Balkh is a city located in northern Afghanistan within the jurisdiction of the Balkh District. It serves as the second-largest city in Balkh Province and has an estimated population of 148,972 people. The current mayor of the city is Maulvi Mohammad Qasim Fazal Subhan.
Geographically, the city is situated approximately 24 km (15 mi) to the northwest of Mazar-i-Sharif and roughly 74 km (46 mi) south of the Amu Darya river and the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan border.