Pakhtunkhwa
/pəxtuːnˈxwaː/noun
A historical and political name for the Pashtun-inhabited region, officially used in Pakistan’s province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2010.
Did you know?In 2010, Pakistan officially renamed the North-West Frontier Province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, turning an ancient regional identity into a modern constitutional name.
Etymological Timeline
Early Iranian period
Proto-Iranian
*paršwana- (proposed)
“A possible ancient source connected with the ethnonym later appearing as Pashtun; the exact origin remains disputed.”
Medieval period
Pashto
Paxtūn
“Pashtun, a member of the Pashtun people.”
Medieval–Early Modern period
Pashto
xwā
“Land, region, or side; the second element of the regional name.”
Early Modern period
Pashto
Paxtūn-xwā
“Land or region of the Pashtuns.”
20th Century
English/Pashto
Pakhtunkhwa
“A transliterated form used in political and cultural movements to designate the Pashtun homeland.”
2010
English
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
“The official name adopted by Pakistan for the province formerly called the North-West Frontier Province.”