Samangan Province of Afghanistan

Samangan is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. The province covers 11,218 square kilometres (4,331 sq mi) and has a population of approximately 313,211, as of 2006.

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

History;

The earliest known history of the province is linked to the identification of the Samangan by Aoros Ptolemy as the place of the Varni or Uarni and the fortified city of Samangan on the banks of the Khulm River identical to the Bhaktria regi on the Dargydus river south east of Zariaspa. The ruins found here establishe the city’s founding by Eukratides, the King of Bactria. It was then known as Edrisi the size of the Khulm city.Historicity of the Samangan town is dated to the Kushan dynasty reign during the 4th and 5th centuries when it was a famous Buddhist centre. Witness to this period is seen now in the form of ruins at a place called the Takht-e-Rostam, which is located 3 km from the town on a hilltop. Arabs and Mongols came to this place when it was already famous as a Buddhist religious centre. Aibak was the name given to this place when, during the medieval period, caravans used to stop here.

Demographics;

His total population of the province in its seven districts as of 2006 is 313,211; it is predominately rural with only 7% living in urban centres. The male population is 51.2% while the female population constitutes 48.8%.The major ethnic groups in the province are Uzbeks and Tajiks followed by Pashtuns, Hazaras, Arabs and Tatars.72.5% people speak Dari Persian and 22.1% people speak Uzbek language.

District	Capital	Population
Aybak	Aybak, Samangan	85,427
Darah Sof Balla	Darah Sof Balla	52,473
Darah Sof Payan	Darah Sof Payan	55,858
Feroz Nakhchir	Feroz Nakhchir	11,701
Hazrati Sultan	Hazrati Sultan	36,690
Khuram Wa Sarbagh	Khuram Wa Sarbagh	30,704
Ruyi Du Ab	Ruyi	40,358

Capital;

Samangan

Area;

11,262 km2 (4,348.3 sq mi)

Population;

350,400 (2009)

Main languages;

Dari

Persian

Uzbek