Known as the second grade province of Afghanistan, Takhar province is regarded as the most suitable place for agriculture. The province lies at a distance of 400- kilometers from the country’s capital, Kabul.
Takhar is surrounded by Badakhshan to its northeast, Kunduz to the west, Baghlan to the south and to the north it shares border with Tajikistan.
The central institute of statistics in 2009 put the number of people per kilometer at 71 individual while the total area of Takhar is estimated at around 124,000 square kilometers.
The province is hot in summer where the temperature soars to 35- 40 degree Celsius and it is extremely cold in winter with the temperature reaches from -21 to -29 degree Celsius.
From October till April, the weather remains cold, rainy amid snowfall while it is hot in the remaining months. Average rainfall in the province is estimated at 2, 290 millimeters annually.
Districts:
On administrative divisions, Takhar province has 16 districts.
Taluqan is the capital city of Takhar province Warsaj, Farkhar, Khawaja Ghar, Khawajah Bahawodin, Baharak, Hazar Sumuch, Dashti Qala, Yangi Qala, Chahab, Rustaq, Bangi, Ishkamish, Kalafgan, Chal, Namakab and Darqad are its districts.
Several ethnicities reside side by side in the province include Uzbek, Tajik, Pashtun and Hazara tribes. Majority of the residents belong to Uzbek while Hazara are the minority tribe in the province.
Dams:
Despite enough water of Kokcha River in the province, which eners Amo River, the residents are deprived of electricity. The locals use the expensive way of generator use to produce electricity.
The authorities have failed to utilize the available resources in the province for building dams that’s why the locals established a dynamo base electricity generating system from the nearby streams.
Back in 1971, the construction of a dam was inaugurated on Kokch River but that could not be completed due to collapse of Sardar Dawood Khan regime followed by bloody coup in 1978.
Neither previous nor fresh dam project could be started for decades.
Culture:
The first ever magazine Takharistan Weekly was published twice in a week back in 1978 amid tremendous restrictions on media at that times.
The Takhristan Weekly was financially supported by the provincial department of information and cultural affairs.
The people of Takhar have great love for cultural activities as a result large numbers of civil societies such as kokcha association, Bistar Daryacha, Youth Association and Association of Takharistan Youth were established during the last 12 years.
Similarly, several print media outlets emerged since past several years such as Tolo Aftab, Aina Nab, Khurshid, Daily Jawan and others.
In addition, the province witnessed greater educational and technical development in terms of English language, computer programming and calligraphic centers established in the province.
Local music was yet another important cultural factor in the province.
The residents were fond of local music and they used to play guitar, drum and other instruments.
However, local music and culture received great setback after the refugees returned as they brought and practiced the western musical instruments.
History:
Because of its historical importance, the antiquity of Takhar belonged to the time of Alexander, the great.
The Greece Geographic wrote the history of Takhar province some 2, 300 year ago.
In the past, the European archaeologists and historians traced the footsteps of Alexander’s troops and found out that the Alexandria Amo city was situated and later destroyed in Takhar province.  
Other historical remnants--- belonging to Alexander, the great--- located in Takhar province were destroyed in 1991 after continued civil war in the country.
Ambiguities have been still circulating about the disappearance of historical monuments belonging to Alexander the great.
According to sources, the monuments are either smuggled out of the country or destroyed as a result of 30- years’ war and destruction in the country.   
Few years back, the smuggling of a plate and 195 coins discovered from the hill of Khanam were recovered by police, which were later handed over to the ministry of information and cultural affairs. It was revealed that the ruins were traced back to the dynasty of Bakhtar Greeks.
Officials of information and cultural ministry said the discovered monument had the value of millions of Afghanis.
Official expressed their concern about the smuggling of such historical remnants.
The province has multiple historical places such as the shrine of Khwaja Bahawuddin, Khwajah Khidar, Hazrat Waqif, Khwajah Changal and others.
Museum:
A proper museum does not exist in the province that’s why historical monuments are being transferred to Kabul museum.
Celebrities:
Takhar is the home to prominent religious leaders, writers and poets such as headmaster Tariq, Dr. Sayyed Hassan Shahid, Mula Abdul Wadood Shahid and Hussain Gulfgani.
Some well-known personalities who lost their lives in suicide attacks during the last decade are Abdul Mutalib, MP Baig, General Dawood, Shah Jahan Noori and Eng. Mohammad Umar, governor of Kunduz province.
Media:
Media sector in Takhar improved in the recent years as multiple electronic and print media outlets have flourished.
The total number of media outlets reach to more than 20 in the province.
The Takhar National Television is inaugurated in 1996 while the pioneer Weekly Takhristan magazine established during the regime of Sardar Mohammad Dawood Khan back in 1971.
During the Hamid Karzai government, various televisions and radios include Mahar, Barlik Televisions and Barlik, Ai Khanam, and Takharistan Radios have been established.
 In addition, some magazines such as daily Jawan, Weekely Kokcha, Irshad-e-Noor, Asar, Aftab-e-Jadid and many others were also established.
Education:
The vital education is flourishing in Takhar province. There are total 600 schools where 340,000 students, out of which 140,000 girls’ students are being imparted education.
Moreover, a Dar-ul-Ulom, five Dar-ul-Hifaz, 15 institutes of teacher training in the districts and one in the provincial capital, various private schools and Madrassas for girls have been established in the province.
Industry:
Industrial factories and companies did not exist in Takhar; however, people of the province are skilled in making leather, animal herd and fabrics to make handicrafts products.
Residents of Dasht-i-Qala district produce brands of coverlet and cap from cloth. It has greater demand in the foreign as well as locally.
Skilled manpower of the province weaves leather socks and overcoats in Thakar, which are popular through the country.
An exhibition of the handcraft products is being held annually in the province in order to promote the products and explore better market. A large number of people are invited to the exhibition including the national businessmen.
Agriculture:
Takhar is among the agricultural provinces of the country where economy of the residents depends on agriculture and livestock farms.
The province has a total of 130,000 irrigated and 300,000 rain-fed lands with farmers cultivate crops twice in a year.
Rice, barley and corn are widely cultivated crops of the province.
The fruit orchards in Thakar produce ample apple, plum, cherry, pears, peach, apricot, grapes, melon and watermelon.
The fruit crops help the farmer community to export to other parts of the country.
The agriculture sector received tremendous development after the establishment of Hamid Karzia government.
The government and nongovernment organizations with special reference the Agha Khan Development Organization extended its all out support for promotion of agriculture sector in the province.
Following assistance extended by the NGOs, farmers have around large 24 orchards in the province with each is spread on 25 acre land.
 
Many districts of Takhar are green because of frequent rains. Livestock has achieved great progress in the province.
The livestock farms provided the opportunity of export of animals to Tajikistan and Pakistan.
Sport:
Sport has flourished in Takhar. Mostly, traditional games are played in the province such as wrestling and throwing stones to demonstrate strength and power. Football, volleyball, cricket, swimming, ping pong taekwondo and karate are common known games in parts of the province.
Sport facilities are provided at school levels where boy and girls enjoy playing various kinds of games.
As many as 22 sport federations are established in the province. The federation has registered players who took part in different kinds of local and country level competitions.
However, sport officials complained about the absence of gymnasiums and grounds facilities.
They demanded the authorities to provide the needed facilities, which would help produce players of international repute.