Political
Current Governor: Toryalai Wesa
Presidential Candidate(s): Gul Agha Sherzai, Qayoum Karzai
Provincial Council Candidates: Information not yet available
Registered Voters: Information not yet available
Geography
Location: In southern Afghanistan at 31.0°N 65.5°E and borders Helmand, Uruzgan and Zabul provinces as well as Balochistan in Pakistan.
Size: 54,022 sq kilometers (20,858 sq miles)
Districts: 16 districts – Arghandab, Arghistan, Daman, Ghorak, Kandahar, Khakrez, Maruf, Maywand, Miyanishin, Nesh, Panjwayi, Reg, Shah Wali Kot, Shorabak, Spin Boldak, Shari
Capital: Kandahar city
Topography: Mostly flat or semi-mountainous desert and shrub covered land. The province is largely desert in the south and hilly in the north. The only mountainous area is in the eastern region along the Pakistani border. The province has a number of rivers including the Dorai, Tarnak, Arghistan and the Arghandab, which runs through the capital city.
Climate: Highland, Semi-arid, arid
Demographics
Population Size: 1.1 million
Ethnicities: Pashtun (majority), Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Baloch
Miscellaneous
Kandahar is said to have been the site of some of the oldest human settlements known, including remains dating back to 9,000 years. Because of its strategic location connecting Southern, Central and Southeastern Afghanistan, the area of Kandahar has been fought over for thousands of years. It was conquered by Alexander the Great, the Umayyids, the Ghaznavids, the Timurids, Babur, the Saffavids, Hotaki and then later Durrani. During the Durrani Empire, Ahmad Shah Durrani made Kandahar city the capital of what is now Afghanistan. Kandahar was the battleground during the British and Soviet invasions. Although it was one of the first Taliban-held territories to be liberated during the U.S.-led invasion, it has remained a hub of Taliban power and insurgent violence. It is considered one of the most restive provinces in Afghanistan.