View source for Nuristan Province

{{Short description|Province of Afghanistan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                   = Nuristan
| native_name            = {{nq|نورستان}}
| native_name_lang       = ps
| settlement_type        = [[Provinces of Afghanistan|Province]]
| image_skyline          = {{multiple image
 | border      = infobox
 | total_width = 220
 | perrow      = 2/1/2/1
 | image1      = Nooristan.jpg
 | image2      = Stream in Nuristan province.jpg
 | image3      = Hameshdesh in winter - panoramio.jpg
 | image4      = Kamdesh, Afghanistan - panoramio.jpg
 | image5      = Jaw Da Chitraas,Wama,Nuristan,Afghanistan - panoramio.jpg
 | image6      = Cattle ranch - panoramio.jpg}}
| image_alt              = 
| image_caption          = Nuristan Province
| image_flag             = 
| flag_alt               = 
| image_seal             = 
| seal_alt               = 
| image_shield           = 
| shield_alt             = 
| nickname               = 
| motto                  = 
| image_map              = Nuristan in Afghanistan.svg
| map_alt                = 
| map_caption            = Map of Afghanistan with Nuristan highlighted
| pushpin_map            = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_alt        = 
| pushpin_map_caption    = 
| coordinates            = {{coord|35.25|70.75|region:AF-NUR_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint          = 
| coordinates_footnotes  = 
| subdivision_type       = Country
| subdivision_name       = {{flag|Afghanistan}}
| established_title      = 
| established_date       = 
| founder                = 
| seat_type              = Provincial center
| seat                   = [[Parun]]
| government_footnotes   = 
| leader_party           = 
| leader_title           = [[List of governors of Nuristan|Governor]]
| leader_name            = [[Hafiz Muhammad Aagha]]
| leader_title1          = Deputy Governor
| leader_name1           = Sheikh Ismatullah<ref>{{cite news |url=https://bakhtarnews.af/ps/%D8%AF-%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%BC-%D9%88%D8%A7%DB%8C%DA%AB%D9%84-%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%B3%D9%81/ |title=د نورستان مرستیال والي وانټ وایګل ته سفر وکړ |trans-title=Vice-Governor of Nuristan visited Vant Weigel |work=bakhtarnews.af}}</ref>
| unit_pref              = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_footnotes         = 
| area_total_km2         = 9225.0
| area_land_km2          = 
| area_water_km2         = 
| area_water_percent     = 
| area_note              = 
| elevation_footnotes    = 
| elevation_m            = 
| population_footnotes   = <ref name=nsia/>
| population_total       = 166676
| population_as_of       = 2021
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym     = 
| population_note        = 
| blank_name_sec1        = [[Languages of Afghanistan|Main languages]]
| blank_info_sec1        = [[Nuristani languages]] <br> [[Pashto language|Pashto]]
| timezone1              = Afghanistan Time
| utc_offset1            = +4:30
| timezone1_DST          = 
| utc_offset1_DST        = 
| postal_code_type       = Postal Code
| postal_code            = 29XX 
| area_code_type         = 
| area_code              = 
| iso_code               = AF-NUR
| website                = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| footnotes              = 
}}
'''Nuristan''' ([[Pashto]]{{efn|{{IPA|ps|nu.ɾis.t̪ɑn}}}}; [[Dari]]{{efn|{{IPA|prs|nuː.ɾɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn}})}}: {{nq|نورستان}}, {{Literally|Land of [[Nūr (Islam)|Light]]}}), also spelled as '''Nurestan''' or '''Nooristan''', known as '''Nuriston''' ([[Katë language|Katë]]{{efn|{{IPA|bsh|nuː.ɾɪs.t̪ʰɔːn}}}}: {{nq|نورستان}}), and historically known as '''Kafiristan''' ([[Pashto]]{{efn|{{IPA|ps|kɑ.pi.ɾis.t̪ɑn, kɑ.fi.ɾis.t̪ɑn}}}}, [[Dari]]{{efn|{{IPA|prs|kɑː.fɪ.ɾɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn}})}}: کافرستان {{Literally|Land of [[Kafir|Infidel]]s}}) until 1896, is one of the 34 [[provinces of Afghanistan]], located in the eastern part of the country. It is divided into seven [[Districts of Afghanistan|districts]] and is Afghanistan's least populous province, with a population of around 167,000.<ref name=nsia>{{cite web |url=https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2021–22 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=April 2021 |website= |publisher=National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA)|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204559/https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf|url-status=live |access-date=June 21, 2021 |quote=}}</ref> [[Parun]] serves as the provincial capital. Nuristan is bordered on the south by [[Laghman Province|Laghman]] and [[Kunar Province|Kunar]] provinces, on the north by [[Badakhshan Province|Badakhshan province]], on the west by [[Panjshir Province|Panjshir province]], and on the east by [[Pakistan]].

