Afghanistan Administrative Divisions

Name: Afghanistan Administrative Divisions Dataset
Creator: GeoPostcodes
License: https://www.geopostcodes.com/pricing/

What is the hierarchy of administrative divisions in Afghanistan?

Afghanistan operates on a 3-level system starting with 34 provinces (Wilāyat) at the top level, followed by 398 districts (Wuleswali), and finally subdistricts (Alaqadari) and villages as the smallest administrative units.

Here's a breakdown of the hierarchy:

1. Provinces (Wilāyat): Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces.

2. Districts (Wuleswali): Provinces are subdivided into districts.

3. Subdistricts: Some provinces may have subdistricts (Alaqadaries) within their districts.

4. Villages: These are the smallest administrative units, often found within districts.

List of Afghanistan's administrative divisions with their counts and names

These are the summarized administrative divisions. The full dataset is available in the Download Center.

iso	country	admin level 1	admin level 2	admin level 3	admin level 4
AF	Afghanistan	Badakhshan (Provinces)	28 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Badghis (Provinces)	7 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Baghlan (Provinces)	15 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Balkh (Provinces)	16 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Bamyan (Provinces)	7 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Daykundi (Provinces)	9 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Farah (Provinces)	11 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Faryab (Provinces)	14 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Ghazni (Provinces)	19 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Ghor (Provinces)	10 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Helmand (Provinces)	13 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Herat (Provinces)	16 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Jawzjan (Provinces)	11 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Kabul (Provinces)	15 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Kandahar (Provinces)	16 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Kapisa (Provinces)	7 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Khost (Provinces)	13 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Kunar (Provinces)	15 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Kunduz (Provinces)	7 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Laghman (Provinces)	5 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Logar (Provinces)	7 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Nangarhar (Provinces)	22 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Nimroz (Provinces)	6 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Nooristan (Provinces)	8 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Paktia (Provinces)	11 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Paktika (Provinces)	19 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Panjsher (Provinces)	7 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Parwan (Provinces)	10 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Samangan (Provinces)	7 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Sar-i-Pul (Provinces)	7 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Takhar (Provinces)	17 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Urozgan (Provinces)	5 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Wardak (Provinces)	9 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.
AF	Afghanistan	Zabul (Provinces)	11 Districts	This level doesn't exist for this country.	This level doesn't exist for this country.

Why is building an Administrative Divisions Database complex?

The complexity arises from inconsistent global standards, frequent boundary changes, non-uniform naming conventions (e.g., “suburb” in Australia vs. “county” in the US), and variations in administrative levels across countries. Integrating and harmonizing data from multiple sources requires advanced normalization, versioning, and geospatial validation techniques.

How does GeoPostcodes solve the problem for you?

Our standardized database overcomes the complexity of different administrative division
systems worldwide. Our database follows a unified structure that you can integrate
seamlessly into your system or platform of choice without needing to become an expert in
each country’s unique administrative hierarchy.

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Explore our comprehensive collection of Afghanistan ZIP code and administrative data products, designed to meet all your mapping and location intelligence needs.

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Updated: July 1, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the administrative divisions of Afghanistan?

Afghanistan is divided into 34 provinces (Wilāyat) at the top level, which are subdivided into districts (Wuleswali). Some districts contain subdistricts (Alaqadari), and villages sit at the bottom as the smallest administrative units.

How many administrative levels does Afghanistan have?

Afghanistan operates on a multi-level system, starting with 34 provinces (Wilāyat), followed by 398 districts (Wuleswali), then subdistricts (Alaqadari) and villages as the smallest units.

How is Afghanistan organized into regions?

Afghanistan is organized hierarchically. The country is split into 34 provinces (Wilāyat), each province is broken down into districts (Wuleswali), and districts may be further divided into subdistricts (Alaqadari) and villages.

What are administrative divisions called in Dari and Pashto?

In Afghanistan’s local languages, provinces are called Wilāyat, districts are called Wuleswali, and subdistricts are called Alaqadari.

How often do administrative boundaries change in Afghanistan?

Afghanistan’s administrative landscape often follows inconsistent regional models and irregular public sources, which makes boundaries difficult to maintain. GeoPostcodes’ standardized postal and administrative boundary data resolves these gaps to ensure complete, coherent geographic coverage.