Historical geography of Afghanistan

thumb|upright=.5| Drangiana or Zarangiana (, Drangianē; also attested in Old Western Iranian as 𐏀𐎼𐎣, Zraka or Zranka, was a historical region and administrative division of the Achaemenid Empire. This region comprised territory around Hamun Lake, wetlands in endorheic Sistan Basin on the Iran-Afghan border, and its primary watershed Helmand river in what is nowadays southwestern region of Afghanistan. The historic Drangiana roughly corresponds with the modern Sistan region.

ancient region of the Persian Empire

In the Greco-Roman world, Ariana was a geographical term referring to a general area of land between Central Asia and the Indus River. Situated far to the east in the Achaemenid Empire, it covered a number of satrapies spanning what is today the entirety of Afghanistan, the easternmost parts of Iran, and the westernmost parts of Pakistan. "Ariana" is Latinized from [region]; [demonym]. The Greek word, in turn, is derived from the term () in Avestan.

Paropamisadae or Parapamisadae () was a satrapy of the Alexandrian Empire in modern Pakistan, which largely coincided with the Achaemenid province of Parupraesanna. It consisted of the districts of Sattagydia (Bannu basin), Gandhara (Kabul, Peshawar, and Taxila), and Oddiyana (Swat Valley). Paruparaesanna is mentioned in the Akkadian language and Elamite language versions of the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great, whereas in the Old Persian version it is called Gandāra. The entire satrapy was subsequently ceded by Seleucus I Nicator to Chandragupta Maurya after Mauryan Victory in Selucid

Gharjestan (also Gharchestan, Gharshistan, Gharchegan, Garshestan) was historical region comprising large mountainous land located between Herat and Kabul. The area comprised the lands later known as Hazarajat.

upright|thumb|Chinese characters for Ta-Hsia or Daxia

compilation of the geographical references in Avesta