List of Afghanistan Provinces and Capitals

As of September 2021, Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces (velayats)

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central and South Asia, located between Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The country is divided into 34 provinces, and those provinces are further divided into districts. Kabul is the national capital and also the largest city, serving as the political, economic, and cultural center of the country.

Afghanistan covers about 652,864 square kilometers and has a landscape shaped by rugged mountains, dry plains, valleys, and desert regions. The Hindu Kush mountain range cuts through much of the country, which is why communities and cities are often spread across isolated valleys and river basins.

Key Facts

National capital: Kabul | Total population: 34,262,840 (NSIA Estimate 2021) | Total area: 652,864 km² (252,072 sq miles) | Currency: Afghan Afghani (؋, AFN) | Bordering countries: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China | Total Provinces: 34 | Total Districts: Approximately 421

List of Provinces and Capitals of Afghanistan

Total provinces shown: 34 | Combined population: 34,262,840 | Combined area: 652,864 km²

Largest Provinces by Area

• Helmand — 22,619 sq mi (58,584 km²)
• Herat — 21,150 sq mi (54,778 km²)
• Kandahar — 20,858 sq mi (54,022 km²)
• Farah — 18,715 sq mi (48,471 km²)
• Badakhshan — 17,011 sq mi (44,059 km²)
• Nimruz — 15,832 sq mi (41,005 km²)
• Ghor — 14,085 sq mi (36,479 km²)
• Ghazni — 8,848 sq mi (22,915 km²)

Most Populous Provinces

• Kabul — Population: 5,204,667 (Census 2021)
• Herat — Population: 2,140,662 (Census 2021)
• Nangarhar — Population: 1,787,169 (Census 2021)
• Balkh — Population: 1,509,183 (Census 2021)
• Helmand — Population: 1,472,462 (Census 2021)
• Kandahar — Population: 1,461,112 (Census 2021)
• Ghazni — Population: 1,362,504 (Census 2021)
• Kunduz — Population: 1,136,677 (Census 2021)

Smallest Provinces by Area

• Kapisa — 711 sq mi (1,842 km²)
• Panjshir — 1,394 sq mi (3,610 km²)
• Laghman — 1,483 sq mi (3,842 km²)
• Logar — 1,498 sq mi (3,880 km²)
• Khost — 1,603 sq mi (4,152 km²)
• Kabul — 1,723 sq mi (4,462 km²)

Provinces by Regional Grouping

• North: Balkh, Baghlan, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Samangan, Sar-e Pol
• Northeast: Badakhshan, Takhar, Panjshir
• East: Kapisa, Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar, Nuristan
• Central: Kabul, Bamyan, Daykundi, Ghazni, Ghor, Logar, Parwan, Wardak
• South: Kandahar, Urozgan, Zabul
• Southeast: Khost, Paktia, Paktika
• West: Herat, Farah
• Northwest: Badghis, Faryab
• Southwest: Helmand, Nimruz

Landlocked Provinces

• All 34 provinces of Afghanistan are landlocked because the country has no coastline.

Provinces with Coastline

• None - Afghanistan is a landlocked country.

Provinces Sharing Borders with Other Countries

• Pakistan: Nangarhar, Khost, Kunar, Paktia, Paktika, Kandahar, Zabul
• Iran: Herat, Farah, Nimruz
• Turkmenistan: Herat, Badghis, Faryab, Jowzjan
• Uzbekistan: Balkh
• Tajikistan: Badakhshan, Takhar, Kunduz
• China: Badakhshan

Sources

• National Statistics and Information Authority of Afghanistan
• World Bank - Afghanistan Data
• CIA World Factbook - Afghanistan
• United Nations Statistics Division
• Encyclopaedia Britannica - Afghanistan