Editing Peshawar (section)

== Geography ==
[[File:Pakistan Khyber Pass IMG 9928.jpg|thumb|right|The city serves as a gateway to the [[Khyber Pass]], whose beginning is marked by the Khyber Gate.]]

=== Topography ===
[[File:KhyberPassPakistan_enh2.jpg|thumb|Peshawar sits at the eastern end of the [[Khyber Pass]], which has been used as a trade route since the [[Kushan Empire|Kushan]] era approximately 2,000 years ago.]]
Peshawar is located in the broad Valley of Peshawar, which is surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides, with the fourth opening to the Punjab plains. The city is located in the generally level base of the valley, known as the Gandhara Plains.<ref name="Chandra" />

=== Climate ===
{{Main|Climate of Peshawar}}
With an influence from the local steppe climate, Peshawar features a [[hot semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''BSh''), with very hot, prolonged summers and brief, mild to cool winters. Winter in Peshawar starts in November and ends in late March, though it sometimes extends into mid-April, while the summer months are from mid-May to mid-September. The mean maximum summer temperature surpasses {{cvt|40|C|F}} during the hottest month, and the mean minimum temperature is {{cvt|25|C|F}}. The mean minimum temperature during the coolest month is {{cvt|4|C|F}}, while the maximum is {{cvt|18.3|C|F}}.

Peshawar is not a [[monsoon]] region, unlike other parts of Pakistan; however, rainfall occurs in both winter and summer. Due to western disturbances, the winter rainfall shows a higher record between the months of February and April. The highest amount of winter rainfall, measuring {{cvt|236|mm|in}}, was recorded in February 2007,<ref name="Peshawar climate data">{{cite web |title=Peshawar Climate Data |url=http://www.pakmet.com.pk:80/cdpc/Climate/Peshawar_Climate_Data.txt |website=PakMet |publisher=Climate Data Processing Centre (CDPC), Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi. |access-date=26 June 2016 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613053333/http://www.pakmet.com.pk/cdpc/Climate/Peshawar_Climate_Data.txt |archive-date=13 June 2010}}</ref> while the highest summer rainfall of {{cvt|402|mm|in}} was recorded in July 2010;<ref name="Pakistan Rainfall july 2010">{{cite web |title=RAINFALL STATEMENT JULY-2010 |url=http://www.pakmet.com.pk:80/FFD/index_files/rainfalljuly10.htm |website=PakMet |publisher=Climate data Processing Centre (CDPC), Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi |access-date=26 June 2016 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820185911/http://www.pakmet.com.pk/FFD/index_files/rainfalljuly10.htm |archive-date=20 August 2010}}</ref> during this month, a record-breaking rainfall level of {{cvt|274|mm|in}} fell within a 24-hour period on 29 July 2010<ref name="Pakistan Rainfall july 2010" />—the previous record was {{cvt|187|mm|in}} of rain, recorded in April 2009.<ref name="Peshawar climate data" /> The average winter rainfall levels are higher than those of summer. Based on a 30-year record, the average annual precipitation level was recorded as {{cvt|400|mm|in}} and the highest annual rainfall level of {{cvt|904.5|mm|in}} was recorded in 2003.<ref name="Peshawar climate data" /> Wind speeds vary during the year, from {{cvt|5|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}} in December to {{cvt|24|kn|mph km/h}} in June. The relative humidity varies from 46% in June to 76% in August. The highest temperature of {{cvt|50|C|F}} was recorded on 18 June 1995,<ref name="Peshawar climate data" /> while the lowest {{cvt|-3.9|C|F}} occurred on 7 January 1970.<ref name="Peshawar climate data" />

{{Peshawar weatherbox}}According to the World Air Quality Report 2024, Peshawar is one of the world's most polluted city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World's Most Polluted Cities 2024 {{!}} AQI Ranking |url=https://www.aqi.in/world-most-polluted-cities |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=www.aqi.in |language=en}}</ref>

=== Cityscape ===
Peshawar's urban typology is similar to other ancient cities in South Asia, such as [[Lahore]], Multan and [[Delhi]] – all of which were founded near a major river, and included an old walled city, as well as a royal citadel.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tahir |first=M. Athar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uHQMAQAAMAAJ&q=peshawar+cityscape |title=Frontier Facets: Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province |date=2007 |publisher=National Book Foundation; Lahore |language=en}}</ref>

Historically, the old city of Peshawar was a heavily guarded citadel that consisted of high walls. In the 21st century, only remnants of the walls remain, but the houses and [[havelis]] continue to be structures of significance. Most of the houses are constructed of unbaked bricks, with the incorporation of wooden structures for protection against earthquakes, with many composed of wooden doors and latticed wooden balconies. Numerous examples of the city's old architecture can still be seen in areas such as [[Sethi Mohallah]]. In the old city, located in inner-Peshawar, many historic monuments and bazaars exist in the 21st century, including the Mohabbat Khan Mosque, [[Kotla Mohsin Khan]], [[Chowk Yadgar]] and the [[Qissa Khawani Bazaar]]. Due to the damage caused by rapid growth and development, the old walled city has been identified as an area that urgently requires restoration and protection.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

The walled city was surrounded by several main gates that served as the main entry points into the city — in January 2012, an announcement was made that the government plans to address the damage that has left the gates largely non-existent over time, with all of the gates targeted for restoration.<ref name="Ali">{{cite news |title=Restoring heritage: Kabuli Gate being rebuilt in old city |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/328577/restoring-heritage-kabuli-gate-being-rebuilt-in-old-city/ |access-date=13 December 2012 |newspaper=The Express Tribune |date=29 January 2012 |author=Manzoor Ali |agency=The Express Tribune News Network |archive-date=27 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427105614/http://tribune.com.pk/story/328577/restoring-heritage-kabuli-gate-being-rebuilt-in-old-city/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="134">
File:Peshawarbazaar.jpg|A view of old Peshawar's famous [[Qissa Khawani Bazaar]].
File:Oldpeshawarcity.jpg|Much of Peshawar's old city still features examples of traditional style architecture.
File:Qissa_Khwani_Bazaar,_Peshawar,_Pakistan_-_panoramio_-_franek2.jpg|Some buildings in the old city feature carved wooden balconies.
</gallery>