Qal'ai Khumb (Russian: Калаихум, Tajik: Қалъаи Хумб, Qal‘a‘i Xumb/Qal'haji Xumв — meaning fortress on the banks of the river of Khumb) or Qal'a-i-Khum, also Kalai-Khumb (transliterated from Russian: Калай-Хумб), is a border town located in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan, next to the border with Afghanistan. In the past it was the center of the independent Principality of Darvaz.[2] It is now the capital of the Darvoz District of Tajikistan. The Pamir Highway meets here the Panj River.
Qal'ai Khumb
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|---|---|
 View from eastern end of town (near mosque) | |
  Qal'ai Khumb Location in Tajikistan | |
| Coordinates: 38°27′59″N 70°47′48″E / 38.46639°N 70.79667°E | |
| Country |  Tajikistan |
| Region | Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region |
| District | Darvoz district |
| Elevation | 1,200 m (3,900 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,909 |
| Time zone | UTC 5 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC 5 (GMT) |
| Area code | 992 3552 |
| Climate | Csa |
| Official languages | |
The town is an important overnight rest stop between Kulob and Khorugh, located at a distance of 168 km (104 mi) from Kulob (or 368 km (229 mi) from Dushanbe) and 235 km (146 mi) from Khorugh.[3] It has several hotels to accommodate travelers on their way between cities.[4] The town is almost entirely surrounded by the Pamir Mountains.
The town is connected by road with Afghanistan via the Tajik–Afghan Friendship Bridge. The Saturday cross-border trade market, which was closed for several years,[5] has been reopened recently.[6][7][8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "КОНСТИТУЦИЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАДЖИКИСТАН". prokuratura.tj. Parliament of Tajikistan. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
- ^ Grevemeyer, Jan-Heeren (1994). "DARVĀZ". Encyclopedia Iranica.
- ^ Transport projects in Tajikistan (in Russian). Retrieved on 26 June 2009
- ^ "Qalai Khumb and Yoged". Caravanistan. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
- ^ "Kalai-Khumb". Retrieved March 23, 2021.
- ^ "Afghans and Tajiks mix in rare but vital border bazaar". Al-Monitor. May 17, 2024. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ^ "Afghans and Tajiks mix in rare but vital border bazaar". Business Recorder. May 18, 2024. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ^ د افغانستان او تاجیکستان په پوله شنبه بازار on YouTube, VOA Pashto, May 18, 2024.
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