Herat

Herat, also written as Harat or Hirat and historically known as Haraiva, Horeiva and Hires, is a major city in western Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Herat Province and the Herat District. It has an estimated population of 673,273 settled residents, making it the largest city in the province and the third-largest city in Afghanistan. As the gateway to Iran and Turkmenistan, the city collects billions of dollars in customs revenue for Afghanistan, and the roads from Herat to both neighboring countries are strategically important.