Laghman
(Persian: لغمان) 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.
History
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. Located currently at the Kabul
Museum, are 1969 Aramaic inscriptions that 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.
At the moment, 2006, there is a ISAF Provincial
Reconstruction Team based at Mehtar Lam which is led by
the US
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.
Demographic
Pashtuns constitute the main strata of the ethnic groups of
Laghman, however Laghman is quite diverse. There are other groups as well,
including a Dardic group known as the Pashai. There are also sizeable numbers of
Tajiks as the province is well known for being a mosaic of Afghanistan's ethnic
groups.
