Charikar is the capital of Parwan province and one of the most populous cities in Afghanistan.
Charikar city is located about 64 km north of Kabul and east of the confluence of the Ghorband and Panjshir rivers. The main Kabul-Baghlan road, as well as northern Afghanistan, passes through Charikar.
The city’s population was estimated at 29,400 in 1988 and today stands at 53,676. The area between Kabul and Charikar is the most densely populated area in Afghanistan.
This city is located at the entrance of Panjshir valley. The linen cloth industry and the making of knives and metal tools by Charikar and its environs are well-known in Afghanistan. In the 1960s, Afghanistan’s largest textile factory was built in Golbahar near Charikar. Its construction led to the growth of the Charikar population after 1962.
One of the sights of the city is Golghandi hill. Golghandi hill promenade, which is one of the spring promenades in Afghanistan, was founded in 1324 AH, equal to 1945 AD, during the time of Mir Alam Khan, the mayor of Charikar. In 1327, Bahai Jan, a Pashto-speaking poet, visited this hill and named it Golghandi Hill (Gol Hill). Most of the people in this city are Tajiks.