Kandahar Province
Kandahar
کندهار | |
|---|---|
| Nickname: Loy kandahar | |
Map of Afghanistan with Kandahar highlighted | |
| Coordinates (Capital): 31°00′N 65°30′E / 31.0°N 65.5°E | |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Established | 300 BC |
| Capital | Kandahar |
| Government | |
| • Type | Province |
| • Body | Ulema Council |
| • Governor | Mullah Shirin Akhund |
| • Deputy Governor | Maulvi Hayatullah Mubarak |
| Area | |
• Total | 54,844 km2 (21,175 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 1,431,876 |
| • Density | 26.108/km2 (67.620/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+4:30 (Afghanistan Time) |
| Postal code | 38xx |
| Area code | AF-KAN |
| Main languages | Pashto |
| Website | https://kandahar.gov.af/ |
Kandahar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country, sharing a border with Balochistan, Pakistan, to the south. It is surrounded by Helmand in the west, Uruzgan in the north and Zabul Province in the east. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan's second largest city, located on the Arghandab River. The greater region surrounding the province is called Loy Kandahar. The Emir of Afghanistan sends orders to Kabul from Kandahar making it the de facto capital of Afghanistan, although the main government body operates in Kabul. All meetings with the Emir take place in Kandahar, meetings excluding the Emir are in Kabul.
The province contains about 18 districts, over 1,000 villages, and approximately 1,431,876 people (the 6th most populous province), which is mostly tribal and a rural society. The main inhabitants of Kandahar province are the ethnic Pashtun people followed by Tajiks, Balochs, Uzbeks, Turkmens and Hazaras.