Takhar Province

Takhar Persian: تخار‎ Pashto: تخار ولايت‎
Province
View from atop a hill in Khawajah Bahawuddin, Takhar Province, Afghanistan.
Map of Afghanistan with Takhar highlighted
Coordinates (Capital): 36°42′N 69°48′E / 36.7°N 69.8°E / 36.7; 69.8Coordinates: 36°42′N 69°48′E / 36.7°N 69.8°E / 36.7; 69.8
Country	Afghanistan
Capital	Taloqan
Government
• Governor	Dr.fazlullah Mujaddedi
Area
• Total	12,333 km2 (4,762 sq mi)
Population (2012)[1]
• Total	933,700
• Density	76/km2 (200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+4:30
Main languages	Dari (Afghan Persian)

Takhar (Persian: تخار‎; Pashto: تخار ولايت‎) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeast of the country next to Tajikistan. It is surrounded by Badakhshan in the east, Panjshir in the south, and Baghlan and Kunduz in the west. The city of Taloqan serves as its capital.

The province contains about 17 districts, over 1,000 villages, and approximately 933,700 people,^[1] which is multi-ethnic and mostly a rural society.^[2]

History[edit]

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Ancient Indus Valley Civilisation 2200–1800 BC Oxus civilization 2100–1800 BC Aryans 1700–700 BC Median Empire 728–550 BC Achaemenid Empire 550–330 BC Seleucid Empire 330–150 BC Maurya Empire 305–180 BC Greco-Bactrian Kingdom 256–125 BC Parthian Empire 247 BC–224 AD Indo-Greek Kingdom 180–130 BC Indo-Scythian Kingdom 155–80? BC Kushan Empire 135 BC – 248 AD Indo-Parthian Kingdom 20 BC – 50? AD Sasanian Empire 230–651 Kidarite Kingdom 320–465 Alchon Huns 380–560 Hephthalite Empire 410–557 Nezak Huns 484–711
Medieval Kabul Shahi 565–879 Principality of Chaghaniyan 7th–8th centuries Rashidun Caliphate 652–661 Umayyads 661–750 Abbasids 750–821 Tahirids 821–873 Saffarids 863–900 Samanids 875–999 Ghaznavids 963–1187 Ghurids before 879–1215 Seljuks 1037–1194 Khwarezmids 1215–1231 Qarlughids 1224–1266 Ilkhanate 1258–1353 Chagatai Khanate 1225–1370 Khaljis 1290–1320 Karts 1245–1381 Timurids 1370–1507 Arghuns 1520–1591
Modern Mughals 1501–1738 Safavids 1510–1709 Hotak dynasty 1709–1738 Afsharid dynasty 1738–1747 Durrani Empire 1747–1826 Emirate of Afghanistan 1826–1919 Kingdom of Afghanistan 1919–1973 Republic of Afghanistan 1973–1978 Democratic Republic of Afghanistan 1978–1992 Islamic State of Afghanistan 1992–2001 Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 1996–2004 Interim/Transitional Administration 2001–2004 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan since 2004
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Early history[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2018)

7th to 16th centuries[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2018)

16th to 20th centuries[edit]

Between the early 16th century and the mid-18th century, the territory was ruled by the Khanate of Bukhara.

It was given to Ahmad Shah Durrani by Murad Beg of Bukhara after a treaty of friendship was reached in or about 1750, and became part of the Durrani Empire. It was ruled by the Durranis followed by the Barakzai dynasty, and was untouched by the British during the three Anglo-Afghan wars that were fought in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

1964–2001[edit]

It was established in 1964 when Qataghan Province was divided into three provinces: Baghlan, Kunduz and Takhar. During the 1980s Soviet–Afghan War, the area fell under the influence of Rabbani and Ahmad Shah Massoud. It was controlled by the Northern Alliance in the 1990s. It experienced some fighting between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban forces. Takhar holds notoriety as the location where Mujahideen Commander Ahmad Shah Massoud was assassinated on 9 September 2001 by suspected al-Qaeda agents.

2001–2015[edit]

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) took over security responsibility of the area in the early 2000s, which was led by Germany. The province also began to see some developments and the establishment of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). In a small incident in July 2008, the Afghan National Police killed Mullah Usman when several armed Taliban militants under his command raided a police checkpoint in the Kalafgan district. This was the first time since the fall of Taliban regime in 2001 that the Taliban insurgents engaged police in this province. Mullah Usman was the most senior Taliban commander in the northeast region of Afghanistan, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry.^[3]

In May 2009, Taliban insurgents fighting Afghan government attacked the Baharak district in Takhar province.^[4] A bomb attack on 28 May 2011 killed Mohammed Daud Daud and injured Governor Taqwa. Several German soldiers and Afghans were also killed.^[5]

In April 2012, the water supply at the Rostaq district's school for girls was poisoned by unknown insurgents, sickening at least 140 Afghan schoolgirls and teachers ranging in age from 14 to 30, causing them to be hospitalized and some to partially lose consciousness, though there have been no deaths so far.^[6]

2015 earthquake[edit]

On October 26, the 7.5 Mw Hindu Kush earthquake shook northern Afghanistan with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). This earthquake destroyed almost 30,000 homes, left several hundred dead, and more than 1,700 injured.^[7]

Politics and governance[edit]

The current governor is Abdul Jabbar Taqwa. The border with neighboring Tajikistan are monitored by the Afghan Border Police (ABP). All law enforcement activities throughout the province are handled by the Afghan National Police (ANP). A provincial Police Chief is assigned to lead both the ANP and the ABP. The Police Chief represents the Ministry of the Interior in Kabul. The ANP is backed by the military, including the NATO-led forces.

Demographics[edit]

Ethnolinguistic groups in Afghanistan

Districts of Takhar

The population of the province is about 933,700,^[1] which is mostly tribal and a rural society. The main inhabitants of Takhar province are Tajiks at 60% and Uzbeks at 35%. The remainders are Pashtun, Hazara, Pashai, Kho and Turkmen. There are also a population of Kuchis (nomads) whose numbers vary in different seasons.

District information[edit]

Economy[edit]

Agriculture and mining are the main industries of the province. Takhar has coal reserves of fairly good quality which are being exploited by hand in some villages and sold in the region. The local population considers gold the most relevant resource for the Province. Gold is being washed in Takhar River, and about 2 kg are being transported to the specific weekly markets in the city of Taloqan. Also the city is a main source of construction materials like: loam, sand, and different types of stones. Takhar province is known for its salt mountains and you can find large deposits of fine salt in the region. The Takcha Khanna salt mine is one of the growing number of salt supplier, for the population of Takhar and northern Afghanistan. While the mines offer economic opportunities in the region, the availability of iodized salt considerably reduces the prevalence of health problems related to iodine deficiency.

See also[edit]

• Tokharistan
• Taloqan

Footnotes[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Takhar Province.

• Naval Postgraduate School - Takhar Province
• Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development - Takhar Province
• Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System - Takhar Province
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Afghanistan/East/Takhar/ (pictures of Takhar province)