Pamir

The Pamirs are a high mountain region in Central Asia at the eastern end of the Pamir-Alay system, spanning largely Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and extending into Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor and China's Xinjiang. The area encompasses the Pamir Mountains and the Pamir Plateau, marked by rugged peaks, deep valleys, high-altitude deserts, and extensive glaciation. The region features the Pamir Knot, a tectonically complex junction where several major ranges converge.

The highest point in the Pamirs is Ismoil Somoni Peak (formerly Peak Communism), at 7,495 meters, located in the eastern Pamirs within Tajikistan. Lenin Peak (Pik Lenina) at 7,134 meters lies on the Tajikistan–Kyrgyzstan border. The landscape is characterized by alpine climate and continental conditions, with long, cold winters and relatively short summers, supporting numerous glaciers and a range of high-elevation ecosystems.

Historically, the Pamirs have been connected to major caravan routes and the Silk Road, serving as a crossroads between the East and West. The Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan forms a narrow passage between the Hindu Kush and Pamir ranges, linking Tajikistan with Pakistan and China. The region is home to Pamiri peoples, who speak distinct languages and maintain rich cultural traditions. Administratively, most of the Pamirs lie within Tajikistan, with portions in Afghanistan and China.

The Pamir Highway, or M41, is a principal overland route crossing the region, connecting Dushanbe with Osh in Kyrgyzstan and functioning as a key corridor for trade, travel, and tourism.