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{{short description|Major river in Afghanistan}}
The '''Helmand River''' is the longest ] in ]. It rises in the ] in the east of the country, flows roughly south-west for about 800 ]s, and empties into ] near the border with ].
{{redirect|Hirmand|the administrative subdivision of Iran|Hirmand County}}
{{redirect|Helmund|the province in Afghanistan|Helmand Province}}
<!-- The following few lines create the "Infobox" table template.
Please scroll down to edit the main content of the article. -->
{{Infobox river
| name = Helmand
| image =
| image_size = 200
| image_alt = The Helmand and Boghra Canal
| image_caption = Helmand and ] beyond it
| map = Helmandrivermap.png
| map_size = 200
| map_alt = Helmand drainage basin
| map_caption = Map of the Helmand drainage basin
| subdivision_type1 = Countries
| subdivision_name1 = ] and ]
| source1_location = ] mountains
| mouth_location = ]
| progression =
| length = {{convert|1150|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| source1_elevation =
| mouth_elevation =
| discharge1_avg =
| basin_size = ]
| river_system =
| tributaries_left = ]
| tributaries_right = ]<br>]
| extra = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=5 |height=250 | stroke-width=1.5 |coord {{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}
}}
<!-- End Infobox template table -->
<!-- ]
] -->


The '''Helmand''' '''river''' (]/]: {{lang|fa|هیرمند / هلمند}}; ]: Ἐτύμανδρος, ''Etýmandros''; ]: ''{{lang|la|Erymandrus}}''), also spelled '''Helmend''', or '''Helmund''', '''Hirmand''', is the longest ] in ] and the primary ] for the ] ].<ref>{{cite web
The Helmand has been suggested as a possible identity of the ].
|url=http://postconflict.unep.ch/publications/sistan.pdf
|title=History of Environmental Change in the Sistan Basin 1976 - 2005
|access-date=2007-07-20
|archive-date=2007-08-07
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807214557/http://postconflict.unep.ch/publications/sistan.pdf
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> It originates in the ] of the ] mountains in the northeastern part of ], where it is separated from the watershed of the ] by the ]. The Helmand feeds into the ] on the border of Afghanistan and ].


== Etymology ==
{{Afghanistan-geo-stub}}
The name comes from the ] ''Haētumant'', literally "dammed, having a dam", which referred to the Helmand River and the irrigated areas around it.<ref>Jack Finegan. ''Myth & Mystery: An Introduction to the Pagan Religions of the Biblical World''. Baker Books, 1997. {{ISBN|0-8010-2160-X}}, 9780801021602</ref> The word Haetumant is cognate with Sanskrit Setumatī meaning "one which has a dam."<ref> wiktionary.org</ref><ref></ref>


== Geography ==
⚫ ]
]
The Helmand stretches for {{convert|1,150|km|mi|abbr=on}}. It rises in the northeastern part of ] in the ] mountains, about 40&nbsp;km<ref>{{Cite web|title=HELMAND RIVER i. GEOGRAPHY – Encyclopaedia Iranica|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/helmand-river-i|access-date=2020-06-14|website=www.iranicaonline.org}}</ref> west of ] ({{coord|34|34|N|68|33|E}}), flowing southwestward through ] and ]. After passing through the city of ] in ], it enters the desert of ], and then flows to the ] marshes and the ] lake region around ] at the Afghan-Iranian border ({{coord|31|9|N|61|33|E}}). A few smaller rivers such as ] and ] flow into Helmand.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Helmand River {{!}} river, Central Asia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Helmand-River|access-date=2020-06-15|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>


This river, managed by the ], is used extensively for irrigation, although a buildup of mineral salts has decreased its usefulness in watering crops. For much of its length, the Helmand is free of salt.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Helmand River|url=http://www.cawater-info.net/afghanistan/data/helmand_e.htm|access-date=2020-06-16|website=www.cawater-info.net}}</ref> Its waters are essential for farmers in Afghanistan, but it feeds into the ] and is also important to farmers in Iran's southeastern ].
]

A number of hydroelectric dams have created artificial reservoirs on some of the Afghanistan's rivers including the ] on the Helmand River. The chief tributary of the Helmand river, the Arghandab River (confluence at {{coord|31|27|N|64|23|E|}}), also has ], north of ].

==History==
The Helmand valley region is mentioned by name in the ] (''Fargard'' 1:13) as the ] land of ''Haetumant'', one of the early centres of the ] faith in ]. However, by the late first millennium BC and early first millennium AD, the preponderance of communities of Hindus and ] in the Helmand and ] valleys led to ] referring to it as India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://parthia.com/doc/parthian_stations.htm|title = Parthian Stations}}</ref><ref></ref><ref>Beyond is Arachosia, 36 schoeni. And the Parthians call this White India; there are the city of Biyt and the city of Pharsana and the city of Chorochoad and the city of Demetrias; then Alexandropolis, the metropolis of Arachosia; it is Greek, and by it flows the river Arachotus. As far as this place the land is under the rule of the Parthians.</ref><ref>Avesta, translated by James Darmesteter (From ], American Edition, 1898)</ref> From 1758 to 1842, the Helmand formed the northern borders of the ] ].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dashti |first=Naseer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xIjyLNpusbAC&pg=PA190 |title=The Baloch and Balochistan: A Historical Account from the Beginning to the Fall of the Baloch State |date=2012 |publisher=Trafford|isbn=978-1-4669-5896-8 |language=en|page=190|quote=}}</ref>

