Zabol (
????) 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.[1]
Zabol is located near Lake Hamun and the region is irrigated by the Hirmand River. Lake Hamun is a seasonal lake that is often dry. People of Zabol speak a Persian language variant known as Sistani or Seistani which is very similar to Dari, also known as Afghan Persian. 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. Some nationalists of India allege that Zabol once had a strong Hindu past.
Zabol area is famous for its "120 day wind" (bad-e sad-o-bist-roz), a highly persistent dust storm in the summer which blows from north to south.
