Zaranj

Zaranj (Balochi,[lower-alpha 1] Pashto[lower-alpha 2]; Dari[lower-alpha 3]: زرنج) is a city in southwestern Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Nimruz Province.[1] It is within the jurisdiction of Zaranj District and has an estimated population of 72,272 people.[2] Maulvi Salahuddin Mumtaz is the current mayor of the city.[3] His predecessor was Maulvi Nooruddin Hamza.[4]

Zaranj is home to Nimruz University, which is located in the eastern part of the city. The new Zaranj Airport is about 20 km (12 mi) further to the east, next to the Delaram-Zaranj Highway. The city has a number of factories, bazaars, business centers, public parks, banks, hotels, restaurants, mosques, hospitals, universities, and places to play sports or just relax.

Zaranj is at an elevation of approximately 476 m (1,562 ft) above sea level and has a land area of 48 km2 (19 sq mi).[5][6] The city is connected by highways with Ghurghuri and Lashkargah to the east, Farah to the north, and the Afghanistan–Iran border to the west. The Pul-i-Abresham border crossing is located in the western part of Zaranj.[7] It is one of three important trade-routes that connect Central Asia, East Asia and South Asia with the Middle East. It is also used by the Afghans in Iran to enter Afghanistan.[8][9]

The history of Zaranj dates back over 2,500 years and Ya'qub ibn al-Layth al-Saffar, founder of the Saffarid dynasty, was born in this old civilization.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 1.1 Early 21st century
* 1.2 Taliban capture
* 2 Geography
* 2.1 Climate
* 3 Demographics
* 4 Law and government
* 5 Education
* 6 Healthcare
* 7 Sports
* 8 Notable people
* 9 See also
* 10 Notes
* 11 References
* 12 Bibliography
* 13 External links

## History

Modern Zaranj bears the name of an ancient city whose name is also attested in Old Persian as Zranka.[10] In Greek, this word became Drangiana. Other historical names for Zaranj include Zirra,[11] Zarangia, Zarani etc.[12] Ultimately, the word Zaranj is derived from the ancient Old Persian word zaranka ("waterland").

Achaemenid Zranka, the capital of Drangiana, was almost certainly located at Dahan-e Gholaman, southeast of Zabol in Iran.[13] After the abandonment of that city, its name, Zarang or Zaranj in later Perso-Arabic orthography, was transferred to the subsequent administrative centers of the region, which itself came to be known as Sakastān, then Sijistan[14] and finally Sistān. Medieval Zaranj is located at Nād-i `Alī, 4.4 km north of the modern city of Zaranj.[15] According to the Arab geographers, prior to medieval Zaranj, the capital of Sistan was located at Ram Shahristan (Abar shariyar). Ram Shahristan had been supplied with water by a canal from the Helmand River, but its dam broke, the area was deprived of water, and the populace moved three days' march to found Zaranj.[16] This Zaranj appears on the Peutinger Map of late Antiquity.

Mahmud of Ghazni attacking the fortress of Zarang in 1003 CE. Jami al-Tawarikh, 1314

The area came under Muslim rule in 652, when Zaranj surrendered to the governor of Khurāsān; it subsequently became a base for further caliphal expansion in the region. In 661, a small Arab garrison reestablished its authority in the region after having temporarily lost control due to skirmishes and revolts.[17] A Nestorian Christian community is recorded in Zaranj in the sixth century, and by the end of the eighth century there was a Jacobite diocese of Zaranj.[18] In the 9th century Zaranj was the capital of the Saffarid dynasty, whose founder was the local coppersmith turned warlord, Ya'qub ibn al-Layth al-Saffar.[19] It became part of the Ghaznavids, Ghorids, Trimurids, Safavids and others. Defeated by the Samanids in 900, the Saffarids sank to a position of regional importance, until conquered by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1003.[20] Subsequently, Zaranj served as the capital of the Nasrid (1029–1225) and Mihrabānid (1236–1537) maliks of Nīmrūz.[21]

In the early 18th century, the city became part of the Afghan Hotak dynasty until they were removed from power in 1738 by Nader Shah of Khorasan. Zaranj came under Khanate of Kalat in the mid-18th century.[22] Under the modern Afghan governments, the area was known as Farah-Chakansur Province until 1968, when it was separated to form the provinces of Nimruz and Farah.[23] The city of Zaranj became the capital of Nimroz province.

