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Lōya Paktiā ( ps, لويه پکتيا; lit. Greater Paktia) is a historical and cultural region of
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, comprising the modern Afghan provinces of
Khost Khōst ( ps, خوست) is the capital of Khost Province in Afghanistan. It is the largest city in the southeastern part of the country, and also the largest in the region of Loya Paktia. To the south and east of Khost lie Waziristan and Kurram ...
,
Paktia Paktia (Pashto/Dari: – ''Paktyā'') is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the east of the country. Forming part of the larger Loya Paktia region, Paktia Province is divided into 15 districts and has a population of roughly 6 ...
, and
Paktika Paktika (Pashto/Dari: ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the eastern part of the country. Forming part of the larger Loya Paktia region, Paktika has a population of about 789,000, mostly ethnic Pashtuns. The town of Sharana ...
, as well as parts of Logar7 Deadly Scenarios: A Military Futurist Explores the Changing Face of War in the 21st Century
Andrew Krepinevich, Random House Digital, Inc., 2010, , ''... Paktia was once a unified province with Khost and Paktika in southeast Afghanistan. The three provinces are now referred to as 'Loya Paktia', which means 'The Greater Paktia' ...''
and parts of Kurram and
Waziristan Waziristan (Pashto and ur, , "land of the Wazir") is a mountainous region covering the former FATA agencies of North Waziristan and South Waziristan which are now districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Waziristan covers some . ...
in
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. Loya Paktia is vaguely defined by a common culture and history that is connected to the local indigenous tribes that reside in the region. Particular styles of clothing, articles of clothing, turban styles, turban cloth colors, dialects of
Pashto language Pashto (,; , ) is an Eastern Iranian language in the Indo-European language family. It is known in historical Persian literature as Afghani (). Spoken as a native language mostly by ethnic Pashtuns, it is one of the two official languages ...
, etc. may sometimes be associated with specific tribes indigenous to Loya Paktia and thus integrate themselves into regional culture. For instance, a Pashtun tribesman from
Loy Kandahar Lōy Kandahār ( ps, لوی کندهار, lit. "Greater Kandahar") is a historical and cultural region of Afghanistan, comprising the modern Afghanistan provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, Farah, Uruzgan, as well as parts of Nimruz and Zabul, ...
may quickly recognize a Pashtun from Loya Paktia based upon his turban (or lungee) style and color. Likewise, a Pashtun from Loya Paktia may recognize someone from Loy Kandahar based upon his unique style of collarless
kameez Thawb ( ar, ثَوْب "garment"), also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions, is an ankle-length robe, usually with long sleeves. It is commonly worn in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Afr ...
(shirt) with specific embroidered patterns on the front. There are many subtle and intricate cultural indicators of this type that are not recorded in any known
written history Recorded history or written history describes the historical events that have been recorded in a written form or other documented communication which are subsequently evaluated by historians using the historical method. For broader world his ...
but simply known and observed by the tribesmen of the various Pashtun regions of
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.


