Nimruz Province

Nimruz Pashto: نيمروز ولايت‎ Persian: ولایت نیمروز‎
Chakhansur in Nimruz Province
Map of Afghanistan with Nimruz highlighted
Coordinates (Capital): 31°00′N 62°30′E / 31.0°N 62.5°E / 31.0; 62.5Coordinates: 31°00′N 62°30′E / 31.0°N 62.5°E / 31.0; 62.5
Country	Afghanistan
Capital	Zaranj
Government
• Governor	Abdul Karim Brahui
Area
• Total	41,356 km2 (15,968 sq mi)
Population (2012)[1]
• Total	156,600
• Density	3.8/km2 (9.8/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+4:30
ISO 3166 code	AF-NIM
Main languages	Pashto Balochi Dari

Nimruz (Balochi/Persian: ولایت نیمروز‎; Pashto: نيمروز ولايت‎) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southwestern part of the country. It is east of Iran and north of Balochistan, Pakistan. The province contains five districts, encompassing about 649 villages, and roughly 156,600 settled people.^[1] The city of Zaranj serves as the provincial capital and Zaranj Airport, which is located by that city, serves as a domestic airport for the province.

The name Nimruz means "mid-day" or "half-day" in Persian. The name is believed to be chosen because the meridian cutting the old world in half passes through this region. Nimruz covers 41,000 km². It is the most sparsely populated province in the country, located in the Sistan Basin. A substantial part of the province is the desert area of Dashti Margo.

History

The area now composing Nimruz Province of Afghanistan was once part of the historical region of Sistan, which over the many centuries was held by the Medes, Achaemenid Empire, Alexander the Great and others before being conquered and converted to Islam by the Muslim Arabs in the 7th century. The region became part of the Saffarid dynasty in 860 CE with its capital at Zaranj, which was one of the first local dynasties of the Islamic era. Its founder Yaqub Saffari was born and raised in this region. The territory became part of the Ghaznavids followed by the Ghurids, Timurids, and Safavids.

In the early 18th century, region fell to the Afghan Hotaki dynasty until they were removed from power in 1738 by Nader Shah of Khorasan. By 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani made it part of Afghanistan after he conquered the territory from northeastern Iran to Delhi in India. Under the modern Afghan governments, the province was known as Chakhansur Province until 1968, when it was separated to form the provinces of Nimruz and Farah.^[2] The city of Zaranj became the capital of Nimroz province at that time. During the Soviet war in Afghanistan, Nimruz province was heavily used by mujahideen crossing back and forth. It was also used by Afghan refugees escaping the war and smugglers.

As the Taliban came to power in the area in 1995, they seized the road-controlling town of Delaram (now within Farah Province), and came to an agreement with the mujahideen warlords holding Nimroz that the fate of the province would not be decided until a clear victor emerged in the capture of Kabul. However, the Taliban advanced on Nimruz only days later, and the mujahideen under command of Abdul Karim Brahui withdrew to Iran.^{[citation needed]}

NATO presence and the Karzai administration

Governor Abdul Karim Barahawi and Maj. Gen. John A. Toolan, commanding general of Regional Command Southwest, discussing issues in Zaranj.

Following US-led invasion in October 2001, the Taliban began losing control of the province to the new Afghan government under President Hamid Karzai.^[3] The area is historically known for drugs and weapons smuggling between Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Many foreign militants also use the province to go back and forth between the 3 nations. The Delaram–Zaranj Highway was built by the Indian government in 2009, which is one of the main trade route of the country and is expected to boost the socio economic development in the province.

Since 2002, members of the U.S. Marine Corps were present in the province. When the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) arrived to Kandahar, Nimruz province became part of the Regional Command Southwest. The local Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are being trained by these forces. ISAF is also involved in development activities.

Politics and governance

The current governor is Abdul Karim Barahawi. His predecessor was Ghulam Dastagir Azad. All law enforcement activities throughout the province are managed by the Afghan National Police (ANP). The borders with neighboring Iran and Pakistan are monitored by the Afghan Border Police (ABP). A provincial police chief is assigned to lead both the ANP and the ABP. The Police Chief represents the Ministry of the Interior in Kabull. The ANP and ABP are backed by the military, including the NATO-led forces.

Demography

Ethnolinguistic groups of Afghanistan

Districts of Nimruz

The population of Nimruz Province is approximately 156,600 settled people.^[1] There are also many Kuchi nomads who inhabit the province seasonally. The following ethnic groups reside in the province: Baloch, Pashtun, Brahui, Tajik, Uzbek, and Hazara. The Pashtun tribes are mostly Barakzai and Nurzai. All inhabitants follow Sunni Islam.^[4] Languages spoken in the province are Pashto, Dari and Balochi.

Population by districts

Transport and economy

Delaram-Zaranj Highway at the Afghan-Iranian border crossing in Zaranj.

Zaranj Airport, which is located by the city of Zaranj, serves the population of the province for domestic flights to other Afghan cities. Kam Air - Two flights weekly from Herat Province to Zaranj operate a Kam Air Antonov An-24 Russian aircraft. United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan - One flight weekly from Kandahar International Airport to Zaranj operated by a United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Mil Mi-17 Russian helicopter. The flight is subject to demand availability for United Nations personnel to fly to Zaranj.

The Delaram–Zaranj Highway has been constructed by India via Chaknasur, which is expected to boost the socio economic development in the region.

Trade and farming is the main source of income for the majority. This includes agriculture and animal husbandry. Animals include sheep, goat, cattle, and poultry. The province produces the following: Wheat, corn, melons, poppies; almost all irrigated.^[4]

See also

• Provinces of Afghanistan

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nimruz Province.

• Nimroz Province by Naval Postgraduate School

		Farah Province
			Helmand Province
	Nimruz Province
	Sistan and Baluchistan Province,  Iran	Balochistan,  Pakistan

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