Paktia (Pashto:پکتيا – Paktyā, Persian:ولایت پکتیا) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the east of the country. The province is divided into eleven districts and has a population of roughly 525,000, which is mostly a tribal society living in rural areas. Pashtun tribes make up the majority of the population but smaller number of Tajiks are also found. Gardēz is the provincial capital.