What is Zahedan?
{{Infobox settlement |name = Zahedan |native_name = زاهدان |image_skyline = Zahedan in one.png |imagesize = 200px |image_seal = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{flag|Iran}} |elevation_m = 1,352 }} '''Zahedan''' ({{lang-fa|زاهدان}}) is a city in [[Iran]]. It is the capital of [[Sistan and Baluchestan Province]] in Southeastern Iran. As of 2016, Zahedan has over 600,000 people. the city is near the borderlands between Iran and Pakistan where Baloch people live.<ref>https://hope.edu/academics/art-and-art-history/special-programs-opportunities/borgeson-scholar.html</ref> == History == The demographics of the inhabiants of Zahedan are mixed with Balochis, and Persians. They speak Persian and Balochi. Zahedan is east of the [[Dasht-e Loot]]. Zahedan is part of Baluchestan, a historic region of [[Asia]]. Sunni Muslims live in Zahedan as well. [[Shaikh Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi]] is the main and most influential religious and [[Sunni]] and the Baloch people. == Geography == Zahedan is located in the southeastern part of [[Iran]]. It is 1,491 kilometers southeast of [[Tehran]], 950 kilometers south of [[Mashhad]], 1,189 kilometers southeast of [[Isfahan]], 2,024 kilometers southeast of [[Tabriz]], and 95 kilometers from the [[Iran-Pakistan border]]. It is also connected by rail to [[Pakistan]] and is near to [[Afghanistan]]. Zahedan is the [[Iran]]ian city, which is the closest to [[Afghanistan]] and [[Pakistan]]. == Demographics == As of 2016, Zahedan has 587,730 people. In the 1930s, Zahedan was a small village. In 1930, Zahedan's population reached 17,500. and increased more than fivefold to 93,000 by 1976. After 1980, large numbers of Iranians fleeing the Soviet invasion of [[Afghanistan]] helped triple the population of Zahedan to more than 281,000 by 1986, a number which has since doubled again. ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Cities in Iran]] [[Category:Sistan and Baluchestan Province]]