Bamyan Province

 

 

Bamyan
بامیان

Capital
 • Coordinates

Bamyan
 • 34.75° N 67.25° E

Population (2006)
 • 
Density

387,300[1]
 • 27.3/km²

Area

14,175 km²

Time zone

GMT +4:30

Main language(s)

Persian (Dari
and Hazaragi varieties)

Bamyan Province (Persian: بامیان) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the centre of the country. Its capital is also called Bamyan. Bamyan is the largest town in the Hazarajat region of Afghanistan, and is the cultural capital of the Hazara ethnic group that predominates in the area.

In antiquity, central Afghanistan was strategically placed to thrive from the Silk Road caravans which criss-crossed the region trading between the Roman Empire, China, Central and South Asia. Bamyan was a stopping off point for many travellers. It was here where elements of Greek, Persian and Buddhist art were combined into a unique classical style, known as Greco-Buddhist art.

History

Bamyan was the site of an early Buddhist monastery from which Bamyan takes its name < Sanskrit varmayana, "coloured.". Many statues of Buddha are carved into the sides of cliffs facing Bamyan city. The two most prominent of these statues were standing Buddhas, now known as the Buddhas of Bamyan, measuring 55 and 37 meters high respectively, that were the largest examples of standing Buddha carvings in the world (see also:[1]). They were probably erected in the 4th or 5th century C.E. They were cultural landmarks for many years and are listed among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. In March 2001 the Taliban government decreed that the statues were idolatrous and ordered them to be demolished with anti-aircraft artillery and explosives.

The Buddhist remains at Bamyan were included on the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund. It is hoped that the listing will put continued national and international attention on the site as a whole (including, but not limited to, the statues) in order to ensure its long-term preservation, and to make certain that future restoration efforts maintain the authenticity of the site and that proper preservation practices are followed.

Band-e Amir lakes in Bamyan.

Bamyan is also known for its natural beauty. The Band-e Amir lakes in western Bamyan province continue to be a tourist destination for Afghans.

A popular route through the mountains of Bamyan

Bamyan is currently the base of operations for the New Zealand peace keeping force, a Provincial Reconstruction Team codenamed Task Group Crib, which is part of the network of Provincial Reconstruction Teams throughout Afghanistan. It is recognised as one of the safest provinces in the country which has allowed for much concerntration on civil rebuilding

There are currently 122 New Zealand Defence Force personnel in Bamyan. To date they have helped with reconstruction work including building bridges and schools as well as maintaining security in the region.

The New Zealand Police are also working in the region to help train the Afghan National Police (ANP). In July 2006 three Afghan women signed to join the ANP in Bamyan, the first time women have joined a police force in Afghanistan.

Politics

The current governor of the province is Habiba Sarabi, Afghanistan's first female governor. She was appointed in 2005.

Districts

Daykundi Province

Daykundi
دایکندی

Capital
 • Coordinates

Nili
 • 33.75° N 66.25° E

Population (2006)
 • 
Density

399,600[1]
 • 49.4/km²

Area

8088[2] km²

Time zone

GMT +4:30

Main language(s)

Persian (Hazaragi and Dari dialects)
Pashto

Daykundi /Persian: دایکندی, also spelt Daikondi, Dāykondī or Daikundi) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It was established on March 28, 2004. The region had previously been an isolated district of Uruzgan province.

It is located about 310 kilometres from Kabul and 160 kilometres from Tarin Kowt.

Daykundi's capital is Nili. Daykundi is mostly populated by Hazaras. 7 out of 8 districts of Daykundi province are Hazara populated areas. During past eras the Hazaras of Daykundi fought with each other. It is reported that in these conflicts approximately 70,000 people were killed.

Daykundi province is famous for having the best quality almonds, which are distributed all over Afghanistan.

Districts

Pre-2005 Districts of Daykundi.

 

 

 

Farah Province

Farah
فراه

Capital
 • Coordinates

Farah
 • 32.5° N 63.5° E

Population (2006)
 • 
Density

438,000[1]
 • 9.0/km²

Area

48,471 km²

Time zone

GMT +4:30

Main language(s)

Persian
Pashto

Farah (Persian: فراه) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the west of the country. Its capital is Farah. Farah is a spacious and sparsely populated province that lies on the Iranian border.

Geographically the province is approximately 18,000 square miles, making it (comparatively) more than twice the size of Maryland, or half the size of South Korea. The province is bounded on the north by Herat, on the northeast by Ghor, the southeast by Helmand, the south by Nimroz, and on the west by Iran. It is the fourth largest province in Afghanistan.

The province is home to a great many ruined castles including the "Castle of the Infidel" just south of Farah City.

Culture

The people of Farah have a reputation for being very courageous and hard working and being interested in land and money, the latter mainly due to the deprivation Farah has been historically subjected to.

Farah is associated with such diverse phenomena as dried meat, bigamy (among the less educated ones) and large families (families typically have a minimum of four children). Ethnically, Farah Province has a Pashtun majority. There is a [[Tajik or better to say for this uique case Fars]] belt around the capital city (Yazdi in Farah: people from Yazd in Iran migrated to Farah and called a small part of the capital Yazdi). Specially people who are shiite muslims and Fars (the afghan term tadjik is not correct in this case) are genuine persian by descent. There are also a couple of areas where Aimaks predominate.

The culture of Farah is patriarchal, where the tribal leaders, almost always men, are highly respected. Family pride is strongly valued and family members are taught to respect it and ensure that it is maintained at all times.

The tomb of Syed Mohammed Jaunpuri (who claimed to be the Mahdi) is in Farah and is visited every year by many people from all around the world, especially Pakistan and India.

 

Security Situation

Map of Farah Province

Despite having a majority-Pashtun population, Farah has not seen much fighting since the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, and is peaceful, relative to many parts of the country. However, mountainous Eastern Farah has seen at least one US offensive against Taliban forces. In February 2005, the Taliban killed an aid worker in northern Farah and there was a failed Taliban assassination attempt on the governor. Due to its proximity to the restive Helmand and Uruzgan provinces, Farah has experienced problems with roaming insurgent gangs moving through the province and occupying parts of the province for brief periods of time [1]. Incidents of this type have increased as Taliban fighters face heavy pressure from ISAF offensives in the south.

American and NATO troops jointly run a Provincial Reconstruction Team base out of Farah. The American soldiers at the base were, until October 2006 when ISAF Stage 4 started, the only ones in the country that were under ISAF authority.

Farah Province roads have seen massive improvement since May 2005 and are still being improved to date April 2006. The education system has been greatly improved and a great number of illegal weapons have been collected and destroyed in the province as testimony to the Provincial Reconstruction Team.

Districts

Districts of Farah.

 

Faryab province

 

Faryab
فارياب

Capital
 • Coordinates

Maymana
 • 36° N 65° E

Population (2006)
 • 
Density

858,600[1]
 • 42.3/km²

Area

20,293 km²

Time zone

GMT +4:30

Main language(s)

Uzbek
Turkmen
Persian (Dari)

Faryab (Persian: فارياب) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Maymana.

History

Faryab is a Persian word meaning "lands irrigated by diversion of river water".[2] The modern province is named after a town that was founded by the Sassanids and later destroyed by the invading Mongols in 1220.[2]

[edit] Political and Economic Situation

Primarily ethnically Uzbek and Turkmen, Faryab province has been one of the more peaceful areas in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban after the U.S. invasion of 2001. Recent development projects in the province have focused on expanding the agricultural potential of the province, in particular the re-forestation of areas of the province that were denuded in the recent past.

Government

The Governor of the province is Amer Latif.

Districts

Districts of Faryab.