Sher Khan or Shir Khan (; , Uzbek: Sherxon-Bandar, شېرخان بندر) is a

border town A border town is a town or city close to the boundary between two countries, states, or regions. Usually the term implies that the nearness to the border is one of the things the place is most famous for. With close proximities to a different coun ...

in the northern

Kunduz Province Kunduz () is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northern part of the country next to Tajikistan. The population of the province is around 1,136,677, which is mostly a tribal society; it is one of Afghanistan's most ethnically ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

, next to the Panj River. The town's main attraction is the Sher Khan Bandar, which is a dry port and

border checkpoint A border checkpoint is a location on an international border where travelers or goods are inspected and allowed (or denied) passage through. Authorization often is required to enter a country through its borders. Access-controlled borders of ...

that officially connects by road Afghanistan with neighboring

Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...

. It is located about northwest from the center of the town. The city of

Kunduz Kunduz (; ; ) is a city in northern Afghanistan and the capital of Kunduz Province. The city has an estimated population of about 268,893 as of 2015, making it about the List of cities in Afghanistan, seventh largest city of Afghanistan, and the ...

is about 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. The town has around 600 families. Situated at an altitude of approximately in the Imam Sahib District of Kunduz Province, Sher Khan Bandar serves as one of the official land border crossings of Afghanistan with neighboring Tajikistan. It is a major transporting, shipping and receiving location. It has various facilities of different sizes, including

Afghan government The government of Afghanistan, officially called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and informally known as the Taliban government, is the central government of Afghanistan, a unitary state. Under the leadership of the Taliban, the government is ...

offices. Security in and around the town is provided by the

Afghan National Security Forces The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), also known as the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), were the military and internal security forces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. As of 30 June 2020, the ANSF was composed of ...

. Every traveler between Afghanistan and Tajikistan is required to possess a valid

travel visa A visa (; also known as visa stamp) is a conditional authorization granted by a polity to a foreigner that allows them to enter, remain within, or leave its territory. Visas typically include limits on the duration of the foreigner's stay, area ...

. Sher Khan began to grow after the completion of the Tajik–Afghan bridge at Panji Poyon in 2007. Its southern end is the official

port of entry In general, a port of entry (POE) is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has border control, border security staff and facilities to check passports and visas and to inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not impo ...

into Afghanistan. The bridge and the easy connectivity with Tajikistan boosted trade between Afghanistan and

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

. It has been reported in the past that as many as 400 shipping trucks passed through the town every day, carrying trade goods from one country to the other. This trade has also made many local shop owners wealthy. 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.

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* * Afghanistan–Tajikistan border crossings Populated places in Kunduz Province {{Kunduz-geo-stub

See also

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