Kandaharis thesecond-largest cityinAfghanistan, with a population of about 491,500 as of 2012.Formerly calledAlexandria Arachosia, the city is named afterAlexander the Great, who founded it in 329 BC around a small ancient Arachosian town. It isone of the most culturally significant cities of thePashtunsand has been their traditional seat of power for more than 200 years. It is a major trading center for sheep,wool, cotton, silk,felt,food grains, fresh anddried fruit, and tobacco. The region produces fine fruits, especiallypomegranatesand grapes, and the city has plants for canning, drying, and packing fruit, and is a major source ofmarijuanaandhashish. The area is believed to be the birthplace ofcannabis indica.
Kandahar