The origin of the local [[Nuristanis|Nuristani people]] has been disputed, ranging from being the indigenous inhabitants forced to flee to this region after refusing to surrender to invaders, to being linked to various ancient groups of people and the [[Turk Shahi]] kings.<ref name=Ludwig/><ref name="Genesis"/> Some Nuristanis claim being descendants of the Greek occupying forces of Alexander the Great. It was formerly called [[Kafiristan]] ({{langx|ps|{{nq|كافرستان}}}}) ("Land of the Infidels") until the inhabitants were [[Forced conversion#Islam|forcibly converted]] from an [[Animism|animist]] religion{{sfn|Ansary|2014}}{{Pages needed|date=March 2025}}<ref name="nuristan.info"/> with elements from Indo-Iranian ([[Historical Vedic religion|Vedic]]- or [[Hinduism|Hindu]]-like) religion infused with local variations,{{sfn|Minahan|2014|p=205}}{{sfn|Barrington|Kendrick|Schlagintweit|2006|p=111}}{{efn|name="pre_Islamic_religion"}} to [[Islam]] in 1895, and thence the region has become known as Nuristan ("Land of Light").{{sfn|Klimberg|2004}} The region was located in an area surrounded by Buddhist and Hindu civilizations which were later taken over by Muslims.<ref name="academia"/>

The primary occupations are agriculture, animal husbandry, and [[day labor]]. Located on the southern slopes of the [[Hindu Kush]] mountains in the northeastern part of the country, Nuristan spans the basins of the [[Alingar River|Alingar]], [[Pech River|Pech]], [[Landai Sin River|Landai Sin]], and [[Kunar River|Kunar]] rivers. Most of Nuristan is covered by mountainous [[forest]]s and it has a rich biodiversity with a domestically unique [[monsoon]] climate by air coming from the [[Indian Ocean]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/7/110711-afghanistan-animals-bears-wolves-environment-science-war/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915031108/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/7/110711-afghanistan-animals-bears-wolves-environment-science-war/|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 September 2019|title=Afghanistan Bright Spot: Wildlife Thriving in War Zones|website=[[National Geographic Society]]|date=14 July 2011}}</ref> As of 2020, the entirety of Nuristan is now a protected [[national park]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dw.com/fa-af/ولایت-نورستان-در-افغانستان-به-عنوان-پارک-ملی-اعلام-گردید/a-53719705 |language= |title=ولایت نورستان در افغانستان به عنوان پارک ملی اعلام گردید |trans-title=Nuristan province in Afghanistan was declared as a national park |author=Reza Shirmohammad |date= |work=[[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/residents-welcome-designation-national-park-nuristan|title = Residents Welcome Designation of National Park in Nuristan}}</ref>

==History==
{{Further|History of Afghanistan}}

===Early history===
The surrounding area fell to [[Alexander the Great]] in 330 BC. It later fell to [[Chandragupta Maurya]]. The [[Maurya Empire|Mauryas]] introduced [[Buddhism]] to the region, and were attempting to expand their empire to Central Asia until they faced local Greco-Bactrian forces. [[Seleucus I Nicator|Seleucus]] is said to have reached a [[peace treaty]] with Chandragupta by giving control of the territory south of the Hindu Kush to the Mauryas upon intermarriage and 500 elephants.<ref name="ask">{{cite web |url=http://www.aisk.org/aisk/NHDAHGTK05.php |title=An Historical Guide to Kabul – The Name |author=Nancy Hatch Dupree / Aḥmad ʻAlī Kuhzād |publisher=American International School of Kabul |year=1972 |access-date=2010-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830031416/http://www.aisk.org/aisk/NHDAHGTK05.php |archive-date=2010-08-30 }}</ref>

Before their conversion to Islam, the Nuristanis practiced an [[Animism|animist]] religion{{sfn|Ansary|2014}}<ref name="nuristan.info"/> with elements from [[Indo-Iranian religion|Indo-Iranian]] ([[Historical Vedic religion|Vedic]]- or Hindu-like) religion infused with locally developed accretions.{{sfn|Minahan|2014|p=205}}{{sfn|Barrington|Kendrick|Schlagintweit|2006|p=111}}<ref name="nuristan.info">{{cite web|url=http://nuristan.info/Nuristani/Nuristanis1.html|title=Richard Strand's Nuristân Site: Peoples and Languages of Nuristan|author=Richard F. Strand|author-link=Richard Strand|date=31 December 2005|work=nuristan.info|access-date=3 March 2018|archive-date=1 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401180243/http://nuristan.info/Nuristani/Nuristanis1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{efn|name="pre_Islamic_religion"}} They were called "[[kafir]]s" due to their enduring paganism while other regions around them became Muslim. However, the influence from district names in Kafiristan of Katwar or Kator and the ethnic name [[Kata people|Kati]] has also been suggested.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Volume IV|editor1=C. E. Bosworth|editor1-link=C. E. Bosworth |editor2=E. Van Donzel|editor3=Bernard Lewis|editor3-link=Bernard Lewis|editor4=Charles Pellat|editor4-link=Charles Pellat|page=409|publisher=[[Brill Publishers|Brill]]}}</ref>

