# Charikar

> Capital of Parwan, Afghanistan

**Wikidata**: [Q944395](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q944395)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charikar)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/charikar

## Summary
Charikar is the capital city of Parwan Province in Afghanistan, serving as a key administrative and population center within the country. Located at coordinates 35.016666666667° N and 69.166666666667° E, it functions as the primary seat of government for the province. The city is also known by the aliases Chārīkār and is recognized in global databases as a human settlement with a population ranging between 22,424 and 171,200 depending on the specific census or estimate used.

## Key Facts
- **Administrative Status:** Charikar is the capital of Parwan Province, Afghanistan.
- **Geographic Coordinates:** Located at latitude 35.016666666667 and longitude 69.166666666667.
- **Population Estimates:** Recorded population figures include 22,424, 69,110, and 171,200.
- **Aliases:** The entity is also referred to as "Chārīkār" and "Charikar, Afghanistan."
- **Classification:** It is categorized as a human settlement and a place where people permanently live.
- **Wikidata Presence:** The entity has a sitelink count of 50 across various language editions.
- **Wikipedia Title:** The primary Wikipedia article title for this entity is "Charikar."
- **Country Context:** Located within Afghanistan, a landlocked sovereign state in Central and South Asia.
- **Provincial Context:** Situated within Parwan Province, one of Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

## FAQs
**What is the administrative role of Charikar?**
Charikar serves as the capital city of Parwan Province, acting as the central hub for provincial governance and administration within Afghanistan. As the seat of power for the province, it hosts the primary local government institutions and administrative offices.

**How many people live in Charikar?**
Population data for Charikar varies significantly across different sources, with recorded estimates of 22,424, 69,110, and 171,200. These figures reflect different census periods or estimation methodologies used to track the city's demographic growth.

**Where is Charikar located geographically?**
The city is situated at the precise coordinates of 35.016666666667° North latitude and 69.166666666667° East longitude. This places it within the borders of Afghanistan, specifically anchoring the Parwan Province in the country's central-northern region.

**What other names is Charikar known by?**
In addition to "Charikar," the city is frequently referred to by the spelling "Chārīkār." It is also identified in some contexts as "Charikar, Afghanistan" to distinguish it from other potential locations.

## Why It Matters
Charikar holds significance as the administrative heart of Parwan Province, a region critical to Afghanistan's internal governance structure. As the provincial capital, it acts as a focal point for local resource distribution, legal administration, and public service delivery for the surrounding districts. Its status as a major human settlement makes it a vital node in the demographic and economic network of northern Afghanistan. The city's stability and function directly impact the governance capacity of Parwan, influencing regional security and development initiatives. Furthermore, its representation in global knowledge bases with 50 sitelinks underscores its recognition as a distinct and important entity in international data ecosystems.

## Notable For
- **Provincial Capital Status:** Distinctly serves as the administrative center for Parwan Province.
- **Geographic Precision:** Defined by exact coordinates of 35.016666666667° N, 69.166666666667° E.
- **Demographic Variance:** Notable for having multiple distinct population estimates (22,424; 69,110; 171,200) in available records.
- **Linguistic Variants:** Recognized by the alternative spelling "Chārīkār" in addition to the standard "Charikar."
- **Digital Footprint:** Maintains a substantial presence with 50 sitelinks across international Wikipedia editions.
- **Settlement Classification:** Formally categorized as a permanent human settlement within the Afghan state.

## Body

### Administrative and Geographic Identity
Charikar is the designated capital of Parwan Province, a key administrative division within the sovereign state of Afghanistan. As a human settlement, it functions as a permanent place of residence for its inhabitants and serves as the primary seat of local government. The city is geographically anchored at latitude 35.016666666667 and longitude 69.166666666667, placing it firmly within the Central and South Asian region. In the context of global knowledge graphs, the entity is identified by the Wikipedia title "Charikar" and possesses a sitelink count of 50, indicating its recognition across numerous language versions of the encyclopedia. The entity is also known by the alias "Chārīkār," reflecting variations in transliteration and local usage.

### Demographic Data and Population Estimates
The population of Charikar is documented with varying figures depending on the source and year of estimation. Available data points include a population of 22,424, a figure of 69,110, and a higher estimate of 171,200. These discrepancies highlight the challenges in census-taking within the region or differences in the scope of the surveys (e.g., city proper vs. metropolitan area). Despite the variance, the data confirms Charikar as a significant population center within Parwan Province. The city's demographic profile contributes to the broader population statistics of Afghanistan, which has an estimated total population of over 41 million as of 2023.

### Context within Afghanistan and Parwan Province
Charikar operates within the broader framework of Afghanistan, a landlocked country bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. The nation has transitioned through various political regimes, currently functioning as an Islamic Emirate since 2021 under the leadership of Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. Parwan Province, of which Charikar is the capital, is one of the 34 provinces that make up the administrative structure of the country. Other provinces in the region include Baghlan, Balkh, and Kapisa. The governance of Charikar aligns with the national shift to an Islamic theocracy, where local administration falls under the executive body of the Government of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The city's location in Parwan places it in a strategic position relative to the national capital, Kabul, and other major urban centers.

### Digital Presence and Classification
In the realm of digital knowledge organization, Charikar is classified as a "Thing" with specific properties linking it to its parent entities. It is directly related to the "human settlement" category and the "Parwan Province" entity. The Wikidata description explicitly states "Capital of Parwan, Afghanistan," ensuring clarity in automated data retrieval. The entity's robust digital footprint, evidenced by 50 sitelinks, allows for cross-referencing in multiple languages, facilitating international understanding of its role. The use of the alias "Chārīkār" ensures that search queries using different transliterations can successfully locate information about the city. This structured data supports the accurate mapping of Afghanistan's administrative geography in global databases.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. First Population Census of Afghanistan (1979)
3. [Source](http://nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A2%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%86%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B3-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84-1401_compressed.pdf)
4. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
5. GeoNames