Editing Herat (section)

== Geography ==

=== Climate ===
Herat has a [[cold semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BSk''). Precipitation is very low, and mostly falls in winter. Although Herāt is approximately {{convert|240|m|abbr=on}} 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. The winter is tolerably mild; snow melts rather quickly, and even on the mountains does not lie long. The eastern reaches of the [[Hari (Afghanistan)|Hari River]], including the rapids, are frozen hard in the winter, and people travel on it as on a road.

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Herāt (1958-1983)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 24.4
|Feb record high C = 27.6
|Mar record high C = 31.0
|Apr record high C = 37.8
|May record high C = 39.7
|Jun record high C = 44.6
|Jul record high C = 50.7
|Aug record high C = 42.7
|Sep record high C = 39.3
|Oct record high C = 37.0
|Nov record high C = 30.0
|Dec record high C = 26.5
|Jan high C = 9.1
|Feb high C = 11.9
|Mar high C = 17.9
|Apr high C = 24.0
|May high C = 29.6
|Jun high C = 35.0
|Jul high C = 36.7
|Aug high C = 35.1
|Sep high C = 31.4
|Oct high C = 25.0
|Nov high C = 17.8
|Dec high C = 12.0
|Jan mean C = 2.9
|Feb mean C = 5.5
|Mar mean C = 10.2
|Apr mean C = 16.3
|May mean C = 22.1
|Jun mean C = 27.2
|Jul mean C = 29.8
|Aug mean C = 28.0
|Sep mean C = 22.9
|Oct mean C = 16.1
|Nov mean C = 8.8
|Dec mean C = 4.7
|Jan low C = -2.9
|Feb low C = -0.6
|Mar low C = 3.8
|Apr low C = 9.1
|May low C = 13.3
|Jun low C = 18.2
|Jul low C = 21.2
|Aug low C = 19.2
|Sep low C = 13.2
|Oct low C = 7.4
|Nov low C = 1.0
|Dec low C = -1.4
|Jan record low C = −26.7
|Feb record low C = -20.5
|Mar record low C = −13.3
|Apr record low C = -2.3
|May record low C = 0.8
|Jun record low C = 9.7
|Jul record low C = 13.3
|Aug record low C = 8.4
|Sep record low C = 1.3
|Oct record low C = -5.6
|Nov record low C = −12.8
|Dec record low C = −22.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 51.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 44.8
|Mar precipitation mm = 55.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 29.2
|May precipitation mm = 9.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 0.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 0.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 0.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 1.7
|Nov precipitation mm = 10.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 35.8
|Jan sun = 149.3
|Feb sun = 153.5
|Mar sun = 202.5
|Apr sun = 235.7
|May sun = 329.6
|Jun sun = 362.6
|Jul sun = 378.6
|Aug sun = 344.8
|Sep sun = 323.2
|Oct sun = 274.0
|Nov sun = 235.0
|Dec sun = 143.1
|Jan rain days = 6
|Feb rain days = 8
|Mar rain days = 8
|Apr rain days = 7
|May rain days = 2
|Jun rain days = 0
|Jul rain days = 0
|Aug rain days = 0
|Sep rain days = 0
|Oct rain days = 1
|Nov rain days = 3
|Dec rain days = 5
|Jan snow days = 2
|Feb snow days = 2
|Mar snow days = 1
|Apr snow days = 0
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 0
|Dec snow days = 1
|Jan humidity = 72
|Feb humidity = 69
|Mar humidity = 62
|Apr humidity = 56
|May humidity = 45
|Jun humidity = 34
|Jul humidity = 30
|Aug humidity = 30
|Sep humidity = 34
|Oct humidity = 42
|Nov humidity = 55
|Dec humidity = 67
|source 1 = NOAA (1959–1983)<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
  |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/RA-II/AH/40938.TXT
  |title = Herat Climate Normals 1959-1983
  |publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
  |access-date = 25 December 2012
  |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230504234939/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/AH/40938.TXT
  |archive-date = 2023-05-04}}</ref>
|source 2 = Ogimet<ref>{{cite web
  |url = https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?lang=en&ind=40938&ano=2020&mes=7&day=20&hora=16&min=0&ndays=30
  |title = 40938: Herat (Afghanistan) Synop Summary
  |publisher = G. Ballester Vallor
  |access-date = 21 July 2020
  |archive-date = 21 July 2020
  |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200721211427/https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?lang=en&ind=40938&ano=2020&mes=7&day=20&hora=16&min=0&ndays=30
  |url-status = live
  }}</ref>
}}