The area extending from modern Nuristan to [[Kashmir]] was known as "Puritan", a vast area containing a host of "Kafir" cultures and Indo-European languages that became Islamized over a long period. Earlier, it was surrounded by Buddhist areas. The Islamization of the nearby [[Badakhshan]] began in the 8th century and Peristan was surrounded by Muslim states in the 16th century with the Islamization of [[Baltistan]]. The Buddhist states temporarily brought literacy and state rule into the region. The decline of Buddhism resulted in it becoming heavily isolated.<ref name="academia">{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/35077429|journal=Archivio per l'Antropologia e la Etnologia
|title=Fence of Peristan – The Islamization of the "Kafirs" and Their Domestication|publisher=Società Italiana di Antropologia e Etnologia|author=Alberto M. Cacopardo|year=2016|pages=69, 77}}</ref>

There have been varying theories about the origins of Kafirs including the Arab tribe of [[Quraish]], or [[Gabr|Gabars]] of Persia, the Greek soldiers of Alexander as well as the Indians of eastern Afghanistan. [[George Scott Robertson]] considered them to be part of the old Indian population of Eastern Afghanistan and stated they fled to the mountains after the Muslim invasion in the 10th century. He added they probably found other races there whom they killed off and enslaved or amalgamated with them.<ref name=Ludwig>{{cite book|title=Historical and Political Gazetteer of Afghanistan, Volume 6|author=Ludwig W. Adamec|author-link=Ludwig W. Adamec|page=348|publisher=[[Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt]] Graz |year=1985}}</ref>

Oral traditions of some of the Nuristanis place themselves to be at the confluence of [[Kabul River]] and [[Kunar River]] a millennium ago. These traditions state they were driven off from [[Kandahar]] to Kabul to [[Ancient Kapisa|Kapisa]] to [[Kama District|Kama]] with the Muslim invasion. They identify themselves as late arrivals in Nuristan, being driven by [[Mahmud of Ghazni]] who after establishing his empire forced the unsubmissive population to flee.<ref name="nuristan.info"/>

The name Kator was used by Lagaturman, last king of the Turk Shahi. Apparently due to its usage by the last Turk-Shahi ruler, it was adopted as a title by the ruler of the north-west region of the Indian subcontinent, comprising Chitral and Kafiristan. The title "Shah Kator" was assumed by [[Chitral (princely state)|Chitral]]'s ruler Mohtaram Shah who assumed it upon being impressed by the majesty of the erstwhile pagan rulers of Chitral.<ref name="Genesis">{{cite journal|journal= Journal of Central Asia|volume= 14|title= The Genesis of the Royal Title|author= Dr. Hussain Khan|publisher= Centre for the Study of the Civilizations of Central Asia, [[Quaid-i-Azam University]]|pages=111, 112}}</ref> The theory of Kators being related to Turki Shahis is based on the information of ''[[Jami' al-tawarikh|Jami- ut-Tawarikh]]'' and ''[[Tarikh-i guzida|Tarikh-i-Binakiti]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title= The Shahis of Afghanistan and the Punjab|author= Deena Bandhu Pandey|publisher= Historical Research Institute; Oriental Publishers|page=65|year=1973}}</ref> The region was also named after its ruling elite. The royal usage may be the origin behind the name of Kator.<ref>{{cite journal|journal= Journal of Central Asia|volume= 14|title= The Genesis of the Royal Title|author= Dr. Hussain Khan|publisher= Centre for the Study of the Civilizations of Central Asia, [[Quaid-i-Azam University]]|page=114}}</ref>

The high god of the pre-Islamic Nuristani religion was the god ''[[Imra]]'', derived from the Hindu god [[Yama (Hinduism)|Yama]], and was also called ''[[Mara (demon)|Mara]]''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_eykCQAAQBAJ&q=nuristan+imra+indr&pg=PA351|title=The Roots of Hinduism: The Early Aryans and the Indus Civilization|page=143|isbn=9780190226923|last1=Parpola|first1=Asko|year=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press }}</ref> Another god was Indr, derived from [[Indra]]. He was seen as the brother of the god Gisht and father of Pano and the goddess Dishani.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aqDC5bwx4_wC&q=nuristan+indr&pg=PA138|title=Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses|page=138|isbn=9781438109855|last1=Jordan|first1=Michael|date=14 May 2014|publisher=Infobase }}</ref> There were also many other minor gods worshiped in the region.<ref>{{cite book|title=Historical and Political Gazetteer of Afghanistan, Volume 6|author=Ludwig W. Adamec|author-link=Ludwig W. Adamec|page=361|publisher=Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt Graz |year=1985}}</ref>

The region was [[Conquest of Kafiristan|invaded]] by forces of Afghan Amir [[Abdur Rahman Khan]] in 1896 and most of the people were converted either by force or did so to avoid the ''[[jizya]]'':<ref name=Nile>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g6swDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA142|title=Afghanistan's Islam: From Conversion to the Taliban|author=Nile Green|year=2017|publisher=University of California Press|pages=142–143|isbn=9780520294134}}</ref>

The region was renamed Nuristan, meaning ''Land of the enlightened'', a reflection of the "enlightening" of the [[Paganism|pagan]] Nuristani by the "light-giving" of Islam.

