Zabul Province
Encyclopedia
Zabul is a historic province of Afghanistan
. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar
in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol
, on the Iran
ian side of the border with Afghanistan.
and little central authority, Zabul is a fertile ground for insurgents fighting against the current Afghan government, although the province is considered more secure than some of its southern neighbors. The province has especially struggled with retaining NGO's and teachers in the face of Taliban attacks and threats. Until 2006, the only major international presence was an American Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul
(PRT) based in Qalat
32°07′47"N 066°55′41"E, when it was joined by a UNAMA & USAID/DAI branch.
The current governor of the province is Muhammad Ashraf Nasari.
. The main Pashtun tribes are: Kakar
, Nurzai, Hotak
, Suleiman khel
, Popalzai
, Tokhi
, Naser
and Ludin
.
in the north, Kandahar
in the west and in the south, Ghazni
and Paktika
in the east. It has an international border with Pakistan
in the south. The province covers an area of 17293 km2. Two-fifths of the province is mountainous or semi mountainous terrain (41%) while more than one quarter of the area is made up of flat land (28%).
The primary ecoregion of the province is the Central Afghan Mountains xeric woodlands. Common vegetation is listed as dry shrub-land and pistachio
. The high mountains of the northern portion of the province are in the Ghorat-Hazarajat alpine meadow ecoregion, which is characterized by meadows, willows, and sea buckthorn.
by the Zabul Province cricket team.
, to be operated by the Afghan National Army
, but also for use by commercial aviation. Twice weekly service was scheduled by PRT Air between Qalat and Kabul
. The airstrip is not paved. The ANA
Chief in Zabul is Major General Jamaluddin Sayed
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...
. Zabul became an independent province from neighbouring Kandahar
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
in 1963, with Qalat being named the provincial capital. It should not be confused with the city Zabol
Zabol
Zabol is a city in and the capital of Zabol County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. Zabol lies on the border with both Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the 2006 census, its population was 130,642, in 27,867 families....
, on the Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian side of the border with Afghanistan.
Political and security situation.
With its sparse population, insecure border with PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and little central authority, Zabul is a fertile ground for insurgents fighting against the current Afghan government, although the province is considered more secure than some of its southern neighbors. The province has especially struggled with retaining NGO's and teachers in the face of Taliban attacks and threats. Until 2006, the only major international presence was an American Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul
Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul
Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul is a civil-military unit tasked to assist the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan deliver government and security in the southern province of Zabul....
(PRT) based in Qalat
Qalat (Zabul)
Qalat is a town in southern Afghanistan and the capital of Zabul Province. It is linked by a highway with Kandahar to the west and Ghazni to the east. In 2006, Zabul's first airstrip was built near Qalat. It is also home the U.S...
32°07′47"N 066°55′41"E, when it was joined by a UNAMA & USAID/DAI branch.
The current governor of the province is Muhammad Ashraf Nasari.
Demographics
The population of the province is estimated to be around 275,100 people. The major ethnic group in the province is PashtunPashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
. The main Pashtun tribes are: Kakar
Kakar
The Kakar are a Pashtun tribe, with members living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.-Kakar :Kakar Afghan was one of the grandsons of Qais Abdur Rashid. Kakar's father's name was Dani, son of Gharghasht, who was the son of Qais in the Afghan appendix of tribes. According to Afghan and Muslim historians,...
, Nurzai, Hotak
Hotak
Hotak is an Afghan royal family name among the Pashtun people.The Hotaki started long ago as a rich and well known political family. The first king to take power in Kandahar, Afghanistan, was Mirwais Hotak . After his death many different Hotakis took the power of the throne, such as Mahmud...
, Suleiman khel
Suleiman Khel
The Suleiman Khel are a Pashtun sub-tribe of the Ghilzai confederation. In the early 20th century, the tribe was recognised as generally pastoral.In 1924, the Suleiman Khel joined in the Khost Rebellion initiated by the Mangal tribe....
, Popalzai
Popalzai
Popalzai or Popalzay are Durrani Pashtuns.-Origin:According to Hyat Khan's history of Afghanistan, from their progenitor Bor Tareen, otherwise known as Abdal, are descended two main divisions: the Zirak and the Panjpai...
, Tokhi
Tokhi
Tokhi is an influential Ghilzai Pashtun tribe found throughout southern, western Afghanistan. In the Pashtun tribal hierarchy Tokhi is one of the most respected tribes.They are wholly powerful, rich and widely considered to be one of the most brave, warlike and tough Pashtun tribes, concurrently...