===Places of interest===
*'''Foreign consulates'''
India, Iran and Pakistan operate their consulate here for trade, military and political links.

*'''Neighborhoods'''
**Shahr-e Naw (Downtown)
**[[Welayat]] (Office of the governor)
**Qol-Ordue (Army's HQ)
**Farqa (Army's HQ)
**Darwaze Khosh
**Chaharsu
**Pul-e Rangine
**Sufi-abad
**New-abad
**Pul-e malaan
**Thakhte Safar
**Howz-e-Karbas
**Baramaan
**Darwaze-ye Qandahar
**Darwaze-ye Iraq
**Darwaze Az Kordestan
[[File:Gawhar Shad bigum by ali mosavi sam.jpg|thumb|View of [[Gawhar Shad Mausoleum]]]]
[[File:Inside the Museum of Herat in 2011.jpg|thumb|Museum inside the [[Herat Citadel]], locally referred to as ''Qala Ikhtyaruddin'' or ''Arg''.]]
[[File:Herat University-2012.jpg|thumb|The Information Technology and Engineering Facility at [[Herat University]].]]
[[File:Section of Herat in 2009.jpg|thumb|Section of Herat]]
*'''Parks'''
**Park-e Taraki
**Park-e Millat
**Khane-ye Jihad Park
*'''Monuments'''
**[[Herat Citadel]] (Qala Ikhtyaruddin or Arg)
**[[Musalla Complex|Musallah Complex]]
**[[Musalla Minarets of Herat]]
Of the more than dozen minarets that once stood in Herāt, many have been toppled from war and neglect over the past century. Recently, however, everyday traffic threatens many of the remaining unique towers by shaking the very foundations they stand on. Cars and trucks that drive on a road encircling the ancient city rumble the ground every time they pass these historic structures. [[UNESCO]] personnel and Afghan authorities have been working to stabilize the Fifth Minaret.<ref name="Bendeich">{{cite news|author=Bendeich, Mark|title=Cars, Not War, Threaten Afghan Minarets|date=25 June 2007|work=[[Islam Online]]|url=http://ww1.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1182697507391&pagename=Zone-English-ArtCulture%2FACELayout|access-date=2009-09-24}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Podelco">{{cite news|author=Podelco, Grant|title=Afghanistan: Race To Preserve Historic Minarets of Herat, Jam|date=18 July 2005|work=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1059997.html|access-date=2009-09-24|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061059/http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1059997.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

*'''Museums'''
**Herat Museum, located inside the Herat Citadel
**[[Jihad Museum]]
*'''Mausoleums and tombs'''
**[[Gawhar Shad Mausoleum]]
**[[Khwaja 'Abd Allah Ansari shrine|Mausoleum of Khwajah Abdullah Ansari]]
**Tomb of [[Jami]]
**Tomb of khaje Qaltan
**Mausoleum of [[Mirwais Sadiq]]
**Jewish cemetery – there once existed an ancient Jewish community in the city. Its remnants are a cemetery and a ruined shrine.<ref>A good description of the sites, including former afgahani jews who lived there, and of some locals, could be seen at "Quest for the lost tribes", a film by [[Simcha Jacobovici]].</ref>
*'''Mosques'''
**[[Jumu'ah]] [[Mosque]] ([[Friday Mosque of Herat]])
**Gazargah Sharif
**Khalghe Sharif
**Shah Zahdahe
*'''Stadiums'''
**Herat Stadium
*'''Universities'''
**[[Herat University]]