Nuristan was once thought to have been a region through which Alexander the Great passed with a detachment of his army; thus the [[folk legend]] that the Nuristani people are descendants of Alexander (or "his generals").

In the 19th century, the [[Emirate of Afghanistan]] incorporated Nuristan into its territory via military conquest; this occurred around the same time as the beginning of [[European influence in Afghanistan]]. During this period, one of the most well known Afghan generals from this period, Abdul Wakil Khan, was born in Nuristan. He fought against the insurgent forces of [[Habibullāh Kalakāni]] and was buried on the same plateau where Afghan king [[Amanullah Khan]] is buried.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

===Recent history===
{{Further|War in Afghanistan (2001–present)}}
[[File:Village of Aranas, Nuristan province.jpg|thumb|A U.S. soldier moving along a path overlooking the mountainside village of Aranas while on patrol in 2006]]
[[File:Wadawuvalley.jpg|thumb|Members of the [[Afghan National Army]] (ANA) during a U.S.-led patrol in Wadawu valley during Operation Silver Creek in August 2009]]
Since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Afghan politicians (particularly [[Mohammed Daoud Khan]]) have been focused on invading [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and the [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas]] of Pakistan. This has led to terrorism on both sides of the border as the scene of some of the heaviest [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] fighting during the 1980s [[Soviet–Afghan War]]. The province was influenced by [[Mawlawi Afzal]]'s [[Islamic Revolutionary State of Afghanistan]], which was supported by Pakistan nationalists and [[Saudi Arabia]]. It dissolved under the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan]] (Taliban rule) in the late 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.jamestown.org/programs/tm/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=482&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=180&no_cache=1#.VEgJVLxxnIU |title=Nuristan: Insurgent Hideout in Afghanistan, Terrorism Monitor, Volume 3, Issue 10 |newspaper=Jamestown |date=May 26, 2005 |access-date=2014-10-22 |editor=Daan Van Der Schriek}}</ref>

Nuristan is one of the poorest and most remote provinces of Afghanistan. Prior to the takeover of the Taliban in 2021, few [[Non-governmental organization|NGO]]s operated in Nuristan because of the [[Taliban insurgency|insurgency]] and a lack of safe roads. Some road construction projects were launched linking Nangarej to [[Mandol District|Mandol]] and [[Chapa Dara District|Chapa Dara]] to Titan Dara.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arcent.army.mil/media_releases/2006/june/jun13_06.asp |title=Nuristan governor, contractor, and Afghanistan engineer district sign partnership agreement |access-date=2006-06-28 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708083847/http://www.arcent.army.mil/media_releases/2006/june/jun13_06.asp |archive-date=July 8, 2007 }}, Headquarters US Central Command, News Release, June 13, 2006</ref> The Afghan government also worked on a direct road route to [[Laghman Province|Laghman province]], in order to reduce dependence on the road through restive [[Kunar Province|Kunar province]] to the rest of Afghanistan. Other road projects were started aimed at improving the primitive road from [[Kamdesh, Nuristan|Kamdesh]] to [[Barg-i Matal District|Barg-i Matal]], and from [[Nangalam]] in Kunar province to the provincial center at Parun.

Since Nuristan is a highly ethnically homogeneous province, there are few incidents of inter-ethnic violence. However, there are instances of disputes among inhabitants, some of which continue for decades. Nuristan has suffered from its inaccessibility and lack of infrastructure. The government presence is under-developed, even compared to neighboring provinces. Nuristan's formal educational sector is weak, with few professional teachers. Due to its proximity to Pakistan, many of the inhabitants are actively involved in trade and commerce across the border.

