Shiraz (/ʃiːrɑːz/; Persian: شیراز‎, Šīrāz, Persian pronunciation: [ʃiːˈrɒːz],  pronunciation ) is the sixth most populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province. In 2009, the population of the city was 1,455,073. Shiraz is located in the southwest of Iran on the Roodkhaneye Khoshk (Dry River) seasonal river. It has a moderate climate and has been a regional trade center for over a thousand years.