Herāt is the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated in the fertile valley of the Hari River in the western part of the country. It is linked with Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif via Highway 1 or the ring road. It is further linked to the city of Mashhad in neighboring Iran through the border town of Islam Qala, and to Mary in Turkmenistan to the north through the border town of Torghundi.
Herat is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the western part of the country. Together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces, it makes up the north-western region of Afghanistan. Its primary city and administrative capital is Herat City. The province of Herat is divided into about 17 districts and contains over 1,000 villages. It has a population of about 1,780,000, making it the second most populated province in Afghanistan behind Kabul Province. The population is multi-ethnic but largely Persian-speaking.
Adraskan is a district in the central part of Herat Province in Afghanistan. It is bordered to the west by Iran, to the north by Ghoryan District, Zinda Jan District, Guzara District, Pashtun Zarghun District and Obe District, to the east by Farsi District and to the south by Shindand District.
Chishti Sharif District is the most easterly district in Herat Province, Afghanistan, situated along the Hari River and one of its northern tributaries. It borders with Obe District to the west, Badghis Province to the north and Ghor Province to the east and south. The population was estimated at 23,100 in 2012. The district administrative center is the village of Chishti Sharif.
Farsi is a district the west of Herat Province, Afghanistan. It borders on Obe District to the north, Adraskan District to the west, Shindand District to the south and Ghor Province to the south and east. The population was estimated at 29,800 in 2012. The district center is the village of Farsi.
The Ghurian District is an Afghan administrative district (Wuleswali) in far western Afghanistan in western Herat Province. The district is bordered by Iran to the west and northwest. It is then bordered by other districts of Herat, Kohsan District in the north, Zendeh Jan District to the east, and Adraskan District to the south. The Hari River flows through the northeastern end of the district. The border with Iranian is marshy. The population is 85,900 and the district center is the city of Ghurian.
Gulran District is situated in northwestern part of Herat province, Afghanistan and borders Iran to the west, Turkmenistan to the north, Kushk District to the east, and Zinda Jan District and Kohsan District to the south. The population is 91,500 (2012). The district center is the village of Gulran. There are no mountains in the district.
Guzara (Gozareh) District is situated in the center of Herat Province, Afghanistan, 10 km south of Herat. It borders Injil District to the north, Pashtun Zarghun District to the east, Adraskan District to the south and Zinda Jan District to the west. The district center Guzara (Gozareh) is on the main road Herat-Kandahar.
Injil is a district of Herat Province in northwestern Afghanistan. It surrounds Herat City and borders Kushk District to the north, Karukh District to the east, Guzara District to the South, and Zinda Jan District to the west. There is no any official census from this district, therefor all the numbers are based on approximately the population of different localities in the district. The population of Injil District is around 237,800, which includes the following ethnic groups: Around 40% Tajik, around 30% Pashtun. Almost all inhabitants of Jebrael locality are Hazara. Jebrael has a population of around 60-80 thousand people. This makes the population of Hazara in Injil district around 30% and 1% Turkmen.
Karukh is a town and the center of Karukh District, Herat Province, Afghanistan. The population is more than 18,800 people. The town is located at 34.49°N 62.59°E at 1320 m altitude, 50 km northeast of Herat.
Karukh's busy bazaar is continuously mentioned in travelogues down through the centuries. The shrine of Alla Berdi, Sufi ul-Islam, stands there.
Kohsan is a district of Herat province in northwestern Afghanistan. It borders the nation of Iran to the west, Gulran District to the north, and Ghurian District to the south and east. The population of Kosan District is 52,900, which includes the following ethnic groups: 59.4% Pashtun, 35.3% Tajik, 5.1% Balouch, and 0.2% Turkmen.
Kushk District is situated in the northern part of Herat Province, Afghanistan and also may be referred to as Rubat-i-Sangin or Rabat-e-Sangi. It borders Turkmenistan to the north, Gulran District to the west, Zinda Jan District, Injil District and Karukh District to the south and Kushki Kuhna District to the east. The population is 121,000 (2012).
Kushki Kuhna is a district of Herat province in northwestern Afghanistan. It is situated in the northern part of the province. It borders Kushk District to the west, the nation of Turkmenistan to the north, Badghis Province to the east, and Karukh District to the south. The population Kushki Kuhna is 44,400, which includes the following ethnic groups: 55% Tajik, 40% Pashtun and 5% Hazara.
Obe is a district in the northeast of Herat Province, Afghanistan. It borders on the north with Badghis Province, on the east with Chishti sharif District, on the southeast with Farsi District, on the south with Adraskan District, and on the west with Pashtun Zarghun and Karukh districts.
Pashtun Zarghun District, formerly known as Posht-e Zirghān or Posht-e Zirghūn, is situated in the central part of Herat Province, Afghanistan in the valley of the Hari River. The district center is Pashtun Zarghun.
Shīnḍanḍ District is one of the 16 districts of Herat Province, in western Afghanistan, and is situated in the southern part of that province. It borders Adraskan District to the north, Ghor Province to the east and Farah Province to the south and west. The population was 173,800. The district center is the town of Shindand, which has a very active market area. Shindand Air Base is located near the town. The main Herat-Kandahar road passes through the district. The Zerkoh Valley is in the district.
The Zinda Jan District is located in the central part of Herat Province in Afghanistan. It borders Gulran and Kushk districts to the north, Injil and Guzara districts to the east, Adraskan District to the south and Ghoryan and Kohsan districts to the west. The population is 55,500. The district center is the town of Zendeh Jan, situated in the valley of the Hari River.
Shibirghan District (Sheberghan) is situated in the southern part of Jowzjan Province in Afghanistan. It borders Faryab Province to the west, Khwaja du koh District to the north, Aqcha District to the east and Sar-e Pol Province. The population is 188,808 (2019). The center is the provincial capital Sheberghan. There are main roads from the district center towards Herat, Kabul, Andkhoy and Mazari Sharif. Sheberghan airfield is situated between Sheberghan and Aqchah.
Bādghīs is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northwest of the country, on the border with Turkmenistan. It is considered to be one of the country's most underdeveloped provinces. The capital is Qala i Naw, while the most populous city and district is Bala Murghab. The ruins of the medieval city of Marw al-Rudh, the historical capital of the medieval region of Gharjistan, are located in the province near the modern city of Bala Murghab.
Energy in Afghanistan is provided by hydropower followed by fossil fuel and solar power. According to Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), approximately 35% of Afghanistan's population has access to electricity. This covers the major cities in the country. Many rural areas do not have access to 24-hour electricity but this should change after the major CASA-1000 project is completed.
