Sistan and Baluchestan Province (
Balochi: سیستان و بلوچستان, romanized:
Sistân o Balučestân;
Persian: استان سيستان و بلوچستان,
romanized:
Ostâne Sistâno Balucestân), after Kerman Province, is the second largest province of the 31
provinces of Iran. It is in the southeast of the country, bordering
Pakistan and
Afghanistan and its capital is
Zahedan.
The province is the second largest province in Iran with an area of 180,726 km² and a population of 2.5 million.
[3] The counties of the province are Chabahar County, Qasr-e Qand County, Dalgan County, Hirmand County, Iranshahr County, Khash County, Konarak County, Nik Shahr County, Saravan County, Sarbaz County, Sib and Suran County, Zabol County, Mehrestan County, Zahedan County, Zehak County, Hamun County, Nimruz County, Bampur County, Mirjaveh County & Fanuj County.
The population comprises the
Baloch who form a majority in the province, followed by the relatively large minority, the Sistani
Persians. Smaller communities of
Kurds (in the eastern highlands and near Iranshahr), the expatriate
Brahui (on the borders between Iran and Pakistan), and other resident and itinerant ethnic groups such as the
Gypsies are also found in the province.