Main settlements

The largest city of the region is
Khost Khōst ( ps, خوست) is the capital of Khost Province in Afghanistan. It is the largest city in the southeastern part of the country, and also the largest in the region of Loya Paktia. To the south and east of Khost lie Waziristan and Kurram ...
, while other cities of Loya Paktia include
Gardez , settlement_type =City , image_skyline =gardez_paktya.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption =The Bala Hesar fortress in the center of Gardez City , image_flag = , flag_size = , image_sea ...
(capital of Paktia Province),
Zurmat Zurmat ( ps, زرمت) is the main town of Zurmat District in Paktia Province, Afghanistan. Zurmat is the largest city of Paktia Province, while Zurmat District, with a population of 109,805, is also the most populous district of the province.
(largest city of Paktia Province),
Urgun Urgun ( ps, ارګون) is the main town of the Urgun District of Paktika Province, Afghanistan. With an estimated population of 10,665,Sharana Sharana ( ps, ښرنه) or Sharan ( fa, شاران) is the capital of Paktika Province, Afghanistan. It is located at an altitude of 2,200 meters. Its population was estimated to be 2,200 in 2006. The city of Sharana has a population of 15,651 ( ...
(capital of Paktika). Other main towns of Loya Paktia are Sardeh Band (Ghazni), Charkh (Logar),
Tari Mangal Tari Mangal ( ps, تري منګل) is a town in the Kurram Valley at the Durand Line, near Spin Ghar, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. Tari Mangal is away from Parachinar, and from the town of Aryob in Zazi District, Afghanistan. The Pashtun ...
(Kurram),
Angur Ada Angur Ada (, literally: "Grape Base" in Pashto) is a town in the Barmal Valley, straddling the border between the South Waziristan of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan's Paktika Province (Barmal District). It is one of the few easy pass ...
(partly in
South Waziristan South Waziristan District ( ps, سويلي وزیرستان ولسوالۍ, ur, ) was a district in Dera Ismail Khan Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before splitting in to Lower South Waziristan District and Upper South Waziristan District and t ...
), Yakubi, Tani,
Dadwal Ḍaḍwāl ( ps, ډاډوال) is a village and the center of Ismailkhel and Mandozai District in Khost Province, Afghanistan. It is located on at 1267m altitude on south side of Shamal river, it is connected to north a village Aliwat by a brid ...
,
Aryob Aryob ( ps, اریوب) or Aryub is the main town of Zazi District in the Paktia Province of Afghanistan where the Zazi tribe of Pashtuns live.
,
Khandkhel Khandkhel ( ps, خڼ خېل) or Khand Khil is a town in the Said Karam District of Paktia Province, Afghanistan. It is located 25 km to the northeast of Gardez, the capital of Paktia, and is 40 km to the southwest of Aryob. Climate Khan ...
,
Tsamkani Tsamkani ( ps, څمکني), also spelled Chamkani or Samkani, is the main town of Tsamkani District in Paktia Province, Afghanistan.
, Zarghun Shar,
Wazakhwa Wāzakhwā ( ps, وازه خوا), also known as Mashōṟêy () or Marjān (), is a village in Paktika Province, in southeastern-central Afghanistan. The town is located within the heartland of the Sulaimankhel tribe of Ghilji Pashtuns.
, and
Zerok Zēṛōk ( ps, زېړوک) is the main town of Zerok District in Paktika Province, Afghanistan.Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
from various tribes under the larger
Karlani Karlāṇī ( ps, کرلاڼي) is a Pashtun tribal confederacy. They primarily inhabit the FATA region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and certain parts of eastern Afghanistan. In the 16th century the Karlani founded the Karrani dyn ...
and
Ghilji The Ghiljī ( ps, غلجي, ; fa, خیلجی, Xelji) also spelled Khilji, Khalji, or Ghilzai or Ghilzay (), are one of the largest Pashtun tribes. Their traditional homeland is Ghazni and Qalati Ghilji in Afghanistan but they have also sett ...
confederacies. Predominant tribes with notable large populations native to Loya Paktia include Zadran,
Zazi The Zazi ( ps, ځاځي; plur. ځاځی), also spelled Zazai, or Jaji, is a Karlani Afghan tribe. They are found in Paktia and Khost provinces in the Loya Paktia region of southeastern Afghanistan, as well as Kurram Valley of Pakistan, but also h ...
,
Mangal Mangal Rajgan (or Manghal, Mangla) is a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name *Mangal (singer), Afghan singer *Mangal Bagh (born 1973), Pakistani militant leader *Mangal Dhillon, Indian actor ...
, Ahmadzai, Totakhil, Tani, Sabari, Sulaimankhel,
Kharoti The Kharoti (Pashto: خروټی) are a Pashtun tribe of Ghilji origin, originating in the central part of Paktika Province, Afghanistan, but can be also found in other parts of the country. The Kharoti settled in Kharotabad in Quetta, British ...
, Wazir, and Gurbaz. Kochian are common in the region throughout the year who still live a nomadic lifestyle.


References

Regions of Afghanistan Pashtun culture Paktia Province Paktika Province Khost Province Historical regions {{Khost-geo-stub