Monday, November 26, 2018

Afghanistan Settlement Maps

Following are Afghanistan Settlement Maps as per UNFPA, it may be noted that Dari does not mean Tajik only, as (1) its Language data not ethnic information and (2) many other ethnic groups such as Aimaks, Pashtuns, Hazara, Kazalbash, Arabs, Syeds, etc. speak Dari. 

Badghis Province



Baghlan Province



Balkh Province




Bamyan Province



Daikundy Province 



Faryab Province



Ghor Province



Jawzjan Province



Kunduz Province 


Parwan Province 


Samangan Province



Takhar Province
  


Kapisa Province 




Monday, November 12, 2018

DI KHAN MAP



Friday, November 9, 2018

Kabul Province Ethnic Information


Kabul Province is surrounded by Pashtun areas from South-West, East and South, while North East connects it to Tajik territory. Kabul City and the districts north of it are dominated by farsi speakers, while the rest of the districts are dominated by Pashtuns. Furthermore, Kabul province is congruous with high population density pashtun provinces, wherefrom constant immigration of people from rural areas to metropolis of Kabul takes place. A report dated March 2009 by the Cooperation for Peace and Unity (CPAU), an Afghan not-for profit research think-tank, states that "Kabul city is ethnically varied, with large populations of all major ethnic groups in Afghanistan. The broader province however is dominated by Pashtun and Tajik groups. Kabul province’s population, excluding Kabul city, is around 500,000 people, with the majority (some 70% speaking Pashto has their first language, and 30% speaking Dari). The majority of the Dari speakers live in the Shomali plain". (http://cpau.org.af/manimages/publications/Kabul_Conflict_Analysis_Mar09_Final.pdf)

While according to Mrrd (https://web.archive.org/web/20110727100218/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/Provincial%20Profiles/Kabul%20PDP%20Provincial%20profile.pdf), Around 19% of the population of Kabul lives in rural districts while 81% lives in urban areas. Around 51% of the population is male and 49% is female. Pashtu is spoken by around sixty percent of the population and Dari is spoken by around forty percent. A small number of people located in 5 villages speaks Pashaie.

A 2007 provincial overview of Kabul by the US Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Program for Culture & Conflict Studies states that Kabul province is comprised of various ethnic groups including Tajik, Hazara, Pashtun, Kuchi, Tatar, Hindus, Sikhs and Qizilbash. The report provides the following information on the location of the various ethnic groups within Kabul province:  Tajiks are located throughout most of the province.·  Pashtuns are located throughout the districts of Kabul province.·  Hazara are located in pockets throughout Kabul province.· Kuchi in Kabul are located primarily in the north-west.  The Qizilbash are located in the capital and the surrounding districts.·  Tartar are located in the north-west portion of Kabul province.·  A small number of Hindus are located in the districts surrounding the capital.

Some of the other useful links are reproduced below:

Based on the above, following maps and data is included for visual reference, however, it may be noted that Dari speaking Pashtuns are included with Tajiks, while Kuchi data has not been considered:





Friday, November 2, 2018

Ethnic Map of Afghanistan (Russian 1960)



Here is the ethnic map of Afghanistan created by Russians in 1960.Please compare that with recent maps and see how deviant information is propagated in such maps. 

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Ethnic Map of Herat Province

Herat, since its fall to Afghans has been gradually populated by Pashtuns, as it was considered one of the gateways to Iran. The Pashtun migration to Herat province became more pronounced at the time of Amir Abdul Rehman of Afghanistan (1880-1901), which resulted in Pashtunization of Herat Province.

Historically,  Herat city is considered to be Tajik/Farsiwan enclave in a Pashtun province. South, West and North East of the province is dominated by Pashtuns, while East, North East and Herat city is dominated by Farsi speaker of variety of ethnic backgrounds. The Pashtun population that envelops the centers from south, west and north east also spills over into Iranian side of the border, while the Pashtun people from the south of the province reach all the way to Herat city before the population changes its character to Farsiwan/Tajik.

In recent years there has been substantial settlement of Hazaras and Aimaks into Herat City, while East of the province is congruous with central Afghanistan's region dominated by Aimaks therefore East and North east of the province, albeit low in population density, is dominated by Aimaks. Most Tajiks in Herat Province live in and around Herat city and the districts surrounding it.

Below is the DATA from UNHCR Report in 1990:

Adrakshan:         Mainly Nurzai Pashtun, with some Tajik and Aimaqs.
Chisti Sharif:       Mix of Pashtun, Tajik and Others.
Enjil:                    Tajik, Pashtun and Syeds.
Ghorian:              Pashtun (Durrani30%), Tajik (20%), Aimak, Hazara, other pashtuns.
Guzara:                Pashtun and Tajiks.
Herat:                   Mixed.
Karukh:                Tamorai, Jamshidai, Tajik and Zoori. The largest is the Tamorai.
Kushk:             Jamshidi make up 50 percent of the population, Taimuri 20 percent and Zari 15 percent.other groups are Firuz Kohi, Taheri, Mish Nast, Balochi, Turkaman and Pashtuns. The Pashtun tribes include the Kakar, Alizai, Ishaqzai and Nurzai.

Kohsan:               The different ethnic and tribal groups include Pushtuns, Baluch, Jamshidis, Taheris, Taimori (Khamadis) and Mish Mast. The Baluch tribes consisting of the Rakhshani, Barahoi, Gala Bacha (sub-tribe), Rigi and Dahmarde, make up about 25 percent of the population. Within the Pushtuns, the Alizais form about 18 percent and the remainder consists of Baritchs, Achakzais, Populzais, Nurzais, Ghorizais and Madizais (th sub-tribes of the Nurzai).

Obeh:               The kuchis are predominant in the mountainous areas. The majority of the population are Kipchaks (a branch of the Taimori ethnic group), followed by Ghilzais and Sayeds.

Pashtun Zarghun:            The main Pushtun tribes are the Achakzais and the Barakzais with representation of Alkozai, Kharoti, Nurzai, Akhunzada and Eshaqazai. other ethnic groups include: Tajiks, Arab, sayed, Aqa Mir, Mughal, Tamori, Taheri, Balouch, Zoori, Khuja, Tanzai and Taimani.

Zendajan:            The principal ethnic group is Tajik, comprising 40 percent of the population. Pushtuns(49%) are represented by the Alizais (20 percent), Khogianis (10 percent), Achakzai and Barakzai (10 percent), and Popalzai (9 percent). 'Ihe Marvi, Khwaja, Makoo, Baluch and Maleki ethnic groups make up the remaining. 
                   
According to UNHCR Survey conducted in 1990. http://afghandata.org:8080/jspui/bitstream/azu/3327/1/azu_acku_pamphlet_ds374_h47_1990_w.pdf

According to United States Institute of Peace (March 2015)

https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/PW107-Political-and-Economic-Dynamics-of-Herat.pdf

Below is the map showing the largest ethnic group in each district of Herat province.



Below is the district wise break-up: