Known historically as “The Pearl of Khorasan,” Herat is the dominant city in northwest Afghanistan and the country’s third largest (pop. 1.8 million). The city, which is situated in the Hari River Valley and at the intersection of ancient trade routes through the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia, is steeped in history – having been ruled by Alexander the Great, destroyed by Genghis Khan and controlled by a multitude of regional empires and warring factions over the millenia.
Today, Herat is under control of Afghanistan’s central government, yet remains, like many cities and villages throughout the country, a product of lingering political forces that have paralyzed economic development and forced the region into accepting poor educational standards and limited access to medical services.
