The northern Sar-i-Pul province of Afghanistan achieved its status as separate province in 1988 after it was ceded a district of Jawzjan province.
The province has a total seven administrative unites, the capital Sar-i-Pul city and Kohistanat, Sozma Qala, Sanag charakh, Gosfandi, Sayyad and Balkhab districts.
Sar-i-Pul province is located eastern 35 degrees, 30 minutes, northern 36 degrees and 13 minutes, southern 66 degrees, 30 minutes and western 65 degrees and 2 minutes.
The province is situated 640 meters above the sea level and surrounded by Jawzjan to its north, Balkh to its south, Ghoar, Bamyan and Faryab to its west, while Samangan is situated to its southeast. 
Known among the third grade province of the country, the Sar-i-Pul province is situated at a distance of 603 kilometers from Kabul city. As many as 75% of its terrain is covered by mountains that’s why it is considered a mountainous province of the country.  
With the total area of 16,385 square kilometers, the main tribes of the province include Uzbek, Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Baloch and Aymaq. The province has 94% rural population while the rests are living in urban areas.
Sar-i-Pul is among the richest provinces as far as its natural resources are concerned. The province has vast reserves of petroleum, copper and other natural resources.
Administrative Unites:
Including the provincial capital Sar-i-Pul, it has seven administrative units.
Sar-i-Pul city is the provincial capital while Sozma Qala, Sanga charakh, Sayyad, Kohistanat, Kosfandi and Balkhab are its districts.
 
Economy and Trade:
 
Economic and trade activities did not progress well as per expectations in the province.
The main source of economy is agriculture and livestock, however, traditional methods of trade is still applicable in Sar-i-Pul province.
 
The province is located at the corner of country’s northern highway that’s why trade activities could not be flourished.
 
Officials hoped that after the establishment of demining industry of oil and gas, the shattered economy of the province would improve with heavy investment and job opportunities.
Rivers and Dams: 
Two rivers knowing the Black and White flow in Sar-i-Pul which irrigates agricultural lands of the province.
The level of water in the rivers reduces during summer season when farmers are in dire need of water to irrigate their crops. The farmers remained unable to cultivate any crops.
 
After building of water reservoir system, the shortage of water for irrigation would be resolved to some extent.
 
Agriculture:
Despite mountainous terrain, the province has plain areas for agriculture purposes.
The province has a total 111,000 hectares cultivated land out of which 50,000 hectares is irrigated, 60,000 is rain fed and 18,000 hectares is covered by orchards. 
Wheat is widely cultivated crop with bumper production in Sar-i-Pul while barley, corn, sesame, melon, grapes, watermelon are other production of the province.
In addition to agriculture, the province has vast livestock farms where different kinks of animals such as bulls, cows, sheep and hens are being kept.
Many villagers run their daily economic activities with the revenue generated by dairy products and meat of animals.
 
Natural Resources: 
The province has immense importance because of its vast oil and gas reserves.
The existing oil and gas reserves in the province stood at 2.8 million cubic meters.
 
The most popular oil reserves of the province include Angot oil reserves with 15 demining spots, Qashqari oil reserves with 10 demining spots, Aqdarya oil reserves having eight demining spots and Awbazar Kamy oil reserves, having eight demining spots.
 
Culture:
Cultural activities do not take place in large number in the province as compared to other provinces of the country.
Active part has though been taken by broadcast of National Radio Television. Print media outlets are seen absent from the scene but some local magazines and cultural societies bolstered the cultural activities in the province.
In addition, some private sector televisions and radios such as Tolo, Shamshad, and Aryana Radio Television take part to revitalize the cultural activities in the province.
Radio Bano and some monthly publications such as Payam-e- Shora, Sima-e-Zan, Ayana-e-Zan, Ambar and Sar-i-Pul are among the local publication of the province.
 
Similarly, some cultural societies hold regular functions such Gulba Sabz Society, Kahkashan Society and Qalam Institute.
 
Education:
The provincial education department put the total number of schools in the province at around 380 in which 160,000 students were getting education. As many as 3,500 teachers were imparting education to students including contract and permanent. At least 40% among the students are girls.
 
Besides schools, there are 18 religious Madrassas, a teacher training institute having braches in five districts and five vocational schools, two for agriculture and one each electric and petroleum related fields.
 
The Danish private sector high school is also serving in the province.
Regarding higher education, the Sar-i-Pul University is now serving the people after the formal inauguration of education faculty in the province.
 
In the recent past, Amir Sheer Ali Khan Private University has started functioning in the province.
 
Celebrities:
The Sar-i-Pul province is birth place of a number of celebrities including Abu Muslim Khurasani, Imam Yahya, Al Farikhon, Abu Obidah Jawzjani, Maulana Khadim, Ismail Balkhi, Minhaj-ul-Saraj, Qari Azim, Saif-ul-Din Noori, Sayed Mir Hussaini and others.
 
Sports:
Youth of the province mostly take part in traditional games.
People use to play football, taekwondo, and weight lifting.