Bamyan Province
Bamyan
بامیان | |
|---|---|
 The location of Bamiyan Province within Afghanistan | |
| Country |  Afghanistan |
| Capital | Bamyan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14,175 km2 (5,473 sq mi) |
| Population (2006)[1] | |
| • Total | 387,300 |
| • Density | 27/km2 (71/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+4:30 |
| Main languages | Dari Persian (Hazaragi variety) |
Bamyan Province (Persian: بامیان) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the centre of the country. Its capital is also called Bamyan. The majority of the population are Hazaras, with 16% Sadat, 25% Tajiks,[2] and Pashtuns and Tatars in smaller numbers.[3] Bamyan is the largest province in the Hazarajat region of Afghanistan, and is the cultural capital of the Hazara ethnic group that predominates in the area.
In antiquity, central Afghanistan was strategically placed to thrive from the Silk Road caravans which criss-crossed the region trading between the Roman Empire, China, Central and South Asia. Bamyan was a stopping off point for many travellers. It was here where elements of Greek, Persian and Buddhist art were combined into a unique classical style, known as Greco-Buddhist art.
Bamyan has several famous historical sites, including the famous Buddha statues with more than 3,000 caves around it, the Band-i-Amir, Dara-i-Ajhdar, Gholghola and Zakhak ancient towns, the Feroz Bahar, Astopa, Klegan, Gaohargin, Kaferan and Cheldukhtaran. These are the most ancient and important sites that need to be restored and protected.[4]
History
Bamyan was the site of an early Buddhist monastery from which Bamyan takes its name from the Sanskrit varmayana ("coloured"). Many statues of Buddha are carved into the sides of cliffs facing Bamyan city. The two most prominent of these statues were standing Buddhas, now known as the Buddhas of Bamyan, measuring 55 and 37 meters high respectively, that were the largest examples of standing Buddha carvings in the world. They were probably erected in the 4th or 5th century A.D. They were cultural landmarks for many years and are listed among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. In March 2001 the Taliban government decreed that the statues were idolatrous and ordered them to be demolished with anti-aircraft artillery and explosives.
The Buddhist remains at Bamyan were included on the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund. It is hoped that the listing will put continued national and international attention on the site as a whole (including, but not limited to, the statues) in order to ensure its long-term preservation, and to make certain that future restoration efforts maintain the authenticity of the site and that proper preservation practices are followed.
Bamyan is also known as the capital of Daizangi and for its natural beauty. The Band-e Amir lakes in western Bamyan province continue to be a tourist destination for Afghans.
Bamyan is currently the base of operations for the New Zealand peacekeeping force, a Provincial Reconstruction Team codenamed Task Group Crib, which is part of the network of Provincial Reconstruction Teams throughout Afghanistan. It is recognised as one of the safest provinces in the country, which has allowed for civil rebuilding.[5]
There are currently New Zealand Defence Force personnel in Bamyan. To date they have helped with reconstruction work including building bridges and schools as well as maintaining security in the region.
The New Zealand Police are also working in the region to help train the Afghan National Police (ANP). In July 2006 three Afghan women signed to join the ANP in Bamyan, the first time women have joined a police force in Afghanistan. They are assisted by several United States law enforcement professionals.
Politics
Governors
The current governor of the province is Habiba Sarabi, Afghanistan's first and, so far, only female governor; she was appointed in 2005.[6]
Districts
| District | Capital | Population | Area[7] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamyan | Bamyan | 73,200 | ||
| Kahmard | Kahmard | 32,200 | Transferred from Baghlan in 2005 | |
| Panjab | Panjab | 60,400 | ||
| Sayghan | Sayghan | 21,200 | Transferred from Baghlan and created within Kahmard District in 2005 | |
| Shibar | Shibar | 26,100 | ||
| Waras | Waras | 96,700 | ||
| Yakawlang | Nayak | 77,500 |
Economy
Agriculture
Bamiyan has been particularly famous for its potatoes. The region is also known for a "shuttle system" of planting, wherein seed potatoes are grown in winter in Jalalabad, a warm area of eastern Afghanistan, and then transferred to Bamyan for spring re-planting.[8]
Education
Bamyan Province is home to the region's only university, Bamiyan University in the city of Bamyan. The school was founded in the mid-1990s, and largely destroyed under the Taliban. It was later refurbished[by whom?] following the fall of the Taliban.
Tourism
Prior to the Soviet invasion of 1979 ef>6 May, 2011 Afghanistan’s Bamiyan hopes to attract skiers Dawn.com</ref> Although this number is considerably fewer now, Bamyan is the first province in Afghanistan to have set up a tourist board, Bamyan Tourism. A feature of this developing tourist industry is based around skiing. The province is said to have 'some of the best "outback skiing" in the world'[9] and in 2008 an $1.2 million project to encourage skiing was launched by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) with the help of NZAID, New Zealand government’s international aid agency.[10]The province hosts the Afghan Ski Challenge, a 7km downhill race over ungroomed and powdered snow,[11] founded by Swiss journalist and skier Christoph Zurcher. Tissot, the Swiss watch manufacturer, is the principle sponsor.[12]
See Also
References
- ^ "World Gazetteer".
- ^ Cultural and conflict Studies, Bamyan Province
- ^ Bamyan provincial profile
- ^ http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/03/31
- ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/afghanistan/bamian.htm
- ^ British Broadcasting Corporation : Putting Bamyan Back on the Map Retrieved 2009-08-18
- ^ Afghanistan Geographic & Thematic Layers
- ^ Fueling Growth,health and Prosperity. International Potato Center[when?]
- ^ Boone, Jon (27 April, 201) Afghanistan – the new skiing destination guardian.co.uk
- ^ 6 May, 2011 Afghanistan’s Bamiyan hopes to attract skiers Dawn.com
- ^ (27 Feb, 2012) Afghanistan set to host second national ski race wanderlust.co.uk
- ^ Levinson, Charles (March 6, 2012) Since Skiing Came to Afghanistan, It Has Been Pretty Much All Downhill wsj.com
External links
- Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977): An Historical Guide to Afghanistan. 1st Edition: 1970. 2nd Edition. Revised and Enlarged. Afghan Tourist Organization. [1]
- Bamyan Development Community Portal for cultural heritage management of Bamyan
- Afghanistan Information Management Services - Bamyan Province
- Bamyan Tourism - Official site
Places adjacent to Bamyan Province | |
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