The Helmand River: Avestan: Haētumant 'rich in dams' (also Helmend, Helmund, Hirmand or Tarnak) is the longest river in Afghanistan. The Greek name for the river was the Erymandrus.

The Helmand rises in the Hindu Kush, some 50 km to the west of Kabul, separated from the watershed of the Kabul River by the Unai Pass. It flows roughly south-west for about 1130 km, and empties into the Seistan swamps, the Hamun Lake Hamun-i-Helmand, around Zabol at the Afghan-Iranian border.

The ancient overland route from the lower Indus River followed this river passing by Kandahar to southern Persia and the Persian Gulf. The hot, steamy conditions in the Helmand Valley were well suited for the breeding of elephants, the ancient equivalent of tanks.

The Helmand has been suggested as a possible identity of the Vedic Saraswati River.

Rivers of Afghanistan

References

• Frye, Richard N. (1963). The Heritage of Persia. World Publishing company, Cleveland, Ohio. Mentor Book edition, 1966.
• Toynbee, Arnold J. (1961). Between Oxus and Jumna. London. Oxford University Press.
• Vogelsang, W. (1985). "Early historical Arachosia in South-east Afghanistan; Meeting-place between East and West." Iranica antiqua, 20 (1985), pp. 55-99.

Hilmend | Helmand | هیرمند | Helmand (rivier) | ヘルマンド川 | Helmand | Helmand