Fayzabad, Badakhshan

Geography

The city is located on the right bank of the Kokcha River near where the river exits from a gorge and before it reaches a large open plain.

Climate

Fayzabad has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa). It has hot, dry summers and cold, moderately wet winters. Precipitation mostly falls in spring and winter.

Economy

Fayzabad has historically been relatively isolated from other parts of the country because of the lack of paved roads. There are two active bazaars in the city where items as diverse as cotton, cotton cloth and goods, salt, sugar, tea, indigo, and cutlery are traded. It has been two years since the asphalted ring road of Afghanistan reached Fayzabad. The cost of the road connecting Taluqan and Fayzabad was about $US 200 million which was paid for by USAID.

Several varieties of cash crops are grown in the vicinity including barley, wheat and rice and there are a number of gardens and orchards. There has been some success in panning for gold in the vicinity, beryl can be found and there is a salt mine located nearby. The city also has a handicraft industry producing woolen goods and there are flour and rice mills. There is a working power station in the city and there is considerable potential for expansion of hydroelectric power.

Demographics

The majority of the inhabitants are Tajiks, while there are also minority communities of other Persian peoples, and Khowars, Pamiris, Uzbeks, Hazaras and Turkmens.

Twelve languages are spoken in the city, including Dari Persian, Khowar, Wakhi, Munji, Pashto, Ishkashimi, Yazgulyam, Sarikoli, Shughni, Rushani, Uzbek and Turkmen.

History

The city was called Jauz Gun until 1680 because of the number of nuts ("jauz") in the area. The name was changed to Faizabad, which can be roughly translated as "abode of divine bounty, blessing, and charity", when the robe of Muhammed was delivered to the city. Tradition states that it was brought here by Muhammad Shaykh Ziya and Shaykh Niyaz after Wais Quran brought it to Balkh.

At that time the city replaced Munjan as the capital of Badakhshan. Later, in 1768, Ahmad Durrani took the robe to Kandahar, and established the Mosque of the Cloak of the Prophet Mohammed there in 1695 (A.D.). The Sáhibzádas of Samarkand removed the relic of the prophet from the capital in 1734 (A.D.). His clothing which came from the Turkish Campaign, was taken by Temorlane to Samarkand. Whilst the relic was being conveyed to India it was captured by Mír Yár Beg who deposited it at Fayzabad.

Many visitors used to come to a shrine erected in the city. The Khoja community of Badakhshán were made attendants at the shrine.

There are seven historical forts in and around the city, several of which are in ruins. These forts were built to help defend the city or the roads leading in and out.

In 1979 the town became a hotbed of guerrilla groups as Afghans sought to repel the Soviet invasion. Fayzabad was taken by Soviet forces in 1980 and became a base for the Soviet garrison.

Many NGOs who work in the Badakhshan province have placed their headquarters in the new part of the city. Near the city Germany is leading the Provincial Reconstruction Team. Danish and Czech teams had been a part of the PRT but the Czechs left in 2007 and the Danes in 2008. The camp is based at an old Russian air strip.

Culture

There are a number of mosques and shrines of historical importance in the city.

Public services

The city has several schools including an all-girls school. There is also a government hospital in the province. There are a number of commercial guesthouses in the city, Qasre Kokcha Hotel is the best among them which has security, central heating system, electricity and internet. There is also a guest house called Lapis Lazuli for expatriates.