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Quick answerKandahar is a city in Afghanistan, with 732,629 people inside the city limits in 2025. It is best known for the Shrine of the Cloak, the Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Loy Kandahar. Its official languages are Pashto and Dari, and its currency is the Afghan afghani.
Kandahar is a major city in southern Afghanistan, with an estimated 732,629 settled residents in 2025. It is the capital of Kandahar Province and the centre of the Loy Kandahar cultural region, home to the Shrine of the Cloak and the tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani.
Key facts
| Country | Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 732,629 (2025) |
| Elevation | 1010 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Asia/Kabul |
| Language | Pashto, Dari |
| Currency | Afghan afghani (AFN, ؋) |
| Coordinates | 31.62° N, 65.7158° E |
Overview
Kandahar is a major city in southern Afghanistan and the capital of Kandahar Province. The city had an estimated 732,629 settled residents in 2025, and it sits about 1,010 metres above sea level between the Arghandab River and the Tarnak River. The Kandahar Municipality is divided into 15 city districts, covering 273 square kilometres.
The region around Kandahar is one of the oldest known areas of human settlement, and a major fortified city existed at the site probably as early as the 6th century BCE. Kandahar is the centre of the larger cultural region called Loy Kandahar, and it is the city of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire and of the modern Afghan state, whose mausoleum stands in the city beside the Shrine of the Cloak, which is said to hold the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad.
Today Kandahar is the second-largest city in Afghanistan and the main city of the south, known for its pomegranates, grapes and other fruit, its bazaars, and the Ayno Maina township in the north-east of the city. It was also the city where the Taliban movement began in the 1990s, and it remains a centre of Pashtun culture and politics.
What Kandahar is known for
- Shrine of the Cloak
- Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani
- Loy Kandahar
- Pomegranates and grapes
- Kandahar Citadel
- Arghandab River valley
Landmarks
- Shrine of the Cloak (Kirka Sharif)
- Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani
- Chilzina
- Kandahar old city
- Arghandab River
- Ayno Maina township
- Eidgah Mosque
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kandahar?
About 733,000 people live in Kandahar (732,629 settled residents in 2025). That makes Kandahar the second-largest city in Afghanistan.
What is Kandahar famous for?
Kandahar is famous as the city of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the modern Afghan state, whose mausoleum stands beside the Shrine of the Cloak. It is also known as the centre of the Loy Kandahar cultural region, for its pomegranates and grapes, and as the birthplace of the Taliban movement.
Where is Kandahar located?
Kandahar is in southern Afghanistan, between the Arghandab River and the Tarnak River, about 460 kilometres south-west of Kabul. It is the capital of Kandahar Province and sits about 1,010 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 31.62° N, 65.72° E, and its time zone is Afghanistan Time.
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Keep exploring
- Afghanistan — the country Kandahar is in
- Kabul — another city in Afghanistan
- Herat — another city in Afghanistan
- Mazar-i-Sharif — another city in Afghanistan
- All cities in Afghanistan
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.