Sher Khan or Shir Khan (Pashto: شیر خان بندر; Dari: شیرخان بندر) is a border town in the northern Kunduz Province of Afghanistan, next to the Panj River. The town's main attraction is the Sher Khan Bandar, which is a dry port and border checkpoint that officially connects by road Afghanistan with Tajikistan. It is located about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northwest from the center of the town. The city of Kunduz is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) of driving distance south from Sher Khan Bandar. The historical name of the town was Qizil Qalah. It was given the current name in honor of Sher Khan Nashir, Khan of the Nashers.

Sher Khan Bandar شیر خان بندر
Entry gate into Afghanistan at the Sher Khan Bandar in 2011
Sher Khan Bandar Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 37°11′0″N 68°25′01″E
Country	Afghanistan
Province	Kunduz
District	Imam Sahib
Time zone	+ 4.30

Situated at an altitude of approximately 339 metres (1,112 ft) in the Imam Sahib District of Kunduz Province, Sher Khan Bandar is one of the major transporting, shipping and receiving locations in Afghanistan. It is also an official border crossing between the people of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Security in and around the town is provided by the Afghan National Security Forces, which includes the Afghan Border Force. Every visitor or traveler between Afghanistan and Tajikistan is required to possess a valid travel visa.[1][2]

Sher Khan has begun to grow after the completion of the Tajik–Afghan bridge at Panji Poyon in 2007. This bridge and the easy connectivity with the neighboring country boosted trade between Afghanistan and Central Asia. As many as 400 shipping trucks pass through the town every day, carrying trade goods from one country to the other. This trade has also made many local shop owners wealthy.[3] In November 2012, Afghan officials announced that they plan to build about 2,000 new residential houses, 41 business plazas including offices, shops and stores.[4]

See also

• Transport in Afghanistan
• Afghanistan–Tajikistan border
• Afghanistan–Tajikistan relations
• Hairatan (border crossing between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan)
• Aqina (border crossing between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan)
• Wakhjir (future border crossing between Afghanistan and China)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sher Khan Border Crossing.

• Sher Khan Port's operation back to normal on YouTube
• "Sher Khan Bandar" (3D visual). Google Earth.

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