A map from the [[Ministry of the Interior (Afghanistan)|Afghan Ministry of the Interior]] produced in 2009 showed the western region of Nuristan to be under "enemy control". There have been numerous conflicts between militants and U.S.-led Afghan security forces. In April 2008 members of the [[3rd Special Forces Group (United States)|3rd Special Forces Group]] led Afghan soldiers from the [[Commandos (Afghanistan)|Commando Brigade]] into the Shok valley in [[Battle of Shok Valley|an unsuccessful attempt]] to capture warlord [[Gulbuddin Hekmatyar]]. In July 2008, approximately 200 [[Battle of Wanat|Taliban guerrillas attacked a NATO position]] just south of Nuristan, near the village of Wanat in the [[Waygal District]], killing 9 U.S. soldiers.<ref name=jazeera14>{{cite web|url = http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2008/07/200871463317512597.html |publisher = Al Jazeera|title=Taliban fighters storm US base |access-date = 2008-07-16}}</ref>

In the following year, in early October, more than 350 insurgents backed by members of the [[Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin]] and other militia groups fought U.S.-led Afghan security forces in the [[Battle of Kamdesh]] at Camp Keating in Nuristan. The base was nearly overrun; more than 100 Taliban fighters, eight U.S. soldiers, and seven members of the Afghan security forces were killed during the fighting.<ref name="longwarjournal.org">{{Cite web |date=2009-11-12 |title=Taliban govern openly in Nuristan {{!}} FDD's Long War Journal |url=https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/11/taliban_govern_in_th.php |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=www.longwarjournal.org |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mackey |first=Robert |date=2009-11-12 |title=Taliban Claim to Seize American Arms |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/taliban-display-seized-american-arms/ |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=The Lede |language=en}}</ref><ref name="washpostkamdesh">{{Cite news |last=Jaffe |first=Joshua Partlow and Greg |date=2009-10-05 |title=8 U.S. Troops Killed in Siege of Afghan Outpost |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/04/AR2009100400778.html |access-date=2024-01-22 |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name="bbc-nuristan-battle-4oct2009">{{Cite news |date=2009-10-04 |title=Heavy US losses in Afghan battle |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8289200.stm |access-date=2024-01-22 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Four days after the battle, in early October 2009, U.S. forces withdrew from their four main bases in Nuristan, as part of a plan by General [[Stanley McChrystal]] to pull troops out of small outposts and relocate them closer to major towns.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130117100453/http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/army_kamdesh_103109w/ Kamdesh ambush played out like Wanat battle], Matthew Cox and Michelle Tan, Army Times, November 3, 2009</ref> The U.S. has pulled out from some areas in the past, but never from all four main bases.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KJ29Df04.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101163016/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KJ29Df04.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=2009-11-01|work=Asia Times Online|title=South Asia news, business and economy from India and Pakistan|date=2009-10-29|access-date= 2011-02-07}}</ref> A month after the U.S. pullout the Taliban was governing openly in Nuristan.<ref name="longwarjournal.org"/> According to ''[[The Economist]]'', Nuristan is "a place so tough that NATO abandoned it in 2012 after failing to subdue it."<ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistan's border badlands: Double games|url=https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21606902-could-country-be-getting-taste-its-own-medicine-double-games|access-date=17 July 2014|newspaper=The Economist|date=Jul 12, 2014}}</ref>

In 2021, the [[Taliban]] gained control of the province during the [[2021 Taliban offensive]].

==Healthcare==
{{Further|Health in Afghanistan}}
The percentage of households with clean drinking water increased from 2% in 2005 to 12% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org">{{Cite web |title=Afghanistan Provincial Map |url=https://www.cimicweb.org/AfghanistanProvincialMap/Pages/Nuristan.aspx |access-date=30 May 2014 |archive-date=31 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531142625/https://www.cimicweb.org/AfghanistanProvincialMap/Pages/Nuristan.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> The percentage of births attended by a skilled birth attendant increased from 1% in 2005 to 22% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/>

==Education==
{{Further|Education in Afghanistan}}
In 2002 the first gender assessment of women's conditions in Nuristan was completed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inclusivesecurity.org/network-bio/wazhma-frogh/|title=Wazhma Frogh|work=inclusivesecurity.org}}</ref> The overall literacy rate (6+ years of age) fell from 17.7% in 2005 to 17% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/> The overall net enrolment rate (6–13 years of age) increased from 8.7% in 2005 to 45% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/>

==Demographics==
{{Further|Demographics of Afghanistan}}
[[File:US Army ethnolinguistic map of Afghanistan -- circa 2001-09.jpg|thumb|[[Ethnolinguistics|Ethnolinguistic]] [[ethnic groups in Afghanistan|groups in Afghanistan]]]]

As of 2021, the total population of the province is about 166,676.<ref name=nsia/> According to the [[Naval Postgraduate School]], 87% are [[Nuristani people|Nuristanis]], 10% Pashtuns and less than 3% [[Gujars]] and ethnic [[Tajiks]].<ref name="nps">{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.edu/Programs/CCS/Docs/Executive%20Summaries/Nuristan_Summary_2009.pdf |title=Nuristan Province |work=Program for Culture & Conflict Studies|publisher=[[Naval Postgraduate School]] |access-date=2014-10-21}}</ref><ref>
{{Cite web |title=Programs |url=http://www.nps.edu/Programs/CCS/Docs/PDF%20Maps/NewTribal/Nuristan.pdf}}</ref>

