Shiraz; Persian: شیراز‎, romanized: Šîrâz) is the fourth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province, which is also known as Pars (پارس, Pārs) and Persis (Persia). Shiraz is located in the southwest of Iran on the "Rudkhaneye Khoshk" (The Dry River) seasonal river. It has a moderate climate and has been a regional trade center for over a thousand years. Shiraz is one of the oldest cities of ancient Persia.