Zaranj

Zaranj, the provincial capital of Nimruz in southwestern Afghanistan, has a history stretching back over 2,500 years and served for 141 years as the capital of the Saffarid dynasty, whose founder Ya'qub ibn al-Layth al-Saffar was born here. The city sits on one of three significant trade routes linking Central Asia and South Asia with the Middle East, with the Pul-i-Abresham border crossing to Iran at its western edge. Bazaars, mosques, public parks, and Nimruz University are among its present-day features.

• Population49,851
• Nearest water from center 2.4 km1.5 mi
• Nearest mountain from center 38 km24 mi