# Herat

> capital of Herat Province, Afghanistan

**Wikidata**: [Q45313](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45313)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herat)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/herat

## Summary
Herat is a major city and the capital of Herat Province in western Afghanistan. Geographically situated at an elevation of 920 meters, it serves as a significant urban center with a population of 556,205 as of 2020. Historically, the city has served as the capital for the Timurid Empire and the Kartids and is recognized as a Tentative World Heritage Site.

## Key Facts
*   **Classification:** Herat is classified as a city and a big city (large human settlement).
*   **Location:** It is located in Herat District, Afghanistan, with coordinates 34.341944° N, 62.203056° E.
*   **Elevation:** The city sits at an elevation of 920 meters above sea level.
*   **Area:** The total area of Herat is 143 square kilometres.
*   **Population:** The city has a population of 556,205 (recorded Jan 1, 2020); historical data shows a population of 140,323 in 1979.
*   **Capital Status:** It is the capital of Herat Province. Historically, it was the capital of the Timurid Empire (1370–1526) and the Kartids, as well as the entity "Herat" (1793–1863).
*   **Heritage Status:** Designated as a Tentative World Heritage Site under the name "City of Herat" starting August 17, 2004, fulfilling criteria (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv).
*   **Dialing Code:** The local dialing code for the city is 40.
*   **UN/LOCODE:** AFHEA.

## FAQs
**What is the geographical and demographic profile of Herat?**
Herat covers an area of 143 square kilometers and is positioned at an elevation of 920 meters. The city's population has grown significantly from 140,323 in 1979 to 556,205 in 2020.

**What is Herat's historical political status?**
While currently part of Afghanistan (since August 19, 1919), Herat has a distinct political history. It served as the capital of the Timurid Empire from 1370 to 1526 and later functioned as the capital of the Kartids and the independent entity of Herat from 1793 to 1863.

**Is Herat recognized as a World Heritage Site?**
Herat is currently listed on the Tentative World Heritage List. Nominated on August 17, 2004, as the "City of Herat," it is recognized for meeting multiple cultural criteria (i, ii, iii, and iv) though it has not yet been fully inscribed.

**What international relationships does Herat maintain?**
The city maintains sister-city relationships with Council Bluffs (established 2016), Sabzevar (established 2017), and Yazd.

## Why It Matters
Herat holds substantial historical and cultural weight as a former capital of the Timurid Empire, a pivotal era in Islamic and Central Asian history. Its strategic location is underscored by its designation as a "big city" and a hub within the Herat District. The city's inclusion on the Tentative World Heritage list highlights its global cultural value, preserving a legacy that spans back to its ancient name, Alexandria Ariana. Furthermore, its extensive documentation across major encyclopedic works—from the *Encyclopædia Britannica* to the *Great Soviet Encyclopedia*—demonstrates its enduring relevance as a subject of academic and historical study.

## Notable For
*   **Tentative World Heritage Site:** Recognized for its cultural significance according to criteria (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv).
*   **Historical Capital:** Former seat of power for the Timurid Empire (1370–1526) and the Kartids.
*   **Ancient Lineage:** Known historically by several names, including Alexandria, Alexandria Ariana, and Alejandría de Aria.
*   **Sustained Population Growth:** A nearly fourfold increase in population between 1979 and 2020.
*   **Extensive Global Documentation:** Indexed by a vast array of international authorities including VIAF, GND, the Library of Congress, and multiple national encyclopedias.

## Body

### Geography and Demographics
Herat is an urban settlement located in the Herat District of Afghanistan. The city's precise coordinates are 34.341944° latitude and 62.203056° longitude. It spans a total area of 143 square kilometres. Situated at an elevation of 920 meters above sea level, the city has experienced substantial population growth over the last half-century. Demographic records indicate a rise from 140,323 residents in 1979 to a preferred count of 556,205 by January 1, 2020.

### Historical and Political Governance
Herat has a complex political history, shifting between national sovereignty and imperial integration.
*   **Afghanistan:** The city is currently part of Afghanistan, a status formalized on August 19, 1919.
*   **Timurid Empire:** Herat served as the capital of the Timurid Empire for over a century, beginning in 1370 and ending in 1526.
*   **Regional Powers:** It also served as the capital for the Kartids and the independent state of Herat between 1793 and 1863.

Significant military events marked the city's history, specifically the First Herat War and two recorded Sieges of Herat.

### Cultural Heritage and Aliases
The city is a recognized Tentative World Heritage Site, inscribed on the list on August 17, 2004, under the official name "City of Herat." This designation is based on four cultural criteria: (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv).

Herat is known by a multitude of names and aliases across different languages and historical periods, reflecting its diverse cultural interactions. These names include:
*   **Historical:** Alexandria, Alexandria Ariana, Alejandría de Aria, Alejandría de Areia.
*   **Variations:** Heraut, Hera t, Hera-t, Hérât, Harat.
*   **Native/Regional:** هرات, هراه, هيرات, مدينة هرات, حيرات, 哈烈, Херат.

### International Relations
Herat maintains "twinning" relationships with several international cities:
*   **Council Bluffs:** Partnership started in 2016.
*   **Sabzevar:** Partnership started in 2017.
*   **Yazd:** Partnership established (date unspecified in source).

### Academic and Digital Presence
Herat is extensively cataloged in global knowledge bases and encyclopedias. It has been described by or indexed in the *Great Soviet Encyclopedia*, *Sytin Military Encyclopedia*, *Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary*, *Pauly–Wissowa*, *The Nuttall Encyclopædia*, the *History of Ming*, the *New History of Yuan*, the *Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia*, and the *Encyclopædia Britannica* (11th edition and online). The entity has a high digital presence with 105 sitelinks across Wikipedia languages including English, Arabic, Persian, Russian, Chinese, and numerous others.

### Identifiers and Classifications
The city holds numerous unique identifiers across scientific, library, and digital platforms:
*   **Geographical IDs:** GeoNames ID 1140026; OpenStreetMap Node ID 312432807; UN/LOCODE AFHEA; GNS Unique Feature ID -3377359.
*   **Library Archives:** Library of Congress Authority ID n81108322; VIAF ID 130198044; GND ID 4024442-8; National Library of Israel ID 987007555178905171.
*   **Digital/Media:** MusicBrainz Area ID 91bb6872-7b31-401e-a2f5-7d44f9419377; Quora Topic "Herat-Afghanistan-1"; Google Play Store ID "Herat".
*   **Categorization:** The city is categorized under "Category:Herat," "Category:Views of Herat," "Category:People from Herat," and specific categories for births and deaths in the city.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.karadahproject.com/blog/karadah-project-and-sister-cities-a-winning-combination)
2. [Source](http://7ghalamsb.ir/%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1-%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF/)
3. [Source](https://www.farsnews.com/printnews/13940825001705)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. Czech National Authority Database
7. MusicBrainz
8. First Population Census of Afghanistan (1979)
9. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
10. GeoNames
11. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/af.htm)
12. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
13. Enciclopedia Treccani
14. KBpedia
15. museum-digital