==See also==
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Various authors |encyclopedia= ]|title= HELMAND RIVER|url= http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/helmand-river|edition= Online|publisher= ]|location= United States}}
* Frye, Richard N. (1963). ''The Heritage of Persia''. World Publishing company, Cleveland, Ohio. Mentor Book edition, 1966.
* ] (1961). ''Between Oxus and Jumna''. London. ].
* Vogelsang, W. (1985). "Early historical Arachosia in South-east Afghanistan; Meeting-place between East and West." ''Iranica antiqua'', 20 (1985), pp.&nbsp;55–99.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Helmand River}}
{{EB1911 poster|Helmund}}
*

{{Daykundi Province}}
{{Authority control}}

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⚫ ]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
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Latest revision as of 05:43, 25 September 2024

Major river in Afghanistan "Hirmand" redirects here. For the administrative subdivision of Iran, see Hirmand County. "Helmund" redirects here. For the province in Afghanistan, see Helmand Province.
Helmand
The Helmand and Boghra CanalHelmand and Boghra Canal beyond it
Helmand drainage basinMap of the Helmand drainage basin
Location
CountriesAfghanistan and Iran
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationHindu Kush mountains
Mouth 
 • locationHamun Lake
Length1,150 km (710 mi)
Basin sizeSistan Basin
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftArghandab River
 • rightKhash River
Chagay River

The Helmand river (Pashto/Dari: هیرمند / هلمند; Ancient Greek: Ἐτύμανδρος, Etýmandros; Latin: Erymandrus), also spelled Helmend, or Helmund, Hirmand, is the longest river in Afghanistan and the primary watershed for the endorheic Sistan Basin. It originates in the Sanglakh Range of the Hindu Kush mountains in the northeastern part of Maidan Wardak Province, where it is separated from the watershed of the Kabul River by the Unai Pass. The Helmand feeds into the Hamun Lake on the border of Afghanistan and Iran.

Etymology

The name comes from the Avestan Haētumant, literally "dammed, having a dam", which referred to the Helmand River and the irrigated areas around it. The word Haetumant is cognate with Sanskrit Setumatī meaning "one which has a dam."

Geography

Helmand River basin map

The Helmand stretches for 1,150 km (710 mi). It rises in the northeastern part of Maidan Wardak Province in the Hindu Kush mountains, about 40 km west of Kabul (34°34′N 68°33′E / 34.567°N 68.550°E / 34.567; 68.550), flowing southwestward through Daykundi Province and Uruzgan Province. After passing through the city of Lashkargah in Helmand Province, it enters the desert of Dasht-e Margo, and then flows to the Sistan marshes and the Hamun-i-Helmand lake region around Zabol at the Afghan-Iranian border (31°9′N 61°33′E / 31.150°N 61.550°E / 31.150; 61.550). A few smaller rivers such as Tarnak and Arghandab flow into Helmand.

This river, managed by the Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority, is used extensively for irrigation, although a buildup of mineral salts has decreased its usefulness in watering crops. For much of its length, the Helmand is free of salt. Its waters are essential for farmers in Afghanistan, but it feeds into the Hamun Lake and is also important to farmers in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province.

A number of hydroelectric dams have created artificial reservoirs on some of the Afghanistan's rivers including the Kajaki Dam on the Helmand River. The chief tributary of the Helmand river, the Arghandab River (confluence at 31°27′N 64°23′E / 31.450°N 64.383°E / 31.450; 64.383), also has a major dam, north of Kandahar.

History

The Helmand valley region is mentioned by name in the Avesta (Fargard 1:13) as the Aryan land of Haetumant, one of the early centres of the Zoroastrian faith in areas that are now Afghanistan. However, by the late first millennium BC and early first millennium AD, the preponderance of communities of Hindus and Buddhists in the Helmand and Kabul valleys led to Parthians referring to it as India. From 1758 to 1842, the Helmand formed the northern borders of the Brahui Khanate of Kalat.

See also

Notes

  1. "History of Environmental Change in the Sistan Basin 1976 - 2005" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  2. Jack Finegan. Myth & Mystery: An Introduction to the Pagan Religions of the Biblical World. Baker Books, 1997. ISBN 0-8010-2160-X, 9780801021602
  3. Etymology wiktionary.org
  4. Wiktionary
  5. "HELMAND RIVER i. GEOGRAPHY – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  6. "Helmand River | river, Central Asia". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  7. "Helmand River". www.cawater-info.net. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  8. "Parthian Stations".
  9. Vendidad 1, at Avesta.org
  10. Beyond is Arachosia, 36 schoeni. And the Parthians call this White India; there are the city of Biyt and the city of Pharsana and the city of Chorochoad and the city of Demetrias; then Alexandropolis, the metropolis of Arachosia; it is Greek, and by it flows the river Arachotus. As far as this place the land is under the rule of the Parthians.
  11. Avesta, translated by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898)
  12. Dashti, Naseer (2012). The Baloch and Balochistan: A Historical Account from the Beginning to the Fall of the Baloch State. Trafford. p. 190. ISBN 978-1-4669-5896-8.

References

External links

Daikundi Province
Capital: Nili
Districts
Landforms
Other
Categories: