Qala e Naw

{{For|the Qala e Naw District|Qala e Naw District}} {{Infobox settlement   | official_name = Qala-e-Naw | native_name = {{nq|قلعه نو}} | other_name = | settlement_type = Provincial capital  | image_skyline = Qala-I-Naw Apr 2009 1.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Approach to Qala-e-Naw | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | nickname = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | pushpin_map = Afghanistan  | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_mapsize = 300  | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Afghanistan | coordinates = {{coord|34|59|12|N|63|7|45|E|region:AF|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Afghanistan}} | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Badghis | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Qala-e-Naw | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_name4 =  | established_title =  | established_date = | established_title2 =  | established_date2 = | established_title3 =  | established_date3 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = Municipality | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = | leader_title1 =  | leader_name1 =  | area_footnotes = <ref name="land area" /> | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_km2 = 28 | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | area_blank1_sq_mi = | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m = 967 | elevation_ft =  | population_footnotes = <ref name="population" /> | population_as_of = 2025 | population_total = 82797 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_sq_mi = | population_urban = 19087 | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = | population_rural = 63710 | population_density_rural_km2 = | population_density_rural_sq_mi = | population_blank1_title = Ethnicities | population_blank1 = | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_density_blank1_sq_mi = | population_blank2_title = Religions | population_blank2 = | population_note =  | timezone = Afghanistan Time | utc_offset = +04:30 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST =  | area_code_type =  | area_code = | postal_code_type =  | postal_code = | footnotes = | geocode = | iso_code = AF-QLN | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | website =  | module = }}

'''Qala-e-Naw''' (Pashto{{efn|{{IPA|ps|qaˈlɑ(.)ɪ naʊ}}}} and Dari:{{efn|{{IPA|prs|qalˈ(ʔ)a‿(j)ɪ naw}}}} {{nq|قلعه نو}}; {{lit|New Fortress}}) is a city in northwestern Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Badghis Province.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2022/11/11/qala-i-naw-municipality-generates-2-25-million-afs-revenue-in-past-7-month/ |title=Qala-i-Naw municipality generates 2.25 million afs revenue in past 7-month |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=11 November 2022 |access-date=2026-01-09}}</ref> It is within the jurisdiction of Qala e Naw District and has an estimated population of 82,797 people.<ref name="population">{{cite web |url=https://nsia.gov.af:8443/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%86%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B3-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84-1404.pdf#page=129 |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2025-26 |page=106 |work=National Statistics and Information Authority |date=September 2025 |access-date=2025-12-31}}</ref>

Qala-e-Naw is home to Badghis University, which is located in the northern part of the city. The Qala i Naw Airport is located in the northwestern part of the city. The Afghanistan Ring Road passes in the city and this makes it one of the major stops for travelers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-188486 |title=German Cyclist Explores Afghanistan's Historical and Natural Wonders |work=TOLOnews |date=25 April 2024 |access-date=2026-01-09}}</ref>

Qala-e-Naw has a land area of {{cvt|28|km2}} or {{cvt|3752|ha}}.<ref name="land area">{{cite web |url=https://unhabitat.org/soac2015 |title=State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-I English) |pages=8, 131 |publisher=UN-Habitat |access-date=2015-10-31}}</ref> It is administratively divided into 6 city districts (nahias). In 2015 there were about 7,125 dwelling units in the city.<ref name="State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-II)" />

== History == {{Further|History of Afghanistan}} On 7 July 2021, the Taliban began an assault on the city<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-57748695 |title=Taliban battle their way into western Afghan city |publisher=BBC News |date=7 July 2021 |access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref> which culminated in defeat by Afghan forces. The other side claimed that at least 69 Taliban fighters were killed and 23 injured.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/69-taliban-terrorists-killed-23-injured-as-afghan-forces-regain-control-of-qala-e-naw-city/articleshow/84228756.cms |title=69 Taliban terrorists killed, 23 injured as Afghan forces regain control of Qala-e-Naw city |publisher=Times of India |date=8 July 2021 |access-date=9 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The city was captured by the Taliban on 12 August 2021, around the same time as the fall of Herat, becoming the thirteenth provincial capital to be seized as part of the wider 2021 Taliban offensive.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58184202 |title=Afghanistan: Major cities fall to Taliban amid heavy fighting |publisher=BBC News |date=12 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharif |first1=Hussein |title=Afghanistan Collapse Accelerates as 2 Vital Cities Near Fall to Taliban |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/12/world/asia/kandahar-afghanistan-taliban.html |website=The New York Times |date=12 August 2021 |access-date=12 August 2021 |ref=The insurgents now control over half of the country’s 400-odd districts. And with the fall of Kandahar and Herat, along with another provincial capital south of Kabul, Ghazni, and one in the northwest, Qala-e-Naw — all on Thursday — the insurgents will control 13 provincial capitals.}}</ref>

