Turkestan Province
Turkestan Province (Persian: ولایت ترکستان, romanized: Wilāyat-i Turkistān) was a province in Afghanistan.
| Turkestan Province | |
|---|---|
| Province of Afghanistan | |
Afghan Turkestan Province in 1929 | |
| Capital | Balkh (1850 - 1854) Takhtapul (1854 - 1869/74) Mazar-i-Sharif (1869/74 onwards) |
| Demonym | Turkestani |
| • Type | Province |
| History | |
• Established | 1850 |
• Disestablished | Before 1946 |
| Today part of | Afghanistan |
It was located in northern Afghanistan in the region still known as Afghan Turkestan. In 1890, Qataghan-Badakhshan Province was separated from Turkestan Province. It is present in an administrative map of 1929, but was abolished by the time of the 1946 population census.
From its founding in 1850 until 1854, Balkh was the capital of the province. However, the city of Balkh was deprecated and in ruins. As a result, in 1854 the capital was moved by Muhammad Afzal Khan to Takhtapul. It would remain the capital until the governor Muhammad 'Alam Khan transitioned to Mazar-i-Sharif between July 1869 and 1873/74.