Afghani Pearl Fashion Jewelry 45

Afghani Pearl Fashion Jewelry.

By Aamir Mannan.

Time zone Afghanistan Standard Time (UTC+4:30)

Herāt (/hɛˈrɑːt/;[2] Pashto: هرات‎ & Persian: هرات‎) is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 436,300 as of 2012.[1] It serves as the capital of Herat province and is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan. The city is linked with Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif via highway 1 or the ring road that stretches across the country. It is further linked to the city of Mashhad in Iran through the border town of Islam Qala.

Situated in a fertile area, Herāt dates back to the Avestan times and was traditionally known for its wine. The city has a number of historic sites, including the Herat Citadel and the Mosallah Complex. During the Middle Ages Herāt became one of the important cities of Khorasan, as it was known as the Pearl of 

Khorasan.[3] In 1717, the city was captured by the Hotaki dynasty until they were defeated by the Afsharids in 1736. After Nadir Shah's death, Herat became part of the Durrani Empire in 1747. It saw some actions during the 19th century Anglo-Afghan wars. Much of the city has been spared from destructions that occurred in other cities of Afghanistan during the wars since 1978.

Herāt lies on the ancient trade routes of the Middle East, Central and South Asia. The roads from Herāt to Iran, Turkmenistan, and other parts of Afghanistan are still strategically important. As the gateway to Iran, it collects the highest amount of customs revenue for Afghanistan.[4] The city has an international airport.