The Basseri are traditional pastoral nomads who inhabit the Iranian province of Fars and migrate along the steppes and mountains near the town of Shiraz. The Basseri are a clearly delineated group, defined by political rather than by ethnic or geographical criteria. The Basseri speak a dialect of Farsi. The majority know only the Basseri dialect, but a few also speak Turkish or Arabic. All of the major tribes of Fars have traditional routes that they travel in their seasonal migrations. They also have a traditional schedule of pasture occupations at different locations.