page_title: Paktika Province
section_title: Demographics
hierarchical_section_title: Paktika Province / Demographics
caption_attribution_description: English: Afghan children observe U.S. Army Special Forces and Afghan National Police as they patrol the area to improve security and increase stability in the village of Rabat, Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 19.
context_page_description: Paktika 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 413,800, mostly ethnic Pashtuns. The town of Sharana serves as the provincial capital, while the most populous city is Urgun.
context_section_description: The population of Paktika province is 413,800, which is a multi-ethnic tribal society. According to the Naval Postgraduate School, the ethnic groups of the province are as follows: Pashtun, Tajik, Arab, Pashai, and other various minority groups. Other sources mention that ethnic Pashtuns make up around 96% of Paktika's population. Around 15,000 people (1.8%) are ethnic Uzbeks; and about 5,000 people speak some other languages. These are most probably Hazaras or Baloch. There is also a small Tajik community in Urgun.
  The overwhelming majority of Paktika's population (around 99%) live in rural districts. The capital city, Sharana, has around 54,400 inhabitants. The majority of Pakikta's Districts have between 25,000 and 55,000 inhabitants. Only two districts, Nika and Turwo have less than 20,000 inhabitants, with a little more than 15,000 apiece. Two of the least mountainous districts, Urgun and neighboring Barmal have nearly 90,000 inhabitants each. There are around 115,000 households, with eight members apiece, in the Province.
  Most of the Population is Sunni Muslim, and belongs to the Hanafi School.
  Some tribes in Paktika may be pastoral.
caption: Local Afghan children observe U.S. Army Special Forces and Afghan National Police as they patrol the area to improve security and increase stability in the village of Rabat.
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