, clashes between Taliban and guerrilla bands have been reported in the province[19]
On 9 March 2023, Daud Muzamil, the Taliban governor of Afghanistan's Balkh province was killed in a blast at his office.[20]
Economy
Like in other parts of Afghanistan, agriculture plays an important part of Balkh's economy.[21] It is known for producing some of the sweetest melons and grapes.[22] It is expected that the province will witness a major agriculture boost in the near future after the Qush Tepa Canal is completed, which "will irrigate 500,000 hectares of land in Balkh, Jawzjan and Faryab provinces."[23] This will significantly increase Balkh's economy and population as many Afghans from other parts of the country will move to the province for employment purposes.
Mining
On October 5, 2018, in Washington, D.C., Afghan officials signed a 30-year contract involving a $56 million investment by investment group Centar and its operating company Afghan Gold and Minerals Co. for exploration of an area covering 500 square km for copper, with development of mining due to begin thereafter.[24]
Healthcare
The percentage of households with clean drinking water increased from 8% in 2005 to 15% in 2011.[25] The percentage of births attended by a skilled birth attendant increased from 0% in 2005 to 20% in 2011. In 2018 Dr.Khalilullah Hekmati was appointed the Public Health Director which was followed by positive changes in the Health sector.[25]
Education
The overall literacy rate (6+ years of age) increased from 12% in 2005 to 23% in 2011.[25] The overall net enrolment rate (6–13 years of age) increased from 22% in 2005 to 46% in 2011.[25]
Demographics
As of 2020, the total population of the province is about 1,509,183,
According to the
According to the World Food Program[10]
Around 66% of the population of Balkh lives in rural districts while 34% lives in urban areas. Around 51% of the population is male and 49% is female. The major ethnic groups living in Balkh province are Tajiks and Pashtuns followed by Uzbek, Hazaras, Turkman, Arab and Baluch. Dari is spoken by about 50% of the population and 58% of the villages. The second most frequent language is Pashto, spoken by the majorities in 266 villages representing 27% of the population, followed by Turkmani (11.9%) and Uzbeki (10.7%).
Districts
Balkh province is divided into 15 districts.[6]
District | Capital | Population[4] | Area[27] | Pop. density |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Balkh | 136,097 | 536 | 254 | Predominantly Farsiwans(Tajiks), few Uzbeks and Hazaras. | |
Charbolak | 91,539 | 607 | 151 | Majority Pashtuns, minority Farsiwans (Tajiks, Arabs).[28] | |
Charkint | 50,220 | 1,222 | 41 | Mostly Hazara,[29] minority uzbek and Pashtuns, some Farsiwans. | |
Chimtal | 103,630 | 1,917 | 54 | Majority Uzbeks, minority Farsiwans tajiks, Pashtuns and Hazaras. | |
Dawlatabad | 119,083 | 1,804 | 66 | Majority Farsiwans (Tajiks), minority Uzbeks, Hazaras, Turkmens, Pashtuns. | |
Dihdadi | 76,261 | 274 | 278 | Mixed Kyrgyz, Farsiwans and Hazaras. | |
Kaldar | 22,586 | 803 | 28 | Predominantly Uzbeks. | |
Khulm | Tashqurghan | 83,032 | 3,204 | 26 | 91 villages. Mix of Uzbeks, Farsiwans (Arabs, Aimaq), Pashtuns, Hazaras. Used to be part of Samangan Province. |
Kishindih | 55,003 | 1,083 | 51 | Majority Hazaras, minority Pashtuns and Uzbeks. | |
Marmul | 12,888 | 375 | 34 | Majority Tajik Farsiwan,[30] minority Uzbeks, few Kyrgyz. | |
Mazar-e-Sharif |
484,492 | 67 | 7,218 | 40% Tajiks, 27% Pashtuns, 20% Hazara, 10% Uzbeks, 3% Turkmens.[31] | |
Nahri Shahi | 50,752 | 1,409 | 36 | Predominantly Farsiwans, some Uzbeks and Hazaras. | |
Sholgara | 129,271 | 1,755 | 74 | 40% Farsiwans (Tajiks, Arabs), 20% Pashtuns (Kandahari, Baloch, Kuchi), 20% Hazaras, 20% Uzbeks.[32] | |
Shortepa | 44,773 | 1,563 | 29 | Predominantely Turkmens, few Uzbeks. | |
Zari | 49,556 | 869 | 57 | Predominantly Hazaras. Used to be part of Kishindih District. | |
Balkh | 1,509,183 | 16,186 | 93 | 40% Kochi)[note 1]
|
- ^ Note: "Predominantely" or "dominated" is interpreted as 99%, "majority" as 70%, "mixed" as 1/(number of ethnicities), "minority" as 30% and "few" or "some" as 1%.
