Meymaneh
Encyclopedia
Maymana, Meymaneh or Maimana (Persian: میمنه) is the capital of Faryab province
, northern Afghanistan
, near the Turkmenistan
border. It is approximately 400 km northwest of the Afghan capital Kabul
.
of 877 m on the old terrace of the Qeysar or Maymana River. This river branches off of the Band-e Turkistan River 50 km south of the city. The highlands of the Maymana region generally possess a very rich topsoil which supports the seasonal agricultural activities.
descent, in addition to, Pashtun and Tajiks minority.
In 1958 the population was estimated to be 30,000, by 1979 this had risen to 38,250, by 1982 to 56,973. In 2004 Maymana has a population of 75,900.
. Ceramic materials in a nearby cave at Bilchiragh are from the Paleolithic
and late Neolithic
-Bronze Age.
In the 10th century it was the residence of the Malik of Guzganan, which was then under the control of the Farighunid
native dynasty
.
In the 16th century, Uzbek
influence came to Maymana with the invasions of Turkistan
and Herat
by Shaibanid Khan.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Maymana was the centre of an independent Uzbek
khanate
and an important centre for commerce, as well as being the gateway to Turkistan
from Herat
and Persia.
In 1876 the city fell to the Afghans and was put in ruins, and only ten percent of the population was left.
The city was once strongly walled with thick walls and towers and surrounded by a moat, but in the 20th century all this has been reduced to an anonymous mound. In 1934, the rebuilding of the city started, and in 1949 the northern parts of the old city were renewed, the old city citadel changed to a park.
NATO presence through ISAF
As part of the ongoing NATO operation in Afghanistan, there is a Provincial Reconstruction Team
based there, led by Norway
. This team also includes Latvia
n troops.
sheep with nomads. Maymana is an important livestock centre in Afghanistan. In the 1970s, the wool and cotton processing industry was booming in the city. Maymana is a market for leather goods, silk, carpets, wheat, barley, melons and grapes.
There is also an airport located 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Maimana in a valley surrounded by hills and a range of mountains with some peaks reaching 12,000 ft.; 24 miles (39 km) southeast of the Turkmenistan
border; and 64 miles (103 km) south of Andkhoy.The runway is with gravel surface.
Maymana is, after Kabul
, Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat
and Kunduz
, the fifth-largest Afghan town with an independent women-managed radio station, Radio Quyaash, established in February 2005.
Faryab Province
Fāryāb is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Maymana. The majority of the population is Uzbek.-History:...
, northern Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, near the Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
border. It is approximately 400 km northwest of the Afghan capital Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
.
Location
Maymana is located at the northern foot of the Torkestan Range at an elevationAltitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
of 877 m on the old terrace of the Qeysar or Maymana River. This river branches off of the Band-e Turkistan River 50 km south of the city. The highlands of the Maymana region generally possess a very rich topsoil which supports the seasonal agricultural activities.
Climate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature (°C) | 2 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 15 | 9 | 5 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 50 | 60 | 82 | 60 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 45 |
| Sunshine (hrs/day) | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 4 |
Population
During the 19th century, the population of the settlement was estimated at 15,000-18,000, the majority being of UzbekUzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
descent, in addition to, Pashtun and Tajiks minority.
In 1958 the population was estimated to be 30,000, by 1979 this had risen to 38,250, by 1982 to 56,973. In 2004 Maymana has a population of 75,900.
History
The town is of ancient origin. It seems clear that Maymana citadel dates back to the early Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. Ceramic materials in a nearby cave at Bilchiragh are from the Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
and late Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
-Bronze Age.
In the 10th century it was the residence of the Malik of Guzganan, which was then under the control of the Farighunid
Farighunid
The Farighunids were an Iranian dynasty of Guzgan in the late 9th, 10th and early 11th centuries.-Political and Military History:...
native dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
.
In the 16th century, Uzbek
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
influence came to Maymana with the invasions of Turkistan
Türkistan
*Türkistan is the local name for Turkestan, a region of Central Asia.*Türkistan, Kazakhstan is a historic city and place of pilgrimage in southern Kazakhstan...
and Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
by Shaibanid Khan.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Maymana was the centre of an independent Uzbek
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
khanate
Khanate
Khanate, or Chanat, is a Turco-Mongol-originated word used to describe a political entity ruled by a Khan. In modern Turkish, the word used is kağanlık, and in modern Azeri of the republic of Azerbaijan, xanlıq. In Mongolian the word khanlig is used, as in "Khereidiin Khanlig" meaning the Khanate...
and an important centre for commerce, as well as being the gateway to Turkistan
Türkistan
*Türkistan is the local name for Turkestan, a region of Central Asia.*Türkistan, Kazakhstan is a historic city and place of pilgrimage in southern Kazakhstan...
from Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
and Persia.
In 1876 the city fell to the Afghans and was put in ruins, and only ten percent of the population was left.
The city was once strongly walled with thick walls and towers and surrounded by a moat, but in the 20th century all this has been reduced to an anonymous mound. In 1934, the rebuilding of the city started, and in 1949 the northern parts of the old city were renewed, the old city citadel changed to a park.
NATO presence through ISAFInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
As part of the ongoing NATO operation in Afghanistan, there is a Provincial Reconstruction TeamProvincial reconstruction team
A Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...
based there, led by Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. This team also includes Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n troops.
Economy
The town serves an agricultural area irrigated from the Qeysar River and also handles the trade in KarakulKarakul
See also: Karakul Karakul or Qaraqul is a breed of domestic sheep which originated in Central Asia...
sheep with nomads. Maymana is an important livestock centre in Afghanistan. In the 1970s, the wool and cotton processing industry was booming in the city. Maymana is a market for leather goods, silk, carpets, wheat, barley, melons and grapes.
There is also an airport located 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Maimana in a valley surrounded by hills and a range of mountains with some peaks reaching 12,000 ft.; 24 miles (39 km) southeast of the Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
border; and 64 miles (103 km) south of Andkhoy.The runway is with gravel surface.
Maymana is, after Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
and Kunduz
Kunduz
Kunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north...
, the fifth-largest Afghan town with an independent women-managed radio station, Radio Quyaash, established in February 2005.
External links
- Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977): An Historical Guide to Afghanistan. 1st Edition: 1970. 2nd Edition. Revised and Enlarged. Afghan Tourist Organization.