Approximately 90% of the population speak the following five [[Nuristani languages]], as well as one [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan language]]:<ref name="mrrd">{{Cite web |title=Nurstan Provincial Profile |url=http://www.mrrd.gov.af/nabdp/Provincial%20Profiles/Nuristan%20PDP%20Provincial%20profile.pdf |access-date=14 September 2017 |archive-date=7 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007182106/http://www.mrrd.gov.af/nabdp/Provincial%20Profiles/Nuristan%20PDP%20Provincial%20profile.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

*[[Katë language|Katë]]
*[[Prasun language|Prasun]]
*[[Ashkun language|Ashkun]]
*[[Kalasha-ala language|Nuristani Kalasha]]
*[[Tregami language|Tregami]]
*[[Pashayi languages]] are used by about 15% of the population.<ref name="mrrd"/>

The main Nuristani tribes in the province are:
* [[Kata people|Kata]] or Katta (38%)
* [[Waigali language|Waigali]] or Kalasha (30%)
* [[Askunu language|Ashkun]] or Wamai (12%)
* [[Kom people (Afghanistan)|Kam]] or Kom (10%)
* [[Satra Nuristani|Satra]] (5%)
* [[Wasi-wari|Wasi]] or Parsoon (4%)

[[Dari language|Dari]] and [[Pashto language|Pashto]] are used as second and third languages in the province.

===Districts===
[[File:Nurestan districts 2014.png|thumb|Districts of Nuristan]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%;"
|+ Districts of Nuristan Province
|-
!District
!Center
!Population<ref name=nsia/>
!Area<ref>[http://www.fao.org/afghanistan/ Afghanistan Geographic & Thematic Layers]</ref>
!Pop.<br />density
!Notes
|-
|[[Barg-i Matal District|Barg-i Matal]] ||  ||  17,537 || 1,731 || 10 || 100% Nuristani.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/bargi_matal.pdf |access-date=2024-01-22 |archive-date=7 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061007064340/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/bargi_matal.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|[[Du Ab District|Du Ab]] ||  ||  8,902 || 652 || 14 || 99% Nuristani, 1% Gujar.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/du_aab.pdf |access-date=2024-01-22 |archive-date=27 October 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027180140/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/du_aab.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Established in 2004, formerly part of [[Nuristan District]] and Mandol District
|-
|[[Kamdesh District|Kamdesh]] || [[Kamdesh]] ||  28,564 || 1,452 || 20 || 100% Nuristani.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/kamdesh.pdf |access-date=2024-01-22 |archive-date=27 October 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027181619/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/kamdesh.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|[[Mandol District|Mandol]] ||  ||  22,320 || 1,996 || 11 || 99% Nuristani, 1% Gujar and Tajik.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/mandol.pdf |access-date=2024-01-22 |archive-date=27 October 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027180209/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/mandol.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Lost territory to Du Ab District in 2004
|-
|[[Nurgram District|Nurgram]] ||  ||  36,536 || 943 || 39 || 100% Nuristani.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/nangarage.pdf |access-date=2024-01-22 |archive-date=27 October 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027184117/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/nangarage.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Established in 2004, formerly part of [[Nuristan District]] and Wama District
|-
|[[Parun District|Parun]] || '''[[Parun]]''' ||  15,279 || 1,509 || 10 || 100% Nuristani.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNHCR Sub-Office JALALABAD DISTRICT PROFILE |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/paroon.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027180239/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/paroon.pdf |archive-date=27 October 2005 |access-date=2024-01-22}}</ref> Established in 2004, formerly part of Wama District
|-
|[[Wama District|Wama]] ||  ||  12,489 || 389 || 32 || 100% Nuristani.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/wama.pdf |access-date=2024-01-22 |archive-date=27 October 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027173923/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/wama.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Lost territory to Parun District and Nurgram District in 2004
|-
|[[Waygal District|Waygal]] ||  ||  22,187 || 907 || 24 || 100% Nuristani.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/waygal.pdf |access-date=2024-01-22 |archive-date=27 October 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027180305/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/eastern/nuristan/waygal.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#d3d3d3"
|'''Nuristan'''
|
|'''163,814'''
|'''9,267'''
|'''18'''
|99.9% [[Nuristanis|Nuristani]], 0.1% [[Gurjar|Gujars]], <0.1% [[Tajiks]].{{refn|group=note|Note: "Predominantely" or "dominated" is interpreted as 99%, "majority" as 70%, "mixed" as 1/(number of ethnicities), "minority" as 30% and "few" or "some" as 1%.}}
|}
{{reflist|group=note}}

==In popular culture==
[[File:Northern Afghanistan by Kamran Shukoor.jpg|thumb|Northern Afghanistan by Kamran Shukoor]]

