[3] The province of Herat shares a border with Iran in the west and Turkmenistan in the north, making it an important trading region.

During the 19th century, the British arrived from southern Afghanistan as part of the "Great Game" and backed up the Afghans during one Persian siege and one capture of the city, the former in 1838, and the latter in 1856 in order to prevent Persian or Russian influence reaching deeper in South Asia, and also, more importantly, to protect Britain's colony in India as part of the Great Game.

The province saw a number of battles during the 1980s Soviet war, and remained an active area of guerrilla warfare throughout, with local mujahideen commander Ismail Khan leading resistance against the Soviet-backed Afghan government.

Ismail Khan become a figure of controversy when the media began reporting that he was attempting to restrict freedom of the people, and that he was becoming more of an independent ruler as a warlord.

In response to this, the central government began expanding into the province with the newly trained Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

The United States established a consulate in Herat, trained Afghan security forces, and built schools and clinics.

On the occasion, Minister of Defence Wardak told the audience, "this is our national responsibility to take over our security and defend our country."

[6] Due to the lack of urbanization in Herat Province, around 75% of the population lives in rural areas and economic activity is correspondingly heavily reliant on agriculture and horticulture production (saffron, rugs, cumin, marble, animal skins and wool[6]) with around 82% of economic activity coming from these fields in 2011.

The most important summer areas for the short range migratory Kuchi are Kushki Sangi, Farsi, Adreskan, Kushk Kohna, Kushk Robad, Pashtun Zarghun, Shindand, Guzara, Chisht Sharif, Obeh, Kohistan and Karukh districts of Herat province (in decreasing order of importance).

In December 2012, Afghanistan and Italy signed a "long term agreement" including a €150 million soft loan facility for infrastructure projects in Herat Province.

In 2016 a second soft loan agreement worth about US$100 million was signed between Afghanistan and Italy for the construction a 155 km road between Herat and Chist-e Sharif.

Italy also agreed to assess the possibility of a third soft loan worth about US$70 million for completing the railroad connection between Herat and Mashad in Iran.

The Asian Development Bank is also implementing a feasibility study for the construction of a railway connection between Herat and Turkmenistan.