### Early 21st century

A new highway called Route 606 was built between Zaranj and Delaram in Farah province by the Indian Government's Border Roads Organization at a cost of about US$136 million to open up a link between the deep sea port at Chabahar in Iran to Afghanistan's main ring road highway system which connects Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kunduz. The 215 km-long (134 mi) highway, a symbol of India's developmental work, was handed over to Afghan authorities by then-Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in January 2009 in the presence of then-Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta.

The province has been one of the 7 (Nimruz, Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Ghazni, Paktika and Zabul) where the Taliban have regrouped. On 14 August 2012 dozens of civilians were killed in Zaranj by several suicide-bombers in a major terrorist attack on the city.[24]

Due to Zaranj's close proximity to Iran, the city has been using mostly on Iranian products. With the increase of trade the Afghan Border Police has been dealing with a rise in smuggling, particularly illegal drugs and weapons. The overall economic situation became better for the local population of the city. Hundreds of trucks containing merchandise from the Middle East enter the city on a daily basis.

In the last decade, the U.S. Marines and others of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have been visiting Zaranj. The United States was involved in economic development projects. This included improvement made to the irrigation network of the city, building of Afghan military and Afghan National Police barracks as well as a hospital and a school. The US Marines assigned to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing have been visiting Zaranj since the Forward Operating Base Delaram was built in Delaram. The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing built two concrete helicopter landing zones on western side of the gravel runway of Zaranj Airport to ease the landing of USMC V-22 Osprey helicopters from 3rd Battalion 4th Marines.

### Taliban capture

On 6 August 2021, Zaranj became the first provincial capital to be captured by the Taliban during their offensive.[25][26] Afghan officials said the Taliban faced "little resistance" in capturing the city with the 215th Corps of the Afghan National Army focusing instead on the Battle of Lashkargah.[27] Shortly after entering the city, the Taliban broke into the city's prison, releasing a large number of prisoners into Zaranj.[27]

On March 8, 2022, the New York Times reported a boom in the business of smugglers helping - for payment - the escape of hundreds of thousands of Afghans seeking to cross into Iran, to escape the Taliban rule and/or the harsh economic conditions. According to the report, "nearly everyone in Zaranj is involved, in one way or another, in the smuggling business".[28] Millions are now returning to Afghanistan.[8]

## Geography

Zaranj is located to the east of the Afghanistan–Iran border in Nimruz Province of Afghanistan, on an important trade route that connects Central Asia, East Asia and South Asia with the Middle East. Zaranj is at an elevation of approximately 476 m (1,562 ft) above sea level and has a land area of 48 km2 (19 sq mi) or 4,823 ha (11,920 acres).[6][5] Its main source of water is from both the Khash River and the Helmand River.

The Delaram-Zaranj Highway is a two-lane road connecting Zaranj with Delaram in neighboring Farah Province. It was built by India and connects with the Kandahar–Herat Highway in Delaram,[29] which provides connectivity to other major Afghan cities via A01. Route 606 reduces travel time between Zaranj and Delaram from the earlier 12–14 hours to just 2 hours.

### Climate

Zaranj has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with very hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is very low and mostly falls in winter. Temperatures in summer may approach 50 °C (122 °F). Snowfall happens in Zaranj infrequently.[30][31] Script error: No such module "weather box".

## Demographics

According to Afghanistan's National Statistics and Information Authority, Zaranj has an estimated population of 72,272 residents.[2] It was around 49,851 in 2004.[33] The ethnic groups have been estimated and reported in 2007 as follows: Baloch 44%, Pashtun 34% and Tajik 22%.[33] In 2015 there were 17,878 dwelling units in the city.[5][6]

## Law and government

Governor's Complex

The city of Zaranj is within the jurisdiction of Zaranj District and administratively divided into several nahias (city districts).[5] Every nahia has a police station and a number of neighborhoods. Maulvi Salahuddin Mumtaz serves as the current mayor of the city.[3] His predecessor was Maulvi Nooruddin Hamza.[4]

The Zaranj Municipality's structure consists of several departments under the mayor. Like other provincial municipalities in Afghanistan, the Zaranj Municipality deals with city affairs such as infrastructure developments. The city districts collect certain taxes and issue building licenses. Each city district has a district head appointed by the mayor.

The Governor's Complex is also located in Zaranj, which is in charge of governing all the districts of Nimruz Province.

## Education

Zaranj has a number of public and private schools.[34] There are also a number of universities. The largest is Nimruz University.