*Nuristan is the subject of the book ''[[A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush]]'' by the British travel writer [[Eric Newby]].
*Nuristan was the location of three of the missions in ''[[Hitman (franchise)|Hitman]] 2: Silent Assassin''.
*[[Rudyard Kipling]]'s short story ''[[The Man Who Would Be King]]'' and the [[The Man Who Would Be King (film)|film]] inspired by it are set in "Kafiristan" (the earlier name of pre-Islamic Nuristan).
*Nuristan is the setting of the book ''Red Platoon'' by [[Medal of Honor]] recipient [[Clinton Romesha]].
*Nuristan is where three young diplomats, American, English, and German visited in 1960 "...to penetrate a land that few westerners had set eyes on." Their book is ''[[A Passage to Nuristan: Exploring the Mysterious Afghan Hinterland]]'' by Joseph T. Kendrick (Author), Nicholas Barrington (Author), Reinhard Schlagintweit (Author), Sandy Gall (Foreword).

==Notable people from the province==
* Gen. Abdu Wakil Khan
* Gen. Ghorzi
* Ex. Mayor of Kabul Akbar
* Lt. Col. Jamaluddin Khan Nuristani
* [[Mohammad Qassim Jangulbagh]]
* Col. Pacha Gul Nuristani
* Tamim Nuristani Nuristani
* Jamaluddin Bader
* [[Hafeez Nuristani Nuristani]]
* [[Abdul Hai Warshan]]
* [[Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani]]
* [[Abdul Qadir Nuristani]]
* [[Mohammed Nadir Atash]]
* [[Col. Issa Khan Nuristani]]
* [[Khalilullah Nuristani]]
* [[General Sarwar Khan Nuristani]]
* [[Col. Noorullah Khan]]
* [[Col. Din Mohammad Khan]]
* [[Col. Haroon Khan]]
* [[Col. Jan Gul Khan]]
* [[Col. Jan Muhammad Khan]]
* [[Lt. Col. Nazar Muhammad Khan]]
*[https://knownuristan.blogspot.com/ Abdul Wahid Nuristani]

