Laghman is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern portion of Afghanistan, the capital is Mehtar Lam. The province is composed of several districts including: Alingar, Alishing, Dawlat Shah, Mehtar Lam, and Qarghayi. It is estimated that the population is approximately 285,680.

During the invasions of Alexander the Great, the area was formerly known as Lampaka. In the seventh century, the famous Chinese traveller Hsuan Tsang, visited the area. Although now located at the Kabul Museum in 1969 Aramaic inscriptions were found in Laghman which indicated an ancient trade route from India to Palmyra. During the war with the Soviets and the battles that followed between the rivaling warlords, many homes and business establishments in the province were destroyed.

Districts

Politics

The governor of Laghman is Shah Mahmood Safi.

On June 20, 2005, three Pakistanis were arrested in Laghman for plotting to kill the U.S. Ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad while he was visiting the province for reconstruction efforts. The three men were found with various armaments.

Economy

The Alingar and Alinshing rivers pass through Laghman, as the province is known for its lushness. Laghman has sizable amounts of irrigated land as one can find scores of fruits and vegetables from Laghman in Kabul, notably cucumbers. Other main crops in Laghman include rice, wheat and cotton as many people living in the area are involved in agricultural trade and business.

The province also has an array of precious stones and minerals.

Demographics

Although Pashtuns make up the majority of the province, Laghman is quite diverse. There are significant numbers of Tajiks, notably in the Qarghayi district and Char Bagh region. There are other groups as well, including a Dardic group known as the Pashai, who are the majority in the Alisheng and Dawlat Shah districts.

As with the case in many other parts of Afghanistan, the people of Laghman are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim along with bilingualism being common.