Present Day Mashhad

Mashhad is the capital of Khorasan Razavi Province and is situated in the northeast of Iran, close to Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, and 934 km from Tehran.

The Population Count
Mashhad’s population is about 3126799 million as of 2016.
Ethnic Breakdown
The majority of the residents are Persians, but because of its intense ancient history, a part of the population looks East Asian because they also have Uyghur or Hazara Turkmen ancestry. Other ethnic groups include Arabs and Kurds, whomay not speak their ancestry language but have preserved their customs and culture.

Climate
Mashhad’s climate is semi-arid with four distinct seasons.

Average weather
The average weather in Mashhad during spring (March, April, and May) is lovely with mild temperatures, possible rainfall, and cool nights (average: 20ºC/8ºC).
In the summer (June, July, and August), it is hot and arid with clear blue skies (average: 34ºC/17).
In the fall (September, October, and November), the weather is like spring with chilly nights and chances of rainfall (average: 22ºC/7ºC).
In the winter (December, January, and February), it is cold and dry, with a few rain and/or snow showers (average: 8ºC/-2ºC).
According to annual weather statistics, the best time to visit Mashhad is mid-May to mid-June and from mid-August to early October, with the second week of September being ideal.
The locals say that the weather is so unpredictable that we should carry a suitcase with us when we leave the house, as we may experience four seasons in one day! So, keep that in mind when packing for your trip.

Many vibrant industries and numerous large and medium industrial parks are situated throughout the province, the largest being in Mashhad. The main industries in the province range from mining (like precious turquoise stone, marble, and granite) and the production of cement, ceramic tiles, textiles, leather, copper, metals, wood, carpets and kilims, food products (being the most important), and agricultural products like luscious summer fruits and high-quality saffron, which dominates about 90% of the total world production.

Languages Spoken in Iran
Persian (aka Farsi) is the official language spoken in Iran. However, since the Iranian population is made up of many different ethnicities other languages are also spoken, such as Arabic (in the south), Kurdish (in the east), and Turkish (in the northeast), in addition to many local dialects. But don’t worry, most people speak the official language of the country and nowadays, many people also speak some English.

Samen District

The most important neighborhood is Samen. The Holy Shrine is situated in this district and it is presently undergoing many renovation projects to serve better the large number of pilgrims and tourists. Most of the hotels are located in this district as well as souvenir stores. Because of its proximity to the Holy Shrine, most stores, restaurants, shopping centers, and so on keep later hours than other parts of the city. Also, taxis, buses, and the metro are easily assessable in the Samen district.

Sculptors & Murals
A main feature of Mashhad is its many sculptors and murals that decorate the entire city. Each artwork has its own special story and represents the past, present, or future of the people.