Kunduz

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Kunduz
کندز
—  City  —
Kunduz is located in Afghanistan
Kunduz
Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 36°44′N 68°52′E / 36.733°N 68.867°E / 36.733; 68.867Coordinates: 36°44′N 68°52′E / 36.733°N 68.867°E / 36.733; 68.867
Country  Afghanistan
Province Kunduz Province
District Kunduz District
Elevation 391 m (1,283 ft)
Population (2002)
 • Total 95,000
Time zone Afghanistan Standard Time (UTC+4:30)
Shuja Shah Durrani of Afghanistan in 1839.jpg
History of Afghanistan
See also: Timeline

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Kunduz (Pashto: کندز; Persian: قندوز) 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. In the 1979 census, Kunduz had a population of 53,251 people, which is now estimated to have risen to 250,000 (2006 official estimate). Kunduz is located at 36.7290N, 68.8570°E, at an elevation of 391 meters above sea level.

Contents

[edit] Etymology

The name of the city is derived from Persian compound, kuhan/quhan diz, "old/ancient fort."

Interestingly, until 1960s, the city served as the capital to the now-defunct province of Qataqan, itself meaning "Old/Ancient city" (from Turkic kata ("old/ancient') and Eastern Iranian (Sogdian) kand, "fort", "town".

[edit] Climate

Climate data for Kunduz
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 6.3
(43.3)		 9.5
(49.1)		 15.8
(60.4)		 23.0
(73.4)		 29.8
(85.6)		 37.3
(99.1)		 39.0
(102.2)		 36.9
(98.4)		 31.8
(89.2)		 24.5
(76.1)		 16.0
(60.8)		 9.7
(49.5)		 23.30
(73.94)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.6
(34.9)		 4.4
(39.9)		 10.4
(50.7)		 17.2
(63.0)		 22.9
(73.2)		 29.3
(84.7)		 31.3
(88.3)		 29.2
(84.6)		 23.9
(75.0)		 16.9
(62.4)		 9.5
(49.1)		 4.4
(39.9)		 16.75
(62.15)
Average low °C (°F) −2.4
(27.7)		 -0.0
(32)		 5.7
(42.3)		 11.6
(52.9)		 15.7
(60.3)		 20.9
(69.6)		 23.3
(73.9)		 21.5
(70.7)		 16.3
(61.3)		 10.6
(51.1)		 4.1
(39.4)		 0.0
(32.0)		 10.61
(51.09)
Precipitation mm (inches) 44.0
(1.732)		 56.5
(2.224)		 76.7
(3.02)		 54.4
(2.142)		 29.8
(1.173)		 0.1
(0.004)		 1.3
(0.051)		 0.3
(0.012)		 0.1
(0.004)		 7.3
(0.287)		 23.7
(0.933)		 28.4
(1.118)		 322.6
(12.701)
Source: World Climate Data[1]

[edit] History

Kunduz is the site of the ancient city of Drapsaka. It was a great center of Buddhist learning and very prosperous during the 3rd century AD.

In the early 20th century, under the governance of Sher Khan Nasher, Kunduz became one of the wealthiest Afghan provinces. This was mainly due to Nasher's founding of the Spinzar Cotton Company, which continues to exist in post-war Afghanistan.

Kunduz was the last major city held by the Taliban before its fall to US-backed Afghan Northern Alliance forces on November 26, 2001.

Kunduz is the most important agricultural province which produces wheat, rice, millet, and other products and obtained the nickname of "the hive of the country."

Kunduz is the centre for the north east provinces, and was the stronghold of the Taliban during its regime. The city is strategically important because it is the only way connecting Takhar province and Badakhshan provinces, which play a critical role in the existing government.

[edit] Ethnography

The province is largely mixed and several different ethnic groups live in the city, namely the Pashtuns, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Arabs. The Kunduz "Arabs" are all Persian-speaking and have been so since time immemorial. However, they claim an Arab identity. There are other such Persian-speaking "Arabs" to the north and west, between Kholm, Mazar-i Sharif and Shibarghan. Their self-identification as Arabs is largely based on their tribal identity and may in fact point to the 7th and 8th centuries migration to this and other Central Asian locales of many Arab tribes from Arabia in the wake of the Islamic conquests of the region.[2]

[edit] Administration

The city is divided into 6 districts: Khan Abad, Ali Abad, Char Dara, Dashti Archi, Qala -e-Zal and Imam Sahib. Kunduz has 9 representatives in the lower house and 2 in the upper house and has a provincial council.

The famous figure in Kunduz is Haji Mohammad Omar Khan who is a brother of a Pashtoon Leader and Governor of Kunduz Province, Arif Khan. Omar Khan served many posts as a Governor of Kunduz Province, Member of National Assembly and is an active Advisor Minister to the President Hamid Karzai. Another famous figure from the Kunduz area was Haji Nazikmir Khan. He was the leader and the Grand Malik of the Zakheil tribe. Haji Nazkmir was the wealthiest person in the province. He owned thousands of acres of farmland, apartment buildings, commercial buildings, Russian car agency, and many hotels. He and his family were also known for having a close relationship with the royal family of Afghanistan.

[edit] Notable people

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "World Climate Data: Kunduz, Afghanistan". Weatherbase. http://www.climate-charts.com/Locations/a/AH40913.php. Retrieved 2011-09-07. 
  2. ^ Thomas J. Barfield, The Central Asian Arabs of Afghanistan: Pastoral Nomadism in Transition. 1982.
  • Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977): An Historical Guide to Afghanistan. 1st Edition: 1970. 2nd Edition. Revised and Enlarged. Afghan Tourist Organization.
  • Thomas J. Barfield, The Central Asian Arabs of Afghanistan: Pastoral Nomadism in Transition. 1982.

[edit] External links

Fourteen largest cities in Afghanistan by population
Kabul · Kandahar · Herat · Mazari Sharif · Kunduz · Jalalabad · Lashkar Gah · Taloqan · Puli Khumri · Khost · Ghazni · Sheberghan · Sari Pol · Farah
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