CANDAIIAR, a town in Afghanistan, in long. 65° 28' E., and lat. 31° 37' N., 3484 feet above the sea. It is the Khenta of the Vendidad. Accord ing to Elphinstone (Caubul, p. 425), there has been a city here since the time of Alexander, and the ancient city stood till the reign of the Ghilzai, when Shah Husain founded a new city under the name of Ilusainabad. Nadir Shah attempted again to alter the site of the town, and built Nadirabad ; at last Ahmad Shah founded the present city, to which he gave the name of Ahmed :Maid, and the title of Ashraf-ul-I3alad, or the noblest of cities ; but the old name of Candahar still prevails among the people, though it has lost its rhyming addition of Dar-ul-Karar, or the abode of quiet. Ahmad Shah himself marked out the limits of the present city, and laid down the regular plan, which is still so remarkable in its execution. The houses in the town are from 16,000 to 20,000 •, the population, 45,000 in number, consist of different tribes. Ilouses as
under :— Aakyi Khel, 50iDowlat Shahi, 50 Makuzai, . . 100 Arab, . . . 501Ghilzai, . . 100 Nurzai, . . 600 Alikozai, . 650 I Hindus, . 300 Parsivan, 1240 Alizai, . 2001 Ishakzai, . . 600 Pathans, . . 200 Achakzai, . 150 Ismail Zai, . 100 Popalzai, . 600 Babi and Kakar, . . 550 Pirian, . 100 Babur, . 200 Kashmiri, . 100 Saddazai„ . 100Barakzai, . 940 Kalezai, . 350 Sarkani, . . 200 Bardurani, . 150 Kharoti, . . 200 Turks, . . 50 Bamezai, . 400 Khugiani, . 150 Others, etc., 440 Bisakzai, . 100 Madozai, . . 150 The more remarkable objects are the tomb of Ahmad Shah, the public baths, the citadel. It was occupied by the British Indian army from 20th April 1839 till the 8th August 1843, and was re-occupied in 1879. See Afghanistan ; Kan dahar.