, Naser
Naser
Al Naser Sporting Club is a Kuwaiti professional football club, founded on June 8, 1965, and based in Ardiyah, Al Farwaniyah. The team have participated in the Kuwaiti Premier League 26 times. Al Nasr had promoted to the Kuwaiti Premier League 3 times as champions of the Kuwaiti Division One...
and Ludin
Ludin
Ludins are Gharghasht Pashtun. They are scattered all over Afghanistan and can be found in most of the major cities.-Demographics:Ludins are primarily found in Kandahar, Zabul, Nangarhar, Kunduz, Balkh, Logar, Kabul and Herat provinces. Ludins in Balkh Province are mainly located in Dawlatabad...
.
Geography
Zabul borders OruzganOruzgan Province
Orūzgān or Urōzgān , also spelled Uruzgan or Rōzgān , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the center of the country, though the area is culturally and tribally linked to Kandahar in the south. Its capital is Tarin Kowt...
in the north, Kandahar
Kandahar Province
Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...
in the west and in the south, Ghazni
Ghazni Province
Ghazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Babur records in his Babur-Nama that Ghazni is also known as Zabulistan It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City...
and Paktika
Paktika Province
Paktika is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is Pashtun. Its capital is Sharan.-Political and military situation:...
in the east. It has an international border with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in the south. The province covers an area of 17293 km2. Two-fifths of the province is mountainous or semi mountainous terrain (41%) while more than one quarter of the area is made up of flat land (28%).
The primary ecoregion of the province is the Central Afghan Mountains xeric woodlands. Common vegetation is listed as dry shrub-land and pistachio
Pistachio
The pistachio, Pistacia vera in the Anacardiaceae family, is a small tree originally from Persia , which now can also be found in regions of Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Sicily and possibly Afghanistan , as well as in the United States,...
. The high mountains of the northern portion of the province are in the Ghorat-Hazarajat alpine meadow ecoregion, which is characterized by meadows, willows, and sea buckthorn.
Sports
The province is represented in Afghan domestic cricketCricket in Afghanistan
Cricket in Afghanistan is a sport growing in popularity, which is represented internationally by the Afghanistan national cricket team. Afghanistan's proximity to the test playing nation of Pakistan has helped the game to take root....
by the Zabul Province cricket team.
Districts
| District | Capital | Population | Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argahandab Argahandab District Argahandab District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... |
Sub-divided in 2005 | |||
| Atghar Atghar District Atghar District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... |
13,973 | |||
| Daychopan | ||||
| Kakar Kakar District Kakar District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... |
Created in 2005 within Argahandab District Argahandab District Argahandab District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... |
|||
| Mizan Mizan District Mizan District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... |
21,162 | |||
| Naw Bahar Naw Bahar District Naw Bahar District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... |
21,144 | Created in 2005 from parts of Shamulzayi Shamulzayi District Shamulzayi District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... and Shinkay Shinkay District Shinkay District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... Districts |
||
| Qalat Qalat District Qalat District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan. Its district seat is Qalat, the capital of the province.... |
36,560 | |||
| Shah Joy | 71,348 | |||
| Shamulzayi Shamulzayi District Shamulzayi District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... . |
33,351 | |||
| Shinkay Shinkay District Shinkay District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... |
28,344 | |||
| Tarnak Wa Jaldak Tarnak Wa Jaldak District Tarnak Wa Jaldak District is a district of Zabul Province, Afghanistan.... |
19,017 |
Transportation
In 2006, the province's first airstrip was opened near QalatQalat
Qalat, Qelat, Kalat, Kalaat, or Kelat, may refer to:Qalat , a fortified place or fortified village-Iran:* Kalat, Khorasan* Qelat, Fars...
, to be operated by the Afghan National Army
Afghan National Army
The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
, but also for use by commercial aviation. Twice weekly service was scheduled by PRT Air between Qalat and 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...
. The airstrip is not paved. The ANA
Afghan National Army
The Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
Chief in Zabul is Major General Jamaluddin Sayed
See also
- ZabulistanZabulistanZabulistan , also spelled Zabolestan, is a historical region in the border area of today's Iran and Afghanistan.-History of Zabulistan:...
- JayapalaJayapalaJayapala Janjua Shahi, the son of Asatapala and father of Anandapal, was the first king and founder of the Hindushahi dynasty of Afghanistan and Northwest Pakistan. He succeeded the last Brahman Shahi king Bhimadeva in about 964 CE, and thus began the Janjua Rajput phase of Shahiya Dynasties...
- Abu Ali LawikAbu Ali LawikAbu Ali Lawik or Anuk was the son of the last ruler of Zabul and also said to be a brother in law of the Hindu Shahi Ruler of the region , Kabul Shah ....
- ZabolZabolZabol is a city in and the capital of Zabol County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. Zabol lies on the border with both Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the 2006 census, its population was 130,642, in 27,867 families....