==Geography== {{Further|Geography of Afghanistan}} Qala-e-Naw is located north of the Paropamisus Mountains (Selseleh-ye Safīd Kūh). Barren land accounts for 49% of its land area and only 28% is classified as built-up. Of the built-up land, 60% is residential.District 4 has a large institutional and transportation land use as a result of the airport located there.<ref name="State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-II)">{{cite web |url=https://unhabitat.org/soac2015_volume2 |title=The State of Afghan Cities Report 2015 |page=106 |access-date=20 October 2015 |ref=UN-Habitat}}</ref>

===Climate=== Qala i Naw has a mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification ''Csa''), with hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation mostly falls in winter and early spring. Snow is common in winter. {{Weather box |width = auto |location = Qala e Naw |metric first = Y |single line = Y |Jan record high C = 23.2 |Feb record high C = 25.4 |Mar record high C = 32.7 |Apr record high C = 33.5 |May record high C = 39.1 |Jun record high C = 42.5 |Jul record high C = 42.8 |Aug record high C = 40.0 |Sep record high C = 37.7 |Oct record high C = 35.0 |Nov record high C = 30.5 |Dec record high C = 26.5 |Jan high C = 6.3 |Feb high C = 7.4 |Mar high C = 14.9 |Apr high C = 21.9 |May high C = 29.0 |Jun high C = 33.7 |Jul high C = 35.8 |Aug high C = 33.5 |Sep high C = 29.0 |Oct high C = 23.0 |Nov high C = 16.7 |Dec high C = 10.2 |Jan mean C = 0.1 |Feb mean C = 2.4 |Mar mean C = 3.6 |Apr mean C = 15.1 |May mean C = 20.8 |Jun mean C = 25.8 |Jul mean C = 28.2 |Aug mean C = 25.3 |Sep mean C = 20.5 |Oct mean C = 14.0 |Nov mean C = 8.6 |Dec mean C = 3.9 |Jan low C = -4.0 |Feb low C = -2.4 |Mar low C = 2.9 |Apr low C = 8.9 |May low C = 12.0 |Jun low C = 15.8 |Jul low C = 18.2 |Aug low C = 16.1 |Sep low C = 10.0 |Oct low C = 5.0 |Nov low C = 1.8 |Dec low C = -0.8 |Jan record low C = −27.3 |Feb record low C = -26.1 |Mar record low C = −10.9 |Apr record low C = -9.0 |May record low C = 2.3 |Jun record low C = 6.6 |Jul record low C = 11.2 |Aug record low C = 6.3 |Sep record low C = 0.2 |Oct record low C = -7.0 |Nov record low C = −9.6 |Dec record low C = −23.4 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 63.9 |Feb precipitation mm = 77.0 |Mar precipitation mm = 97.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 47.3 |May precipitation mm = 12.3 |Jun precipitation mm = 0.0 |Jul precipitation mm = 0.0 |Aug precipitation mm = 0.0 |Sep precipitation mm = 0.6 |Oct precipitation mm = 6.7 |Nov precipitation mm = 17.9 |Dec precipitation mm = 53.4 |Jan sun = 127.4 |Feb sun = 120.8 |Mar sun = 170.9 |Apr sun = 162.5 |May sun = 264.0 |Jun sun = 344.8 |Jul sun = 367.2 |Aug sun = 334.0 |Sep sun = 310.8 |Oct sun = 197.0 |Nov sun = 175.4 |Dec sun = 110.2 |Jan rain days = 5 |Feb rain days = 7 |Mar rain days = 10 |Apr rain days = 9 |May rain days = 3 |Jun rain days = 0 |Jul rain days = 0 |Aug rain days = 0 |Sep rain days = 0 |Oct rain days = 2 |Nov rain days = 4 |Dec rain days = 5 |Jan snow days = 6 |Feb snow days = 5 |Mar snow days = 3 |Apr snow days = 0 |May snow days = 0 |Jun snow days = 0 |Jul snow days = 0 |Aug snow days = 0 |Sep snow days = 0 |Oct snow days = 0 |Nov snow days = 1 |Dec snow days = 3 |Jan humidity = 78 |Feb humidity = 75 |Mar humidity = 75 |Apr humidity = 70 |May humidity = 53 |Jun humidity = 39 |Jul humidity = 37 |Aug humidity = 37 |Sep humidity = 43 |Oct humidity = 53 |Nov humidity = 60 |Dec humidity = 76 |source 1 =NOAA (1970–1983) <ref name= NOAA>{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/RA-II/AH/40937.TXT |title = Qalai naw Climate Normals 1970-1983 |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = December 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504065547/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/AH/40937.TXT |archive-date=2023-05-04}}</ref> }}

== Notes == {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Populated places in Badghis Province Category:Badghis Province Category:Provincial capitals in Afghanistan