Badakhshan Province

Badakhshan (Persian: بدخشان - Badakhshān) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan.  It has 28 Districts.  The capital is Feyzabad. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya along the border with Tajikistan.

Geography
Badakhshan is bordered by Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province and Khatlon Province in Tajikistan to the north and east. In the east is the Wakhan Corridor. The province has a total area of 44,059 km².  Much of the land is the Hindu Kush and Pamir mountain ranges.

Economy
Badakhshan is one of the poorest areas in the world. Opium poppy growing is the only real source of income in the province.

Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Sar-e-Sang mines for over 6,000 years.  The mines were the largest and most well-known source in ancient times.Deer, William A.; Howie, Robert A, and Zussman, Joseph (1963) "Lapis lazuli" Rock-Forming Minerals Longman, London, OCLC 61975619 

Demographics
The population of the province is estimated at 889,700 people.  The majority of them are Persian-speaking Tajiks. 

The residents of the province are largely Sunni.

Districts of Badakhshan
 District map of Badakhshan Province 400x400px

 Districts of Badakhshan ProvinceDistrictMap #CapitalPopulationAreaNotes Arghanj Khwa  6   12,000   Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District Argo  6   45,000   Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District Baharak  7  Baharak  14,000   Sub-divided in 2005 Darayim  6   65,000   Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District Darwaz  1  Nusay  21,000   Sub-divided in 2005 Darwazi Bala  1   11,000   Created in 2005 within Darwaz District Fayzabad  6  Fayzabad  46,000   Sub-divided in 2005 Ishkashim  8  Ishkashim  11,000   Jurm  10   3,000   Sub-divided in 2005 Khash  10   48,000   Created in 2005 within Jurm District Khwahan  2  Khwahan  14,000   Sub-divided in 2005 Kishim  9   63,000   Sub-divided in 2005 Kohistan  7   12,000   Created in 2005 within Baharak District Kuf Ab  2   16,000   Created in 2005 within Khwahan District Kuran wa Munjan  11  Kuran wa Munjan  8,000   Ragh  4  Ragh  37,000   Sub-divided in 2005 Shahri Buzurg  5  Shahri Buzurg  42,000   Shighnan  3   24,000   Shiki  6   26,000   Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District Shuhada  7   31,000   Created in 2005 within Baharak District Tagab  6   22,000   Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District Tishkan  9   23,000   Created in 2005 from Kishim District Wakhan  13   13,000   Warduj  7   17,000   Created in 2005 within Baharak District Yaftali Sufla  6   39,000   Created in 2005 within Fayzabad District Yamgan  7   20,000   Created in 2005 within Baharak District Yawan  4   27,000   Created in 2005 within Ragh District Zebak  12  Zebak  7,000  

 Sport 
The province is represented in Afghan domestic cricket competitions by the Badakhshan Province cricket team.

 Notable people from Badakhshan 
 Burhanuddin Rabbani - leader of the Jamiat-e Islami political party and former president of Afghanistan
 Tahir Badakhshi - political activist
 Latif Pedram - political activist and candidate for Afghanistan's presidency
 Mahboobullah Kushani - political activist and candidate for Afghanistan's presidency
 Mohammad Wali (Prime Minsiter) - Prime Minsiter (Amanullah Khan)
 Shah Wali Taranasaz - Musician
 Nasratullah Nasrat - Afghan cricketer

 Related pages 
 Badakhshan

 References