The name Shindand means "green pond" in Pashto.[1] The town was previously known as Sabzwar and Asfezar.[2]
Shindand was once a city of considerable size, and still possesses a fortress with sides of about 200 metres. In the 19th century the city was said to have a diverse population composed of Ghilzais, Durranis (Alakozais, Popalzais, Barakzais), Tajiks, Zuris, Timuris, Jews, and Hindus.[3] By the early 20th century this fortress had been abandoned, and the town, at the centre of a group of villages, was fairly prosperous, with a bazaar of about 800 shops. The plains about Shindand were highly cultivated by the Nurzai Duranis, each village protected by its own little mud fort.[4]
On August 10, 1990, an Antonov An-12 of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Air Force (DRAAF) crashed during initial climb after takeoff from Shindand Airport, killing all 83 onboard. This crash was Afghanistan's deadliest until the crash of Kam Air Flight 904 in 2005.[5]
With an influence from the local steppe climate, Shindand features a cold semi-arid climate (BSk) under the Köppen climate classification. The average temperature in Shindand is 16.5 °C, while the annual precipitation averages 168 mm.
July is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of 29.4 °C. The coldest month January has an average temperature of 4.1 °C.
More information Climate data for Shindand, Month ...
Climate data for Shindand |
Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) |
11.1 (52.0) |
13.3 (55.9) |
19.4 (66.9) |
24.1 (75.4) |
30.1 (86.2) |
35.8 (96.4) |
37.7 (99.9) |
36.3 (97.3) |
31.9 (89.4) |
25.8 (78.4) |
18.4 (65.1) |
13.1 (55.6) |
24.8 (76.5) |
Daily mean °C (°F) |
4.1 (39.4) |
6.6 (43.9) |
12.1 (53.8) |
16.5 (61.7) |
21.8 (71.2) |
27.1 (80.8) |
29.4 (84.9) |
27.4 (81.3) |
22.5 (72.5) |
16.2 (61.2) |
9.4 (48.9) |
5.2 (41.4) |
16.5 (61.8) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
4.9 (40.8) |
9.0 (48.2) |
13.5 (56.3) |
18.4 (65.1) |
21.1 (70.0) |
18.6 (65.5) |
13.1 (55.6) |
6.7 (44.1) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
8.4 (47.0) |
Source: Climate-Data.org[6] |
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L. W. Adamec, Historical And Political Gazetteer Of Afghanistan, Vol. 3, Herat and Northwestern Afghanistan, Akademische Druck-u. Verlagsanstalt, 1972, ISBN 978-3201009423, p. 343
- Louis Dupree, Afghanistan. 1st Edition: 1973; Ludwig W. Adamec, Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan, 3rd ed., 2003.
- S. I. Bruk, Narody Peredney Azii (1960); S.I. Bruk, and V. S. Apenchenko, Atlas Narodov Mira (Moscow: Academy of Science, 1964) A. Gabriel, Religionsgeographie von Persien (Vienna, 1971).