Samangan Province

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Samangan
سمنگان
Map of Afghanistan with Samangan  سمنگان highlighted.
Capital
 • Coordinates
Aybak
 • ~° N ~° E
Population (2002)
 • Density
378,000 [1]
 • /km²
Area
11,262 km²
Time zone UTC+4:30
Main language(s) Dari

Samangan (Persian: سمنگان) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country bordered by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The province covers 6,425 square miles and has a population of approximately 406,000 people.

Its capital Samangan is known for its ancient ruins including notably the Takht e Rustam. Archaeologists are desperate to work in this province as wars and the Taliban have destroyed many of these artifacts.

A series of earthquakes struck the province on March 3, 2002, causing the loss of thousands of lives and homes.

Nowadays people call the province Samangan, but the capital town of the province is Aybak.