Mazar-e Sharif is a large city in northern Afghanistan. It is situated 56 km south of the border with Uzbekistan at an altitude of 380 m above sea level and has a population of approximately 140,000. It is located in one of Afghanistan's most fertile regions, extensively irrigated by the Balkh River and producing cotton, grain, and fruit. The town's industries include flour milling and the manufacturing of silk and cotton textiles. It is connected by road and air with Kabul, 200 miles (320 km) southeast, and other Afghan cities and is the nation's chief transit point for trade with the Russian Federation.