Helmand
Helmand (Pashto/Dari: هلمند) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation.
Helmand is the world's largest opium-producing region, responsible for 75% of the world's total production.[2][3] This is more than the whole of Burma, which is the second largest producing nation after Afghanistan. Afghan opium accounts for more than 90% of the global supply.
The Helmand valley region is mentioned by name in the Avesta (Fargard 1:13) as Haetumant, one of the early centers of the Zoroastrian faith, in pre-Islamic Afghan history. However, owing to the preponderance of non-Zoroastrians (Hindus and Buddhists), the Helmand and Kabul regions were also known as "White India" in those days.[4] Some Vedic scholars (eg. Kochhar 1999) also believe the Helmand valley corresponds to the Sarasvati area mentioned in the Rig Veda as the homeland for the Indo-Aryan migrations into India, ca. 1500 BC.[5]
The current governor is Mohammad Golab Mangal (since March 2008).
Much of the fighting between NATO and Taliban forces is taking place in this province and Helmand is said to be a Taliban stronghold.
USAID programs Grishk Dam, built by the U.S. before the Soviet invasionHelmand was the center of a U.S. development program in the 1960s – it was even nicknamed "little America". The program laid out tree-lined streets in Lashkar Gah, built a network of irrigation canals and constructed a large hydroelectric dam. The program was abandoned when the communists seized power in 1978.
More recently the American USAID program has contributed to a counter-narcotics initiative called the Alternative Livelihoods Program (ALP) in the province. It pays communities to work to improve their environment and economic infrastructure as an alternative to opium poppy farming. The project undertakes drainage and canal rehabilitation projects. In 2005 and 2006, there were problems in getting promised finance to communities and this is a source of considerable tension between the farmers and the Coalition forces.
Border with Pakistan Helmand has a southern border with the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Many domestic and international observers have criticized Pakistan's efforts towards securing the border against Taliban insurgents
Cities Lashkar Gah
Sangin
Musa Qala
Demographics The population is 1,441,769 and the area is 58,584 square kilometres. Pashtuns are the majority estimated at 92% of the population,[9][10] and there are also Balochs who are concentrated in the south, as well as smaller minorities of Hazara, Brahui and Tajik,[11] who live mostly in Lashkar Gah.
