Kunduz
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| Kunduz, Afghanistan | |
| Country | Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Province | Kunduz |
| Area | |
| - City | km² |
| Population | |
| - City (2002) | 95,000 |
| Time zone | GMT+04:30 Kabul (UTC) |
Kunduz (Pashto: قندوز) also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north. In the 1979 census, Kunduz had a population of 53,251 people, which is now estimated to have risen to 95,000 (2002 official estimate). Kunduz is located at 36.73°N, 68.86°E, at an elevation of 397 meters above sea level.
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[edit] History
The city was anciently known as Drapsaka, and was a place of importance visited by Alexander the Great. Under the governance of Sher Khan Nasher, Kunduz became one of the wealthiest Afghan provinces in the early 20th century. This was mainly due to Nasher's founding of the Spinzar Cotton Company, which continues to exist in post-war Afghanistan.
Kunduz was the last major city held by the Taliban before its fall to US-backed Afghan Northern Alliance forces on November 26, 2001. Before its fall, witnesses reported seeing Pakistani aircrafts airlifted up to five thousand Taliban and Al-Qaeda troops from the city.[1][2][3]
