Herat

Ancient Herat is first recorded in ancient times, but its precise date of foundation is unknown. Under the Persian Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC), the surrounding district was known by the Old Persian name of Haraiva (𐏃𐎼𐎡𐎺), and in classical sources, the region was correspondingly known as Areia (Aria). In the Zoroastrian collection of Avesta, the district is referred as Haroiva. The name of the district and its principal town is a derivative from that of the local river, the Herey River (from Old Iranian Harayu, meaning "with velocity"), which goes through the district and ends 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Herat. The naming of a region and its principal town after the main river is a common feature in this part of the world— compare the adjoining districts/rivers/towns of Arachosia and Bactria. …

Herat is north of the Hari River in western Afghanistan. It has 15 city districts (nahias), covering a land area of 182 km2 (70 sq mi) or 18,277 ha (45,160 acres). It is connected by a road network with Torghundi to the north, Qala e Naw to the northeast, Firuzkoh to the east, Farah and Delaram to south and southeast, and Islam Qala to the northwest. The Pashdan Dam is about 15 km (9.3 mi) to the northeast of the city. Herat has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). Precipitation is very low, and mostly falls in winter. Although Herāt is approximately 240 m (790 ft) lower than Kandahar, the summer climate is more temperate, and the climate throughout the year is far from disagreeable, although winter temperatures are comparably lower. From May to September, the wind blows from the northwest with great force. …

Herat's economy is mainly based on agriculture, trade, transport, and tourism. The province is famous for grapes and saffron. Many residents of the city work in the industrial park in Guzara District, which has over 1,350 factories. The Herat International Airport (now Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport) was originally built by engineers from the United States in the 1960s and was used by the Soviet Armed Forces during the Soviet–Afghan War in the 1980s. It was bombed in late 2001 during Operation Enduring Freedom but later rebuilt. The runway of the airport has been upgraded and as of August 2014 there were regularly scheduled direct flights to Delhi, Dubai, Mashad, and various airports in Afghanistan. At least five airlines operated regularly scheduled direct flights to Kabul. …