Sport
The locals of Balkh take great pride in their sporting history and culture. Every
Notable people
- Abdul Ghani Ghani, political representative
- Mohammad Zabihullah, anti-soviet resistance leader
- Rumi, Persian poet
- Ismail Samani, Persian king
- Roxana, Greek princess
- Avicenna, Persian polymatch
- Atta Muhammad Nur, afghan politician
- Rabia Balkhi, Persian poet
- Abdul Ali Mazari, hazara military leader
- Wazir Akbar Khan, afghan prince
- Abdur Rahman Khan, afghan emir
See also
- Almoghul
- Balkh (Town in northern Afghanistan)
- Provinces of Afghanistan
- Tal-e ʽAsheqan
- Bactria
References
- ^ "Balkh Governor Meets with Senior Diplomats of Several Countries". Khaama Press. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ a b "د نږدې شلو ولایاتو لپاره نوي والیان او امنیې قوماندانان وټاکل شول". 7 November 2021. Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Area and Administrative and Population". Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
- ^ a b "Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2021-22" (PDF). National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA). April 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
- ^ "The U.S. Board on Geographic Name". U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ a b "Settled Population of Balkh province by Civil Division, Urban, Rural and Sex-2012-13" (PDF). Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Central Statistics Organization. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
- ^ a b "Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2020-21" (PDF). Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, National Statistics and Information Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- Britannica Online.
- ^ a b "Khurasan", The Encyclopaedia of Islam, page 55. Brill. 1967. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2010-10-22.
- ^ a b "Balkh". World Food Programme. Archived from the original on 2013-09-05.
- ^ Cotterell (1998), p. 59)
- ^ Herzfeld, Ernst (1968). The Persian Empire: Studies in geography and ethnography of the ancient Near East. F. Steiner. p. 344.
- ^ P. Leriche, "Bactria, Pre-Islamic period." Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. 3, 1998.
- ^ Holt (2005), pp. 41–43.
- ^ Justinus XLI 1.8.
- ^ "Strabo,11.11.1". Archived from the original on 2008-04-19. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
- ^ UCLA Language Project, Pashto, Link Archived 2009-01-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Silk Road, North China, C. Michael Hogan, the Megalithic Portal, ed. Andy Burnham". Archived from the original on 2019-07-17. Retrieved 2011-04-10.
- ^ Pannier, Bruce (January 29, 2022). "Taliban's Arrest Of Ethnic Uzbek Commander Sparks Clashes In Northern Afghanistan". Radio Free Europe. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ "Taliban governor of Afghanistan's Balkh killed in blast - police". Reuters. 2023-03-09. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ "Bountiful Harvests Attract Farmers to New Horticultural System". The World Bank. September 14, 2015. Archived from the original on 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ "Balkh melon yield up but prices down this year". Pajhwok Afghan News. July 19, 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ "Qush Tepa Canal to be completed before scheduled date". Pajhwok Afghan News. August 9, 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ Mackenzie, James; Qadir Sediqi, Abdul (2018-10-07). "Afghanistan signs major mining deals in development push". reuters.com. Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-11-05. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ a b c d Archive, Civil Military Fusion Centre, https://www.cimicweb.org/AfghanistanProvincialMap/Pages/SarePul.aspx Archived 2014-05-31 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Balkh Province". Program for Culture & Conflict Studies. Naval Postgraduate School. Archived from the original on May 29, 2012. Retrieved 2013-06-16.
- ^ "Afghanistan Geographic & Thematic Layers". Archived from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
- ^ "Database". Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
- ^ "Database". www.afghan-bios.info. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
- ^ "Database". www.afghan-bios.info. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
- ^ "Provincial Profile". Archived from the original on October 8, 2022.
- ^ "UNHCR Sub-Office MAZAR-i-SHARIF DISTRICT PROFILE" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-10-27. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
- ^ "Simorgh Alborz". 28 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 September 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
External links
- Balkh Province by the Naval Postgraduate School
- Provincial Profile - Balkh (pdf)
- Balkh.com Official Website of Balkh