Zabol

Zabol ( _fa. زابل) is a city in the province Sistan and Baluchistan, in Iran, on the border with both Afghanistan and Pakistan. It should not be confused with Zabul in Afghanistan.

It had an estimated population of 128,476 in 2005. [http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/2005_world_city_populations/Iran.html]

Zabol is located near the Lake Hamun and the region is irrigated by the Hirmand River. People of Zabol speak a Persian language variant known as "Sistani" or Seistani which is very similar to Dari. The tribes of the area include the Shahraki, Arbabi, Barani, Sarani, Fakhireh, Mir, Dahmardeh, rashki, Sanchooli, Pahlevan, Faghiri, Divaneh, Gorg, Nohtani, and Sayyadi. In recent years these tribal names appear in the surnames of the inhabitants of the area. The are also some Baluchis, Pashtuns and Brahuis in the city.

Zabol area is famous for its "120 day wind" ("bād-e sad-o-bist-roz"), a highly persistent dust storm in the summer which blows from north to south.

The city is home to Zabol University, the largest university in the city. Zabol has a regional airport.

The hero of Zabol is Rostam, an epic figure of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh.