Nangarhar
(Pashto: ننگرهار) is
one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It lies
in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of
Jalalabad. Its population is more than 2,000,000 and it
borders Pakistan.
Economy and Puppy Production
Once a major center of opium poppy
production in Afghanistan, the province had reportedly
decreased its production of poppy by up to 95% in 2005,
one of the success stories of the Afghani eradication
program. However, the eradication program has often left
peasant farmers destitute, and many farmers were
reported to have given their children in payment for
debts to opium dealers.
Geographical Military Situation
Nangarhar shares a border with
Pakistan, and the two regions share very close ties,
with large amounts of migration either way. Most of the
province still uses Pakistani currency rather than
Afghan money for commercial transactions.
H5N1 (Bird Flue) was first detected in Afghanistan in
Nangarhar province
in March 2006.
