Tajikistan is a large mountainous Central Asian country. The country shares its southern border with Afghanistan, the western border with Uzbekistan, the northern border with Kyrgyzstan, and the eastern border with China. It has a total population of more than 9.5 million. The Tajiks make more than 80% of the population. Other major ethnic groups present in the country include Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, and Russians, etc. Tajik is the official language of the country while Russian is used as a communicating language among people belonging to different ethnicities. The capital of Tajikistan is Dushanbe. Islam is the major practiced religion in the country. In this article, we will discuss some important interesting facts about Tajikistan.
Interesting Facts about Tajikistan
1. It is a land-locked country
Tajikistan is a major land-locked country present in Central Asia. Like other countries of the region, it doesn’t share any of its borders with an ocean or a sea. The country does not have any beach, port or navy. The trade is done via dry ports present at different locations in the country, an interesting fact about Tajikistan.
2. Tajikistan is the land of Mountains
More than 90% of the land in Tajikistan is covered by mountains. Half of the country has an elevation of more than 3000 meters above the sea level. It is a dream destination for mountain lovers who want to have great trekking adventures. The highest peak in the country is known as Somoni Peak having a height of 7,495 meters. The highest mountains are present in Pamir and Alay mountain ranges present along the border with Kyrgyzstan and China.
3. It has World’s Second Tallest Man-Made Dam
The Nurek Dam located on the Vakhsh River is known as the world’s second-tallest man-made dam. It is located in western Tajikistan and has a total height of 300 meters. The construction of this dam began in 1961 and was completed in 1972. It has a power generation capacity of around 3,015 megawatts. The Nurek Dam only lags behind the Jinping-I Dam of China that has a height of 305 meters.
4. This country has one of the Longest Glaciers in the world
Being a mountainous country, it hosts one of the longest glaciers in the world, an interesting fact about Tajikistan. The Fedchenko Glacier, located in the Yazgulem Range of the Pamir Mountains, is the longest glacier in the country. This glacier has the honor of being the longest glacier in the world outside the Polar regions. It has a total length of around 77 km and covers a total area of 700 km2.
5. Tajikistan is famous for its Lakes
Tajikistan is not only famous for its mountain ranges and glaciers but also for its lakes. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Tajikistan has more than 1,300 lakes which cover around 2% of the land in the country. Iskanderkul Lake and Karakul Lake are the most famous ones. A fun fact about Tajikistan is that these lakes are also the major sites of tourism in the country.
6. It is highly susceptible to Earthquakes
According to the geologist, Tajikistan is highly susceptible to earthquakes because it is located in a seismically active zone of the world. Earthquakes are very frequent in the country that result in considerable loss of wealth as well as life. The two deadliest earthquakes in the country were the Qaratog earthquake of 1907 and the Khait earthquake of 1949. These disastrous earthquakes resulted in the loss of thousands of lives.
7. The name of the Capital of Tajikistan means Monday
An interesting fact about Tajikistan is the name of its capital, Dushanbe. It is a word of Tajik language meaning Monday in English. This name was given to the capital of the country because in history, it used to be a village that hosted a very popular market every Monday. This weekly market played an essential role in the development of the city. As of today, Dushanbe is the largest city in the country.
8. Iskanderkul Lake is named after Alexander, the Great
The most beautiful lake in the country is Iskanderkul lake, located in the Sughd Province. The name ‘Iskanderkul’ is a Tajik word meaning Alexander in English. it was named after Alexander because of its unmatched beauty. It provides splendid landscape views along with the surroundings that are rich with wildlife and birdlife.
9. It is separated from Pakistan by Wakhan Corridor
Tajikistan is separated from Pakistan by only a small strip of land known as the Wakhan Corridor. It is a narrow strip of land present in Afghanistan between the mountains of Karakoram Range and the Pamir Range. It has a length of 350 km but a width of around 13 km to 65 km at different points.
10. Pamir National Park in Tajikistan is a UNESCO World Heritage site
Pamir National Park is the largest nature reserve located in eastern Tajikistan. This park covers more than 18% of the total area of Tajikistan. It was established in 1992 and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013. It provides natural habitat to a large variety of wildlife in the country.
11. It has an ancient town
Tajikistan has an ancient town known as Sarazm that was established as early as the 4th millennium B.C. According to the historians, this town used to be the largest metallurgical exporter in Central Asia 5000 years ago, a fun fact about Tajikistan. The remains of this city are still preserved in north-western Tajikistan. It marks an important archaeological and tourist site in the country.
Conclusion
Tajikistan is a large mountainous, landlocked Central Asian country located in the neighborhood of China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan. This country has tall mountains, splendid glaciers, larges lakes, and beautiful landscapes that attract tourists to the country. With a very low crime rate, this country is considered safe to visit. If you are planning a tour to Tajikistan, you can spend a couple of days in the country at a very little expense because it is an inexpensive country.
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