Sharana
Sharan, also known as Sharana, is a city in eastern Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Paktika Province. It is within the jurisdiction of Sharan District and has an estimated population of 70,775 people. Mohammad Nasser Hilal is the current mayor of the city.
Sharan is home to Paktika University, which is in the southeastern part of the city. Sharan is at an elevation of approximately within the heartland of the Sulaimankhel tribe of Ghilji Pashtuns. The city has a number of bazaars, business centers, public parks, banks, hotels, restaurants, mosques, hospitals, universities, and places to play sports or just relax.
Sharan contains several city districts, which cover a land area of or. The city is connected by a road network with Gardez to the northeast, Angoor Adda to the southeast, Qalat to the southwest, and Ghazni to the northwest. One of the agricultural products the area is famous for is pine nuts, which plays an important part in the city's economy.
On 14 August 2021, Sharan was seized by Taliban fighters, becoming the twentieth provincial capital to be captured as part of the wider 2021 Taliban offensive.
Geography
Sharan is situated at an elevation of approximately above sea level in eastern Afghanistan, covering a land area of or.Barren land and agriculture account for 73% of total land. Sharan has the largest share of land classified as institutional of any Afghan provincial capital.
Climate
With an influence from the local steppe climate, Sharan features a cold semi-arid climate under the Köppen climate classification. The average temperature in Sharan is, while the annual precipitation averages. September is the driest month with of rainfall, while March, the wettest month, has an average precipitation of.July is the warmest month of the year with an average temperature of. The coldest month January has an average temperature of, with the average lows at.