==See also==
*[[Geography of Afghanistan]]
*[[Provinces of Afghanistan]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist|refs=
<!-- P -->
<!-- "pre_Islamic_religion" -->
{{efn|name="pre_Islamic_religion"|Pre-Islamic religion:
* {{harvtxt|Ansary|2014}}: "Kafiristan, "Land of the Infidels," because the people there practiced an animist religion involving elaborate graves decorated with images carved of wood."
* {{harvtxt|Ruhland|2019|p=107}}: "Their traditional shamanic religion is probably rooted in Indo-Iranian, pre-Zoroastrian Vedic traditions."
* {{harvtxt|Witzel|2004|p=2}}: 
:* "an ancient, common substrate (TUITE 2000, cf. BENGTSON 1999, 2001, 2002). These must be separated from what ''may'' appear to be Vedic." 
:* "A few key features that highlight the position of Hindukush religion in between the IIr. [Indo-Iranian], BMAC and Vedic religions will be summarized and discussed in some detail, as they by and large even now remain unknown to Vedic specialists, in spite of BUDDRUSS 1960 and the selective summary "d'un domaine mal connu des indianistes" by FUSSMAN (1977: 21-35), who, even with an "esprit hypercritique comme le nôtre" (1977: 27), overstresses (post-Vedic) Indian influences (1977: 69; for a balanced evaluation of the linguistic features, see now DEGENER 2002). However, both Hindukush and Vedic mythology, ritual, and festivals, in spite of many layers of developments and mutual influences, tend to explain each other very effectively; cf. the similar case of Nepal (Witzel 1997c: 520-32)."
* {{harvtxt|Vinogradov|Zharnikova|2020|p=182}}: "... the pagan Kafir pantheon, which has preserved the relics of the most ancient Indo-Iranian mythological concepts."
* {{harvtxt|Minahan|2014|p=205}}: "Living in the high mountain valleys, the Nuristani retained their ancient culture and their religion, a form of ancient Hinduism with many customs and rituals developed locally. Certain deities were revered only by one tribe or community, but one deity was universally worshipped by all Nuristani as the Creator, the Hindu god Yama Raja, called ''imr'o'' or ''imra'' by the Nuristani tribes."
* {{harvtxt|Barrington|Kendrick|Schlagintweit|2006|p=111}}: "Prominent sites include Hadda, near Jalalabad, but Buddhism never seems to have penetrated the remote valleys of Nuristan, where the people continued to practise an early form of polytheistic Hinduism."}}
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
<!-- A -->
* {{Cite book |last =Ansary | first =Tamim| date =2014 | title =Games without Rules: The Often-Interrupted History of Afghanistan |publisher =PublicAffairs | isbn =9781610393195 | language =en | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=edAiBQAAQBAJ&q=kafiristan+animist&pg=PA98}}
<!-- B -->
* {{cite book | last1 =Barrington | first1 =Nicholas | last2 =Kendrick | first2 =Joseph T. | last3 =Schlagintweit | first3 =Reinhard |date =2006 | title =A Passage to Nuristan: Exploring the Mysterious Afghan Hinterland | publisher =[[I.B. Tauris]] | language =en |isbn =9781845111755}}
<!-- K -->
* {{cite encyclopedia | last =Klimberg | first =Max | date =2004 | encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]|title=NURISTAN | url =http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/nuristan | edition =Online | publisher =[[Columbia University]]|location= United States}}
<!-- M -->
* {{cite book | last =Minahan | first =James B. | date =2014 | title =Ethnic Groups of North, East, and Central Asia: An Encyclopedia |publisher =[[ABC-CLIO]] | language =en |isbn=9781610690188}}
<!-- R -->
* {{cite book | last =Ruhland | first =Heike | year =2019 | title =Peacebuilding in Pakistan: A Study on the Religious Minorities and Initiatives for Interfaith Harmony | publisher =Waxmann Verlag}}
<!-- V -->
* {{cite book | last1 =Vinogradov | first1 =A.G. | last2 =Zharnikova | first2 =S.V. | year =2020 | title =Indo-European Ornamental Complexes and their Analogies in the Cultures of Eurasia}}
<!-- W -->
* {{cite book | first =Michael | last =Witzel | year =2004 | author-link =Michael Witzel | chapter =Kalash Religion (extract from 'The Ṛgvedic Religious System and its Central Asian and Hindukush Antecedents') | editor1 =A. Griffiths | editor2=J. E. M. Houben | title =The Vedas: Texts, Language and Ritual | location =Groningen | publisher =Forsten | pages =581–636 | chapter-url =https://fid4sa-repository.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/3370/1/KalashaReligion.pdf}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977): ''An Historical Guide to Afghanistan''. 1st Edition: 1970. 2nd Edition. Revised and Enlarged. Afghan Tourist Organization. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927223843/http://www.zharov.com/dupree/index.html LINK]
* Richard F. Strand. (1997–present) ''Richard Strand's Nuristan Site'' [http://nuristan.info LINK]. The most accurate and comprehensive source on Nuristan, by the world's leading scholar on the languages and ethnic groups of Nuristan.
* M. Klimburg. NURISTAN in ''Encyclopædia Iranica''. {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100201115555/http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/ot_grp6/ot_nuristan_20041001.html LINK]}}
* [[:de:Karl Jettmar|Jettmar, Karl]] (1986) ''The Religions of the Hindukush: Vol 1: The Religions of the Kafirs: The Pre-islamic Heritage of Afghan Nuristan.'' 
* Edelberg, Lennart (1984) "Nuristani Buildings" Jutland Archaeological Society Publications, Vol. 18, 1984.
* Edelberg, Lennart & [[Schuyler Jones]] (1979) "Nuristan" Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, Graz, Austria
* Jones, Schuyler (1992) "Afghanistan" Vol. 135 of the World Bibliographical Series, Clio Press, Oxford.
* Jones, Schuyler (1974) "Men of Influence in Nuristan: A Study of Social Control & Dispute Settlement in Waigal Valley, Afghanistan." Seminar Press, London & New York.
* Wilber, Donald N. (1968)Annotated Bibliography of Afghanistan. Human Relations Area Files, New Haven, Conn. 
* Jones, Schuyler (1966) An Annotated Bibliography of Nuristan (Kafiristan) and the Kalash Kafirs of Chitral, Part One. Royal Danish Academy of Sciences & Letters, Vol. 41, No. 3.
* Kukhtina, Tatiyana I. (1965) Bibliografiya Afghanistana: Literatuyra na russkom yazyka. Nauka, Moscow.
* Akram, Mohammed (1947) Bibliographie de l'Afghanistan, I, ouvrages parus hors de l'Afghanistan. Centre de Documentation Universitaire, Paris.
* Robertson, Sir George S. (1900) The Kafirs of Hindu-Kush. 
* کشمکش های تاریخی و سرنوشت قبیله الکته (۱۴۰۰)

==External sources==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikivoyage|Nuristan}}
* [http://www.nps.edu/Programs/CCS/Nuristan.html Nuristan Province] by the [[Naval Postgraduate School]] (NPS)
* [http://www.understandingwar.org/region/regional-command-east#Nuristan Nuristan Province] by the [[Institute for the Study of War]] (ISW)

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Nuristan Province
|North     = [[Badakhshan Province]]
|Northeast = {{flag|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa}}, {{flag|Pakistan}}
|East      = 
|Southeast = [[Kunar Province]]
|South     = 
|Southwest = [[Laghman Province]]
|West      = [[Panjshir Province]]
|Northwest = 
}}
{{Nuristan Province}}
{{Provinces of Afghanistan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Nuristan Province| ]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 2001]]
[[Category:Provinces of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Provinces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Hindu Kush]]