<P> Helmand (/ ˈhɛlmənd / HEL - mənd; Pashto / Dari: هلمند), also known as Hillmand or Helman, and, in ancient times, as Hermand and Hethumand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, in the south of the country . It is the largest province by area, covering 58,584 square kilometres (20,000 sq mi) area . The province contains 13 districts, encompassing over 1,000 villages, and roughly 879,500 settled people . Lashkar Gah serves as the provincial capital . </P> <P> Helmand was part of the Greater Kandahar region until made into a separate province by the Afghan government in the 20th century . The province has a domestic airport (Bost Airport), in the city of Lashkar Gah and heavily used by NATO - led forces . The British Camp Bastion and U.S. Camp Leatherneck are a short distance southwest of Lashkar Gah . </P> <P> The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region of the province, providing water used for irrigation . The Kajaki Dam, which is one of Afghanistan's major reservoirs, is located in the Kajaki district . Helmand is believed to be one of the world's largest opium - producing regions, responsible for around 42% of the world's total production . This is believed to be more than the whole of Burma, which is the second largest producing nation after Afghanistan . The region also produces tobacco, sugar beets, cotton, sesame, wheat, mung beans, maize, nuts, sunflowers, onions, potato, tomato, cauliflower, peanut, apricot, grape, and melon . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Part of a series on the </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> History of Afghanistan </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Timeline </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ancient (show) <Table> <Tr> <Td> Indus Valley Civilisation </Td> <Td> 2200--1800 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Oxus civilization </Td> <Td> 2100--1800 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Aryans </Td> <Td> 1700--700 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Median Empire </Td> <Td> 728--550 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Achaemenid Empire </Td> <Td> 550--330 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Seleucid Empire </Td> <Td> 330--150 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Maurya Empire </Td> <Td> 305--180 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Greco - Bactrian Kingdom </Td> <Td> 256--125 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Parthian Empire </Td> <Td> 247 BC--224 AD </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Indo - Greek Kingdom </Td> <Td> 180--130 BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Indo - Scythian Kingdom </Td> <Td> 155--80? BC </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kushan Empire </Td> <Td> 135 BC--248 AD </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Indo - Parthian Kingdom </Td> <Td> 20 BC--50? AD </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Sasanian Empire </Td> <Td> 230--651 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kidarite Kingdom </Td> <Td> 320--465 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Alchon Huns </Td> <Td> 380--560 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hephthalite Empire </Td> <Td> 410--557 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nezak Huns </Td> <Td> 484--711 </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Medieval (show) <Table> <Tr> <Td> Kabul Shahi </Td> <Td> 565--879 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Principality of Chaghaniyan </Td> <Td> 7th--8th centuries </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rashidun Caliphate </Td> <Td> 652--661 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Umayyads </Td> <Td> 661--750 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Abbasids </Td> <Td> 750--821 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tahirids </Td> <Td> 821--873 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Saffarids </Td> <Td> 863--900 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Samanids </Td> <Td> 875--999 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ghaznavids </Td> <Td> 963--1187 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ghurids </Td> <Td> before 879--1215 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Seljuks </Td> <Td> 1037--1194 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Khwarezmids </Td> <Td> 1215--1231 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Qarlughids </Td> <Td> 1224--1266 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ilkhanate </Td> <Td> 1258--1353 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Chagatai Khanate </Td> <Td> 1225--1370 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Khaljis </Td> <Td> 1290--1320 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Karts </Td> <Td> 1245--1381 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Timurids </Td> <Td> 1370--1507 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Arghuns </Td> <Td> 1479--1522 </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Modern (show) <Table> <Tr> <Td> Mughals </Td> <Td> 1501--1738 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Safavids </Td> <Td> 1510--1709 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hotak dynasty </Td> <Td> 1709--1738 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Afsharid dynasty </Td> <Td> 1738--1747 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Durrani Empire </Td> <Td> 1747--1826 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Emirate of Afghanistan </Td> <Td> 1826--1919 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kingdom of Afghanistan </Td> <Td> 1919--1973 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Republic of Afghanistan </Td> <Td> 1973--1978 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Democratic Republic of Afghanistan </Td> <Td> 1978--1992 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Islamic State of Afghanistan </Td> <Td> 1992--2001 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan </Td> <Td> 1996--2004 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Interim / Transitional Administration </Td> <Td> 2001--2004 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Islamic Republic of Afghanistan </Td> <Td> since 2004 </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Book </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> Portal </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

The helmand province of afghanistan is famous for cultivation