This topographic street plan of Herāt was printed in 1984 by the General Staff of the Soviet Union.

The map is in the Russian language. It is printed in 10 colours, and is extremely detailed, with a contour interval of 5 metres. Buildings are classified by their function and material, roads by their width and material, and forests and fields by tree species and leaf type. There is a short text which describes transport in and around the city, places of importance, and the city’s infrastructure (factories, power stations, and hospitals); and indexes to streets and major buildings.

The map was surveyed in 1982, when it records that Herāt had 150 000 inhabitants. The city now has over 500 000, but its area has only grown by one-quarter.

To the author’s knowledge, no better map is available to the general public, making this a dated but unsurpassed reference for the city.

Maps of another four Afghan cities, including Kabul, can be downloaded from TROPICARTA (requires Chomikuj account).