Afghanistan Ring Road
| National Highway 1 | |
|---|---|
| Dari: شاهراه حلقوی افغانستان Pashto: د افغانستان حلقوي سړک | |
| Route information | |
Part of  AH1 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Highway system | |
National Highway 01 or NH01, formally called the Ring Road (Pashto: د افغانستان حلقوي سړک; Dari: شاهراه حلقوی افغانستان), is a 2,200 km (1,400 mi) two-lane and in some areas a four-lane road network circulating inside Afghanistan, connecting the following cities (clockwise): Kabul, Maidan Shar, Ghazni, Qalat, Kandahar, Delaram, Herat, Qala e Naw, Maymana, Andkhoy, Sheberghan, Mazar-i-Sharif, Puli Khumri, Charikar, and back to Kabul. It has extensions that connect Jalalabad, Bamyan, Khost, Spin Boldak, Lashkargah, Zaranj (Route 606), Farah, Islam Qala, Torghundi, Ymamnazar, Hairatan, Kunduz, and Fayzabad. The Ring Road is part of AH1, the longest route of the Asian Highway Network. National Highway 01 consists of four major sections, NH0101 to NH0104, linking the major economic centers.[1]
History
Part of National Highway 1 has been refurbished in late 2003, particularly the Kabul–Kandahar Highway. The repair project was funded by the United States, Saudi Arabia and Japan. In addition to Afghans, several foreign workers from Turkey and India were involved in the project.[2] Japanese also assisted with the project near the southern Afghan province of Kandahar.[3] About two decades later, the Kabul–Kandahar Highway was completely worn out.[4][5] The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan with its own funds recently rebuilt the highway.[6][7]
Sections
Kabul to Kandahar
The Kabul–Kandahar Highway (NH0101) is a 483 km (300 mi) section of National Highway 01 linking two of Afghanistan's largest cities, Kabul and Kandahar.[1] This highway is a key portion of the Ring Road. Approximately 35 percent of Afghanistan's population lives within 50 km (31 mi) of the Kabul to Kandahar portion of the Ring Road.
The Kabul–Kandahar highway underwent some repairs. Phase one of paving was completed in December 2003 and the highway was opened to traffic.[2] However, the road has badly deteriorated since that time.[8] It was recently rebuilt by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.[9][10]
Kandahar to Herat
National Highway 01 between Kandahar and Herat consists of two sections, NH0101, between Kandahar and Delaram, and NH0102, between Delaram and Herat.[1]
Herat to Badghis
Latest repair work on the Herat–Badghis Road was completed in December 2025.[11]
Kabul to Jalalabad
National Highway 8 (NH08) runs from Jalalabad to Kabul, following the Tang-e Gharu gorge, parallel to the Kabul River, for 64 km (40 mi).[1] The two-lane Kabul Gorge highway runs along 600 m (2,000 ft) cliffs. Fatal traffic accidents occur in this area, mainly due to reckless driving.[12]
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d "Application of Road Numbering System National Highway", [1] Archived 7 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine The Ministry of Public Works (16 October 2015)
- ^ a b "USAID Afghanistan fact sheet: Phase I - Kabul-Kandahar highway". ReliefWeb. 14 December 2003. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Japan's support for Afghanistan 22 Feb 2003". ReliefWeb. 22 February 2003. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
- ^ "Drivers ask govt to repair Kabul-Kandahar highway". Pajhwok Afghan News. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ "'All Afghan Highways Need Major Repair': Officials". TOLOnews. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ "Reconstruction of 27 kms of Kabul-Kandahar highway gets underway". Ariana News. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ "MoPW: 200+ Projects Implemented in Past Year". TOLOnews. 27 July 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ Goldstein, Joseph; Muzhary, Fazal (24 March 2015). "Attack by Gunmen on Afghan Highway Unnerves Travelers". New York Times. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Kabul-Kandahar highway expansion work begins in Ghazni". Pajhwok Afghan News. 28 September 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ تغییرات مهم این روزها در شاهراه کابل-قندهار / نصب لوحه های رهنمایی/ دو سرکه شدن در قسمت کوتل روضه on YouTube
- ^ "Strategic part of Afghanistan's Ring Road completed: MoPW". Pajhwok Afghan News. 12 December 2025. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
- ^ "On Afghan Road, Scenes of Beauty and Death (Published 2010)". 8 February 2010. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2024.