Daykundi Province of Afghanistan

Daykundi (Persian) also spelled Daikondi, Daykondi or Daikundi, is one of the thirty-four (34) provinces of Afghanistan. Daykundi's capital is Nili. It is located about 310 kilometers from Kabul, and falls into the traditionally ethnic Hazara region known as the Hazarajat.

Formation;

Daykundi was established on March 28, 2004, when it was created from the isolated Hazara-dominated northern districts of Oruzgan province. Until 2006, Gizab District was the only district in Daykundi province with a majority Pashtun population, but in May 2006 the government of Afghanistan took Gizab from Daykundi and re-annexed it to Oruzgan province to the south.

Reconstruction in the 2000s;

While the government of Afghanistan, NGOs, the United Nations, and NATO’s ISAF forces has little involvement in reconstruction in the province, there have been some initiatives. Following heavy rainfall and flooding in February 2007 the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA) opened a sub-office in the province and Oxfam, one of the few NGOs operating in the province, described UNAMA's input into coordinating flood relief as impressive.

In November 2007 a World Food Programmed convoy carrying mixed food aid was forced to abandon its mission due to security concerns and Afghanistan's Interior Ministry confirmed that Taliban insurgents had infiltrated the southern district of Kajran in a bid to destabilize the province. On 11 November 2007 Afghan forces launched a military operation to drive out the insurgents.

 Demographics & population;

 The total population of Daykundi was estimated to be around 477,544 (CSO Afghanistan, 2006).Hazaras is in majority and makes up 86% of the total population, followed by 8% Pashtuns, 3% Balochs and 3% other minor ethnic groups.

 Economy;

Daykundi province is well-known for its high-quality almonds, which are distributed throughout Afghanistan

District                                                 Notes

Ishtarlay                         Created in 2004 from Daykundi District

Kajran                            Transferred from Oruzgan Province in 2004

Khedir                             Created in 2004 from Daykundi District

Kiti                                   Transferred from Oruzgan and created within Kajran District in 2004

Miramor                         Transferred from Oruzgan and created within Shahristan District in 2004

Nili                                  Created in 2004 from Daykundi District

Sangi Takht                   Created in 2004 from Daykundi District

Shahristan                      Transferred from Oruzgan Province in 2004

Area;

18,088 km² (6,984 sq mi)

Population;

399,600 (2006)

Main Languages;

Persian

(Hazaragi and Dari dialects)

Pashto

================================================

Daykundi Province of Afghanistan

=====================================================