## Healthcare

There are a limited number of hospitals and clinics in Zaranj. Those seeking advanced medical care travel to faraway cities such as Kandahar, Herat or Kabul.[35] Some apply for medical visa to visit hospitals in foreign countries.

## Sports

Cricket, football, futsal and volleyball are the most popular sports in Afghanistan.

## Notable people

* Ya'qub ibn al-Layth al-Saffar founder of the Saffarid dynasty of Sistan, born in Karnin near Zaranj
* Amr ibn al-Layth second ruler of the Saffarid dynasty, born in Karnin near Zaranj
* Al-Layth ibn Ali ibn al-Layth, amir of the Saffarid amirate in Zaranj from 909 until 910
* Al-Mu'addal ibn al-Layth, Saffarid ruler of Zaranj for a part of 911

## See also

* List of cities in Afghanistan
* Islam Qala
* Drangiana

## Notes

1. ↑ bal
2. ↑ ps
3. ↑ prs

## References

1. ↑ "Nimroz Provincial Center to Relocate from Zaranj to Ghurghuri". TOLOnews. 14 September 2025. https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-195774.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2025-26". National Statistics and Information Authority. September 2025. p. 115. https://nsia.gov.af:8443/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/براورد-نفوس-کشور-سال-1404.pdf#page=138.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Zaranj municipality records 55pc surge in revenue this year". Pajhwok Afghan News. 16 November 2025. https://pajhwok.com/2025/11/16/zaranj-municipality-records-55pc-surge-in-revenue-this-year/.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Onion prices go through the roof: Nimroz residents". Pajhwok Afghan News. 28 February 2023. https://pajhwok.com/2023/02/28/onion-prices-go-through-the-roof-nimroz-residents/.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-II)". UN-Habitat. pp. 134-37. https://unhabitat.org/soac2015_volume2.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-I English)". UN-Habitat. pp. 8, 132. https://unhabitat.org/soac2015.
7. ↑ "Closure of Abrisham Crossing With Iran Creates Obstacles for Afghans". TOLOnews. July 5, 2022. https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-178802.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "New well-equipped camp set up for returnees in Nimroz". Pajhwok Afghan News. October 16, 2025. https://pajhwok.com/2025/10/16/new-well-equipped-camp-set-up-for-returnees-in-nimroz/.
9. ↑ "Over 10,000 Afghans return from Iran, Pakistan in past two days". Pajhwok Afghan News. December 13, 2025. https://pajhwok.com/2025/12/13/over-10000-afghans-return-from-iran-pakistan-in-past-two-days/.
10. ↑ Schmitt, Rüdiger (15 December 1995). "DRANGIANA or Zarangiana; territory around Lake Hāmūn and the Helmand or Hindmand river in modern Sīstān". Encyclopædia Iranica. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/drangiana. "The name of the country and its inhabitants is first attested as Old Persian z-r-k (i.e., Zranka)in the great Bīsotūn (q.v. iii) inscription of Darius I (q.v.; col. I l. 16), apparently the original name. This form is reflected in the Elamite (Sir-ra-an-qa and variants), Babylonian (Za-ra-an-ga), and Egyptian (srng or srnḳ) versions of the Achaemenid royal inscriptions, as well as in Greek Zarángai, Zarangaîoi, Zarangianḗ (Arrian; Isidore of Charax), and Sarángai (Herodotus) and in Latin Zarangae (Pliny). Instead of this original form, characterized by non-Persian z (perhaps from proto-IE. palatal *γ or *γh), in some Greek sources (chiefly those dependent upon the historians of Alexander the Great, q.v.) the perhaps hypercorrect Persianized variant (cf. Belardi, p. 183) with initial d-, *Dranka (or even *Dranga?), reflected in Greek Drángai, Drangḗ, Drangēnḗ, Drangi(a)nḗ (Ctesias; Polybius; Strabo; Diodorus; Ptolemy; Arrian; Stephanus Byzantius) and Latin Drangae, Drangiana, Drangiani (Curtius Rufus; Pliny; Ammianus Marcellinus; Justin) or Drancaeus (Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 6.106, 6.507) occurs.". [1]
11. ↑ Ten Thousand Miles in Persia: Or, Eight Years in Irán By Percy Sykes, pg. 363
12. ↑ Vogelsang, Willem (2002). The Afghans. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 162. ISBN 0-631-19841-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=9kfJ6MlMsJQC&pg=PA162. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
