Hairatan
Hairatan
حیرتان | |
|---|---|
The Welcome to Afghanistan sign at the Hairatan port in 2010 | |
| Coordinates: 37°13′1″N 67°25′01″E / 37.21694°N 67.41694°E | |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Province | Balkh Province |
| District | Kaldar District |
| Elevation | 1,000 ft (300 m) |
| Time zone | UTC+04:30 (Afghanistan Time) |
Hairatan (Dari and Pashto: حیرتان; Uzbek and Tajik: Ҳайратон / Hayraton) is a port city along the Amu River in the northern Balkh Province of Afghanistan. It serves as the capital of Kaldar District and is about 60 km (37 mi) north of Mazar-i-Sharif. The port and border checkpoint are located in the eastern section of the city. The Amu River forms the border with neighboring Uzbekistan, and the two nations are connected by the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge. The city of Termez in Uzbekistan is a short distance away to the northwest of Hairatan, on the other side of the Amu River.
Hairatan is one of the major transporting, shipping and receiving locations in Afghanistan. It is also an official border crossing between the people of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Security in and around the town is provided by the Afghan National Security Forces. All foreign travelers must possess a valid travel visa to enter Afghanistan. Citizens of Afghanistan could stay visa-free for up to 2 weeks in the Airitom Free Zone of Termez.