Girishk (Gereshk)
Grishk (ګرِشک; ), also spelled Gereshk, is a town in Grishk District of Helmand province, geographically located along the Helmand River in Afghanistan, some 120 km northwest of Kandahar, at 817 m altitude. Upstream lies the Kajaki Dam which diverts water to the Boghra Irrigation Canal, an essential infrastructure for the region's crops. Grishk Dam is also nearby. Grishk was originally built around a fort on the east bank of the river but was later rebuilt on the west. The fort was twice captured by the British: first in the First Anglo-Afghan War and again in 1879. In both cases the fort was later abandoned. Grishk has a population of about 48,546 and has a hospital and a school of engineering which was built back in 1957.
Grishk is located on the important transport route known as Highway 1, which was built during the time of the Soviet–Afghan War. This route links Farah Province in the west and to Kandahar Province in the east. As part of Operation Moshtarak the British Army and Afghan workers are constructing Route Trident, a road that will eventually connect Grishk with the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. Grishk is also the southern terminus of Route 611. The area is irrigated by the Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority.
Grishk has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh), characterised by little precipitation and high variation between summer and winter temperatures. The average temperature in Grishk is 19.6 °C, while the annual precipitation averages 117 mm. Summers start in mid-May, last until late-September, and are extremely dry. July is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of 32.2 °C. The coldest month January has an average temperature of 7.0 °C.
Grishk is located on the important transport route known as Highway 1, which was built during the time of the Soviet–Afghan War. This route links Farah Province in the west and to Kandahar Province in the east. As part of Operation Moshtarak the British Army and Afghan workers are constructing Route Trident, a road that will eventually connect Grishk with the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. Grishk is also the southern terminus of Route 611. The area is irrigated by the Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority.
Grishk has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh), characterised by little precipitation and high variation between summer and winter temperatures. The average temperature in Grishk is 19.6 °C, while the annual precipitation averages 117 mm. Summers start in mid-May, last until late-September, and are extremely dry. July is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of 32.2 °C. The coldest month January has an average temperature of 7.0 °C.
Map - Girishk (Gereshk)
Map
Country - Afghanistan
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| Flag of Afghanistan | |
Human habitation in Afghanistan dates back to the Middle Paleolithic era, and the country's strategic location along the historic Silk Road has led it to being described, picturesquely, as the ‘roundabout of the ancient world’. Popularly referred to as the graveyard of empires, the land has historically been home to various peoples and has witnessed numerous military campaigns, including those by the Persians, Alexander the Great, the Maurya Empire, Arab Muslims, the Mongols, the British, the Soviet Union, and most recently by a US-led coalition. Afghanistan also served as the source from which the Greco-Bactrians and the Mughals, amongst others, rose to form major empires. The various conquests and periods in both the Iranian and Indian cultural spheres made the area a center for Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and later Islam throughout history.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFN | Afghan afghani | Ø‹ | 2 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| PS | Pashto language |
| FA | Persian language |
| TK | Turkmen language |
| UZ | Uzbek language |