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Badakhshan (Persian and Pashto بدخشان - Badakhshān) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 29 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.
[edit] GeographyBadakshan is primarily bordered by Tajikistan to the north and east. A slim sliver of the province, called the Wakhan Corridor, also extends above northern Pakistan's Chitral and Northern Areas to a border with China. The province has a total area of 44,059 km², most of which is occupied by the Hindu Kush and Pamir mountain ranges. Badakhshan was a stopover on the ancient Silk Road trading path, and China has shown great interest in the province after the fall of the Taliban, helping to reconstruct roads and infrastructure in the province, probably with an interest in the province's mineral wealth. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the following ecoregions are found within the boundaries of Badakshan: Temperate Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands Gissaro-Alai open woodlands--found along the Pamir River. Common plants are pistachio, almond, walnut, apple, and juniper. sagebrush. Montane Grasslands and Shrublands Hindu Kush alpine meadow--found in the high mountains in the northern and southwestern regions. Common vegetation includes meadow and birch forests. Karakoram-West Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe--found in the Wakhan corridor. Pamir alpine desert and meadow--found in the Wakhan corridor. Deserts and Xeric Shrublands Afghan Mountains semi-desert--found south of Feyzabad. Common vegetation includes thorny bushes, zizyphus, acacia, and Amygdatus. Paropamisus xeric woodlands--found in northwestern and central areas. Common vegetation includes almond, pistachio, willows, and sea buckthorn. Reference: National Geographic Society and World Wildlife Fund, WildWorld map. www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld[citation needed][the cited link does not lead to this information: need a direct link] [edit] HistoryBadakhshan's name was given by the Sassanids and derives from the word badaxš (an official Sassanian title). The suffix of the name, -ān, means the region belonged to someone with the title badaxš (analogous to Azerbaijan, Isfahan, Tehran, etc).[1] Badakhshan and Panjshir were the only provinces that were not occupied by the Taliban during their drive to control the country. Burhanuddin Rabbani, a Badakhshan native, and Ahmad Shah Massoud were the last remnants of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance during the peak of Taliban control in 2000 and 2001, and they used the province as their base of operations. The province was about to fall to the Taliban when the American invasion allowed the Northern Alliance to reclaim control of the country with the aid of American military air power and assistance. The current Governor of the province is Munshi Abdul Majid. Previously, it was Sayed Amin Tareq. [edit] Economy
Despite massive mineral reserves, Badakhshan is one of the most destitute areas in the world. Opium poppy growing is the only real source of income in the province and Badakhshan has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world, due to the complete lack of health infrastructure, inaccessible locations, and bitter winters of the province. Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Sar-e-Sang district in Badakhshan for many centuries and was the largest and most well-known source in ancient times.[2][3] Most recent mining activity has focused on lapis lazuli, with the proceeds from the lapis mines being used to fund Northern Alliance troops, and before that, anti-Soviet Mujahideen fighters.[4] Recent geological surveys have indicated the location of other gemstone deposits, in particular rubies and emeralds.[5] Exploitation of this mineral wealth could be key to the region's prosperity.[5] [edit] Capital city
Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan sits on the Kokcha River and has an approximate population of 50,000. The chief commercial and administrative center of NE Afghanistan and the Pamir region, Fayzabad also has rice and flour mills. In winter the city is sometimes isolated by deep snow. In 1979 it was a focus of Afghan guerrillas attempting to repel the Soviet invasion. Fayzabad was taken by Soviet forces in 1980 and became a major Soviet garrison town. [edit] DemographicsThe population of the province is estimated at 823,000 people[6]. Majority of them are Tajiks. There is also the Pamiri people, with small Uzbek and Kyrgyz minorities. The residents of the province are largely Sunni but a small volume of Ismaili Muslims are also in the area. Historical population estimates for Badakhshan Province are as follows[7]:
[edit] Districts of Badakhshan
[edit] Notable people from Badakhshan
[edit] References
[edit] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
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