Government, Local Government

For administrative purposes, Afghanistan is divided into 31 provinces: Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimrozi, Norestan, Paktika, Parvan, Paktia, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Oruzgan, Vardak, and Zabol. The provinces are divided into districts and subdistricts. Each province is officially administered by a governor appointed by the central government. During the civil war, a lack of central control in the country divided power over the provinces, with the result that local warlords and provincial chiefs took control over all or parts of the provinces in some areas.