Afghanistan's Administrative Mosaic: Exploring The Country's Many Districts

Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces, each of which is further divided into districts. The number of districts in Afghanistan has been a controversial topic, with different sources citing different figures. Before the 2018 parliamentary elections, the country's Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) published a consolidated list of Afghanistan's 387 districts. However, some sources add the capitals of the 33 provinces to this list, bringing the total to over 400. The Long War Journal, a project by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, estimates that around 30% of Afghanistan's districts are in government hands, while the Taliban controls about 20%.

Afghanistan has 34 provinces, with 421 districts in total

Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces, with 421 districts in total. The provinces are the primary administrative divisions, with each province encompassing a number of districts or usually over 1,000 villages.

The number of districts in Afghanistan has been a controversial topic, with different figures being used by different sources. Before the country's 2018 parliamentary elections, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) published a consolidated list of Afghanistan's 387 districts. However, this number did not include the capitals of the 33 provinces, which are also administrative units comparable to districts.

According to the Long War Journal, a project by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, around 30% of Afghanistan's 407 districts are controlled by the government, while the Taliban commands about 20%. The remaining districts are contested.

The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction reported that as of October 2018, the Afghan government controlled 54% of the country's approximately 400 districts, with 34% being contested and 12% under insurgent control. However, as of April 2019, the U.S. no longer assessed district-level control, as these were considered to offer limited decision-making value to the commander.

Bill Roggio of the Long War Journal estimates that half of the country's districts are contested, with over 120 fully controlled by the government and more than 70 fully held by the Taliban. He acknowledges that these numbers are his best guess, as some districts swing back and forth, and the government control may be limited to district centres in certain cases.

The Afghan Defense Ministry disputed Roggio's figures, claiming that the Taliban controlled only "more than 10 districts" in very remote parts of the country. This claim is roughly half of the lowest estimate of Taliban district control ever offered publicly by the U.S., which was given in January 2016.

The varying estimates and lack of official government data make it challenging to definitively state the number of districts in Afghanistan. However, it is clear that the country is divided into 34 provinces, and there are approximately 400 districts, with control of these districts being hotly contested between the government and the Taliban.

The number of districts was controversial before the 2018 elections, with sources citing different figures

Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces, each of which is further divided into districts. Before the 2018 elections, the number of districts was a subject of controversy, with different sources citing different figures.

The country's Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) published a consolidated list of Afghanistan's 387 districts before the 2018 parliamentary elections. However, the number was controversial, and different sources used different figures. Some sources, for example, added the capitals of the 33 provinces to this list as they also constitute administrative units comparable to districts, although not officially counted as such by the government. Kabul city itself and some other provincial centres consist of nahia (city districts).

The districts for four provinces, Daykundi, Nangrahar, Paktia, and Uruzgan, were missing from the list. Additionally, there were some so-called 'temporary' districts that could boost the number, pending a final decision by parliament.

According to the Long War Journal (LWJ), a project by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, around 30% of Afghanistan's 407 districts were under government control, with the Taliban commanding about 20% and the rest of the country being contested. On the other hand, the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction reported that the Afghan government controlled only 54% of the districts as of October 2018, with 34% contested and 12% under insurgent control.

Bill Roggio, who has been tracking the war for years, believes that half of the country's districts are contested, with over 120 fully controlled by the government and more than 70 fully held by the Taliban. However, he acknowledges that these numbers are his best guess, as some districts swing back and forth, and the government control in others is limited to central headquarters or barracks.

The Taliban controlled about half of Afghanistan's 419 district centres in 2021

Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces, each of which is further divided into districts. The exact number of districts is unclear, with sources citing different figures ranging from 387 to 421.

In 2021, the Taliban controlled about half of Afghanistan's 419 district centres. This indicated a rapidly deteriorating security situation in the country. The Taliban had not taken over any provincial capitals, but they were putting pressure on the outskirts of half of them.

The Afghan government controlled just 54% of the districts as of October 2018, the lowest number recorded since public tracking began in November 2015. Of the remaining districts, 34% were contested and 12% were under insurgent control.

The Taliban's gains in territory were largely spurred by fighting in Afghanistan's provinces as U.S.-led foreign troops completed their withdrawal. The Taliban's territorial gains and the collapse of the Afghan government and security forces surprised U.S. officials and allies.

The 34 provincial capitals include Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kunduz, and Kandahar

Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces, each encompassing several districts and over 1,000 villages. The 34 provincial capitals include Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, Kunduz, and Kandahar.

Kabul is Afghanistan's capital and largest city, with a population of about 4.5 million people. It is the only city in Afghanistan with over 1 million people. Kabul is located in the east of the country and is situated in a valley at a mean elevation of over 2km above sea level.

Mazar-i-Sharif is the capital of Balkh province and the biggest city in the north of Afghanistan. It fell to the Taliban on August 14, 2021, marking a significant development as it is a major northern city.

Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province, a key eastern city, and the last provincial capital to fall to the Taliban in August 2021. Its capture left the capital, Kabul, as the last major urban area under government control.

Kunduz is a northern city of strategic importance due to its position as a gateway to mineral-rich northern provinces and Central Asia. It has a population of about 270,000 people and was seized by the Taliban in August 2021.

Kandahar is the capital of the southern province of the same name and is Afghanistan's second-biggest city. It was captured by the Taliban in August 2021 and is a significant addition to the territories under their control.

The Taliban's capture of these provincial capitals is part of their rapid advances across Afghanistan, with the group taking control of an estimated 65% of the country's territory. The fall of these cities has left the central government with control of little more than the capital, Kabul, which is now surrounded by Taliban fighters.

The number of provinces has changed over time, with Afghanistan starting out with just four provinces

Afghanistan is currently divided into 34 provinces, which are the country's primary administrative divisions. Each province is further divided into districts or over 1,000 villages.

The number of provinces has changed over time. Afghanistan started out with just four provinces: Kabul, Herat, Qandahar, and Balkh. By 1880, the provinces consisted of Balkh, Herat, Qandahar, Ghazni, Jalalabad, and Kabul.

Over the years, several provinces were dissolved and new ones were formed. For instance, the Southern Province was dissolved in 1964 to create Paktia Province, while the Turkestan Province was dissolved somewhere between 1929 and 1946.

In 2004, the president's office announced a change in administrative units from 32 to 34 provinces, with the addition of Daikondi and Panjshir. This was an administrative decision that has not been ratified by Parliament.

The country's Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) have also issued a consolidated list of 387 districts, which was used by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) in preparing for the 2018 elections.

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