13. ↑ Gnoli (1993).
14. ↑ “….As for ibn-Samurah, he established his rule over everything between Zaranj and Kishsh of the land of al-Hind, and over that part of the region of the road of ar-Rukhkhaj which is between it and the province of ad-Dhawar”, The origins of the Islamic State, Part II (1924) page 143 by Murgotten, Francis Clark
15. ↑ Schmitt (1995).
16. ↑ Guy Le Strange. The lands of the eastern caliphate: Mesopotamia, Persia, and Central Asia, from the Moslem conquest to the time of Timur. Cambridge geographical series. General editor: F. H. H. Guillemard. reprint Publisher CUP Archive, 1930. Originally published 1905.
17. ↑ Islamic History: A New Interpretation By Muhammad Abdulhavy Shaban
18. ↑ Fiey, Pour un Oriens Christianus, 281
19. ↑ Ariana Antiqua: A Descriptive Account of the Antiquities and Coins of Afghanistan By Horace Hayman Wilson, pg. 154
20. ↑ Joel L. Kraemer, Philosophy in the Renaissance of Islam: Abū Sulaymān Al-Sijistānī and His Circle, Vol. VIII, ed. Itamar Rabinovich, William M. Brinner, Martin Kramer, Joel L. Kraemer and Shimon Shamir, (Brill, 1986), 4.
21. ↑ C.E. Bosworth (2002). "Zaranj". The Encyclopaedia of Islam. Brill. p. 459.
22. ↑ Bruns, Bettina; Miggelbrink, Judith (2011-10-08) (in en). Subverting Borders: Doing Research on Smuggling and Small-Scale Trade. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 52. ISBN 978-3-531-93273-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=VlULn9od0HoC&pg=PA52.
23. ↑ Frank Clements. Conflict in Afghanistan: a historical encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO, 2003. ISBN 1-85109-402-4, ISBN 978-1-85109-402-8. Pg 181
24. ↑ "Afghan blasts: Dozens killed in Nimroz and Kunduz". BBC News. 14 August 2012. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-19257090.
25. ↑ "Taliban flashpoints across Afghanistan". Ariana News. August 12, 2021. https://www.ariananews.af/taliban-flashpoints-across-afghanistan/.
26. ↑ "Taliban capture regional capital - Afghan officials". 6 August 2021. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58119886.
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Nossiter, Adam; Taimoor Shah; Fahim Abed (August 6, 2021). "Taliban Capture Afghan Provincial Capital in a Symbolic Victory". https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/06/world/asia/taliban-afghanistan-capital-zaranj.html.
28. ↑ "A boom for Afghan smugglers". The New York Times. March 8, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/08/briefing/biden-russia-oil-south-korea-election.html.
29. ↑ "India hands over strategic highway to Afghanistan". The Hindu. 2009-01-23. http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/23/stories/2009012355311200.htm.
30. ↑ "At Least 70 People Died as Cold Sweeps Afghanistan". TOLOnews. 18 January 2023. https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-181658.
31. ↑ رامین (2016-11-27) (in fa-IR). https://pajhwok.com/fa/2016/11/27/دهاقین،-بارش-برف-در-ولایت-نیمروز-را-نوی/.
32. ↑ "Zaranj Climate Normals 1969-1983". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/RA-II/AH/40986.TXT.
33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Zaranj". Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development. April 2007. http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/141/Nimroz_Zaranj_Summary_Finalized.pdf.
34. ↑ "New School in Nimruz Will Provide Modern Facilities for 950 Students". TOLOnews. 10 November 2024. https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/provincial-191595.
35. ↑ "Herat Sees Major Healthcare Gains as Fewer Patients Travel Abroad". TOLOnews. 27 January 2026. https://tolonews.com/health-197693.

## Bibliography

* Bosworth, C. E., "SISTĀN ii. Sistān ii. In the Islamic period," in Encyclopaedia Iranica (2011).
* Gnoli, G., "Dahan-e Ḡolāmān," in Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 6 (1993), 582–585.
* Template:Lands of the Eastern Caliphate
* Schmitt, R., "Drangiana," in Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 7 (1995) 534–537.

## External links

* زندگی در حاشیه شهر زرنج - سرنوشت تلخ رد مرزی‌ها در ولایت نیمروز on YouTube
* Driving through the streets of Zaranj on YouTube (May 10, 2022)
* Zaranj shows promise for future of Nimroz province

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