Ghor is located in the center of Afghanistan, which is considered one of the underdeveloped provinces. Minar-e-Jam reflects the historical importance of Ghor province.
Geographically, Ghor is a mountainous province with heavy snowfall during the season. It is situated at 31 degrees, and 34minutes latitudein the northand25degrees and 65 minutes longitudein theeast. It is over 2,250 meters above sea level.
The province is located at a distance of 480 kilometers from Kabul, sharing borders with Herat, Badghis, Faryab, Sar-i-Pul, Bamyan, Uruzgan, Helmand and Farah provinces.
Ghor covers more than 38,600 square Kilometers area. Itsestimatedpopulation reaches 360,000 individuals. It has more than 1,900 villages.
Its weather varies from one area to another with some of its localities are extremely cold while some of its areas are relatively warm and moderate weather.
Chaghcharan, the capital of Ghor, has two types of weather. South, east and west parts are cold and snowy. It roads mostly remain blocked to traffic for five monthsdue to heavy snowfall.
Districts:
Ghor has ten administrative units including Taiwara, Tolak, Sagher, Pasaband, Dolaina, Shahrak, Dawalatyar,Chahar Sada and Lal-o-Sari Jangle districts including Chaghcharan, the capital center.
Most of its residents speak Dari Language but the residents of Lol-o- Sari Jangle district, sharing border with Bamyan province speak in Hazaragi accent.
Dams:
The province has not any a single dam despite the fact that three famous Hari-Rud, Fra-Rud and Murghab Rivers flow through the province.
Historical sites:
Among its historical sites, Minar-e-Jam has widespread popularity among tourists. Minar-e-Jam is located 60 kilometres northeast of Shahrak district in Jam area. The Minar was recognized as one of the world historical monuments by the UNESCO.
It was constructed during the reign of GhiasuddinGhori in 1202 and regarded as one of the rare masterpieces of the world.
Similarly, the historical monuments have been discovered from Kashk Kohna area of Dawlat Shahidistrict, which reflects the reign of the Buddhists and also pottery which dates back to pre Islam era.
Qala-e-Malik Antar was a big base for the Ghorides and was not captured by Genghis forces. Gawkush is a historical site.
The Gaw Kush are has gold coins contained writings and photos of Ghorides era who ruled from 12 to 13 centuries. Qala-e-Zuhak is another historical site in the suburbof Chaghcharan city dating 7,000 years back.
According to Ghor Department of Information and Culture, nearly100 historical places have been registered, adding, however, more work is needed to be done to identify the historical sites.
Museums:
The province has no museum and even its hard-found historical antiques had been transferred to Kabul Museum. Currently, a few historical antiques preserved at the Department ofInformation and Cultureandpossiblyamuseumwould be builtelsewhere in the province to preserve its historical name.
Over the past decade, hundreds of historical antiques including statue, pottery and gold coins have been obtained from different areas of the province.
In recent past, Ghor people complained about excavation of historical sites illegally by armed groups who used to smuggle the antiques to Iran and Pakistan.
Based on the ninth article of the first chapter of the constitution, mines and other reservoirs and antiques are the property of the state. The protection of the state’s properties and the use of natural resources have been regularized by law.
Celebrities:
Ghor gives birth to leading poets and artists including Ghulam Haider Yagana and Mahajul Siraj. Mustamand Ghori, Abdul Qadir Imami Ghori, Nabi Saqi, FazalFaeq, Mohmmad Rasul Figar, Seyed Ali Mushfiq and Ali Alimi Kirmani are among some well-know poets, writers and artists.
Media:
Ghor is among the provinces where media has considerably developed during the last decade.
Media outlets such as 21 Monthly, FirozKoh, Shansab, Saam, Sada-e-Ghor Magazine, Payam Shahrwand, Fikr Naw, Andisha-e-Jawan, Irada-e-Mardum, Sada-e-Adalat private radio and the National Television and Radio are functioning in the province.
However, the province has neither any daily newspaper nor any print media to project women problems.
Education:
Ghor has more than 800 schools with 180 among them are female schools and 15 co-education schools. As many as 200,000 students including 70,000among them are girls’ students who are being imparted education by 4,400 teachers.
Out of them, only 15 of the schools have proper buildings while 36 other buildings are being constructed. However, rests of the schools have no buildings and students study either in the open sky or under tents or mosques and Madrassas.
In addition, Ghor has two technical institutes, six teacher training colleges, two agriculture high schools, 17 Madrassa and Dar-ul-Ulum, 105 home based schools and 90 international participatory schools and one Dar-ul-Hifaz.
One higher education institute was founded in 2012 where 260 students including 45 females are studying Mathematics, Physics, Computer, English Language, Chemistry, Biology and Agriculture.
Industry:
Handicrafts in the province include carpet, Kalim, Namad, Barak, Chapak (locally handmade rugs) which is primarly made by women. Ghor women are skilled in sewing local clothing such as shirt, Chapan, Chader and Kolah.
Tolakdistrict’s rugs are globally famous on which the photos of the Ghorides’ kings and Minar-e-Jam are engraved.The men make work tools include shovel, pickax and axe.
One of the most olden and wonderful handicrafts of the province is Kherqa that made of Namad (rug made of wool) and wood. It has resistance again cold weather.
Such kind of Kherqa is used as residential house in some areas of Ghor including Allah Yar area. The Kherqa has a circular shape and the price varies in terms of quality and length. Only the rich people use kherqas and their price could be 1,000 Afghanis.
 
Agriculture:
Ghor is an agricultural province that most of its residents workin their farms.The main agriculture products of the province include wheat, barley, maize, potato, onion, dryfruit and walnuts, and different kind of cereal grains.
Livestock is also yet another source of livelihood of the people. Most areas of the province are cold and snowy but the northernareas of Chaghcharan have moderate weather and have rich fruits’ orchards. Ghalmin and Murghab weather is warm and even their schools are opened in the winter.
But the south and west of Chaghcharan is good for rain-fed crops and livestock because the area is full of barren hills.
Sports:
Sports has promoted in Ghor in recent decade. Currently,as many as 20 sports related federations are functioningwith thousands of youths are playing various games.
Similarly,a fewsalons of sports and one stadium have been built in Chaghcharan during the last years and it is supposed to be built a green stadium in 2013. Also a women gymnasium is being built.
As many as 200 females play football, volleyball, taekwondo and basketball. Cricket has also been played in the province since three years. In addition, Buzkashi,the traditionalsportinthe province has been played sincelongtime.
The most interesting thing is that a female Sabira took part in Buzkashi as a skilled Chapandaz but now she has left the sport and starts working at the female prison of ChaharSada district.