Samangan is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country bordered by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The province covers 6,425 square miles and has a population of approximately 406,000 people.

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

A series of earthquakes struck the province on March 3, 2002, causing the loss of thousands of lives and homes.

Nowdays people call the province Samangan, but the the capital town of the province is Aybak.